John BD

Kentucky Breakfast Stout (KBS) (2019) BD

Brought this bottle back to its ancestral homeland to be consumed… it’s held up pretty well, the coffee is barely there but the chocolate is nice and there’s some roastiness remaining with the barrel.

Gueuze (2021) BD

Magnificent - so delicate, the earthiness and funk play nicely with a stone fruit character that just works so well. Thanks Jeff R.

90 Minute Imperial IPA BD

Finally done with work for a couple weeks. It’s been a doozy, and some with friends is much needed. Haven’t had a 90 Minute in forever and I forgot how much of a bruiser it is, just delightfully bitter. @Westside Pub, somehow nonexistent as a venue

KBS Maple Mackinac Fudge (2020) BD

This beer is still utterly fantastic - depths of rich cocoa and still only a moderately sweet finish. Hefty body without being “thicc.” Wish I had a case of these. Undeniable goat of the KBS world. #proper

KBS Blueberry BD

Nice subtle nose, choco forward but with more of the berry character coming through in the back end. I’m not a huge blueberry guy so it isn’t a natural fit for me but it sure ain’t bad.

Classic Gueuze (2016) BD

Dry, musty, and the earthy funk really pops. It had a touch more acidity than I generally expect from unfruited Cantillon bottles, but I’m sure that’s a function of it’s age. Still really nice.

Canadian Breakfast Stout (CBS) (2019) BD

Haven’t popped one of these in a hot minute; was def worried since my last bottle tasted really odd but thankfully it must have been a fluke. This one has lost the maple, but is still a perfectly nice rich chocolate stout with a kiss of barrel. #properish

Breakfast Stout BD

Things are getting REAL - we stopped to pick up our marriage license today, and since there was no line, we had plenty of time on the meter and decided to get a celebratory pour afterward. This is an all-time favorite for us.

St Lamvinus (2022) BD

Absolutely stellar balance of earthy funk and lightly tart berry. Touch of juice in the second half. And of course #proper glassware. Thanks to Mitchell L. for this one.

Gueuze 100% Lambic Bio (2015) BD

Massive levels of musty funk on this bottle - the lemony zing is gone, and I agree with Jeff R. that it has developed an almost apple-y character. Earthy & dry doesn’t begin to encapsulate this; feels like Brussels dirt was an adjunct. Weird but good.

Kriek 100% Lambic BD

As lovely as ever, and that’s coming from someone who isn’t a big cherry guy in beer. It’s lightly tart and vibrantly tart, perfect counterpart to the huge stout we are having next to it.

Rosé de Gambrinus (2021) BD

Euro shelfies are wild. Solo doming this on the second-to-last night of vacation to celebrate Dan H.’s 50th birthday from afar. Huge tart berry, moderate funk, and a bit of balancing sweet in the finish. So good.

Magic Lambic BD

From yesterday; just incredible, smooth fruit that leans more blueberry than raz to me despite only being 20% of the blend. Mid-palate traces of nilla that fade, then reappear near the finish. Plenty of loon earthy funk, balanced with sweet. Low tartness.

Classic Gueuze (2022) BD

Cantillon on draft just isn’t something one finds often… this is great, just a delicious funky treat that hits the gueuze notes I expect. It does feel a bit less bright than I had kinda wanted, maybe a result of being so fresh? Still quite good.

Gueuze 100% Lambic Bio (2017) BD

Loads of fruity funk and and semi-dry, musty body. Super complex. Delightful. Thanks Jeff R. (via Mitchell R.) Tokash Bash 2023.

Kentucky Breakfast Stout (KBS) (2022) BD

Warming and chocolatey. Porch beers with the former coworkers.

Frootwood - Mothership Series BD

#CatchingUp Crazy that B1 of this beer has held up so well - balanced cherry, sweet maple, bright effervescent body, and a complementary dry finish. Much better than the production version.

Frootwood (2021) BD

#CatchingUp SBS w/ the mothership version, this is much younger but WAY worse. Thin, watery, and very flat flavor profile versus the OG which still felt fresh. This tastes like an 8 year old beer that was stored in a linen closet. Dumped half the pour.

MF Donkey Stout (Mothership Series) BD

#CatchingUp This has held up decently well, not much coffee left but some lingering fudgy cocoa. Thanks Jimmy.

Kentucky Breakfast Stout (KBS) (2022) BD

Couldn’t tell you the last time I had a fresh(ish) KBS… way more of everything than I remembered. Coffee, barrel, chocolate, and all wrapped up in a fairly drinkable body. Reminds me that this is one that shouldn’t be cellared long term.

World Wide Stout (2010) BD

#CellarTurdSunday continues… this is fine, it’s not especially stout-like but its pretty solid. Jimmy brought it and nailed the description by calling it a stout-old ale blend.

Blushing Monk (2018) BD

Cellar Cleaning Advent #21: this may as well have been released yesterday, the berry is vibrant and there is zero oxidation. Maybe not quite as juicy as it is fresh, but that’s a very minor complaint.

Fou' Foune (2020) BD

#SoBroChristmas Utterly magical - aroma, mouthfeel, palate, finish… this is just perfect. Funky peachy goodness.

Curmudgeon's Better Half BD

Cellar Cleaning Advent #14: aside from the somewhat odd color, this has held on remarkably well. Plenty of slightly sticky sweetness and maple that is well integrated. Not exactly #BIL, but #BIL-adjacent for sure.

Canadian Breakfast Stout (CBS) (2017) BD

Last one in my basement! Maple has definitely dissipated and the barrel & coffee are muted, but it’s still pretty darn good. Cocoa is probably the strongest note, and it’s nice and rich.

4 Giants Hazy IPA BD

Maybe a bit early for this but man, when picking up carryout from 20, it’s hard not to grab a bevvie. Founders doesn’t do a lot of haze but this is great, just massive orange juice and citrus notes in both the aroma and palate.

Backwoods Bastard (2018) BD

Sad that this has declined so rapidly - some acrid, oxidized notes and the toffee sweetness has receded. Hoping this was bottle variation as I still have a handful of these in the cellar.

Ultimate Oktoberfest BD

Lovey caramelly note and a sticky sweetness from the barrel, which also appears on the nose - if I didn’t know any better, I’d have said this was #BIL (or at least life-adjacent!). Last beer of the Friday Oktoberfest tasting with Jonathan B.

Belgian Twist BD

After the review I got from Dan H. I was fully prepared for this to be awful, but truthfully I thought it was decent. Agave is a weird thing to dump in a tripel, but the sweetness actually complemented the banana notes decently well.

KBS Espresso (2019) BD

Stout showdown with Jacob R. and Alyssa #3 - batch 1 of the espresso is still holding on nicely, w/ distinct coffee notes above what I usually get for reg KBS at this age. That said, objectively there’s a lot less coffee than fresh so drink up if holding.

Kentucky Breakfast Stout (KBS) (2018) BD

Been a minute since having this - coffee is just a suggestion but the chocolate is still very solid. Great to be having this in Michigan in these surroundings. Only thing that could make it better was if Sanjay T. were here to share the bottle.

Lou Pepe Kriek (2017) BD

#Happy50thCharlie For me not being much of a kriek guy, this is spectacular. The cherry has a light yet jammy quality that gives this a lovely sweet finish that pairs nicely with the signature loon funk. Slight edge to this over the Eylenbosch kriek.

Vigneronne (2021) BD

Kolby’s Share 4/16 - strong start with that signature loon funk.

All Day IPA BD

A much-needed palate cleanser, and a great one at that.

KBS Hazelnut BD

Huge hazelnut aroma and some up front nuttiness, but that quickly fades as the beer warms and gives way to rich cocoa and some light coffee. Minimal barrel, but still tasty. #proper

Kentucky Breakfast Stout (KBS) (2020) BD

This has aged extremely gracefully - as always, when making brownies, at least a couple ounces are reserved for the chef.

Backwoods Bastard (2018) BD

Christmas baking is well underway, with a little help. Warming let some of the toffee come through in this, but 2018 just isn’t as dynamic of a year as some of the other vintages of Bastard. #proper

Classic Gueuze (2017) BD

Very nice - I’ve always liked classic gueuze just a skosh more than the Bio. Maybe it’s in my head, but I just feel like the funk profile is a bit more full and assertive. Thanks for sharing Jeff R.

KBS Cinnamon Vanilla Cocoa BD

Cocoa and vanilla take the lead here and cinnamon plays a supporting role, subtle but present throughout. #proper

Kriek 100% Lambic BD

#oldticks Cherry isn’t usually my go-to adjunct but you can’t deny that magnificent loon funk profile.

Utopias Barrel-Aged Palo Santo Marron BD

Canadian Breakfast Stout (CBS) (2011) BD

First time ticking the OG and its not great… combo of the beer being old and the scene having changed since 2011. Respect for being a game changer but ten years on, this isn’t a great beer.

Vigneronne (2020) BD

Nonstop barnyard funk; fruit is present but thoughtfully balanced and the dry finish keeps this a very drinkable lambic. Best beer of the night by a margin.

Kentucky Breakfast Stout (KBS) (2017) BD

Coffee has disappeared but the roasty chocolate is still great.

All Day Vacay BD

Pretty sure it’s illegal to pack up a trade box without also drinking a beer. Luckily for Josh M., every beer in this box is better than this one.

Mas Agave Clásica BD

Pure jolly rancher citrus sweetness.

Bottle Shop Series: Nemesis BD

Raisins and caramel sweetness on the finish. Lacking complexity that I prefer in the BA version of these beers.

Rosé de Gambrinus (2018) BD

The extremely gracious Jeff R. brought this in to share with our awesome bartender Dan at FFG. I’ve had RdG before, but this was just amazing. Raz was bright and vibrant, nicely effervescent, and the funk was just perfectly balanced.

Backwoods Bastard (2018) BD

Still at grandma’s and still drinking with an audience of Precious Moments figures… and this beer is still rad.

120 Minute IPA (2015) BD

Whatever witchcraft Dogfish has performed to make these things stay bitter and intense (and a touch sweet!) for half a decade in a basement is beyond me; this is a resin bomb, and not an unpleasant one. Insanity. #oldticks

Kentucky Breakfast Stout (KBS) (2020) BD

Tour de Founders this evening with Jonathan B. - this was roastier than I recall most KBS being. Coffee comes out well as it warms; definitely thin, but still pretty nice.

KBS Espresso (2020) BD

Just great - huge bitter intense coffee, especially as it warms. This level is what I want regular KBS to be. Bold and brash and punchy.

KBS Maple Mackinac Fudge (2020) BD

Delightful - fudgy goodness all around. I just love how the bare hint of maple comes in as a complement to the chocolate richness. Winner of the flight by a nose over the espresso, this is luscious and silky where the espresso oozes overt braggadocio.

Canadian Breakfast Stout (CBS) (2019) BD

No rating on this, pretty sure it’s an off bottle - most of these I’ve had were delightful, but this is metallic and oxidized. Cap issue perhaps?

KBS Maple Mackinac Fudge BD

Excellent - the forward maple complements the chocolate notes extremely well.

Kentucky Breakfast Stout (KBS) (2017) BD

Helped my neighbor move a bed, got a breakfast beer as a reward. Not even complaining. This has held up nicely (and hits very well at 10:45am).

Black Is Beautiful BD

Not much fudge here - hints of PB on the nose after it warms a touch, but not much else. This honestly reads as more of a straight base oatmeal stout.

90 Minute Imperial IPA BD

It’s crazy what a little perspective can do to a classic beer like this. I like the smooth body and hop aromatics of NEIPAs; this is the polar opposite. Waves of dank pine and grassy hops.

Marvelroast BD

This is great! Nice medium coffee notes up front with a super creamy body and the barest hint of hop bitterness as a very late touch on the finish. ABV is well masked, just like your face should be. #proper