Founder’s Breakfast Stout

Breakfast. The most important meal of the day and almost nothing beats a proper English breakfast. I once stayed at the Bell hotel in Sandwich Kent UK. It was a quaint, old hotel oozing with character and boasting a breakfast unlike any I had ever experienced, exceeded in brilliance only by the famous buffet at the Ritz Carlton Kapalua. This breakfast consisted of eggs, bacon, toast with jam, fried tomato, mushrooms, black pudding, sausage (that’s right, 2 kinds of sausage) and pot of Earl Grey Tea.

This is the sort of stick-to-your-ribs breakfast is what gets the Brits to 10:00 AM tea and cake. I could get used to that. I could also see myself adding Founder’s Breakfast Stout to my regular rotation. Crack this English-styled brew and put your snout down in it. Take a deep snort and allow yourself to be overtaken by a nutty, coffee-chocolate, slightly smoky aroma that you can nearly taste. It pours like motor oil and has a gorgeous head that you could float a penny on. It has a deep, rich flavor and is a lot more viscous than it looks. It is complex, as a stout should be. The beer is pitch black with red hues and a thick head that seems to emit an aroma that draws you into the experience. If you drink more than one in a session, you might pay for it later. This is a sipping brew, an indulgence. There is a touch of carbonation for amusement, but overall I am in amazement.