Breakfast for Dinner for Breakfast

I'm back again and I'm absolutely delighted to be writing about a very special beer today. Given the horrible wet weather we've been suffering through the past few days, I needed a good pick-me-up and it came in the form of breakfast. I'm sure you've noticed the my befuddling title for this morning's post, but don't be alarmed. Everything will make sense shortly.

I work the graveyard shift. It's long, it's dark, and it's tough to stay awake, but I deal with it. Tons of people do it, but everybody knows that when you work the night shift, you never really get used to your changed schedule. When I come home from work around 6 am, I'm going to reach for a beer and some food. After a dull night waiting for something exciting happen, it's nice to sit back and unwind. It's also 6 am, so my body is still convinced it's time for breakfast. In short, I'm looking to have dinner for breakfast.

"But that's two pieces of the puzzle, Pat! What about the other breakfast?"


That's where the beer comes in. This morning, I present Founders Brewing Company's Founders Breakfast Stout. Defined as a Double Chocolate Coffee Oatmeal Stout, it is not to be mistaken for an actual breakfast, although I certainly think it could give those canned breakfast shakes a run for their money. Weighing in at an impressive 8.3% alcohol by volume, this Stout is meant to be enjoyed slowly and deliberately.

On first pour, you could easily confuse this thick and black brew with motor oil. It sits still in the glass with an absolutely spectacular deep tan head that lasts until the final mouthful. Again, I blame poor head retention and lacing in the glass I used on my dishwasher, but the Stout managed to power through and put on its Sunday best. With an opaque black appearance, Founders Breakfast Stout is truly a beautiful beer.

I swirled the glass and let the beer talk to my nose and my goodness, what a story it had to tell. Cocoa and coffee blended for a heavenly aroma unlike any beer I've smelled before. Between that and the roasted malty smell, you would think you were about to drink a fancy espresso. On first sip, I knew this beer was something special. Yes, I've had it before (on tap too), but a beer this good makes you feel like every glass is your first glass. Coffee, chocolate, and roasted malt flavors were immediately apparent with the slightest bitterness appearing as well, but an overall creaminess lends to the breakfast-like feeling evoked by the flavors. A full-bodied beer, this Stout drinks smoother than most other beers, despite its nearly double digit alcohol content.

Would I recommend it? Absolutely. If my writing wasn't enough to convince you, do your best to go out and find Founders Breakfast Stout. It exists as a rare breed of beer that truly speaks for itself. Yes, it has a 99 out of 100 on beeradvocate.com and a perfect 100 on ratebeer.com, but don't let the words of myself and others convince you that this beer is special. Try it yourself and see why it considered one of the best in the world.