Buddies Breakfast Stout
Refined Fool Brewing Co.

473 mL can from the brewery; no canning date. Served barely chilled.

Pours a deep ebony colour, initially supporting two inches of thick, creamy, sepia-toned head that gradually drops off. Five minutes later, it has been whittled down to a tight collar surrounding a thin cap, with patches of lace adhering to the glass after each sip; looks good so far. Understated aroma with nothing unusual to report; hints of coffee, cocoa and roasted grains, as well as suggestions of dark chocolate and raisins.

A decent stout with some fruity characteristics; hints of plum and maraschino cherry blend together with roasted malts, coffee and dark chocolate. Leans toward the sweet side for the most part, though the bitterness of the coffee, along with some earthy bitterness, provide some semblance of a counterpoint. Finishes with date fruit, caramelized sugars and coffee, all of which continue into the aftertaste before fading; faint coffee bitterness outlasts the others. Medium in body, with gentle carbonation and a smooth mouthfeel; decent weight, with fair drinkability.

Final Grade: 3.74, a B grade. Buddies is a decent stout, though I'm curious to know what, exactly, makes it a "breakfast" stout. There's no ingredients list, and the allergen warning doesn't mention oats (though I did find a marketing blurb on Instagram that claims it does contain oats, so there's that). The coffee flavours are alright, but could stand to be amped up a little... then again, I'm a java fiend. This is good, but it definitely isn't great - the Fools released a straight-up oatmeal stout around the same time as this brew, and I have to say, I preferred that one over this one.