Cath and I picked up a 4-pack of Founders Breakfast Stout at Bauer Wine and Spirits on Friday night. It’s a bit of a rare beer: It comes out once a year and sells out very quickly in our area. I had never tried it, so I jumped at the chance to buy it when I found out Bauer had it.
Founders labels this as a “double chocolate coffee oatmeal stout” with 8.3% ABV. Cath and I found it incredibly complex, with very strong coffee and chocolate flavors and less bitterness than many stouts. It is strong, but it doesn’t taste that strong. It’s also incredibly dark and thick; it pours like motor oil, but it’s even darker. We both loved it. I would go so far as to say it’s one of the best imperial stouts I’ve had. It ranks up there with the Alesmith Speedway Stout that I tried at Julio’s a couple month’s ago. It’s eye-openingly good.
Stouts were my favorite style when I first got into craft beer. I OD’ed on them after a while, and now I keep discovering new styles that grab my attention. But a great stout like this one still grabs my attention. Maybe it’s time to revisit this style.
