When Hensley announced 13 Founder’s Arizona launch parties around the state this Wednesday, one beer was conspicuously absent from all the tap lists: The Grand Rapids, Mich., brewery’s much-coveted Kentucky Breakfast Stout.
Over the weekend, though, World of Beer Gilbert announced its party would feature a keg of the bourbon barrel-aged imperial stout (11.2% ABV), leading to speculation KBS, as it’s known, might make “surprise” appearances at some of the other parties, too.
What’s the big deal, you ask? KBS not only scores a perfect 100 on craft beer’s two major review sites, RateBeer.com and BeerAdvocate.com. It ranks No. 5 on the latter’s oft-referenced list of the best beers in the world.
Since it’s a limited-release beer available only in April, people travel from around the country to line up for hours at Founder’s just to get a small pour on its release date.
This year: More KBS release events
This year, Founders tried to spread the love around. In Michigan, it hosted a week of KBS tappings around the state, leading some to believe it will distribute the beer just as widely here this week.
Of course, that may just prove to be wishful thinking.
The 13 Arizona launch parties Wednesday will include three in the East Valley: The Hungry Monk (5-8 p.m.), Boulders on Broadway (6-8 p.m.), and World of Beer Gilbert (7-10 p.m.).
Officially – that is, according to Hensley – all 13 parties will have Curmudgeon Old Ale, Dirty Bastard, Centennial IPA, Red’s Rye IPA, Porter, Pale Ale, and All Day IPA on tap.
And, fingers crossed, maybe KBS.
