Move over, mimosa. This coffee stout gives imbibers a new way to drink in the morning.
My Rating: 7/10
Brewer: Dogfish Head
Name: Beer for Breakfast Stout
Style: coffee stout
% ABV: 7.4
IBU: 30
Color: very dark brown, almost black
Aroma: malty, smoky
Flavors: intense coffee, smoky and sweet
When I saw another limited release from Dogfish Head at my local grocery store, I knew I had to try it. (I was very impressed with another 2016 limited release, which you can read about here). Breakfast is my favorite meal of the day, and I've been particularly fond of coffee stouts lately, so I figured this would be a perfect beer for me. And after all, who doesn't want an excuse to have a little to drink before noon?
As with Dogfish's other beers, I was drawn to the fantastic label artwork, this time featuring a rather distressed-looking pig clad in flannel and seated in front of a hearty stack of pancakes. The label proudly proclaims this stout to be "tricked out with all sorts of breakfast ingredients" including scrapple, spices, coffee, and maple syrup.
If you're like I was and are unfamiliar with that first ingredient, scrapple is, according to Wikipedia "traditionally a mush of pork scraps and trimmings combined with cornmeal and wheat flour, often buckwheat flour, and spices. The mush is formed into a semi-solid congealed loaf, and slices of the scrapple are then pan-fried before serving" and is a traditional breakfast dish in Eastern states like Delaware, where Dogfish is located.
Trust me, it tastes better than it sounds. Anyway, on to the beer itself. As expected for a coffee stout, the brew was very, very dark brown; no light passed through the glass as I held it up to a lamp. A rich tan head of about 3/4 of an inch formed on top, but quickly diminished to about a quarter inch. The aroma was dark, malty and quite smoky; I couldn't yet discern any maple or other sweetness. Then I took a delicate first sip, and wow was there coffee! Put simply, this beer is like a kick in the mouth; it has a more intense flavor than any other coffee stout I have tried. Heavy carbonation also adds to the kick. The mouthfeel is very thick and heavy, almost oily. It's like you can feel the scrapple grease sliding down your throat. After the swallow, more subtle flavors emerge: first a strong smokiness from the caramel malt and the scrapple, then a very delicate sweetness. Finally there is a little ethanol warmth at the very end (this brew has a higher ABV of 7.4%). As the beer warmed, the sweetness came out a little more, but I still never really detected maple flavor.
Overall, Beer for Breakfast is a satisfying coffee stout with a nice smoky twist, but I would have definitely liked a little more flavor from the maple. I was unable to determine what spices the label was citing, but the other ingredients were definitely detectable. If you want an alternative to your morning cuppa joe, consider a glass of beer, though I would enjoy this brew any time of day.
When I saw another limited release from Dogfish Head at my local grocery store, I knew I had to try it. (I was very impressed with another 2016 limited release, which you can read about here). Breakfast is my favorite meal of the day, and I've been particularly fond of coffee stouts lately, so I figured this would be a perfect beer for me. And after all, who doesn't want an excuse to have a little to drink before noon?
As with Dogfish's other beers, I was drawn to the fantastic label artwork, this time featuring a rather distressed-looking pig clad in flannel and seated in front of a hearty stack of pancakes. The label proudly proclaims this stout to be "tricked out with all sorts of breakfast ingredients" including scrapple, spices, coffee, and maple syrup. If you're like I was and are unfamiliar with that first ingredient, scrapple is, according to Wikipedia "traditionally a mush of pork scraps and trimmings combined with cornmeal and wheat flour, often buckwheat flour, and spices. The mush is formed into a semi-solid congealed loaf, and slices of the scrapple are then pan-fried before serving" and is a traditional breakfast dish in Eastern states like Delaware, where Dogfish is located.
Trust me, it tastes better than it sounds. Anyway, on to the beer itself. As expected for a coffee stout, the brew was very, very dark brown; no light passed through the glass as I held it up to a lamp. A rich tan head of about 3/4 of an inch formed on top, but quickly diminished to about a quarter inch. The aroma was dark, malty and quite smoky; I couldn't yet discern any maple or other sweetness. Then I took a delicate first sip, and wow was there coffee! Put simply, this beer is like a kick in the mouth; it has a more intense flavor than any other coffee stout I have tried. Heavy carbonation also adds to the kick. The mouthfeel is very thick and heavy, almost oily. It's like you can feel the scrapple grease sliding down your throat. After the swallow, more subtle flavors emerge: first a strong smokiness from the caramel malt and the scrapple, then a very delicate sweetness. Finally there is a little ethanol warmth at the very end (this brew has a higher ABV of 7.4%). As the beer warmed, the sweetness came out a little more, but I still never really detected maple flavor.
Overall, Beer for Breakfast is a satisfying coffee stout with a nice smoky twist, but I would have definitely liked a little more flavor from the maple. I was unable to determine what spices the label was citing, but the other ingredients were definitely detectable. If you want an alternative to your morning cuppa joe, consider a glass of beer, though I would enjoy this brew any time of day.
