If you’re a fan of rich, complex stouts, you’ve probably wondered what coffee brand is used in Founders Breakfast Stout. This iconic beer is famous for its intense coffee character, and the specific beans are a key part of its identity.
The coffee flavor is bold and impossible to miss. It’s not just a hint; it’s a core feature that blends with chocolate and oats. Knowing where that flavor comes from helps you appreciate the craft behind every bottle. It also connects you to the roaster’s story and their dedication to quality.
Let’s get right to the answer you’re looking for.
What Coffee Brand Is Used In Founders Breakfast Stout
Founders Brewing Co. has a long-standing partnership with a renowned roastery based in Grand Rapids, Michigan, called Ferris Coffee & Nut Co.. Since the beer’s inception, Ferris has been the exclusive supplier of the coffee used in Founders Breakfast Stout. The brewers use a custom blend of two types of beans, specifically chosen for their flavor profile.
The primary bean in the blend is a Sumatran variety. This bean is known for its earthy, deep, and sometimes spicy notes. It provides the stout’s robust coffee backbone. To complement it, Ferris adds a smaller amount of Guatemalan beans. These bring a brighter, more citrusy acidity that helps balance the richness.
The beans are cold-steeped for a full day during the brewing process. This method extracts the coffee’s aromatic oils and flavors without pulling out too much acidity or bitterness. It’s a technique that ensures the coffee integrates smoothly with the beer’s other elements.
Why Ferris Coffee Was Chosen
The choice of Ferris wasn’t accidental. Founders and Ferris are both Grand Rapids originals, sharing a hometown pride and commitment to their crafts. The proximity allows for a close collaboration. The brewers can work directly with the roasters to develop and tweak the perfect blend.
Ferris Coffee & Nut Co. has been in operation since 1924, so they bring a century of roasting expertise to the table. They source high-quality beans and roast them in a way that highlights their best characteristics. For Founders, using a local partner ensures the coffee is incredibly fresh when it arrives at the brewery, which is crucial for flavor.
This partnership is a classic example of local businesses supporting and elevating each other. The success of the Breakfast Stout has, in turn, shined a national spotlight on Ferris Coffee.
The Role of Coffee in the Beer’s Profile
In Founders Breakfast Stout, coffee isn’t just an add-in; it’s a structural component. The beer is built on a foundation of flaked oats, bitter and sweetened chocolates, and the two types of coffee. Each element has a job:
- Flaked Oats: Provide a silky, smooth mouthfeel and a touch of sweetness.
- Chocolates: Contribute deep, roasty, and sweet flavors that mirror dark chocolate and cocoa.
- Ferris Coffee Blend: Delivers the awakening aroma and the rich, bitter coffee taste that defines the “breakfast” experience. It cuts through the sweetness and adds complexity.
The result is a beautifully balanced beer where no single ingredient overpowers the others. The coffee makes it taste like a sophisticated, alcoholic espresso drink.
How the Coffee is Integrated into the Brew
The process of adding coffee to beer is delicate. Adding it at the wrong time or with the wrong method can lead to harsh, bitter flavors. Founders uses a cold-steeping technique, which is similar to making cold brew coffee.
- First, the chosen Ferris coffee beans are coarsely ground. A coarse grind is important to avoid over-extraction.
- Next, the grounds are added to cold, filtered water. They steep for approximately 24 hours.
- After steeping, the liquid is carefully strained to remove all the solid grounds, leaving a potent, smooth coffee extract.
- This cold coffee extract is then added to the beer after fermentation is complete. This late addition preserves the volatile coffee aromas that would be lost if boiled.
This method gives the brewers precise control over the coffee flavor intensity and ensures a clean, pleasant coffee character without astringency.
Variations: The KBS and CBS Connection
Founders’ coffee expertise extends beyond the original Breakfast Stout. Their legendary Kentucky Breakfast Stout (KBS) and Canadian Breakfast Stout (CBS) also feature coffee. While the specific blends or roasts might be adjusted for these barrel-aged variants, the partnership with Ferris Coffee remains constant. For KBS, the coffee is chosen to stand up to the aging process in bourbon barrels, often featuring even darker, bolder notes to complement the oak and whiskey flavors.
It’s a testament to the strength of the relationship that Ferris supplies the coffee for these premium, sought-after beers as well. The consistency in the coffee source is part of what makes the Founders stout family so reliable and beloved.
How to Best Enjoy Founders Breakfast Stout
To truly taste the Ferris coffee notes, how you serve the beer matters. Here are a few tips:
- Temperature: Serve it slightly cool, around 50-55°F (10-13°C). Too cold, and the flavors will be muted. Too warm, and the alcohol can become too forward.
- Glassware: Use a snifter or a tulip glass. These glasses concentrate the amazing aroma, letting you get a full nose of the coffee and chocolate before each sip.
- Pairing: It’s called Breakfast Stout for a reason. Try it with actual breakfast foods like chocolate chip pancakes, maple bacon, or a creamy vanilla dessert. The coffee in the beer will complement these flavors wonderfully.
Pour it gently into your glass, leaving any sediment in the bottle. Take a moment to smell it first—the aroma is a big part of the experience.
Buying and Storing Your Bottles
Founders Breakfast Stout is a seasonal release, typically hitting shelves in the fall. It’s widely distributed, so you should be able to find it in most well-stocked beer stores. When you buy it, look for bottles that have been kept out of direct sunlight, as light can skunk beer.
For storage, keep the bottles in a cool, dark place. While the beer is fantastic fresh, it also ages gracefully for a year or two. The coffee flavor will mellow slightly over time, allowing more of the chocolate and oat character to come forward. It’s fun to buy a few extra bottles and taste how it changes over different seasons.
DIY Experiment: Brewing with Ferris Coffee
Inspired to try using this coffee at home? If you’re a homebrewer, you can attempt to mimic the profile. While you might not get the exact custom blend, you can purchase Ferris Coffee beans online. Look for a dark roast Sumatran and a medium-dark Guatemalan. Blend them to your taste, coarse grind them, and cold-steep for 24 hours. Add the extract to your stout recipe post-fermentation.
For non-brewers, you can simply make a cold brew with Ferris beans and compare it side-by-side with a sip of the stout. You’ll be able to pick out the familiar flavors and gain a deeper appreciation for the roaster’s impact on the beer.
The Impact on Craft Beer Culture
Founders Breakfast Stout is more than just a beer; it’s a benchmark. It helped pioneer the modern coffee stout category and showed how a high-quality, locally-sourced ingredient could define a brand. The clear answer to “what coffee brand is used in Founders Breakfast Stout” highlights a trend in craft beer: transparency and collaboration.
Drinkers today want to know where their ingredients come from. By proudly partnering with Ferris, Founders tells a story of community and quality. This has inspired countless other breweries to seek out local roasters and highlight their partnerships, raising the bar for ingredient quality across the industry.
Common Questions About the Stout
Let’s address some other frequent curiosities about this famous beer.
Is it actually good for breakfast?
While it’s named for it’s coffee-and-chocolate breakfast vibe, it’s still an imperial stout with significant alcohol content (usually 8-9% ABV). It’s a hearty beverage best enjoyed responsibly. Having one with a big weekend brunch is a treat, but it’s not a substitute for your morning cup of joe.
Does the beer contain caffeine?
Yes, but the amount is relatively low. The cold-steeping process and the dilution in a full batch of beer means the caffeine content is minimal. It’s unlikely to give you a real caffeine buzz, especially compared to a standard cup of coffee. You should primarily think of it as a flavor component.
Has the coffee brand ever changed?
To the best of public knowledge, Ferris Coffee & Nut Co. has been the sole coffee provider for Founders Breakfast Stout since it was first brewed. This consistency is a point of pride for both companies and is a key reason the beer tastes the same year after year. If a change ever were to happen, Founders would likely communicate it clearly to their fans.
Final Thoughts on a Classic Beer
The next time you open a bottle of Founders Breakfast Stout, you’ll know the secret behind its signature taste. That rich, aromatic coffee flavor comes from a carefully crafted blend of Sumatran and Guatemalan beans from Ferris Coffee & Nut Co. in Grand Rapids. This partnership is a perfect example of how local collaboration can create something extraordinary that resonates with people everywhere.
From it’s initial aroma to the last sip, the coffee is integral. It provides the bite that balances the sweetness and makes the beer so moreish. Understanding the ingredient doesn’t take away the magic—it adds to it. You’re not just tasting a beer; you’re tasting a piece of Michigan craftsmanship in every glass.
So, raise a glass to Founders and Ferris. Their combined effort has given us a timeless stout that continues to be a favorite for good reason. Whether your enjoying it fresh or aged, with a meal or on its own, the quality of that core coffee ingredient is always front and center.
FAQ Section
What kind of coffee is in Founders Breakfast Stout?
It’s a custom blend of Sumatran and Guatemalan coffee beans from Ferris Coffee & Nut Co.
Who makes the coffee for Founders stout?
Ferris Coffee & Nut Co., a roaster based in Grand Rapids, Michigan, makes all the coffee used in Founders Breakfast Stout.
Does Founders use real coffee in their Breakfast Stout?
Yes, they use real, cold-steeped coffee from Ferris Coffee. It’s not an extract or flavoring.
Is Founders Breakfast Stout a coffee beer?
Absolutely. Coffee is one of the primary ingredients, along with oats and chocolate, that defines its flavor profile.
Can you taste the coffee in Founders Breakfast Stout?
Definitely. The coffee flavor is prominent and bold, blending with notes of dark chocolate and a smooth oat finish.