Founders Breakfast Stout

Breakfast Stout does it really go well with breakfast? I have had it for breakfast, so I am speaking from experience when I say, yes. It also goes well any other time of the day.

Founders Brewing Company probably doesn’t care when you imbibe, just as long as you do. The beer is obviously the base beer for multiple of their short release beers.

Coffee, chocolate, and sweet malts all titillate the senses. Coffee is the strongest but it doesn’t overwhelm, it is a pleasant, smooth sensation.

I have frequented this beer many of times throughout the day and I will continue to do so. Enjoy!

Aroma: 9 (25%), Taste: 9 (25%), Look: 9 (15%), Drinkability: 9 (35%), Overall: 9.0

Useless Fact: If one places a tiny amount of liquor on a scorpion, it will instantly go mad and sting itself to death.

Founders Canadian Breakfast Stout

Founders Brewing Company inaugural bottle release of Canadian Breakfast stout. Yeah, I went, so what?

That’s not the half of it. Rich and I made the trek up to Founders by leaving our comfy beds (of course in our own homes, sickos) around 1:00am to be on the road at 2:00am. Strike that, 2:10am as someone was late getting to my house. I took several naps on the drive back and forth, having no idea how Rich managed to drive seven hours on two hours rest and two monsters that I furnished.

In between was the waiting in line in 40 degree temperatures with a good 10+ mile an hour wind. Damn cold. Fortunately we met a couple of guys in line, shared some of each other’s home brews, and found some wonderful different areas in the vicinity to take pisses. I am sorry but one port-o-let that isn’t even on Founders property, that had been misused at best, is just gross. Founders could have afforded a damn potty or three.

Cutting to the chase: after getting our two bottles of Canadian Breakfast Stout we headed to the bar for a taste. We ended up having two (Rich didn’t as he thought it was too sweet). I agreed to a point. I feel that Kentucky Breakfast Stout is a much better beer. Since I had not eaten since 1:00am, the two twelve ounce pours gave me a nice buzz.

We headed for lunch at New Holland Brewing Company, had another pint each, before we all headed our separate ways home. On the drive home, when I was awake, Rich and I both decided the crazy day of no sleep wasn’t worth it. If I ever go back it will just be to get some CBS on tap. Enjoy!

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Founders Centennial IPA

While waiting in line for the new release from Half Acre Beer Company I hoping that I would be home in time to partake of Galatic Double Daisy Cutter: a version of Double Daisy Cutter that uses galaxy hops. While waiting in line my one child came over stating that we were eating at the Bad Apple again: a restaurant across the street from Half Acre with a fairly solid tap list. I knew then that Galactic Double Daisy Cutter wasn’t in the cards for beer number 262.

While sitting down to dinner I scoured the beer list with Centennial IPA from Founders Brewing Company caught my eye. I have been on an American IPA kick as of late and Centennial was going to scratch the itch.

Easy drinking, even the wife liked it, with just enough hops to balance out some pale and caramel malts. This is a year round offering from Founders that is worth trying out. In my case over and over again. Enjoy!

Useless Fact: The National Safety Council reports that seventy people a day die in home accidents in the United States. Falls account for the greatest number of deaths. Next in frequency are fire, poisoning, electrocution, and choking on food. Most of the people who die from falls are over sixty-five. Middle-aged people and infants die most often in fires. Teenagers succumb primarily to poison and drugs.

Founders Devil Dancer

It doesn’t get any better than getting picked up after work by the family, heading to a new place to eat, having a couple American craft beers, and then putting the old piggies into the cold water of the water park in Millennium park on another 90+ degree day in Chicago. It has been a while since the family picked me up, so I was looking forward to it all day: the beer, not the family.

One of the unexpected quirks of having dinner at The Bad Apple, the place is right across the street from Half Acre Beer Company. Since they closed at 8:00pm, I had enough time to score some fresh Daisy Cutter, a couple of pint glasses, and a t-shirt for the wife.

Once seated, my wife and I browsed the beer list: good number of beers on tap (~20). I got a Devil Dancer by Founders Brewing Company for myself and a by Goose Island Beer Company for the wife.

Devil Dancer is an old friend. It has been a couple of years since our last get together. I don’t know if my palate is starting to age and I can’t pick up the bitterness like I used to, if having this round of Devil Dancer on tap, or just my overall thirst contributed to the fact that this beer felt much more subdued. A big beer with tons of hops aroma, taste, and bitterness. The bitterness lasts but not the the extent it has in the past.

All-in-all I like the tap version much more than the bottle, especially if the real difference is some semblance of balance. Good stuff. Enjoy!

Aroma: 9 (25%), Taste: 9 (25%), Look: 9 (15%), Drinkability: 9 (35%), Overall: 9.0

Useless Fact: As men and women get older their ability to hear high pitched sounds diminishes. The ability to taste sweet foods also decreases with age.

Founders Kentucky Breakfast Stout

There is no denying that American craft beer is getting more and more popular every year. In spite of an industry, beer, that is going down overall, American craft beer is going in the opposite direction with some breweries having 40%, 50%, or even larger growth on an annual basis.

This creates problems. Hard to believe. Some of these breweries can’t keep up and are pulling their product off of shelves in regions that would normally be distributed too. Others are making hard decisions on whether or not to go all in, getting a large loan to up capacity or even build a new facility.

Founders Brewing Company is growing while creating some of the finest craft beers in America. Their short releases are highly sought after, with Kentucky Breakfast Stout (KBS) the pinnacle.

Each year this beer gets harder and harder to get, even for the people that showed up to the brewery for the release. Does this automatically make the beer taste better? It seems that some people believe so but I will defend KBS. It lives up to the hype and easily surpasses your wildest dreams. I would go out on a limb and say this is my favorite beer. My stash last year lasted about eight months as I would have a one or two a month when I was wanting a high quality beer. If you have the means to land one of these beers, do yourself the favor you will not be disappointed. Enjoy!

Aroma: 10, Taste: 10, Look: 10, Drinkability: 9, Overall: 9.7

Useless Fact: More people are killed by donkeys annually than are killed in plane crashes.

Founders Nemesis 2010

This Friday night found me extremely tired as the sleep study I did earlier in the week was kicking my butt and it is extremely difficult to catch up on sleep when you don’t sleep well. So I was off to never-never land by 8:00pm with only a single beverage; an off Friday evening.

Nemesis 2010 by Founders Brewing Company is their annual release. Of course, being from Founders, this is a highly sought after and touted release, making it difficult to get and probably one that will continue to get harder to find per the recent release of Kentucky Breakfast Stout.

2010 was much better than 2009. I almost couldn’t stand the 2009 which is a shames based on said difficulty and not mentioned cost of the beers. I actually ended up giving most of them away but have proudly held onto the 2010 version. I believe I still have about three left in the cellar. Until the next chase for Founders ensue, cheers. Enjoy!

Aroma: 9, Taste: 9, Look: 8, Drinkability: 9, Overall: 8.9

Useless Fact: The word “set” has more definitions than any other word in the English language.

Founders Imperial Stout

For those of you that know anything about American craft beer, you have heard of Founders Brewing Company and their crazy list of outstanding beers that they brew. Based on what they bottle, I think I am pretty close to hitting them all with 13 different flavors tasted: this includes two version of their annual release:Nemesis.

I had a brief stop at their brewpub about a year or so ago but didn’t have time to imbibe. I know, I am still kicking myself in the butt for that one. I also wanted to make the KBS release this past weekend, but went on a family trip, which is much more important than beer. After hearing the debacle that was the 2011 KBS release, I am glad that I put my family first. It is also this type of disaster that is slowly eroding my enthusiasm for short releases. I even passed up the chance last night to pick up two bottles of KBS from a local store. Is this blasphemy.

Founders Imperial Stout is one of those stouts that I can’t wait for each year. I really look forward to it as the beer is spot on, solid. In spite of the high ABV it doesn’t affect the beer and the nice roasted, chocolate notes just keep me coming back for more. Not a perfect imperial stout, but damn good and in the team photo. Enjoy!

Aroma: 9, Taste: 9, Look: 9, Drinkability: 9, Overall: 9.0

Useless Fact: Q. What occurs more often in December than any other month? A. Conception.

Founders Backwoods Bastard

The release of Founders Brewing Company Kentucky Breakfast Stout is only a few days away. One fantastic beer deserves a beer in its’ honor: I brought out a bottle of Backwoods Bastard. If memory servers me right, this is Founders Dirty Bastard aged in oak bourbon barrels. The beer is released each November, so this one had a few months on it, which takes nothing away from this fine American craft beer.

I paid a bit more than I wanted to for Backwoods ($5.99) but that is the extra price you pay when purchasing singles. When you figure that most beer bars that serve American craft beer charge that for non-seasonal release and, sometimes, only 10 ounces, six bucks wasn’t that bad of a price. While on that topic: it seems like all of Founders short releases are jacked in price for their 12 ounce bottles. I sometimes have to take a step back and wonder if it makes sense to pay for a 12 ounce bottle what I can get some bombers (22oz bottle) for? My wife has given me sanctions on my beer spending this year causing me to question many of my purchases, while trying to seek out beer stores that sell singles: more for my money.

Backwoods Bastard is such a good mix of sweet, oak, bourbon, and the kitchen sink that the slight alcohol burn on the way down is the only thing that reminds you this drink is 12% ABV. Even so, I can through a pint of BB down licketidy split. If you have the means to have this beer, and for that matter most of Founders short releases, pick them up, spend the money, your senses will thank you over and over again. Enjoy!

Aroma: 9, Taste: 9, Look: 10, Drinkability: 10, Overall: 9.5

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Founders Double Trouble

I had Double Trouble by Founders Brewing Company last year for the first time and was not enamored. So little so, that I didn’t even pursue the beer this year.

So how does the beer come in as American craft beer number 55? Rich owed me some cash for picking him up some Kuhnhenn’s beer during their winter solstice release party. Since he took a while to pay, he decided to bring over a four pack of brews with payment. In there was one bottle of Double Trouble.

I know the beer has been out several weeks at least, wanting to give it a fair shake, I decided to drink it as fresh as possible as Rich only brought it over on Sunday. Quick turnaround

I have heard people ask the question about a comparison to Hopslam. There is no comparison! Hopslam is an elite beer while Double Trouble, with its pleasant pine, citrus, and floral hop profile, is above average. It just doesn’t seem to come together as well and leaves the hop bitterness a little bit out there. Fix the lingering hop profile and it will approach the former category. Enjoy!

Aroma: 9, Taste: 8, Look: 8, Drinkability: 7, Overall: 7.9

Useless Fact: There are more donut shops in Canada per capita than any other country.

It isn’t all that often that I have a day to get stuff done and actually relax besides. Luckily today is one of those days.

What exactly do I mean? Well, that is easy. I have done work around the house: picked weeds, hoed the garden, sprayed weeds, and hung up my hop plant (Centennial and more to come this week). I have also gone shopping to about three or four stores with the wife and kids to get our weekly groceries among other things. Vacuuming is still on the docket.

That’s the work, now the play. I am currently on my fourth beer and the temperature outside (about 70 with low humidity) is perfect for just about any beer. So I started the day with a New Glarus Unplugged Cranbic, which is so damn refreshing it took me about five sips to put it away. My palate still desired a refreshing beer. So I opened a bottle of Firestone Walker Union Jack IPA.

While appreciating the Union Jack, the wheels started to turn and as another front went through, with the temperature dropping into the 60s, I thought it was time for something with a little bit of size to it. Founders KBS you say, perfect! That didn’t last long but damn that is mighty tasty. What beer can out do a KBS?

Not many, but along came Pliny the Elder by Russian River. Oh, I think I am about a sliver away from heaven.

I see that Rich is doing some reviewing of his own, so after PLE, it is time for some serious reviews and a great finish to Sunday. Enjoy!