Screw pumpkins. It’s breakfast time.

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We love fall. It’s a season of change and natural beauty. June and I even got married in October, our favorite month. The cool days of fall bring a reprieve from the hot summer and make us want something heartier in our mug. We’re seasonal beer lovers and have been on a Pilsner kick to get us through the heat of a Southern Summer. But when the days get shorter, we like richer beers like Märzen, Porter and Stout. Just please, keep the pumpkin beers.

So when the good folks at Founders asked if we’d like to sample this year’s batch of Breakfast Stout, we didn’t have to think about it long. Um, yes, please! June enjoys this beer, but I adore it. If I could only drink 3 beers from here to eternity, Founders Breakfast Stout would be on the list. The only thing I don’t like about Breakfast Stout is I can’t buy it year round. That’s ok… that’s makes extra special.

This year’s batch does not disappoint. It’s everything we remember. I feel like I’ve welcomed an old friend back to town. Breakfast Stout is a complex mixture of rich, smooth, chocolate, coffee, sweet, bitter and hoppy flavors. There are so many things going on in this beer, yet they work together in perfect harmony. We taste smooth creaminess and sweetness from the oats, hints of dark and milk chocolate, coffee richness and bitterness, floral and woody notes from the hops, as well as a kiss of hop bitterness that sneaks through the rich malt. At 8.3% this is no session beer, but session beers are made for slamming at the lake on a 98° day. This beer is made for sipping around campfire when it’s 48° outside.

And it’s not just called Breakfast Stout because it has oats and coffee. I know from experience that it pairs well with breakfast. So, whip up some eggs, bacon and a short stack, and pour yourself a Breakfast Stout. You won’t be disappointed. (Maybe do it on a Saturday morning. It’s probably best not to drink a 8.3% beer before heading to the office.)

Disclosure: Founder provided two bottles of 2015 Breakfast Stout for us to sample. However, are sentiments are genuine. We love this beer and will go through a couple cases before Spring.

Addendum: I never use shaker pints, but I could not pass up this opportunity. I forget where and when I got this glass, but this seemed like the perfect time to use it.