Founders Breakfast Stout - Founders Brewing Company

tjsdomer2

Illinois

4.63/5  rDev +2.4%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.75

Appearance: If this is not the darkest beer I've seen, it is easily one of the top 2 or 3. Great tan foam and lacing. Absolutely no light getting through this.

Smell: Highly caffeinated caramel Frappucino. Very similar to Goose Island Resolutions.

Taste/Mouthfeel: I have to say...the mouthfeel is out of this world. It has that strong coffee sensastion that perks you up. There's also plenty of malty backbone to soak this up, almost as if it's a bowl of oatmeal. The chocolate balances everything. What surprises me about Founders Breakfast is the lack of an aftertaste, given the fact that it's an 8.3% stout.

Overall: Would make a great Guinnesss stew but would be a colossal waste.

Serving type: on-tap

03-14-2013 04:29:24 | More by tjsdomer2

METALBOOZESOLID

Vermont

4.73/5  rDev +4.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

This beer is glorious.

Pours to a dark brown, almost black with an thin amber head.

The coffee, as said before, steals the show. The chocolate taste is a subtle secondary to the perfect touch of dark roasted coffee. Has no alcoholic bite whatsoever, and the taste lingers on for awhile after you are done in the best of ways.

Full bodied, aromatic, delicious beer.

Serving type: bottle

03-13-2013 15:39:50 | More by METALBOOZESOLID

BrbnBarlAgdBil

Florida

4.93/5  rDev +9.1%
look: 5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 5

My favorite non barrel aged stout. The taste of coffee and chocolate remind you that the beer is truly a breakfast beer. I have not had a bottle yet that disappointed. Its dark pour coats your glass with a light head that slides down the glass with every sip of perfection. Worth all the hype.

Serving type: bottle

03-12-2013 03:57:34 | More by BrbnBarlAgdBil

lunarbrew

Wisconsin

4.59/5  rDev +1.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75

Beer pours black ink with about .5 fingers of head which lingers. Little head but nice retention. A halo sticks to the side of my glass. Smells awesome: coffee, dark malt, bittersweet chocolate, cocoa nibs, dark (and sweet) caramel, and some vanilla. Tastes of bittersweet chocolate and rich fresh coffee. I can also taste a touch of booze which I really like. Lingering aftertaste which is mostly black coffee, black malt, and bitter cocoa. Very pleasant and drinkable beer. Texture is rich, silky, and heavy. Beautiful carbonation and body. Overall, one of my favorite beers. Had to crack one open in anticipation of KBS distribution in Madison this week!

Serving type: bottle

03-11-2013 18:06:57 | More by lunarbrew

blakelive784

Colorado

4.15/5  rDev -8.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Thanks to Docrock!

12 fl oz brown glass bottle served in a snifter and allowed to warm considerably, reviewed live:

A - Pours a non transparent, deep shade of brown. There's only about a finger of thin, light khaki head and retention's pretty bad. On par for the style.

S - Freshly brewed dark roasted coffee notes dominate. Inviting mocha and semi-sweet chocolates. I don't get any alcohol on the nose. The chocolate's heavier than I expected, but is definitely welcome. Very faint roast character. Pungent.

T - Dark roasted coffee dominates the show. Light cocoa is present, but unobtrusive. Chocolates and less prominent then on the nose. Roasted malts are present near the end. It's significantly more bitter than I'd have guessed, but far from imbalanced. Evocative of black coffee. No alcohol is detectable. God, that's tasty.

M - Incredibly smooth. Full bodied but far from thick. Could be a little creamier, but it works well with the coffee.

D - Definitely lives up to the hype. I could down this all day. Glad I finally got to try it.

Serving type: bottle

03-10-2013 22:58:57 | More by blakelive784

hitter114

Colorado

4.75/5  rDev +5.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75

Founder's Breakfast stout... served a 1035 mt for breakfast. Paired with a cold pepperoni pizza slice from last night. Thanks to Dan for driving this one up to Colorado.

A: Burnt dark brown to black... very small tan head
S: Smell is very complex with chocolate, almost maple smell, with the addition of some caramel, toffee, vanilla really smells like breakfast
T: Oatmeal i think is what makes this beer so complete the perfect oatmeal stout with intense and complex flavors, but ridiculously drinkable.
M: I think it drinks more like a Baltic porter than a stout. Light carbonation fairly thin mouth feel, but also with many complexities. Nice bitter bite with hops and coffee at the finish...mmm

O: really like this beer. One of the best dark beers I have had. I think what makes this one so good is the combination of inter!esting additional flavors and a beer which has a perfectly made backbone. Well done founders

Serving type: bottle

03-09-2013 17:43:45 | More by hitter114

rickyleepotts

Arizona

4.55/5  rDev +0.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.75

I am SO excited to be drinking this beer. You don't understand… we could get this beer with ease when we lived in Indiana. Now that we are in Arizona, we can't get ANYTHING from Founders. They don't distribute here. Not. Fair. But never fear… thanks to a recent obsession with RateBeer, I have started some pretty serious beer trading. I traded for this beer, actually with a guy in Fishers, Indiana and he sent us two cans of 3BEANS, 2 bottles of this, and 2 bottles of Alpha King. That is also on our list. Oh, and he sent us two bottles of the Founders Imperial Stout.

I have to blame Dakine for my obsession with RateBeer. He said it was good… and he was right. I have since traded with a guy in Chicago, a guy in Virginia, and a guy in the Russian River Valley. He is actually sending us all of the beers on the list from the Valley. I am even working on a trade with my buddy Jake back home. I'm hooked!

It's time to start drinking… I can remember what this beer tastes like, but I haven't had it in a couple of years now. I can't wait to smell this, let alone drink it. Let's drink!

In the Glass: It is darker than I remember. It poured somewhat thick, and I could smell it before I was finished pouring. We are both really excited about this beer. I blame Founders for NOT shipping to the west coast. The beer also produced a nice dark tan head, while thin, still leaves me excited to drink. If you have never had the Founders Breakfast Stout… do yourself a favor. Get a bottle. It's worth every penny and always good to the last drop.

Nose: It smells like an imperial stout. It has a little copper note to it, but that is because of how cold it is. I just grabbed this from the fridge, so I am going to let it sit for a little bit before I drink it. I will probably drink half now, and half later. I like letting beers like this get to room temperature for the full enjoyment of the flavor. They call it Breakfast Stout, but they could easily call this Dessert Stout. This truly is a meal in a glass!

Flavor: This is the moment we have all been waiting for… at least the moment I have been waiting for. It is as good as I remember! It seems a little hotter than I remember, but that is probably because of how cold it is. It has an incredible mouthfeel and aftertaste, but we will get there. If you have ever had an imperial stout before, those are the same flavors that rush the palate. Then, as you swallow, a little dryness kicks in, and you get the soft subtle Irish stout flavor that we have all come to expect from a Guinness. Not the best beer in the world, but one that deserves our attention.

Mouthfeel: I have been on a stout kick lately. It's getting warmer, so I should be moving away from those… but I like the mouthfeel and the aftertaste of a good thick stout. This stout is just that… thick. It is easy to drink, but the beer coats the tongue with a nice layer of awesome! Every time I swallow I am getting those same flavors, and while I want to drink more, I want to savor this as long as I can! Very few bubbles here.

Aftertaste: I swallows my first drink 5 minutes ago, and the aftertaste is still there. It becomes increasingly dryer as you continue to swallow, but the aftertaste might be the best part of this beer. I don't usually care for Guinness, at least chilled Guinness, but the aftertaste is similar. Not as boring as Guinness, but the same drying sensation that I am experiencing with this.

Founders is a great brewing company, and I miss them. In the trade that I am working with Jake, he is going to send me some Founders beers. One that he is sending I have never heard of… so I am excited for that. I didn't request any more Breakfast Stout, as we already have one more bottle in the fridge. There is only so much time to drink beer! This bottle came a long way, but tastes as good as I remember. Maybe we will make pancakes and bacon the next time we drink this… a TRUE breakfast beer! Bottoms up, people.

Serving type: bottle

03-07-2013 20:55:50 | More by rickyleepotts

Dave_in_GR

Michigan

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

12oz bottle poured into a pint glass. A small layer of creamy brown foam on top, with the beer itself a dark brown to black color.

Smell is very mild, just a hint of coffee and chocolate.

Taste is delicious, a combination of chocolate, coffee, and just a hint of oats. It is sweet but without being cloying. Apparently this beer contains 60 IBUs but I did not notice much bitterness, very well balanced.

Mouthfeel is excellent, a small bit of carbonation helps balance the sweetness. Ridiculously drinkable.

Overall, just an outstanding beer.

Serving type: bottle

03-07-2013 02:21:04 | More by Dave_in_GR

Mellonius

Brazil

4.79/5  rDev +6%
look: 5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.75

Pours piano black into a pint glass, generating a fairly thick and durable beige head. The little bottle is adorned with a nice painting of a toddler eating a spoonful of might be a bowl of oatmeal. Smell is rich, roasted, chocolatey, with a coffee note and some acidity in the background. Tastes complex but well into what is expected from a stout. Darkly roasted coffee beans and some smokiness are noticeable in the aftertaste. The body is full, almost oily. This is a very special brew. A real treat!

Serving type: bottle

03-06-2013 02:01:44 | More by Mellonius

beersteak

Montana

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

Not much to say other than that I think this stuff should come with an additional warning about the caffeine content. I drank 3 pints and didn't get to sleep until 4am and remained buzzed into the next morning. It is outstanding. It reminds me of Old Rasputin with a huge hit of dark roast coffee. But, be careful with this stuff or you will regret it!

Serving type: growler

03-05-2013 17:07:26 | More by beersteak

Wiggedout40

Georgia

4.16/5  rDev -8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

The name says it all. A stout with lots of flavor. The largest note is that of coffee which greatly describes the finish. There is a slight sweetness. Rich dark color. Smooth and very drinkable. Not boozy at all. Would definitely drink this again, possibly with a doughnut.

Serving type: bottle

03-04-2013 03:13:31 | More by Wiggedout40

BeerBear55

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

Poured in to a glass at a cool temperature, nice dark color but did not get the head I had anticipated and not much lacing at all. Smell was just what I expected and more. Malty chocolate, coffee and just a hint of oats. Taste was full of chocolate and coffee and lingered just long enough to get to the next mouthful. I'm a Pilsner drinker and that won't change, but on those occaisions when I feel like a change I will definetly have Breakfast Stout at the top of the list.

Serving type: bottle

03-03-2013 23:54:57 | More by BeerBear55

sbxx

Illinois

4/5  rDev -11.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Appearance - Very dark brown, almost pitch black. 1 finger of tan head disappears and leaves some thick, spotty lacing. Nice.

Smell - Mmm dark chocolate and coffee. Hints of wood and raisin.

Taste - Chocolately & biscuity with coffee, but nothing too overt. Balanced taste. Some coffee lingers in the aftertaste.

Mouthfeel - Very light carbonation tickles the tongue then vanishes. Heavy body but goes down very smooth and finishes clean. As it warms up, the body gets richer and fuller.

Overall - A solid, heavy-hitting brew that I will drink again. Do I think it deserves a 100? No. But it's definitely worth a seasonal purchase (or two).

Serving type: bottle

03-03-2013 09:12:07 | More by sbxx

nasty15108

New York

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

Poured from a 12oz bottle into a glass..

Poured a viscous cola color with the slightest ruby hue at the bottom. The pour produced a thin head of brown creamy foam.

Smelled like a Manhattan Special coffee soda with the tiniest bit of malt aroma.

Tastes like heaven. Malty up front with loads of coffee flavor. You get a little bit of chocolate sweetness right before the slightly bitter finish. Very well done.

The mouth feel is almost perfect. Just the right balance of stickiness and carbonation. Goes down well. An absolute classic.

Serving type: bottle

03-02-2013 23:19:13 | More by nasty15108

FLima

Brazil

4.44/5  rDev -1.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Black color with a brown thick head with long last retention.
Aroma of oatmeal, coffee and dark chocolate.
Flavor of toasted-roasted malts with oatmeal, spicy tobacco, maybe marzipan, earthy hops and with strong notes of mocha and espresso. Good that is not very sweet. Dry and bitter aftertaste.
Full body, viscous and creamy, with low to medium carbonation and small bubbles. 8.3% ABV is subtle and in harmony.
Great beer, really a true breakfast. Coffee, chocolate cookies and cereals, all in one!

Serving type: bottle

03-02-2013 17:52:24 | More by FLima

Lognar

Illinois

3.91/5  rDev -13.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

bottled 9/16/12

Look - Pours dark brown and thick with a single finger of khaki head.

Nose - Tons of rich bold roast over both dark and milk chocolate notes.

Taste - The roast from the nose continues big time in the taste. Lots of bitter dry roast flavor - almost smoky or burnt - and maybe some baker's chocolate too. Pretty much all roast and bitterness. The roast is bordering the point of being overpowering and unbalanced.

Feel - Medium bodied and creamy. Lighter on account of the oatmeal.

Overall - A decent coffee stout that is fairly straightforward. The roast was almost too much - it wasn't balanced at all it was the roast equivalent of a palate wrecker. This is a good coffee stout, but overvalued.

Serving type: bottle

03-02-2013 03:04:32 | More by Lognar

h4ger

Connecticut

4.73/5  rDev +4.6%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75

I recently discovered Founder's and they tend to satisfy rather than disappoint so far. I heard this was a good brew and decided to try it when I saw it. The double chocolate statement scared me a little that it may be too sweet or have too much chocolate flavor. The fear was unfounded.
This beer pours very dark with a good 2 finger toffee colored head. I left it for a few minutes and from 18 inches away the coffee smell wafted over and surprised me with its reach. First sip is nice, strong coffee and dark chocolate taste, if you don't like either you won't like this. Very nice taste not overly bitter. It went down a lot quicker than I expected. I would buy this again without question.

Serving type: bottle

03-02-2013 02:07:56 | More by h4ger

ryantaussig

New York

4.58/5  rDev +1.3%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

This beer is flat out beautiful. It smells strongly of chocolate and coffee, both of which come through in the overall flavor. The mouthfeel is a little thin. I expected it to be a bit creamier. Overall this one lands in the top tier of American beers. I highly recommend giving it a try.

Serving type: on-tap

03-02-2013 00:24:02 | More by ryantaussig

StJamesGate

New York

4.21/5  rDev -6.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

Viscous black with ruby highlights and a violet-tinged beige head that's creamy and trails.
Roasted coffee, lavender, and dark chocolate on the nose with a bit of smoke.
Boysenberry, chocolate, Fig Newtons, brown sugar, an oily coffee bite, a touch of marzipan and light cedar hops.
Camp coffee finish and red berry linger.
Medium-full, silky, chewy.

Velvety, integrated and waaay drinkable. The chocolate is much bigger than the coffee. Sips compulsively like fresh baked cookies.

Deserves the rep.

Serving type: bottle

02-28-2013 01:50:22 | More by StJamesGate

fx20736

New York

4.34/5  rDev -4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

poured from a 12 oz bottle into a pint glass, served cool (not cold).

appearance onyx black with 2 fingers of cappuchino khaki head, nice lacing.

aroma of toasted nuts, roasted barley and coffee. Coffee aroma intensifies as beer warms.

mouthfeel is good.

taste: coffee, strong coffee dominates, bitterness is balanced by a vanilla like sweetness. Other stouts and porters have coffee in their flavor profile. Coffee is the flavor profile of FBS.

Notes; good looking beer, nice strong aroma, strong coffee flavor. fortunately I like coffee. I like this beer immediately but I am not sure if I love it right now222

Serving type: bottle

02-28-2013 01:33:52 | More by fx20736

robhbest

Michigan

4.64/5  rDev +2.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75

Poured from bottle into snifter.

Ok this is one of the first beers which actually got me into craft beers. I remember the day when this sold out for the year. I couldn't wait for this beer again. I agonizingly waited for months, had dreams about this beer. My mouth watered, taste buds frantically searching for this delicious concoction called Founders Breakfast Stout. Highly drinkable yes. Delicious? You could bet the farm on it.

Pours a pitch black with nice tan head.

Smells of roasted malts.

Taste the coffee, caramel, chocolate.

I usually drink this beer several times a season, and it never gets old. Top notch in my book!!

Serving type: bottle

02-27-2013 04:54:19 | More by robhbest

UnderPressure

South Carolina

4.53/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Pitch black with a brown one finger head

Intense chocolate and coffee in the aroma. Smells sweet and delicious.

Very chocolatey flavor. Also strong coffee. Nothing more to say, really. Like a sweet cafe mocha.

Velvety mouthfeel. Very heavy and smooth. A lasting wet finish.

This is a great stout. Coffee, chocolate, and a heavy mouthfeel.

Serving type: bottle

02-26-2013 13:40:54 | More by UnderPressure

KTCamm

New Jersey

4.63/5  rDev +2.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a bottle into a pint glass.

Poursa dark black with brown foam. Acts fast, leaves a ring. Oaty nose. Coffee/chocolate, expected. Taste is smooth, rich, flavorful. All ingredients blend together perfectly. Creamy. Dark chocolate is what lingers, and in a good way. Never an under or over flavored moment. Everything in full force. Fantastic.

Serving type: bottle

02-24-2013 17:20:16 | More by KTCamm

Zbyler

Connecticut

4.24/5  rDev -6.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

A- Poured from a 12oz bottle into a pint glass. Thick and Dark as night with a nice tan head at the top.

S- Smells like a fresh brewed cup o' joe! Also detected a hint of oatmeal and some chocolate as well.

T- Coffee, coffee, and more coffee up front. Definitely some oatmeal and hints of chocolate leading into a subtle bitterness at the end. I tasted a slight alcohol bite on the end as well but nothing crazy. Has a nice sweetness to it. Thick but not as thick as I expected from seeing the pitch black color.

M- Thick, viscous, but smooth as butter. Goes down easy and the flavors leave you longing for the next sip. Coffee flavor lingers for a while for sure.

O- Not a huge coffee drinker but I enjoy it from time to time. I was very impressed by the way founders pulled this one off. The 8% ABV is hidden quite well. Gotta hand it to them because I almost feel more awake after drinking it. Definitely not something I could drink more than 1 of in a sitting but a nice treat on a cold weekend.

Serving type: bottle

02-24-2013 02:21:59 | More by Zbyler

Bosoxfan20

Oklahoma

4.65/5  rDev +2.9%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5

A- Poured from 12 oz bottle into pint glass. Pitch black with a perfect 2 finger dark tan head. Thick. Good retention. Lacing is immaculate

S- Powerful coffee smell, oats galore. Chocolate in the background, but strong as can be with the coffee aroma. Holy moley it's strong. Need some eggs and bacon quick!

T- Taste follows nose to a perfect t. Notes of chocolate and oatmeal, then a powerful wave of roasted coffee, followed by a warm finish that has a touch of alcohol bite to it, but nothing that takes away from the flavor of the beer. Maybe even a caramel residual flavor.

M- Full bodied. Thick, but oh so smooth. Perfect carbonation. Not very dry at all. Did I mention smooth?

O- Honestly, I am not a coffee drinker. I don’t even like coffee. But damn it, I respect the hell out of this beer and Founder's effort put into this breakfast stout. I love it when a beer is brewed with a bold, powerful aroma and then matches the taste perfectly with the smell. Well done. What a great beer to warm you up when it's snowing outside...which it actually is tonight in Tulsa

$9.99 for a 4 pk

Serving type: bottle

02-21-2013 03:29:13 | More by Bosoxfan20