At first glance, beer and breakfast don’t seem like a natural match. It’s not that alcohol doesn’t have a place with the brunch crowd because it definitely does. Can you even imagine going to brunch on a Saturday without bottomless mimosas and bloody Marys? I know I can’t. I don’t want to live in a world where Champagne isn’t appropriate in the early morning hours. It’s called hair of the dog for a reason.
So, since we’ve established that booze is all well and good before noon. Why doesn’t it seem like beer belongs on the same table as pancakes the size of truck tires and mountains of bacon and sausage? That’s because most beer pairs better with lunch or dinner items. But, a few intrepid, innovating, geniuses have decided that the all-you-can-eat brunch buffet is missing one thing: beer.
They’ve aged their brews in bourbon barrels, added coffee, and some have even added breakfast foods to the guarantee that their brews will be paired with steak and eggs instead of steak and potatoes.
Founders Kentucky Breakfast Stout
This might be the gold standard when it comes to breakfast-related beers. This hard to find brew is so sought after that people are willing to wait in long lines as if they were going to be able to purchase a Nintendo Classic. But, instead they are getting a 12.3 percent bourbon barrel-aged coffee stout that pairs surprisingly well with sausage, bacon, and pancakes. Sounds good to us.
Pizza Port might sound like a place for dough, cheese, tomato sauce, and pepperoni only. But, this San Diego-based chain has a strong following in the brewing community as well. With a named like Bacon and Eggs, you can be pretty sure this beer is appropriate for breakfast. This award-winning 8 percent coffee porter is malty and rich and pairs perfectly with actual bacon and eggs.
Evil Twin Imperial Doughnut Break
Evil Twin is famous for its long list of interesting and delicious flavor combinations. One of the best (and most perfect for breakfast) is its Imperial Doughnut Break. This 11.5 percent Imperial Porter is literally made with doughnuts. Yes, that’s right. The folks at Evil Twin topped off its Imperial Biscotti Break with actual doughnuts. What could be more breakfast-y (is that a word?).
DogFish Head Beer for Breakfast
DogFish Head founder and brewmaster Sam Calagione is know for his envelope-pushing beers. Some of his stranger brews include: Midas Touch (made using ingredients found in the tomb of King Midas), SeaQuench (made with sour lime and sea salt), and Chicha (a beer literally made corn that chewed up and spit out). His foray into the world of breakfast, the aptly named Beer for Breakfast, contains cold-pressed coffee, maple syrup, and even scrapple (look it up if you don’t know what it is).
This 7.5 percent brew from Mikkeller is pretty much a giant bowl of oatmeal in beer form. That’s because 25% of the recipe is made with oat-based products. They top it off with gourmet coffee to pretty much give you the closest thing to breakfast in a can. Pair it with any of your rich, salty breakfast favorites and you have the making of the beginning of a winning day.
