What is the Best Beer for Breakfast Beers?
Good Morning, Vietnam! We just wanted to say that. Breakfast Beers are an intriguing subject to cover. Is it the beer itself? Or, is it just simply the time of day that you are drinking the beer? We say it's both.
Written by CraftJack | Updated | 3 min read
Beer is the breakfast of true champions, as having beers for breakfast is more ambitious than mimosas or a bloody mary, if simply because people don't associate beer enjoyment with any time prior to 11am. Who needs an espresso or cold press coffee when all it takes is a lager, a glass, and a dream to make your malty morning dreams come true.
Breakfast Beers for you to try
This list includes stouts, IPAs, cream ales, hefeweizens, and even bourbon barrels. A craft beer needs to have the right mouthfeel to really own "breakfast beer" status.
- Beerios (Woodbury Brewing)
- Beer for Breakfast Stout (Dogfish Head Brewery)
- Beer Hop Breakfast (Mikeller)
- Bourbon Barrel Aged French Toast Devil Dog Oatmeal Stout (Roak Brewing Company)
- Breakfast Stout Imperial Coffee Stout (Founders Brewing)
- Coffee Oatmeal Stout (Good People Brewing Company)
- C.R.E.A.M. (Sixpoint Brewery)
- French Toast Double Brown Ale (Funky Buddha)
- French Toast Framinghammer (Jack's Abby)
- French Toast Imperial Stout (Wicked Weed Brewing)
- Frosted Flakes: Now With Marshmallows (Magnify Brewing Company)
- Honey Nut Beerios (Hoboken Brewing Company)
- Imperial Doughnut Break (Evil Twin Brewing)
- Lucky Charms IPA (1766 Brewing Company)
- Maple Bacon Coffee Porter (Funky Buddha)
- Moa Breakfast (Moa Brewing Co.)
Breakfast beers come in all shapes and sizes as you can see. We're really surprised Maine Breweries don't brew more of them, given how tied into the craft beer game they are as well as being Vacationland. One thing about having a breakfast beer that is nice is that the abv doesn't really matter. You can kick back an imperial stout or a strong belgian quad because you just woke up a little while ago. In that regard, breakfast beers are the anti-nightcap.
Mathematically, the percentage of countries who drink beer for breakfast should be 100%. Here are four different ways that breakfast beers exist:
Breakfast Beer - Early A.M.
This is really reserved for college football tailgates and people who, uh, need a beer for breakfast to function. No need to wait for brunch when you can wake up and start your day with an ice cold cruiser of High Life, PBR, or some other big beverage, mass produced lager. These beers are the Wayne's World "Delaware" of drinking.
You should pair your early morning breakfast beer with this smoked porter french toast recipe from The Beeroness.
Breakfast Beer - In the Name
Founders Breakfast Stout is an example of such. Founders Brewing, which has been around since the 80s, brews an Imperial Coffee Stout that is 8.3%. Technically, it is a Double Chocolate Coffee Oatmeal Stout.
Lefty's Brewing used to brew the Big Brekkie's Breakfast Stout as well.
Breakfast Beer - Tastes like Breakfast
Just being a coffee beer doesn't constitute a breakfast beer to us. Breakfast is so much more than a roasty cup of joe. Waffles, pancakes, and french toast come to mind. Bacon. Eggs. Doughnuts. Heck, even avocado toast, especially if you're grabbing an early bite in the at the old Cheese Shop in Downtown San Diego.
This brings us to beers that taste like breakfast. Vitamin Sea Brewing's Blueberry Pancake Ale is one such example. Not only can you smell the blueberry, but the maple syrup comes through in the aftertaste. This craft beer is quite remarkable. It is part of Vitamin Sea's Sour Pipe Project.
Another interesting brew is Magnify's Frosted Flakes Imperial IPA. They even have a marshmallow version that is conditioned on vanilla and marshmallow and brewed with Amarillo, Citra and Mosaic hops.
Breakfast Beer - Themed beers
Then there are beers named after or attempted to be flavor-matched to cereals. This includes the Saturday Morning Marshmallow IPA, a beer that wants to be your Lucky Charms replacement.
Or, Beerios from Woodbury Brewing Company. Woodbury Brewing, out of Southbury, CT, claims that Beerios is like, "a bowl of Honey Nut Cheerios and a glass of orange juice, in pint form."
Breakfast Beer FAQs
What is the most famous Breakfast Beer?
The most well known breakfast beer is Founders Brewing's Breakfast Stout.
Does drinking Root Beer count as a Breakfast Beer?
No. But, if it's alcoholic root beer, then yes.
When was Beer for Breakfast written?
Beer for Breakfast, written by songwriting legend, Paul Westerberg, was written in 1997 and released. If you're looking for another song where someone mentions having a beer for breakfast, check out Sunday Morning Coming Down. Written by none other than Johnny Cash, the lyrics state, "Well, I woke up Sunday morning With no way to hold my head that didn't hurt. And the beer I had for breakfast wasn't bad, So I had one more for dessert."
Do the English drink beer for breakfast?
No, the English don't drink beer for breakfast in modern times. Back in the days of yore, perhaps.
Is beer good for breakfast?
Yes, beer is good for breakfast. We even think it's better than mimosas, coffee and bloody marys. But, on non-work days.
Wrapping Up
Beer and breakfast aren't Starsky & Hutch or Bo & Luke Duke, but it sure feels that way. If you're inspired, pair a tasty stout with these Beer Can Breakfast Burgers. Maybe even listen to Beers 4 Breakfast while you're cooking. Or, with the pulpy orange flavor of many IPAs today, you could dive right into a freshly poured Beermosa.
It's your choice, because beer, it's what's for breakfast!