Brewed with a hearty addition of oats and coffee this beer might be a great way to start the day. I’ll be honest, living in Illinois there is only one beer that can claim the right to drunk in the morning. That beer is none other than Founders Breakfast Stout. If you catch me referring back to it, please do not be offended as it is a point of comparison.
First things first. I purchased a bottle of this beer a few years ago and just now got around to opening it. While you can cellar BGB, at 7.5% abv I would recommend not aging it past a year. I think it is best enjoyed fresh.
Second, the appearance was very similar to Founders Breakfast Stout. A little too close actually. The viscosity was not as high as it poured closer to a Robust Porter than a thick stout. The carbonation was ample producing a mocha creamy head that laced the glass. There were some garnet colors around the edges of the beer and when swirled it did not seem heavy.
The aroma was more coffee centered than Founders’ beer. Aromas of chocolate covered espresso beans, bitter dark chocolate, burnt coffee and grains, and a minor oat component were the highlights. I’m guessing that since chocolate was not used the creaminess in the smell was lessened no to mention the fact that I think a few less oats were used too. It did not have that grain bag smell. Don’t get me wrong, the aroma was deep, rich, hearty and dark.
Tipping the glass back a deluge of astringent burnt grains and coffee coated my palate. The mouthfeel is slick and oily to a small degree, but for the most part I found it to be rather thin. The flavors were what clung to my palate…not the beer itself (meaning it was not that chewy). Nice burnt flavors brought notes of bitter chocolate, dark roasted coffee, and astringent grains. I enjoyed the flavor and found that it was very drying towards the finish and aftertaste. Not surprising. In the end the mouthfeel on the finish was slightly velvety, the flavor coffee with dark fruit hints. A solid brew for sure.