Founders Breakfast Stout - Founders Brewing Company

Gueuzedude

Arizona

4.13/5  rDev -8.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours an opaque almost completely black color with only a wispy brown head. When roused it forms a frothy deep brown head. The aroma is like smelly a cold sharply acidic burnt cup of espresso, and burnt barley malt husks. The aroma is quite husky, with grassy notes as well as notes of roasted barley. There is actually some nice notes of chocolate and aromatic coffee under all of this burnt huskiness, though I wish that it showed through a bit more.

Wow, the taste is thick on viscous, I should have guessed at the viscosity of this brew seeing as it has oatmeal in it. It is certainly breakfast in a bottle, it is thick and chewy almost approaching syrupy, though it does not compare to the Dark Lords thickness. The taste is full of roasted burnt notes, at first the burnt grain husks, that are in the nose, are evident in the taste as well. Thankfully this soon dies down, and the burnt acrid bitterness of this beer smoothes out a bit. Certainly there are notes of concentrated express roast, roasted barley, and burnt toast, but also underneath are notes of creamy, dark, semi-sweet chocolate, and hints of licorish. As noted, this beer hides the alcohol quite well.

As this beer warms up it becomes much more smooth (though that might just be my palate becoming acclimated to the roasted notes), more creamy almost like a melted dark chocolate milkshake. Interestingly enough the nose retains the sharply acidic roasted grain husk dominance. This is certainly tasty, but I am a little turned off by acrid notes. Thankfully I have another bottle of this to try, because one is certainly not enough.

Serving type: bottle

02-06-2005 05:27:57 | More by Gueuzedude

TheManiacalOne

Rhode Island

4.22/5  rDev -6.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Acquired via trade from jpm30, so a big Thank You goes out to him. Poured from a 12oz bottle into a US tumbler pint glass.

A: The beer is a deep black color, with a short brown head that fades very slowly and leaves a thick lace on the glass.

S: The aroma is of roasted coffee, creamy chocolate, oats and dark malts.

T: The taste is exactly what you would expect, creamy, malty and full of flavors of black coffee, dark chocolate and toasted oats. There's a mild but complimentary hops presence that provides a nice balance. The after-taste is slightly sweet with a touch of coffee & chocolate bitterness.

M: Crisp and very smooth, medium-to-heavy body, medium carbonation, finish is slightly sticky.

D: Very tasty, goes down easily, not too filling, good kick, very good representation of style, this is a very nice stout to relax with and drink a few.

Serving type: bottle

02-21-2008 04:51:43 | More by TheManiacalOne

Knapp85

Pennsylvania

4.5/5  rDev -0.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Had this beer a while ago and now I'm revisiting it. My original thoughts of it were that I wasn't overly impressed for some reason. Perhaps it was my mood. I just opened a bottle that could possibly had some age to it. The pour is a beautiful black as night color with a thick brown colored head. The lacing is very nice on this beer. The smell is roasted and super chocolatey! The coffee kind of blends in with the malts and chocolate. The taste is so nice, the flavors are just balanced so well. Chocolate, coffee, sweet dark roasted malts and oats. The mouthfeel is silky smooth with a really nice thickness with a subtle carbonation. Overall it's a fantastic beer, there really isn't much to bitch about with this one. Buy this beer!

Serving type: bottle

08-25-2011 22:29:04 | More by Knapp85

russpowell

Oklahoma

4.43/5  rDev -2%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Cheers to joe1510 for this one!

Pours ebony with 2+ fingers of chunky mocha head. Superior lacing & head retention

S: Chocolate & coffee grounds

T: Coffee, dryness & baker's chcolate up front. Semi-sweet chocolate & a bit of vanilla as this warms, plus the bottom of the coffee pot. Finished dry with baker's chocolate, iron & Folgers, damn near pulled a 5.0

MF: Oily, rich with moderate carbonation, just got chewier as time went by

Drinks pretty easy, the ABV is very masked, the coffee taste would get to me after a few or just completely win me over, not sure. Not a huge fan of coffee beers, but this is pretty nice, make me think of iced coffee with some booze mixed in. Worth the hype

Serving type: bottle

06-02-2008 06:38:24 | More by russpowell

Halcyondays

California

4.15/5  rDev -8.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

From a 12 oz. bottle, courtesy of gregoryG,

A: Pours black with a moderate tan head, nice retention.

S: All coffee, good complexity, very fragrant.

T: More of a heavy dark chocolate flavour on the tongue as compared to the nose. Minor coffee - it's chocolate, coffee and roasted malt. Secondary notes of anise and licorice. Very good flavour overall.

M: Medium/full-bodied, very smooth, silky.

D: It's hard not to compare this to KBS and CBS, both of which blew me away. This is not as good as those 2, but this is quality stuff for sure, I'm glad I finally got to try this legendary brew.

Serving type: bottle

04-14-2010 04:34:10 | More by Halcyondays

emerge077

Illinois

4.35/5  rDev -3.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4

Poured from the tap with a volcanic chocolate milk head, foamy as could be. Head retention was above average, and there were spindly webs of brown lacing left behind. It was jet black in the fluted tulip glass.

Roasted coffee in the aroma, not huge, but certainly of high quality.

Medium level acidity from the beans, some dark fruit like grape or plum in the initial aftertaste. Deeply roasted chocolate malt serves as the major component, with an unparalleled smoothness from the oats. More drinkable than most beer, and most coffee. This seems slightly more enjoyable on tap, but the novelty may be playing into that for me.

Feeling slightly caffeinated afterward, but I could be just just projecting that. Already had two cups today anyway.

Serving type: on-tap

11-20-2007 19:25:00 | More by emerge077

Gavage

New Jersey

4.45/5  rDev -1.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Appearance: pours a black color with a 1" tan colored head. Some mild lacing paints the glass.

Smell: loads of roasted malts, chocolate, and coffee are easy to detect. Some bitterness comes through too.

Taste: follows the nose as the roasted malt and chocolate malt base are big and meaty. Some soft burnt coffee tones, prunes, and a heart bitterness rounds it out. Alcohol is mildly noticeable.

Mouthfeel: lightly crisp throughout. Medium-heavy in body. Aftertaste is long as the flavors linger on the tongue for a while.

Drinkability: one of the tastier beers in the style made today. Easy to quaff this one.

Serving type: bottle

03-27-2009 20:03:57 | More by Gavage

jwc215

New Jersey

4.78/5  rDev +5.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Pours shiny, pitch black with a thin, lasting brown head that leaves lines of lacing going down the glass.

The smell is of chocolate and coffee - great selections of each - with some mollasses. There's an underlying earthiness and vague fruitiness.

The taste is of rich, roasted coffee, rich chocolate - bittersweet. Light roast and bitterness balance sweetness. A touch of milk seems to come through as it progresses. Rich and complex with a slight acidic touch.

It has a rich, creamy full-body that is silky smooth.

Rich and complex, yet so drinkable - dangerously so - esp. for abv. Nice way to start or end the day (or both!) Great selection of coffees and chocolates that come out and work with each other well!

Serving type: bottle

09-13-2008 19:18:18 | More by jwc215

biboergosum

Alberta (Canada)

4.13/5  rDev -8.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On-tap at the Oak Cafe in Wyandotte, Michigan.

This beer pours a solid black, with no edges, and one finger of creamy beige head, which leaves a nice array of layered hanging lace around the glass in its wake. It smells of big bitter coffee, milk chocolate, and earthy hops. The taste is biittersweet chocolate, earthy, less bitterly smooth coffee, leafy, and more earthy hops. The carbonation is average, the body medium weight, and quite smooth, with a hint of creaminess. It finishes off-dry, with a Coffee Crisp finish, tinted by lurking edgy hops.

A lovely coffee-centric eye-opener of a stout, this practically calls for another. 9%? - really? Good god!

Serving type: on-tap

09-23-2011 00:22:31 | More by biboergosum

tempest

Pennsylvania

4.1/5  rDev -9.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Wow, want some stout with your coffee? This has a rich, deep roast of coffee with black grains and mocha around the edges in both the aroma and flavor. This feels more like a thick coffee than it does beer, but it's a good brew, not that free crap you might find at an auto shop or something. Fairly drinkable, but you've gotta love java. It was a wonderful beer, but I don't think it lives up for the hype as it wasn't complex enough for me. The coffee dominated too much.

Serving type: bottle

04-11-2008 03:04:27 | More by tempest

akorsak

Pennsylvania

4.33/5  rDev -4.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A nitro-tap pour at the new Brass Rail Deli. Served in one of the special Sam Adams glasses.

A: The stout is pitch black with a gorgeous off-white head. The head filled several fingers of the glass and retained a thick consistency throughout.

S: The nose is coffee, thick and acrid with a sweet chocolate undertone.

T: The nitro pour has added a distinct smoothness to the ale, softening the blow of the imperial stout. The result is chocolatey with an overroasted quality. The coffee, strong as it is, has also been toned down. The flavors are sharp, concentrated like a cup of Starbucks.

M: The creamy foam takes a great deal of the edge off of the ale, making it much more enjoyable even if some of the dominant coffee flavors have subsided.

D: Quite drinkable, I prefer the beer on a regular tap but it was interested to see what nitro did to it.

Serving type: nitro-tap

11-15-2008 01:38:33 | More by akorsak

WVbeergeek

Ohio

4.53/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Appears a dark fully opaque brand of oatmeal stout, unlike anything I've ever seen before. Pretty incredible full mocha tan head envelopes the dark astringently filled dark body that simply eats all light. No ruby highlights here to note just a full jet black zone of color spectrum absorption, that is a thing of beauty my friends. Head dwindles slowly with even bands of evenly dispersed lacing. Aromatics full of deep grains meaning oats and other cereal supplements that are simply remarkable when it comes to beer components. Dark roasted chocolate malt out does all other spectrums when that is all my senses are receiving, quite easily the most amazing beer aromatics I've come across since day one in the beer hunting I've embarked since age nineteen. Flavors come off full of deep dark coffee notes without any cream or sugar straight up just the way us "old timers" like it. If we were playing a gracious round of kegs and eggs I would be winning with this dark baker's chocolate dryness and roasted coffee goodness this beer has to offer what can I say, "I'm licking my bowl". Yes I know that doesn't sound to manly but when in the moment there's no power higher here on earth. Pure coffee grounds are repeated for me in a beet formula, did I mention I feel this position alone is bliss. Mouthfeel is one of the fullest in the land, with malt outweighing most comprehension of body this beer is fuller than it's custardized midwestern friend that can't be mistaken. Drinkability is great and will repeat in all it's fullness, I have a bottle aging here in the fridge that I won't forget too soon, wonderful stuff not overrated in the least.

Serving type: bottle

10-28-2007 02:02:07 | More by WVbeergeek

RblWthACoz

Pennsylvania

4.83/5  rDev +6.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Pours pitch black with a dark tan head. Nose is coffee, molasses. Flavor is oustanding. Unbelievably thick and complex. Loads of coffee. Good amount of molasses. Massive malts. It's like a meal in a bottle. Feel is smooth on liquid and with a minimal carbonation. This is a damn good beer. Simply amazing and much better than I recall it being on-tap.

Serving type: bottle

11-14-2008 08:17:29 | More by RblWthACoz

barleywinefiend

Washington

4.65/5  rDev +2.9%
look: 5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

A: Poured a deep, deep brown with a nice brown head.

S: Nose is rather subdued to me but maybe I was expecting to much. I did pick some roasted malt, cocoa and oats.

T: It did pick out nice oats, smooth not abrasive coffee like you get in many beers but less cocoa than I thought I liked, yet it did not disappoint. Nice roastiness and warming flavor whcih literally can be consumed for breakfast, I know because I did it.

M: Spot on, well carbonated, loads of flavor and creamy

O: Schwing.

Serving type: bottle

01-26-2012 17:37:30 | More by barleywinefiend

smcolw

Massachusetts

4.3/5  rDev -4.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Dark brown where no light passes through. Modest beige head that leaves a thin but continuous layer of lace throughout the glass.

Dark chocolate and oatmeal are the predominant smells. This is not as harsh as some Stouts, there's seems to be less black patent malt.

The flavor is something special: it is more "dark" than the smell would lead you to believe. Here, the black patent malt shows up in spades. The burnt flavors last throughout the taste long after the swallow. This is not a chewy beer; I'd describe it as rather thin for the style, but the carbonation is low, so it doesn't seem "off" to me. It's a dry stout with a lot of ground coffee and bitter chocolate flavor.

Serving type: bottle

12-25-2008 22:58:32 | More by smcolw

Wasatch

Utah

4.38/5  rDev -3.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Thanks to CRJMellor for this one.

Pours a thick black color, some carbonation, nice little tan fizzy head which leaves quickly, some islands and sticky lacing left behind. The nose is of sweet roasted malts, hops, lots of coffee, some chocolate. The taste is sweet malty, big coffee flavor hits you in the face, slight bitter/dry finish. Medium body, well rounded brew. Very drinkable, true to style ADS, thanks Founders.

Serving type: bottle

01-14-2007 21:23:12 | More by Wasatch

jdhilt

New Hampshire

3.9/5  rDev -13.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Pours a two finger, light brown head that slowly fades to a thin layer leaving a good lace. Totally black color. Light carbonation and very heavy bodied (similar to 80W oil). Strong coffee nose. Starts with bitter chocolate/burnt coffee flavor, hops and high ABV are not noticeable. Not a bad stout but could be a touch sweeter. $3.95 for a 12oz bottle from Colonial Spirits Acton, Ma.

Serving type: bottle

05-14-2006 22:37:34 | More by jdhilt

rhoadsrage

Illinois

3.68/5  rDev -18.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

(Served in an American pint glass)

A-This beer pours an inky black opaque body with tiny bubbles clinging to the glass. The head is a thin creamy deep tan color.

S- The aroma is cold coffee, molasses, and a slight sour hint.

T- The taste has a big coffee flavor. It has the taste of coffee grounds and a slight creamy chocolate note. There is a nice hint of hop bitterness at the finish.

M- This has a thick creamy mouthfeel with no alcohol warmth.

D- This beer is a coffee monster. It has big coffee taste that taste a little like cold coffee or coffee grounds not so much like a cup of fresh brewed coffee. The chocolate notes are faint but nice. I would like to taste a bit more grain with this brew but very interesting indeed.

Serving type: bottle

06-26-2005 02:43:34 | More by rhoadsrage

Billolick

New York

4.7/5  rDev +4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Wish I coud have brought more of this nectar of the gods back from Michigan! Only one 12 ouncer made it with me. Pours Black , expresso head, tiny bubble left in a film, respectable lacing. Nose is coffee, chocolate, heavanly. Super smooth, light and fluffy mouthfeel. Great gobs of flavors and more flavors, complexity baby. Tastes like a chocolate soaked expresso marshmellow. So flavorful, yet very light and silky on the palate. Fine stuff, stout lovers heaven. Go get some of this stuff.

Serving type: bottle

02-26-2005 00:37:13 | More by Billolick

mdfb79

New York

4.5/5  rDev -0.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Had a bottle last night. Poured from a 12 oz. bottle into a pint glass.

a - Pours a dark black color with one and a half fingers of tan head and light carbonation evident. Looks amazing.

s - Smells of coffee, roasted malts, cocoa, vanilla, and chocolate.

t - Tastes of coffee, roasted malts, both bitter and sweet chocolate, and vanilla.

m - Medium body and low carbonation. Rich and very smooth; very easy to drink considering it's over 8% ABV.

d - I think this may be my favorite stout that is widely available and I'm able to buy straight off the shelf. Coffee is the front runner in the smell and taste, but it is very well balanced in both. I enjoy how the taste has both sweet chocolate and bitter chocolate/coffee balanced very well. Have had it many times and love the fact that when it comes out it's available on the shelves for months. Will definitely buy more and would recommend to anyone who likes stouts.

Serving type: bottle

09-18-2010 14:44:29 | More by mdfb79

jlindros

Massachusetts

4.45/5  rDev -1.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Now THIS is a beer, a man's beer. It's what you grab in the morning that will get you through the day. It's the Wheaties for beer drinkers, already mixed with your coffee. That aside, is it just me, or does the weird lookin kid on the label give anyone else the creeps? He looks like a 45 year old baby spooning crack into his mouth... anyways, here's my review, hope you enjoy it.

Note, just popping the cap unlocked this huge aroma of coffee and chocolate making me salivate like one of Pavlov's dogs.

A: Pours with a luscious rich chocolate covered head that fades pretty quickly. Its super dark colored that barely lets any light through, and the few photons making it through have been so distorted they're forever stained with darkness and probably traveled through time somehow. It doesn't pour super thick, but is much thicker than most beers.

N: OOooohhh yeahhhh!!! It's like super coffee espresso mating with chocolate and popping out babies of light alcohol. The roasted malt on the nose is so rich I can feel it charring my nasal cavity. A huge dark chalky chocolate aroma dances as it mingles with the roasted malts and coffee. A light alcohol finds its way through the crazy malts, coffee, and chocolate, to tingle your nose a bit. I think I detect a slight oat as well, feeding back into that breakfast theme. If only I could pour buttloads of chocolate, coffee, alcohol, and essence of pour roastedness into my oatmeal in the morning.

T: A heavy stouty flavors starts the taste, but it quickly changes to roasted malts. Those things dominate the taste big time. Some bitter dark chocolate and earthy charred taste start to come through as well followed by some alcohol. Then some more oats, yes it is for breakfast. A slight sweet chocolate milk runs down the back of your mouth and is mostly masked by the crazy strong flavors up front. I get some coffee on the taste, but nothing like what I expected from the plethora that poured out on the nose.

M: Pretty thick, but still slightly watery, enough so that you can actually drink it instead of having to chew it. The alcohol tingles the mouth all over. Pretty light on the carbonation.

F: Finishes semi dry surprisingly, but still has some sweet undertones. The earthy charred roasted chocolate stout bitterness flavor <taking a breath> really stick around for a bit as the liquid coats the mouth. I can almost taste the black flavor and darkness that come from it. It's like the flavor of "black". I also get a slight oat taste long after its over.

Final thoughts: A very big heavy stout. Pretty thick on taste and mouth, but not so much you can't drink it. It has a nice alcohol taste, but not overbearing. Toooons of roasted malts, chocolate malts, dark roasted tasty goodness, oats, hay... wait not that, and the essence of pure darkness. A great drinking beer, and it gets much better with age as I have experienced before. I'll probably save most of the case I got, but drink one from time to time to help me through the cold winter coming.

Serving type: bottle

10-20-2009 01:24:48 | More by jlindros

ppoitras

Massachusetts

4.97/5  rDev +10%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

12oz bottle obtained via trade with CRJMellor. Thanks for the opportunity...

Poured into an imperial pint glass, formed a 1/2" dark brown head over the opaque dark dark brown/black brew. Lacing is minimal to average, but acceptable for the style, and the head fades to half height and holds steady. Aroma is filled with coffee and chocolate malts, and some dark fruit essence hides in there as well. Even smells hearty. Taste starts with sweet chocolate grains, hearty oats in the middle, and fades to a somewhat bitter, dry coffee close. Mouthfeel is smooth and creamy, apr for the course for a heavily oated brew, and drinkability is excellent as well. High alcohol? I see no evidence, probably will feel it later. Worth the hype.

Serving type: bottle

04-02-2005 23:47:59 | More by ppoitras

weeare138

Pennsylvania

4.55/5  rDev +0.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Appears a dense dark blackwith a creamy dark tan head that slowly fades out into a a strong color. Absolutely marvelous looking rings of webbed lacing around the glass.
Smell is of some outstanding aromatics with plenty of coffee, cream, cocoa, and perhaps a bowl of fresh black grapes.
Taste is a smooth mix of the aromas. Definitely not overkill of the coffee like many of the coffee infused beers that I've had. Damn!
Super smooth and creamy with just the right amount of sugary cocoa with cocoa doused with whipped cream. F'in great, man.
8.3%, huh? I don't notice it. I probably wouldn't notice it if it were 15% either. This is seriously like a liquid dessert. Imagine tiramisu without the rum soaked lady fingers. Absolutely amazing. I love this beer.
Much thanks to trbeer for this treat.

Serving type: bottle

05-24-2006 01:20:48 | More by weeare138

Zorro

California

4.35/5  rDev -3.8%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Pours an impenetrable black colored beer with a reddish brown head.

Smell is sharp strong black coffee. Lots of deep roasted aromas and a touch of smoke. Light fruit scents ride on the alcohol fumes mostly the aroma of cherry. Fairly strong acid scent in the tail end.

Taste is very thick with mellow chocolate and coffee flavor with a wine like tart snap in the finish. Later on a faint sweetness appears in the taste. Fruity flavors in the finish but it is difficult to identify them separately. This is very much a coffee flavored stout.

Mouthfeel is thick and velvety smooth.

Very nice drinkability with little hint to the high alcohol content. A great stout I will try again.

Serving type: bottle

01-20-2006 06:10:43 | More by Zorro

Kegatron

Pennsylvania

4.43/5  rDev -2%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

On tap at the Flying Saucer (Charlotte, NC) on 1/17/09. Served in a balloon style cervoise.

Pours a dense pitch black with a 1/2 finger of smooth and creamy burnt mocha colored head. Retention is quite awesome, with a most excellent flareup that leaves just a huge cascade of lacing and brown oils behind. I'm just loving the way this looks in the glass. Fantastic! The aroma is just lush with roasted coffee and espresso notes. Sweet supportive notes of chocolate and lactose balance out the nose. Some floral hops and light heat pull up the rear.

The taste starts with a nice roasted coffee bitterness that just blasts the palette. A thick tasting mix of chocolate and caramel sweeten things up some underneath. Finishes, well, bitter, bitter, and more bitter. I love the nice dry lingering bitterness this puts on the palette. Good stuff. The mouthfeel is full bodied with a big creamy feel that just loads the mouth with flavor and substance.

No matter how this is served, this is a certificable classic coffee beer. I never pass up a chance to try this on draft. Great stuff!

Serving type: on-tap

01-21-2009 18:04:08 | More by Kegatron