Founders Canadian Breakfast Stout

Brewed by Founders Brewing Company
Style: Imperial Stout
Grand Rapids, Michigan USA

Draft at Craft Ale House. Wow, I lucked out and got the last 10 ounce pour of this one around 4:15 PM. The pour was onyx with a 3-finger dark brown head. One of the darker heads you will ever witness. The nose was beautiful, a medley of oaky, roasty dark malts, cacao, earthy dark fruit, and blackberry. The taste was awesome. I got dark malt, mild oaky and dark chocolate notes, some maple syrup, vanilla, miild black licorice, and a heavy blackberry undercurrent that stayed throughout, not as an overpowering component, but rather as a flavor note that gave an ever so slight tart berry twang to match all the other flavors intermingling. The heat was well hidden, and it went from an imperial stout mouthfeel briefly to a strong blackberry merlot mouthfeel and back. Just wonderful, and one of the best beers I have ever quaffed. It was so good I seriously considere bribing the guy next to me for the rest of his glass. Get ya some, even if you have to go to Vancouver to do it.

Tap at the 2009 Founders Black Party. Only the 2nd beer I’ve ever given a perfect rating to. This stuff is incredible! Black as black can be pour with a nice dense brown head. Notes of oak, vanilla, bourbon, maple sugar candy, and nuts. All in excellent balance. Thick oily mouthfeel.

Bottle at Cigar City BA Bolita release, courtesy Gillard. We docked whilst drinking this lovely elixir. Black pour, thick head, wet lacing on the glass. Nose is massive bourbon, maple syrup, nice caramel and chocolate. Very nice. Flavor is also fantastic: incredibly smooth bourbon, chocolate, caramel, maple, dry woodsy notes, vanilla. Simply delicious. As smooth as any big beer I’ve had, drinkable as hell, amazing, really.

This is the best beer for the morning after. The ease that this high octaine beer goes down after a night of heavy drinking is dangerous power. Should be outlawed by thank God it’s not.

RATING #100(!): I was saving this rating for something truly special... Well I found it (and lots of others) @ Three Floyds DLD ’09. This is a special tap-only version of Founder’s Kentucky Breakfast Stout aged in Maple wood barrels. Every bit as delious as the regular KBS - smooth, sweet, sticky, coffee, chocolate, and bourbon - plus a woody, earthiness that lends a lingering aftertaste of maple, vanilla, and a little smokiness. Damn close to a 5 star beer!

Bottle courtesy of Gillard. Big thanks. Poured black. Nose is big bourbon, alcohol, cocoa, some maple syrup and roasty grains. Flavor is semi sweet chocolate, some wood, loads of roasted grain, coffee, and rich maple syrup. Perfect body, smooth as smooth can be. Amazingly good beer.

Courtesy of Gunhaver. Pours black with no head. Holy shit this beer smells good. Huge aroma of maple syrup complimented by chocolate, caramel, roasted malt, a touch of booze, and more maple syrup. Taste is the same as aroma. Medium full mouthfeel with smooth alcohol. Delicious!

On tap at Founders Taproom. Black with a tan head. Incredible maple aroma with coffee and some chocolate. Huge coffee flavor with some maple/molasses sweetness, chocolate, vanilla, and a hint of smokiness. Medium bodied and very drinkable. Pleasant alcohol burn at the finish. Just as good as KBS, if not better. Absolutely amazing, and surprisingly accessible. Wish this was available in bottles.