Founders Breakfast Stout- Latest batch... Thin and artificial tasting?

I'm simply not smart enough to know. I am smart enough to know that it's great beer.

 

You might try reading the thread and/or using some logic. The people that did BLIND comparisons all thought there was a substantial difference in the OPPOSITE direction that one would assume, but don't let the facts get in the way of your smug pompous post.

 

This brings up an interesting point. There is an inherent flaw in comparing vintages of the same beer. Memory certainly changes over time, and to try to remember precisely how something tasted a year ago will be skewed in some way without a doubt. So lets do a blind tasting between the vintages and compare that way. Awesome, except that with age, the beer you are tasting now no longer has the same flavor you tasted when it was released. Age effects the flavor for sure. Age vs Memory; which is more reliable?

I suppose the most reliable way is to become a great and detailed beer reviewer. Now my sense of smell sucks so my taste is also muted, and for me it is impossible to pick out the details that so many reviewers seem to be able to discern, so I go off memory basically. So become a reviewer if you desire, and if you want to spend the time it takes to do that.


Also, just drink the god damn beer, it's fucking delicious.

 

Not trying to "add fuel to the fire"; however, (about to add fuel to the fire ) a side-by-side is irrelevant as the comparison involves an aged beer or beers against fresh beers.

The only way to know for certain if the difference is great from this year to last year is to ask Seth McFarland if you can borrow Stewie's time machine, then grab a fresh Breakfast Stout, travel back to last years release and do a side-by-side!

The fact that these post always center on some sort of magnificent beer memory is why they are so justifiably ridiculed IMO.

After finally (and thankfully) making it too embarrassing for the "Pumking is less pumkingy crowd" to post anymore, they seem to have reincarnated here with Breakfast Stout!

Reading these post always provides entertainment value though!

 

Actually I agree with "dontcounttoday"'s post. However the side by side is far from irrelevant. It removes 3 variables but adds a 4th. It removes the "your palate has changed", removes memory error, and by doing it blind it removes the "romanticize, subconscious" bs that seems to be main point with those insisting it is not any different.

The aging effect is a very valid point, one that I agree with however when tasting, I expected the '12 to be much more coffee forward and was sure that the fuller tasting, more coffee/chocolate beer was the '12 but it wasn't.
My wife easily thought the '11 had more mouthfeel and flavor (blind tasted as well).

I still think it is damn tasty, it could be more batch variation within this year, the beer might age in ways most experts wouldn't expect (more coffee). What I do know is that I appreciate more constructive posts and not ignorant posts ridiculing people that have tasted beer in a more controlled manner.

 

Kind of like Celebration's spice levels each Winter.

 

fact remains that we see damn near this same thread every year on release of these large footprint beers.

 

This. Got 3 more in the fridge.

 

Dude, you can't compare a stout with adjuncts over time and expect any sort of valid comparison.

Also, the heart always looks back with fondness, palates change and people's memories have error. All of these are completely subjective.

All of your variables CANNOT be ignored or changed to fact.

What is fact, is that one of these threads pops up with every major good release. I already wrote mine for this years Celebration Ale and it won't have ANYTHING to do with spices but will definitely imply some sort of shortcut or error in the brewing process.

 

I can't wait for the exact same thread a year from now - "This 2013 FBS wasn't as rich and flavorful as last years". Lemme guess, your Hopslam also wasn't as hoppy this year as it was last year. ITS THE EXACT SAME BEER EVERY YEAR. Memories are not optical storage and are often inaccurate.

 

upvote for the Doom avatar

 

exactly and as others have already said... Celebration time is right around the corner. guarantee that isn't as good as last years.

 

I honestly must say, after having a few 4 packs over the last few weeks, this years edition is weak, watery and thin compaired to previous years. Next year i will buy a 4 pack first to try it, cause im not happy with this years case.

 

Did anyone else get a wet-dog/cardboardy smell from it? the taste was awesome but the last two bottles i had of it from the most recent batch got the same funk that the first batch of this year's didn't have. I changed glasses and both were properly cleaned.

 

I'm with the masses here that this batch simply is not up to par. This is one of the very few beers I buy a case of each year and having just finished my first 4pk of 2012, I likely wont be buying any more. It is thinner, there is no head, and the coffee taste is slightly different. It is still a well above par beer, but just no longer my favorite go-to stout.

I normally hate these threads, with a passion, because a vast majority of the time it is simple nonsense. This may be the first time I've agreed.

 

You sir are wrong, the board has spoken, apparently it is EXACTLY the same as last year because all beers are brewed the same every year, no exceptions <sarcasm font>

 

I drank next to a speedway stout and drainpoured. Sorry to all the lovers out there, but I am a not liker(my wife says not to hate anything). I am also a coffee snob and could tell that crappy coffee was used. sorry. just my opinionon

 

no head? each one i've had so far have had a perfect 2-3 finger head that lingered for a while.

 

You do realize that there is variance between bottles right? If not, your welcome for the lesson.

 

This is the first year I've had it, but even with the most vigorous pour I can manage, I still get no more than maybe a half-finger head. I do love the beer, though.