It’s not particularly often that beers try to appeal to the aesthetic of another beverage or food, partly due to the distinct flavors of yeast or hops, which are seldom found in similar arrangements within another format. But malty beers, especially stouts, more frequently make allusions to such drinks as chocolate milk or coffee. This is not a negative trend per se, as long as these flavors are used wisely. Founders’ ‘Breakfast Stout’ is a perfect example, melding the smooth, off-dry roast of a Sunday morning’s cup of coffee with a daringly complex malt profile and fresh earthy bitterness.

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‘BREAKFAST STOUT’ – FOUNDERS – Imperial Stout brewed with chocolate and coffee beans – 8.30% ABV (Eye Choir’s Top Choice)

Appearance: Poured an impenetrable dark brown to black with no visible highlights and a one finger, milk chocolate-colored heat. No carbonation or sediment can be seen through the intense darkness. 4.5/5

Smell: Luxurious French roast coffee aroma which pairs nicely with a trace of vanilla bean. Dark chocolate fills out the malt profile, as well as a slight cookie aroma that is balanced by a touch of earthy spice that evokes faint coffee cake notes. Extremely well-balanced despite how singularly powerful it is. 5/5

Taste: Cool mild to moderate sweetness in balance with a mild tartness bring out pure, unmitigated coffee bean. However, the sweetness additionally summons ample support to this primary flavor via fresh-baked dark chocolate chip cookies and a touch of cream that abate slowly into the finish. Left behind is a complex, sultry smoky roast coffee and a mild to moderate, fresh bitterness that goes alongside a burnt earthy hop note that goes well with the dark roasted flavors. Absurdly good, with phenomenal balance, dynamics, and detail. 5/5

Mouthfeel: Medium body, with a silky creamy mouthfeel that plays right into the rich chocolate milk spectrum of flavors. A touch of initial tactile carbonation amplifies the acidity of the coffee, breaking through the creaminess slightly, and by the finish, a slight smooth alcoholic heat rinses the palate clean. Delicate, but the swift dynamics pair well with the flavors. 4.5/5

Overall: Well-defined and diverse flavors orchestrate a perfect setting for a coffee-driven symphony. Despite the amount of subtlety in this drink, the excellent balance makes it very easy to enjoy (especially with a nice eggs-and-bacon breakfast, as one would expect). 5/5

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‘CHICORY STOUT ‘ – DOGFISH HEAD – Dry Stout brewed with chicory, coffee beans, St. John’s Wort, and licorice root – 5.20% ABV

Appearance: Poured a completely opaque, reddish-black with a one finger, light mahogany head. No sediment or carbonation is visible through the dark body of the beer. 4/5

Smell: Predominantly strong, smoked coffee and earthy chicory with notes of spicy cigarette tobacco and vanilla. There is also a strong backing malt presence with notes of chocolate as well as vaguely spicy hops with notes of anise. Quite unique without being off-putting. 4/5

Taste: Starts with a moderate to strong tartness which helps ease out some rich burnt flavors from the malt and coffee, as well as adding a hint of vinous flavor. This acidity can be a little overwhelming, though at times there are a few hints of sweetness which help balance the palate. The bitterness is moderate, leading to a long, boozy finish which accentuates the earthy, spicy root flavor of the chicory and licorice. 3/5

Mouthfeel: Medium body, with a surprising carbonation which along with the tartness amplifies some of the complex dark flavors (though this makes the coffee very potent). There is also a mild to moderate alcoholic heat in the finish, though this is smooth and pairs nicely with the warm coffee notes. Fits the unique flavors of the beer. 4/5

Overall: Has an interesting selection of ingredients and flavor profiles which make for a unique interpretation on a stout. Strong and challenging while still being reasonably constructed, though at times the balance becomes a bit too aggressive. 3.5/5

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FOREIGN EXTRA STOUT – GUINNESS – Foreign Extra Stout – 7.50% ABV

Appearance: Poured a deep, almost black, mahogany brown with rusty highlights and a two-finger, cocoa colored head. The body is too dark to see any carbonation or sediment. 4.5/5

Smell: Strong and distinct roasted malt aroma which features a heady, almost metallic smoky charcoal note. Chocolate, cereal grain, and burnt hazelnuts add a more familiar malt basis, while some subtle port wine and spicy hop aromas float around the edges. Powerful and very unique, with some pleasantly striking choices of malt flavor. 4.5/5

Taste: Mild to moderate sweetness further plays along with the charred grainy molasses, but a moderate tartness quickly ushers in a peaty chocolate flavor with astringent over-roasted coffee. The balance between traditional malts and the beer’s idiosyncratic fibrous, burnt quality is a little jarring but very complex. Mild bitterness eventually shows off some leathery, boozy qualities that were hidden underneath the malt. A bit of a toss-up between amazing and unusual. 3.5/5

Mouthfeel: Medium body, with a subtle smoothness which is opposed by a mild alcoholic warmth which amplifies the sour charcoal flavor. Carbonation further heightens the tartness, though not overly so. An interesting choice of pairing with the flavor. 4/5

Overall: A particularly unique stout whose malt character is impressively different, though at times somewhat hard-headedly so. Nonetheless, not especially hard to drink and not without a basic sense of balance as well. 4/5

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‘NARWHAL’ – SIERRA NEVADA – Imperial Stout – 10.20% ABV

Appearance: Poured a very dark chocolate brown to black color with red-amber highlights and a two-finger, dark tan head. The body is completely opaque, precluding sight of any carbonation or haziness. 4/5

Smell: Solid malt aroma which features cocoa tinged by roasted coffee beans and burnt caramel. This is however balanced out by a fairly prominent hop aroma which features fresh, lightly spicy orange blossom notes as well as some earthy resin. A little bit of anise and plum sit in the background with a touch of soy sauce. Quite unique for an imperial stout but still easy to get into, and not at all crowded. 4.5/5

Taste: A beginning mild to moderate sweetness brings out notes of dark chocolate, molasses and a little bit of dirty licorice root, but a moderate to strong tartness kicks in some very strong espresso and smoky charcoal flavors as well as a touch of almost savory, slightly charred Burley pipe tobacco. This contrasts highly with the moderately bitter finish, where some wilted wildflowers and old wood appear as top notes, though the bitterness and slight boozy flavor only amplify the dry acidity and burnt flavor. Extremely complex, almost a little confusing, though still has a fair semblance of balance. 4/5

Mouthfeel: Medium to heavy body, with a good balance between milky smooth mouthfeel and drying carbonic sizzle in the finish. A moderate alcoholic heat accompanies the appropriately heavy roasted flavors there as well, though there is no boozy slipperiness but rather mild astringency. 4/5

Overall: Quite inventive, matching the outer reaches of an imperial stout malt selection with a unique hop character, though the degree of complexity occasionally comes across as disjointed. Still, there are some really nice synergies which create a very enjoyable aesthetic. 4/5