In our occasional Beer For Breakfast series, we pair up a popular breakfast item with a beer style and then map the best options for pairing. This time, it’s a hearty Southern-style classic, chicken & waffles. This breakfast/brunch calls for a beer that’s just as bold, with coffee-like notes to boot.
Enter robust porter. Its strong roasty aroma, caramel and toffee flavors, and biscuit notes bring even more nuances to this already complex dish. Robust porters are robust in flavor, but not in alcohol content, making them ideal breakfast beers. Here are seven to try.
Penn Quarter Porter
DC Brau (Washington, D.C.)
This canned robust porter is named for the Penn Quarter area of Washington, D.C., home to Ford’s Theatre, numerous bars, restaurants, and museums. Its chocolate notes and dry roasted finish stand up well to both the sweet and savory notes of chicken & waffles, especially if that chicken is fried and if those waffles are coated in rich maple syrup.
Black Butte Porter
Deschutes Brewery (Portland, Oregon)
Classic brunch dishes call for classic beers. Before you head out on your next outdoor adventure, pair up chicken & waffles with the famous Black Butte Porter from Deschutes Brewery. Its rich, creamy mouthfeel complements its distinctive chocolate and coffee notes.
Founders Porter
Founders Brewing (Grand Rapids, Michigan)
Here’s a robust porter with sweet malt and chocolate notes, balanced by a generous dose of hops. It’s a great complement to spicy chicken & waffles.
Peck’s Porter
Tapistry Brewing Co. (Bridgman, Michigan)
If your waffles are particularly sweet, balance them with the English-style robust porter from Tapistry Brewing Co. This beer is brewed with British malts and hops that create a dark, rich, and flavorful porter that finishes dry.
Genuine Oatmeal Porter
Carolina Brewery (Chapel Hill, North Carolina)
Beers brewed with oats are the perfect complement to any breakfast food. This robust porter’s creamy mouthfeel and rich chocolate notes make it a liquid breakfast on its own. Pair it with chicken & waffles for a seriously hearty Sunday morning brunch.
Black Sand Porter
Kona Brewing (Kailua-Kona, Hawaii)
This breakfast pairing is one you’ll have to fly to Hawaii to get because the award-winning Black Sand Porter is a draft-only beer. Its full body with a pronounced bittersweet chocolate flavor and aroma make it worth the extra travel time.
Zombie Monkey
Tallgrass Brewing Co. (Manhattan, Kansas)
Here’s a porter for breakfast in the post-apocalyptic world. This beer is brewed with roasted dark chocolate and specialty malts and enough hops to add a floral, citrus character to its finish. It’s hearty and complex, just like chicken & waffles.