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CBS

Founders Brewing Co.
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🌍 United States · Imperial Stout · One of 125 Imperial Stouts in hopIQ

CBS, short for Canadian Breakfast Stout, uses the same coffee and chocolate imperial stout as KBS but matures it in bourbon barrels that previously held maple syrup. It comes in at 11.7 percent. Maple syrup and roasted coffee dominate the aroma, joined by chocolate, vanilla and bourbon, while toasted oak grows with each sip. Sweetness is moderate and the body full. After a long pause the beer came back in 2023 and now appears as a winter release.

ABV
11.7%
Bitterness
Strongly bitter45 IBU
Roasted bitterness
SRM
dark40
See all Imperial Stout alternatives →
How it drinks· Its pace, balance and relationship to the style.
Pace
sessionsipper
Balance
malt-ledhop-led
Where this beer sits· Four axes, the same for every beer in hopIQ.
Body
Full body.
lightfull-bodied
Sweetness
Gently sweet notes.
drysweet
Bitterness
Moderate bitterness.
mildbitter
Texture
Somewhat creamy mouthfeel.
crispcreamy

Full-bodied and gently sweet.

Weight and sugar move together, the pour rolling slow while richness compounds on the palate.

Character· What makes this beer itself — not just another Imperial Stout.
Malt character
chocolate
coffee
roasted
toasty
Distinctive notes
oak
vanilla
dark fruit

Tasting Notes

AI-generated sensory profile for CBS

◎ Appearance

CBS presents a deep brown to near-black color with an opaque body characteristic of the Imperial Stout style. The head forms dense and dark, settling into a persistent collar with good lacing retention along the glass. Carbonation is moderate, revealing the beer's full-bodied structure.

deep brown to blackopaquepersistent head and lacing

◌ Aroma

The nose opens with prominent maple syrup and roasted coffee, immediately drawing attention to the beer's bourbon-barrel maturation. Supporting notes of chocolate, vanilla, and oak develop gradually, with the oak growing more pronounced on successive nosings. The bourbon influence remains restrained but present throughout.

maple syruproasted coffeechocolate and vanillabourbon oak

◐ Taste

The palate enters with moderate sweetness balanced against toasted oak character that builds with each sip. Coffee and chocolate notes anchor the mid-palate, while the bourbon-barrel aging contributes vanilla and wood spice without overwhelming. The bitterness remains low at 45 IBU, allowing the malt and adjunct character to dominate through the development.

moderate sweetnesstoasted oak developmentcoffee and chocolatebourbon and vanilla

◑ Finish

The finish extends with warming alcohol presence befitting the 11.7% ABV, leaving residual oak and subtle maple notes on the palate. The aftertaste lingers with soft sweetness and wood tannins, inviting another sip.

long, warmingoak and maple persistence
84
hopIQ score
Aroma
88
Taste
85
Appearance
82
Finish
79
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Serve & Enjoy

How to get the most out of CBS

Serve at 13–16°C
Refrigerate, then rest 2 min

Slightly warmer than you might expect. 10–13°C lets the roasted malt, chocolate and coffee notes open up fully.

Pint glass
Recommended for this style

The classic — versatile, comfortable to hold and keeps the beer cool. No frills, no distractions: just the beer.

Can be cellared 2–5 years. Develops dark fruit, leather and port-like complexity with age.

Food Pairing

What to eat with CBS

About Imperial Stout

Style guide · what to expect · how to find alternatives

What is a Imperial Stout?

Stouts are dark ales with roasted barley character, 4–8% ABV and IBU 25–45. Expect coffee, dark chocolate and toast flavors with a creamy body and dry finish.

Finding a similar Imperial Stout

hopIQ matches by flavor profile — not just style label. A beer with the same chocolate, coffee, roasted character as CBS will score highly even if brewed in a different country or under a different sub-style name.

Other Imperial Stouts in hopIQ

Compare with another beer →Explore all Imperial Stout beers in hopIQ →Browse United States beers →