Seeing KBS on the shelf comes with a lot of built in expectations. For years, it meant one thing: a rich, barrel aged imperial stout that helped define the style for many drinkers. So running into KBS Iced Latte without fully reading the label is a bit of a record scratch moment. This is not a stout, and it makes it clear that KBS has now become more of a brand than a single beer and its variants. Whether that is good or bad likely depends on how open you are to reinterpretations.
KBS Iced Latte
Founders Brewing Co. KBS Iced Latte pours a golden beer with a reddish hue and a thick finger of foam. It settles with time, leaving a bit of lacing clinging to the walls of the snifter.
The aroma opens with light golden malt before quickly giving way to big vanilla and oak. Smooth, subtle coffee follows, layered with soft cocoa and a gentle bourbon sweetness that keeps things rounded rather than sharp.
On the palate, smooth caramel malt fills the mouth, with creamy vanilla smeared across everything it touches. Light roast coffee and cocoa nibs weave through the middle, while sweet bourbon makes a brief but noticeable appearance at the finish, showing up at curtain call with each sip.
Kentucky Breakfast Non-Stout
KBS Iced Latte is enjoyable on its own terms, delivering a dessert like, barrel driven experience that drinks smoothly despite its 11% ABV. Still, it is hard not to compare it to the legacy of the original KBS. As a standalone beer, it works well and offers something different. As part of the KBS lineage, it feels more like a branding exercise than a natural extension. Either way, it is a curious and surprisingly pleasant pour once expectations are reset.