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.

This winter season I was surprised. I figured that most of my twitter and site followers would be talking about Harpoon Winter Warmer, Great Lakes Christmas Ale or some other spicy ale. When you think about Christmastime though, you think about how your mother makes 15 different kids of cookies (well not my mother, but probably yours), peppermint candy canes, egg nog and, of course, chocolate! So I should not have been surprised to see the Belching Monkey flock- Sorry, you are not a flock, you are an elite group of people who refuse to settle for libations that look like piss and taste like water- drinking Brooklyn Brewery Black Chocolate Stout. And not only were you drinking it, you were applauding its flavor and complexity.
When I cracked this Brooklyn Brewery seasonal offering, I immediately smelled the chocolate. When I poured it into the glass, it was rich and thick. I thought about the Beverly Hillbillies Black gold. Texas tea. Next thing you, my mouth feels like a millionaire! The chocolate was evident in the initial sip, but was followed up by dark, roasted coffee flavor that swam through and enveloped my tongue and teeth. The problem is that the coffee flavor really overpowers the chocolate and unless you go into for another sniff, you might forget that you are drinking a chocolate beer at all.

Some folks call this a “very drinkable beer”. I found it to be heavy, and a sipper. I could see myself taking 2-3 times longer to finish a Brooklyn Brewery Black Chocolate Stout than say a highly sessionable beer like Samuel Adams Boston Lager or even Brooklyn Lager. One was more than enough for me at 10% ABV.

This is a beer you must try (if you are of age). The flavor is balanced, but they might have called it “Black Coffee Stout” and noted hints of chocolate or chocolate aroma. It is deserving of a top-tier rating for its complexity, profusion and weight.