Curtius Black vs Founders Breakfast Stout: Which Should You Drink?

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Curtius Black

Brasserie {C}

Belgium · Imperial Stout

hopIQ rank #919

84%

Overall similarity

side by side, across 56 flavour tags

Founders Breakfast Stout

Founders Brewing Co.

United States · Imperial Stout

HOPIQ TAKE

Curtius Black if you want a smooth, approachable imperial stout that lets chocolate and roast speak quietly, Founders Breakfast Stout if you want hops to wrestle with the coffee and grain. Both sit at nearly identical ABV, but that 30-IBU gap completely changes the conversation—one's a velvet glove, the other's got a caffeine kick that won't let you forget it drank your coffee.

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WHEN TO CHOOSE WHICH

Pick Curtius Black when…

→When you want dessert vibes without actually ordering dessert
→Late evening, when you're winding down rather than ramping up
→You're rotating through a flight and need something that won't fatigue your palate

Pick Founders Breakfast Stout when…

→Morning stout runs or brunch scenarios where the coffee angle matters
→You want bittering hops to anchor a heavy beer and keep it dry
→You're comparing imperial stouts side-by-side and want something with clear definition

SIDE BY SIDE

	Curtius Black	Founders Breakfast Stout
ABV	8%	8.3%
Bitterness	Noticeably bitter	Very bitter
Colour	Dark	Dark
Style	Imperial Stout	Imperial Stout
Origin	Belgium	United States

WHAT IT TASTES OF

9 shared · 3 distinct

Both beers

roastedcoffeerichchocolatebittersmoothcreamydark fruitboozy

STRUCTURE — HOW IT'S BUILT

Curtius BlackFounders Breakfast Stout

Bitterness

Body

TASTING NOTES

Curtius Black

RoastedCoffeeRich

Curtius Black slides in almost deceivingly soft for an 8% stout. You get cocoa-forward, like a bittersweet chocolate bar left in a warm pocket, with this underlying toastiness that feels earned rather than aggressive. The restraint in the IBU means the roasted malt gets to finish its sentence—there's almost a creamy thickness on the palate, and the alcohol hides so cleanly you could mistake it for a regular stout until the warmth blooms in your chest. It's the kind of beer that makes you slow down.

Founders Breakfast Stout

RoastedCoffeeRich

Breakfast Stout announces itself immediately—those 65 IBUs aren't subtle, and they're not supposed to be. Coffee aromatics hit first (and hard), then the hops cut through with this dry, almost piney bite that keeps the beer from ever feeling too sweet or heavy. There's oatmeal and chocolate in there, but they're playing support to the hop bitterness, which lingers long enough to make you reach for the next sip. It's built for debate, not for lounging.

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