Tuesday, October 27, 2015

Breakfast Stout, Founders Brewing (Grand Rapids, MI)


Breakfast Stout, Double Chocolate Coffee Oatmeal Stout
ABV : 8.3%
IBU's : 60


    The original label for Breakfast Stout for all states excluding MI.


With the change in the weather and the turning of the calendar comes the start of another season in the beer world - stout season. Founders double chocolate coffee oatmeal stout , a mouthfeel to say and a meal in itself, with the iconic much loved label that features a fat little brat I mean rosy faced cherub greedily spooning up his nourishment. Interestingly enough that label has fallen foul of the state alcohol regulators in Founders home state of Michigan who objected to the message it implied, as a result the baby is absent on the label in that state but the other 34 states Founders is distributed, including MN is spared.




The new PC label for MI - "left the crib for a bit, call me if you need me 616-522-2720".
The # reaches a tongue-in-cheek recording.

Breakfast stout, brewed with two types of coffee (Sumatra and Kona) is indeed the coffee lover's consummate beer. Pours an impenetrable black with a frothy mocha head that leads with notes of intense fresh roasted Java. Rich and decadent chocolate follows, more roasty than sweet (they use both bitter and imported varieties) and an abundance of flaked oats used in the brew lend a velvety luxurious mouthfeel. A warming 8.3% ABV, luscious notes of vanilla and espresso add a complexity that combines to create a world class stout. Experts seem to agree - Beer Advocate rates it a 99 (world class) while Rate Beer gives it a perfect 100 and even this old curmudgeon gave it a 4.5/5 on my Untappd account.
Beer it's not just for breakfast. Pairs well with crisp fall weather. A bargain at the price of a couple of cappuccino's $10.99/4pk.