KBS ... the White Whale

Sea Cliff, NY

Since we sampled it at the Long Island Craft Beer Festival, Giancarlo and I have been seriously craving some Kentucky Breakfast Stout (KBS). Little did we know that we would have such a difficult time finding it.

Several times we've come so close, but haven't been able to taste it. When we were at the cask beer festival at Rattle N' Hum, KBS was on the menu. We asked the server, she went into the back, but alas! they had run out. One of Giancarlo's grad school friends bought a few bottles, didn't like it and offered to sell it, but the deal didn't pan out. When he was in the Whole Foods Beer Room one day, they only had kegs in the back. When we were in Philly, Eulogy had it, but they were sitting on it.

We began calling KBS the White Whale as an homage to Moby Dick. It was unattainable.

Then, two weeks ago, Robin called Giancarlo with exciting news: he found the White Whale! He got a half gallon growler and four bottles of KBS! The next day the three of us tackled the growler (we're aging the bottles for a year, if we can wait that long), and it was just as good as we remembered: the hot bourbon flavor, the chocolate, coffee and vanilla undertones. It was peaty and earthy. It was glorious.

- Sarah