Founders Breakfast Stout - Founders Brewing Company

Joethebeerpro

Georgia

4.81/5  rDev +6.4%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75

You’ve got to love coffee to truly appreciate this phenomenal brew. Brewed with an abundance of flaked oats, bitter and sweetened imported chocolates, Sumatra and Kona coffee. We’re actually not sure if this is some type of coffee cake or a beer. Either way you can drink this ale with a fork. Breakfast Stout has an intense fresh roasted coffee nose toped with a cinnamon colored frothy head that seems to never fade and makes you wish breakfast could last forever. Yummy with cake or desertions ice cream.

Serving type: bottle

04-11-2013 05:54:57 | More by Joethebeerpro

Craigory

South Carolina

4.31/5  rDev -4.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5

32oz Growler fill at Green's Piney Grove, poured into a Conquest Brewing tulip pint glass.

A: With a vigorous pour, I get several fingers worth of fluffy, mocha head that sticks around for a while, eventually settling to a thick ring that lasts to the end. The body is dark brown/black, with barely a ruby hint as I hold it to the light. Minimal lacing, but on the whole, this looks just like a nice stout should.

S: A little roasted barley, tons of sweetness and chocolate, with nary a hint of coffee. This actually smells just like a milk-stout; I suppose the coffee may have faded a bit if the keg is older.

T: A little hops bitterness, a little roasty-stout bitterness, and lots of dark chocolate. I get just a bit of a coffee flavor on the finish.

M: This beer is full and creamy.

O: This is a great double stout, definitely worth picking up every year. I'd get it fresh, though, as some of the aroma and flavor are slightly muted here compared to what I remember from a few months ago.

Serving type: growler

04-09-2013 22:42:45 | More by Craigory

fank2788

Connecticut

4.41/5  rDev -2.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

12oz bottle served in a pint glass
After a quick pour this one is an opaque inky black in the glass with a half a finger tall dark khaki head that falls relatively quickly but laces nicely around the edges. The smell is impressive consisting of layers of dark roasted black coffee, dark chocolate and charred wood. The taste all coffee up front and rather bitter to slightly astringent due to some of the black malts. Unsweetened dark chocolate is next along with a great mix of some spicy hops, a touch of yeast and warming alcohol. If I had to criticize, I think I'd say that I wish this had a bit more sweetness to balance the bittering character of the dark malts and moderate IBUs. This is a thickly chewy heavy beer. Low carbonation with added body as a result of the oatmeal make this really pleasant in the mouth. I can't believe I've taken this long to give this beer a try. What an impressive offering, perhaps it doesn't define the style but it leads the coffee heavy stouts, really well done.

Serving type: bottle

04-06-2013 23:18:58 | More by fank2788

leokbelo

Florida

4.94/5  rDev +9.3%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

A deep ebony, blackest of all blackness poured into a snifter with a 2 inch mocha head that slowly fades.
Semi-sweet dark chocolate on the nose, with coffee ground and a bit of hop spiciness.
Extremely chewable mouthfeel, smooth and delicious with the oatmeal more present, but still trumped by the chocolate and coffee. Some vanilla comes around, overall an amazing mouthfeel.
Hop bitterness is present but does not step on the whole balanced brew!
Extremely enjoyable Imperial Stout! Amazing beer!
Cannot recommend it enough!

Serving type: bottle

04-06-2013 12:46:45 | More by leokbelo

YieldToNothing

New York

4.45/5  rDev -1.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

12 oz bottle into a tulip
pours a chocolate brown with a head of about 1/4 inch that dissipated very quickly.
smell is of bittersweet chocolate, very pleasant.
creamy mouthfeel, with a little bitterness upfront. a taste of dark chocolate settle in at the end. i dig it.
not much of a stout guy but this is one of the better ones i've had. definitely worth a try.

founders delivers again

Serving type: bottle

04-05-2013 03:19:08 | More by YieldToNothing

AndyP612

Illinois

4.9/5  rDev +8.4%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75

Vigorously poured into a tulip.

A- Breakfast. what'd you do with them? They built for speed or are they built for comfort?

S- Big in coffee and chocolate. Breakfast.

T- BIG - The the swirl to the sip, I don't know where to start. Honestly, This is a huge coffee stout. SO big. Literally, the best part of waking up...

M- Medium full. a little light in response.

O- Oh. It's breakfast. God is Great, God is Good... Cheers.

Serving type: bottle

04-04-2013 15:43:03 | More by AndyP612

gcamparone

Rhode Island

4.51/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Second review after drinking a better tasting bottle (my first review was based on a bottle that was "off", either old or spoiled)

Poured from a 12 oz bottle into a snifter.

A- Pours a jet black, oily body with a light-chocolate colored head that reduces slowly to chunks of foam and leaves some lacing. Absolutely beautiful.

S- Fresh ground coffee, dark fruits, dark chocolate, roasted malt, burnt toast. Smells amazing.

T- Starts off with a freshly brewed coffee flavor that lingers on the tongue and progresses into BIG semisweet chocolate and roasted malt notes. Finish is deep roasted malt and cocoa powder. Absolutely delicious.

M- Thick, creamy, low carbonation, silky.

I'm glad I re-reviewed this beer and gave it the justice it deserves. Every flavor is perfectly balanced, the chocolate compliments the coffee and the heavily roasted malt. For such a thick beer, it's super smooth, creamy, and drinkable. Like a chocolate beer milkshake that actually tastes good (there are others that try to do this but fail). Must try. Pick up a 4 pack.

Serving type: bottle

04-02-2013 23:04:05 | More by gcamparone

Fusion7777

Virginia

4.46/5  rDev -1.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5

Pours almost black with minimal head and a fair amount of carbonation. Prominent coffee in the nose with toasted malt and chocolate not far behind. Taste is predominantly coffee with powdery bittersweet dark chocolate. Some grain and oatmeal accents and a touch of hops. Creamy and chewy feel. A good, fairly accessible coffee bomb.

Serving type: bottle

04-02-2013 17:40:27 | More by Fusion7777

lighthabit

Oregon

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

a sipper handed to me by my bro for easter . . .

smooth, refined, mucho coffee, more than a tad of dark chocolate. smell matches taste, with a faint, pleasant earthiness or smoke that is very subtle. mouth feel is super smooth, a bit dry on the finish. impression is that it is a well crafted brew. basically nil on the head, but it was poured from a mini growler brought down for me, so may have had a bit more carbonation earlier.

note - i see others saying it seems the coffee flavor is too burnt. i respectfully disagree, but i also like a very strong cup of dark roast in the morning (sumatra is a regular in my house), so if you aren't a coffee lover, this may not be your thing . . .

one i will seek out to try again, as i enjoy the coffee stouts, and this represents the style quite well, imo.

Serving type: growler

04-01-2013 06:34:17 | More by lighthabit

aefbjo

Bahamas

4.7/5  rDev +4%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75

Pours with a gigantic head into a Ball jar. Opaque brown. Huge, stiff, resilient head.

So much coffee in the aroma. Just really good coffee and a bit of dark chocolate. Not getting any hops or barley off the aroma.

Taste is largely gigantic coffee and dark chocolate off the bat. Slight hints of oatmeal on the back end. As it warms up it might change a bit, but this is a huge coffee/chocolate bomb. With a bit of time the piney hops come out. There are actually a fair amount of damn hops in this beer. They give the chocolate a perfect bitter unsweeteneed chocolate balance.

Medium to heavy body. Very nicely balanced here.

Overall one of my favorite beers from the Midwest. Don't front. There is nothing like this beer and you know it. Come here to drink it.

Serving type: bottle

03-28-2013 07:44:28 | More by aefbjo

Immortale25

Florida

4.46/5  rDev -1.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5

Thanks to Slvrmon82 for allowing me to finally try this. Bottleneck says Bottled On 09/07/12

A- Pours a fully opaque black color with a 1/2 inch brown head that retains a bit before becoming a thick ring around the edge of the glass and random patches of surface foam. Sticky lacing trickles down the glass slowly.

S- Deeply roasted chocolate malt aroma with some molasses and coffee in the back. Slight alcohol fume brings to mind an Irish coffee cocktail with hints of mocha, cocoa and caramel.

T- The coffee becomes a bit more apparent in the flavor bringing a great roast quality to counter the sweetness of the chocolate. Some alcohol twang blends in nicely keeping things intense but still very drinkable. In fact, this might be the most drinkable impy stout I've ever had. Charry aftertaste and a hint of black licorice.

M- Robust and magnificently creamy with a silky smoothness that's nearly unrivaled. Thick, chewy body and medium-low carbonation.

O- Now I finally see what all the fuss is about. Not my favorite beer containing coffee since I still find Speedway and Cubano Espresso to be better, but it's certainly up there.

Serving type: bottle

03-28-2013 03:45:53 | More by Immortale25

dar482

New York

4.69/5  rDev +3.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5

This pours in a black color with a finger of espresso head.

The aroma has a big sweet, dark chocolate and coffee or espresso. There's big roasted malts.

The flavor is of creamy espresso. There's some bitterness and bite to it. The roasted flavors are there, but bigger coffee flavors. There is almost a hint of oatmeal stout coming through. It doesn't linger too hard onto you. It's an easy drink beer.

There's a sneak of alcohol. The mouthfeel is velvety smooth and it's a highlight of it the beer. This surely reminds me of a calm KBS without the huge chocolate, espresso, and smoke flavor. It has such a clean finish.

Serving type: bottle

03-25-2013 04:35:38 | More by dar482

Rast

Maryland

4.56/5  rDev +0.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Bottle watching Iowa St. v. Ohio St. Cyclones 'n' Buckeyes.

Superior stout: full solar eclipse in the glass. Head performs the beautiful downward cascade I've seen in so many a glass o' Guinness, altho the Breakfast cascade has a chocolate-brown tint, whereas Guinnes is more of a medium-tan. Which colour is stouter? Come on now.

Nose is full and aromatic: roast malt, coffee, toffee, and cocoa. The mouthfeel is smooth, but not flat. Taste hits all the right buttons: rich, bitter cocoa, roasty toasty delicious. Goes down smooth too, with a café of flavor and aroma left in the mouth. Best stout for the breakfast time, the winter time, and any time.

Serving type: bottle

03-24-2013 16:49:20 | More by Rast

BeerTheater

Florida

4.88/5  rDev +8%
look: 5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75

A serious stout. nobody should pass up a breakfast stout. almost like anal porn it chokes you out. This has all the flavor you would expect and then doubles it until you feel completely satisfied. Chocolate, coffee, oatmeal and stout all perfectly balanced yet strong, and worth sharing if the need arises because you should buy as much as you can, just so you can dish out the goods and get all the credit; or just drink it to the head daily because you're worth it. Nice texture goes down like melted butter and chocolate roasted over an open fire. If you've gotten through all that truth and fluff I just wrote you should know this is a great beer that could only get better by making it stronger in abv. or aged in barrels or somehow make these core flavors come out more which is hard to do because this beer does it so well. I've had some stout with more coffee or more chocolate flavor but this one succeeds in making them all come together well without one characteristic taking over completely, except perhaps the coffee. Then again the chocolate comes out so well throughout the entire beer too, which leads to it's drink ability which is just about flawless. You'd want to drink this all day but to do so I recommend spending the day at bbq's or big, big breakfasts.

Serving type: bottle

03-23-2013 04:41:52 | More by BeerTheater

mfnmbvp

Illinois

4.28/5  rDev -5.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

12 oz. bottle, with bottled on date reading 09/13/2012, last year's fall release, about six months old chilling in the bottle. My first ever Founders Breakfast Stout, and excited to try it considering how well received this beer seems to be.

Poured into a Firestone Walker pint glass.

A - Pours the most greasy blackest motor oil looking beer I have ever seen. Thick and opaque, with the tiniest mocha colored foam struggling itself into existence and then fading away.

S - Deep dark chocolate, and dark roasted coffee beans. Not as impressive as I was hoping. Dark candied fruits, burnt brown sugar, and oats emerge as the beer begins to warm.

T - Bitter roasted coffee bean goodness, silky dark chocolate, vague buried hops. Smooth, creamy, and chocolatey. Perfectly balanced, highly drinkable, masks it's 8.30% abv deceptively well, this is a beer I could easily drink excessively.

M - Creamy, smooth, sweet, little bit of coffee bean bitterness. An all around pleasant beer.

Overall, a great beer from Founders, probably the best I have had from them yet, although I have had other stouts that blew me away more or just as much as this beer. I just very recently tried Bear Republic Big Bear Black Stout, and I have to say I was more impressed with that one than I was with Founders Breakfast Stout. Definitely a beer I would have again, maybe a bit fresher next time. A must try beer, either way.

Founders Breakfast Stout ---4/5.

Serving type: bottle

03-23-2013 03:16:44 | More by mfnmbvp

LittleDon

Texas

4.46/5  rDev -1.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5

Black with copious latte colored lace. Aroma of dates, coffee, and alcohol. Very soft mouthfeel with a bit of carbonation noticeable at the finish. Very rich body. Flavor shows more coffee than the aroma with a little bit of alcohol noticeable at the end. Apricots and tons of chocolate.

Serving type: bottle

03-22-2013 22:27:35 | More by LittleDon

Rick_K

Illinois

5/5  rDev +10.6%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

For years I was entrenched in European beers like Guinness and Newcastle, until some friends of mine stared introducing me to smaller Midwestern breweries that I started to realise that there was more to beer than what was being imported.

This is one such beer. It's chocolate smell and flavor, mixed with the Sumatra and Kona beans and it's rich and smooth texture makes it a delight to drink. I was amazed at the first sip and couldn't put down my glass until it was empty. This is one beer that most definitely deserves it's "Imperial" stout designation.

If this beer was available to me in the late 80's/early 90's, I would have picked it over the other 2 I was accustomed to drinking. I am adding this to my permanent list of "must drink" beer and would recommend anyone who enjoys an imperial stout to try this one as soon as they can.

Serving type: on-tap

03-21-2013 23:48:31 | More by Rick_K

RyFikes

New York

5/5  rDev +10.6%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Appearance- Jet black color. Thin beige head, looks like frothy chocolate milk bubbles.

Smell- Mocha, coffee, toffee, milk chocolate.

Taste- Milk chocolate and peanuts, tiny bit of alcohol. After taste is a bitter coffee taste with lingering mocha sweetness.

Mouthfeel- Light carbonation. Fills your mouth up with a warm alcohol taste that is gone as fast as it arrived, replaced with smooth and creamy chocolate.

Overall- I was ready to be disappointed given all the hype around this beer. After tasting it I am happy to say that the hype was totally validated. I'm not a big stout drinker, but this is just a terrific beer. It's like chocolate milk for grown men!

Serving type: bottle

03-21-2013 16:40:52 | More by RyFikes

Jake_Ramrod

Kentucky

4.75/5  rDev +5.1%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75

I won't go into too much depth on this beer because its all been said before. IMO, this is the quintessential easily available Stout on the market today. It pours quickly with very little head, but what is there has a nice coffee color. Huge coffe and chocolate influence in all aspects of this rich, yet easy to drink beer. I love taking a big whiff of it as I toss it back. Dark as night and slick going down. No hint of the high ABV. Not as earthy as it could be, but still so hearty. I can drink one after another and keep going back for more. This one of those highly ranked beers that really delivers everytime. I've spent the last couple of months drinking highly rated stout after stout. And, everytime I always think about how good the Breakfast Stout is in comparison. I wonder how these taste with a little age on it. Can't wait to find out.

Serving type: bottle

03-21-2013 01:00:01 | More by Jake_Ramrod

Qwest_35

Florida

4.86/5  rDev +7.5%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75

This is my first time trying this beer, I must start by saying that I don't drink too many stouts, let alone coffee stouts. This is actually an extremely drinkable rep of this style. Dark roasted kona is definitely up front in the aroma and taste, I don't really get much chocolate at first, but as this beer warms a litte! Whoa! Huge mocha flavor just turns on and it gets a lot more complex. I do love love the fact that there is not a bitter after taste that most other coffee infused stouts seem to come with. Much thanks to mpayne5 and Nuckbuck for the hook-up! This little gem is making me rethink my whole attitude on coffee stouts for sure. Overall a solid stout, I would highly recommend this to everybody.

Serving type: bottle

03-20-2013 03:29:39 | More by Qwest_35

MichaelNickerson

Michigan

4.89/5  rDev +8.2%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.75

Appearance: Extremely dark brown. Great dark, golden brown head that lasts an acceptable amount of time.

Smell: Strong coffee flavors initially, then chocolate aromas dominate. I would like more oats in the smell, but do notice a slight amount.

Taste: Strong java/coffee flavors. Excellent bitter, dark chocolate finish. Very smooth and desirable for being 8.30% ABV. Lacks any alcoholic taste.

Overall: One of the best beers I have had. I would drink it with any type of meal, or even as a dessert. Very easy to drink and doesn't leave any undesirable aftertaste. Each sip leaves you wanting another.

Serving type: bottle

03-20-2013 00:05:34 | More by MichaelNickerson

JGargano

Connecticut

3.41/5  rDev -24.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

My initial impression of this beer is "aggressive". It has a big mouthfeel, Big scent and BIG taste.

Very well balanced for the ABV but much too rich to be sessionable.

This is certainly a beer you can have only one of before it becomes too much.

Serving type: bottle

03-19-2013 23:57:20 | More by JGargano

BaltimoreBeerLover

Maryland

4.91/5  rDev +8.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Haven't had this in about 2 years. I Also don't know when I'll get the chance to have it again too unfortunately. But, what I do remember is this is the first beer to truly astound me. The first one to make me say "Ho. Ly. Shit." In my top 2 beers of all time next to backwoods bastard. 5/5

Serving type: bottle

03-18-2013 04:11:34 | More by BaltimoreBeerLover

rdilauro

Connecticut

5/5  rDev +10.6%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

It didnt take much more than holding the bottle. Right then I knew I was in for a total great experience. Once the cap was taken off, the chocolate, the coffee, the mocha, everything just filled the room.
The pour was this jet black magic OIL.... Sliding down the glass with just enough of a white creamy head.
Once my nose was into the glass, all of my senses started to kick in. The aroma, the hops, the malt, everything you can possible think as being good or better was there!
Then the TASTE. Better than the smell or look. It was rich, it was full, it was balanced, it had chocolate, it had enough hops, it had enough carbonation, it held up to the very end.
The finish was almost as GREAT as the Start.

If you have read some of my other reviews, you will know I am a big fan of stouts, even more so with chocolate stouts. I have been fortunate to taste a number of them, but this one will remain at the TOP.

03/16/13
Another tasting of the Breakfast Stout. After tasting many other really super stouts, this one still shines at the top. Right from the start its hard to find fault with this stout. The glassy oil like pour with its relatively small, but not the typical light brown head looks so inviting in the glass. Coffee, or almost espresso is the dominant nose before tasting. Closing my eyes , taking real deep whiffs from the glass, it could really be a cup of espresso. The taste is real big and bold, but soft and round. The espresso decreases a little here and I start to pick up hint of chocolate along with a roasted malt flavor. I really appreciate the little carbonation here, to me it helps balance this one. The mouth feel of this one reminds me of a big California Red Zinfandel, ones around 15% alcohol. Rich, full coats your entire mouth and just slides down your throat for the perfect finish. This Founders does pretty much the same.
Left on a deserted Island with only allowed to have 3 different beers, this one would surely make it.

Serving type: bottle

03-16-2013 10:27:11 | More by rdilauro

Dagger541

Indiana

4.85/5  rDev +7.3%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.75

This is one of my all-time favorite beers. It pours dark and strong; something that you could have on a winter morning or a great option for any relaxing evening. If you are not familiar with Founders beers or stouts in general get ready for a major mix of flavors. The coffee and chocolate come through strong and mix for a great drinking experience. I highly recommend this beer for anyone who is looking for a strong beer or a stout lover who is looking to add to their list. If possible go to the taproom in Grand Rapids, one of the best drinking spots in West Michigan.

Serving type: on-tap

03-15-2013 00:19:06 | More by Dagger541