Founders Stout showdown - Imperial & Breakfast

Each week my small immediate family gets together for dinner.  These days it's on Tuesday night and will often end up as a mini-tasting night with me and my brother George.  We both love beer and love finding things the other has not tried.  Honestly, it's one of my highlights each week...no matter how crazy work is, how many chores need to get done at home, or how tired I am I know that George and I will at least share one beer one of us hasn't had.  Yup, brotherly beer-geekery at it's best! 

Anyway, this past Tuesday I brought over two of my favorite Founders Stouts.  The Imperial Stout and the Breakfast Stout...sorry I don't have any KBS or CBS left.  I was shocked to find out that George never really had the Imperial Stout, so I accepted this challenge. Also, as I had a few in the beer fridge, this was the perfect chance to share the joy of this beer.  To make it even better, I brought one of my Breakfast Stouts so we could compare the differences.

First up, the Imperial Stout.  It pours a pitch black with a nice thin caramel head.  Put your nose to this and you'll immediately recognize this as a big bad ass Imperial Stout.  Robust roasted malt and then some bits of chocolate & coffee come through as well.  First sip and you get that malt, that yummy perfectly roasted malt!  The hops are strong, but so well balanced that it's just enough to give you a little prickly bitterness.  As you continue slowly drinking this one up, it has a bit of chocolate sweetness to it, but then it fades quickly as the malt just takes over - enjoy the ride.  This stout was one of the first stouts that made me fall in love with stouts. 

Next is the highly sought after Breakfast Stout.  The biggest difference here is immediately noticed when smelling it.  The Breakfast Stout is much stronger with whiffs of coffee and chocolate and then the malts as a quick kick at the end.  The pour is just as pitch black, but has a thinner head on it that dissipates quickly.  The taste is pure heaven (for me anyway).  If you don't like roasted coffee (that's a whole 'nother problem) then this will not be for you...at least off the first sip.  It's like having an espresso dropped in a stout - yeah, amazing!  As it warms it gets even better, some oatmeal comes through (hello breakfast), a nice semi-sweet chocolate, and a hint of vanilla.  This is probably my favorite non-barrel aged stout and is as close to perfection as any stout I've had (including Kate the Great).

Quick note, neither the Imperial Stout or Breakfast Stout are the base for KBS (Kentucky Breakfast Stout aged on bourbon barrels).  KBS is it's own unique stout and then aged (as learned a while back from Founders' website).

If you want a non-barrel aged straight up kick-you-in-the-face Imperial Stout, the Imperial Stout will be your best friend.  If you want your stout to smell heavenly with coffee, chocolate, & malt, then you can't go wrong with the Breakfast Stout.  These two are two of my favorite beers on the planet.  If you see them and you even remotely like stouts, GET THEM!  And yes, I have had the Breakfast Stout with breakfast!

Imperial Stout

Kev Rating: A
Style: Russian Imperial Stout
ABV: 10.50%
IBUs: 90

Availability: January, four packs are hard to find
Had: Many times, all 12oz bottles
Region: Grand Rapids, MI

Breakfast Stout

Kev Rating: A+
Style: Imperial/Double Stout
ABV: 8.30%

IBUs: 60

Availability: September through January, select four packs are hard to find
Had: Many times, all 12oz bottles
Region: Grand Rapids, MI