Founders Canadian Breakfast Stout – one of the most-coveted white whales among trophy-hunting craft beer drinkers – has been sighted in Arizona.
The Grand Rapids, Mich., brewery makes the imperial stout (10.6% ABV) with a blend of coffees and imported chocolates, then ages it in bourbon barrels that recently had been aging Michigan maple syrup.
CBS has a nearly unprecedented score of 100 on review site Beer Advocate, which ranks it a lofty No. 6 among the Top 250 beers in world.
It has never been available in Arizona before. The beer hadn’t even been seen in Michigan since 2011 – until a new batch was released in December.
The limited-release batch is available in kegs only, and the brewery has sent just six to Arizona. They will be tapped:
- 6:30 p.m. today: Ground Control in Litchfield Park
- 10 a.m. Saturday: Tap & Bottle in Tucson
- June 3: The Handlebar Pub and Grill in Apache Junction
- TBD: Boulders On Broadway in Tempe
- TBD: The Attic in Phoenix
- TBD: McGaughs Smoke and Bottle in Flagstaff
Each bar is responsible for setting its own tapping date. In each case, the bar received just a quarter keg (aka “pony” keg), which holds 62 pints.
