About This Beer
Mikkeller Beer Geek Breakfast Oatmeal Stout 33cl is a 7.5% coffee-infused stout and an important beer in the history of Mikkeller. Developed during founder Mikkel Bjergsø's early homebrewing days in Copenhagen, Beer Geek Breakfast became one of the beers that brought international attention to the then-new Danish brewery.
The recipe combines coffee and oats with an unusually complex malt bill. Seven different malts are used: Pilsner, oat, smoked, Caramunich, brown, pale chocolate and chocolate malt. Roasted barley and oat flakes add further depth, while gourmet coffee reinforces the beer's roasted character.
That combination produces a stout with layers of coffee, chocolate, caramel and roasted malt rather than relying on sweetness alone for intensity. Oats are particularly important to the texture, helping create the smooth, creamy mouthfeel associated with a traditional oatmeal stout.
Centennial and Cascade hops are used to provide bitterness and balance. They remain firmly in a supporting role, allowing the coffee and malt character to dominate while contributing to the pleasantly bitter edge on the finish.
At 7.5% ABV, Beer Geek Breakfast has considerably more strength and complexity than a typical dry stout while stopping short of the huge alcohol levels found in many modern Imperial Stouts. For drinkers exploring the darker side of craft beer, it offers a particularly interesting combination of oatmeal stout, coffee beer and strong stout characteristics.
Tasting Notes
- Appearance: Deep black with a contrasting tan to brown head.
- Aroma: Roasted coffee, chocolate and caramel layered over dark malt.
- Taste: Coffee and chocolate lead, followed by caramel, roasted malt and a measured hop bitterness.
- Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied and creamy from the oats, with balanced carbonation.
- Finish: Roasted and pleasantly bitter, with lingering coffee and dark chocolate.
About the Brewery
Mikkeller began with Mikkel Bjergsø's experiments as a homebrewer in Copenhagen more than 20 years ago. Beer Geek Breakfast was one of the beers to emerge from those early experiments, originally created as an oat stout finished with coffee prepared in a French press.
The beer became particularly significant for the young Mikkeller. According to the brewery, Beer Geek Breakfast was named the world's best stout in 2006, helping put Mikkeller on the international beer map.
Mikkeller subsequently became known for approaching established beer styles with unusual ingredients, collaborations and experimentation rather than operating solely around a fixed range of traditional recipes. Beer Geek Breakfast remains closely associated with those beginnings: a recognisable stout style transformed through a substantial malt bill, oats and a pronounced addition of coffee.
Today it remains an established name among modern European stout drinkers and an excellent starting point for exploring the broader selection of Stout & Porter available from independent breweries.
Food Pairings
Beer Geek Breakfast naturally works particularly well with foods that complement coffee, chocolate and roasted malt flavours.
Try it with a full cooked breakfast or brunch, particularly bacon, sausages, black pudding and grilled mushrooms. The savoury, roasted character of the food works well against the beer's coffee bitterness and smooth oatmeal body.
For something more substantial, pair it with slow-cooked beef, barbecue, smoked meats or a rich beef stew. The roasted malt and coffee character can stand up to deeply caramelised and smoky flavours without being overwhelmed.
Chocolate desserts are another natural pairing. Dark chocolate brownies, chocolate cake or tiramisu echo the stout's coffee and cocoa notes, while the beer's bitter finish provides some contrast to dessert sweetness.
It also works well with mature Cheddar or blue cheese, where its 7.5% strength and pronounced roasted character can comfortably handle a strongly flavoured cheese.
Try More Like This
If you enjoy the combination of coffee, chocolate, roasted malt and creamy oats in Beer Geek Breakfast, explore our Stout & Porter range for more oatmeal stouts, coffee stouts, Imperial Stouts and classic dark beers.
You can also browse the complete Craft Beer & Craft Cider collection for independent beer from Ireland and breweries around the world.
Shop the best of craft beer Ireland and from around the world online with TheCru.ie or in our Dublin craft beer store, Carry Out Tyrrelstown in Dublin 15.