The tasting sessions are definitely my favorite part of this blog. It brings together my two favorite things-friends and beer. This week I did a spontaneous tasting with….yep….you guess it…PantsOn. It started off as an innocent trip to Whole Foods. Not just any Whole Foods, the biggest, newest one in Lincoln Park. Have you been to this monstrosity? It’s got wine bar, a beer bar, a coffee shop, dining areas and a couple quick serve restaurants. Oh yeah, and of course groceries. It’s a huge one. The place is overwhelming and usually crowded, so to assuage PantOn’s grocery store apprehension, I suggested (or pushed) a beer from the on-site bar. We sat down and were greeted by an amiable and beer-wise bartender named Nick. He poured us a couple beers including one I’d like to tell you about….
Founders Breakfast Stout, Double Chocolate Oatmeal Stout, 8.3%, Grand Rapids, Michigan
Where It Came From: Poured into a little taster glass from the tap
In 3 words: Roasty, Cozy, Strong
Look: This beer pours as deep opaque brown, almost black. There’s no light escaping through this beer, even the corners of the glass are dark. As you slosh it around in the glass, it looks viscous, almost syrupy. There’s a teeny bit of brown colored bubbles forming at the top of the beer.
Smell: Lets do this one with single words. Earthy. Chocolate. Sharp. Coffee. Bitter and…bitter and…Hershey’s chocolate syrup.
Taste: After looking and smelling this mighty beer, I surmise that the first sip I take should be very small. I’m right. This beer is like alcoholic espresso. It’s has lots more flavors than you’re typical stout. More bitter. More roasty-ness. More chocolate. More coffee. PantsOn reiterates that this beer is bitter and I have to agree that the bitterness lingers on your tongue for a while. Pretty smooth for 8% alcohol.
Ferment on This: How about a nice short fact today…In addition to the four main ingredients in beer, this brew is spiked with Kona and Sumatra coffee, flaked oats and bitter chocolates.
The Bottom Line: I will remember this beer for the first time I’m cold enough to light up my fireplace, which could be soon in lovely Chicago. It’s a warming beer that’s best sipped like wine. Good as dessert or a night cap. PantsOn suggests this ‘coffee’ beer would taste good with some ‘creamer’ in it…aka ice cream. Like a root beer float, but with stout. I’d have to agree. The added sweetness may tone down the bitterness a little for you hop-a-phobes. I suggest buying a 4-pack to share with 3 friends as you’ll only need one of these before your taste buds are maxed out. Or just go visit Nick at Whole Foods…I’m sure he’d be happy to give you a sample.
The taps at Whole Foods
I’ve had the fireplace going 3 times already…
Looks like I’m ready for some Founders Breakfast Stout.