Founders KBS Chocolate Cherry 4Pk

Description

Founders KBS Chocolate Cherry 4PK is a bourbon barrel-aged imperial coffee stout brewed with chocolate and cherry at 11.6% ABV, sold in a four-pack of 12 oz bottles. Scored 93 on BeerAdvocate, this limited variant of the iconic KBS lineup draws direct inspiration from cherry cordial confections, layering tart cherry juice over the rich chocolate-and-coffee backbone that defines the KBS series.

Quick Facts: ABV: 11.6% | Origin: Grand Rapids, Michigan | Style: Bourbon Barrel-Aged Imperial Coffee Stout | Brewery: Founders Brewing Company

Production & Heritage

Founders Brewing Company, established in 1997 in Grand Rapids, Michigan, built its national reputation largely on the strength of KBS Kentucky Breakfast Stout a bourbon barrel-aged imperial stout brewed with coffee and chocolate. The Chocolate Cherry expression takes the year-long barrel-aged KBS base and introduces sweet cherry juice, cherry extract, and additional chocolate syrup into the blend. The result is a 11.6% ABV stout where bourbon barrel character intersects with fruit-forward sweetness, distinguishing it from the more coffee-dominant original KBS.

Tasting Notes

Aroma: Dark chocolate and cocoa dominate the initial nose, followed by ripe cherry, toasted oak, and a subtle plum-like fruitiness. Bourbon warmth and roasted malt round out the aromatics underneath.

Taste: The entry is full-bodied and rich with dark roasted malt, chocolate syrup, and a clear vanilla note pulled from the bourbon barrels. Mid-palate, tart cherry emerges and brightens the sweetness, while oak, light char, and a restrained hop bitterness add structure. The sweetness is moderate, never cloying, balanced by the fruit’s natural acidity.

Finish: Medium-long and warming, with lingering bourbon, vanilla, and cherry that recall a chocolate-covered cherry. A faint roast bitterness and light ethanol warmth close out each sip cleanly.

How to Drink KBS Chocolate Cherry

Serve at cellar temperature, around 5055F, in a snifter or tulip glass to concentrate the complex aromatics. This is a sipping stout pouring slowly and allowing it to warm slightly in the glass reveals deeper cherry and barrel notes. While not a typical cocktail ingredient, it works as a beer float base with vanilla bean ice cream, as a dark beer component in a Black Velvet riff paired with sparkling wine, or as the anchoring stout in a layered Black and Tan alongside a Belgian wit for dramatic contrast.

Best For

• Gifting a craft beer enthusiast who collects barrel-aged stouts
• Dessert course pairing at a dinner party featuring chocolate or stone fruit
• Winter evening slow-sipping alongside a fireplace
• Adding to a vertical tasting flight of KBS variants

Frequently Asked Questions

What does KBS Chocolate Cherry taste like? KBS Chocolate Cherry delivers rich dark chocolate, vanilla, and bourbon barrel character upfront, followed by a distinct tart cherry sweetness that evokes a high-end chocolate-covered cherry confection. The body is full with moderate sweetness and a warming, roasty finish.

How does KBS Chocolate Cherry compare to Goose Island Bourbon County Brand stouts? Both are bourbon barrel-aged imperial stouts, but KBS Chocolate Cherry leans into a fruit-and-chocolate dessert profile with its cherry and coffee additions, while Goose Island’s Bourbon County variants tend to emphasize deeper caramel, toffee, and raw barrel character. KBS Chocolate Cherry also carries a slightly lower ABV than many Bourbon County releases, which typically range from 1315%.

Is KBS Chocolate Cherry good for sipping neat? Absolutely at 11.6% ABV with a complex barrel-aged profile, it is built for slow, contemplative drinking from a snifter at cellar temperature rather than casual pint-glass consumption.

Where is KBS Chocolate Cherry made? KBS Chocolate Cherry is brewed by Founders Brewing Company at their facility in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Founders has operated in Grand Rapids since 1997 and distributes nationally.

What foods pair well with KBS Chocolate Cherry? Dark chocolate truffles complement the stout’s cocoa backbone directly. Cherry cheesecake mirrors the fruit character and adds a creamy textural contrast. Smoked brisket stands up to the barrel intensity and roast. Blue cheese creates a classic sweet-savory interplay with the cherry and bourbon. Crme brle echoes the vanilla and caramelized sugar notes drawn from the bourbon barrels.

What sizes does KBS Chocolate Cherry come in? KBS Chocolate Cherry is available in a four-pack of 12 oz bottles, which is the standard retail format for the KBS variant series.

Is KBS Chocolate Cherry worth the price? KBS Chocolate Cherry positions as a premium limited-release craft beer, priced above everyday stouts but in line with other bourbon barrel-aged specialty releases. The year-long aging process, specialty ingredients, and 93-point BeerAdvocate rating support its placement in the upper tier of the barrel-aged stout category.

Why KBS Chocolate Cherry?

The 93-point BeerAdvocate score reflects a stout that successfully integrates fruit into a barrel-aged base without losing the core KBS identity. Where many cherry-infused stouts lean too sweet or taste artificially flavored, KBS Chocolate Cherry uses the natural tartness of cherry juice to cut through the richness of chocolate, coffee, and bourbon oak. It is a genuine variant rather than a gimmick the cherry complements rather than competes with the barrel aging. For anyone building a collection of top-rated American barrel-aged stouts, this expression stands as one of the more accomplished fruit-adjunct entries in a crowded field.