I love beer 24 hours a day. I savor beer, write about beer, talk about beer and occasionally brew beer. I even dream of beer sometimes.
While I love beer every minute of the day, I don’t drink beer every minute of the day, especially in the morning. But that doesn’t mean I can’t enjoy the flavors I savor in the early hours.
I discovered this quite by accident the other morning when it struck me that I was really, really digging my breakfast. Then I realized why – I was eating some my favorite components of beer.
The breakfast was as simple as it gets. I had a bowl of Grape Nuts and a cup of strong French Roast coffee. But eating them in combination was a close approximation flavor-wise of drinking a nice imperial coffee stout.
Let’s start with the Grape Nuts, which is made with wheat and barley and tastes a lot like the malted barley used to brew beer. It reminded me of when Don and I got to sample a couple handfuls of German barley when we toured Victory Brewing. We both thought it was awesome and tasted a lot like Grape Nuts, so the flavor connection is definitely there.
Add to this the deep roasted coffee flavor, the bitterness, and the chocolate notes from the French Roast, and the beer sensors start going off in my head. What a treat!
It’s a great way to start the day, and now that I have figured it out, it’s one I’m going to make a regular morning ritual.
Now I just have to figure out how to work some hops in. Grapefruit juice maybe?
Beer & Whiskey Brothers 
I would guess it was like a milk stout. Great Idea. I’m getting some grape nuts this week!
With the Grape Nuts base, you could take it many directions. Before long I’ll be throwing a handful of hops in the bowl!
I knew that there was a reason I like my Fiber One and Italian Roast coffee in the morning!
I’ve made it point to tell every buddy I’ve taught to brew beer to eat Grape Nuts the day after the brew, It is a mesmerizing experience! The scents from the brewing come out fully in the cereal!
Yeah, there’s a hint of “brew day” in the flavor that totally pops if you eat Grape Nuts soon after.
Weird……just a few days ago I decided to pair a DFH Punkin’ Ale with a bowl of oatmeal mixed with pumpkin butter and walnuts. It was wonderful.