Mikerphone Smells Like Bean Spirit' 2Pk

Mikerphone Smells Like Bean Spirit 2pk is a 10.0% ABV breakfast stout from Mikerphone Brewing in Elk Grove Village, Illinois, sold as a two-pack. A Nirvana-inspired tribute beer, this expression layers Vermont maple syrup, Tugboat Coffee Roasters' Super Sumatra Mandheling blend, and roasted malts into a rich, dessert-like stout that has earned the broader Bean Spirit line widespread critical recognition, including a 97 on BeerAdvocate for the Imperial variant.

Quick Facts: ABV: 10.0%  |  Origin: Elk Grove Village, Illinois  |  Style: Breakfast Stout  |  Brewery: Mikerphone Brewing  |  Format: 2-Pack

Production & Heritage

Mikerphone Brewing operates out of Elk Grove Village, a suburb of Chicago, and brands itself as "Craft Beer Inspired by Music" — each release nodding to a famous song or artist. Smells Like Bean Spirit riffs on Nirvana's iconic "Smells Like Teen Spirit," channeling grunge attitude into a decadent breakfast stout. The base beer is brewed with Vermont maple syrup and Super Sumatra Mandheling coffee beans sourced from Tugboat Coffee Roasters, yielding a robust stout that straddles the line between morning indulgence and after-dinner sipper. The result is a beer built on a roasted malt backbone, enriched by adjuncts that complement rather than overwhelm.

Tasting Notes

Aroma: Maple syrup leads immediately, warm and unmistakable, followed by a wave of freshly brewed dark-roast coffee. Underneath, softer notes of milk chocolate and a faint earthiness from the Sumatra beans round out the nose.

Taste: The entry is decidedly sweet — think chocolate chip pancakes drenched in butter and maple syrup alongside a strong cup of coffee. Mid-palate, the coffee intensifies, bringing a pleasant bitterness and earthy roast character that tempers the sweetness. A smooth, milk chocolate undercurrent persists throughout, with hints of vanilla emerging as the beer warms in the glass.

Finish: Medium-long, with roasted malt and lingering coffee grounds tapering into light maple sweetness. The mouthfeel is full and coating without veering into cloying territory, leaving a balanced, bittersweet impression.

How to Drink Bean Spirit

This stout is best enjoyed at cellar temperature, around 50–55°F, poured into a snifter or tulip glass to concentrate the aromatics. Its richness and complexity reward slow, contemplative sipping — there is no need for additional garnish or dilution. While primarily a neat-drinking beer, it works in creative cocktail-adjacent applications: a Stout Float with vanilla bean ice cream amplifies the dessert character; a Beer-amisu build uses the stout in place of espresso in a tiramisu-inspired layered drink; and a Mexican Hot Chocolate riff blends a small pour with warm milk, cinnamon, and chili for a cold-weather treat.

Best For

• Sharing with a fellow craft beer enthusiast over a weekend brunch
• Gifting to a stout collector who hunts limited-release adjunct beers
• Pairing alongside a dessert course at a dinner party
• Cellaring short-term to observe how maple and coffee flavors evolve over a few months

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Bean Spirit taste like? It drinks like a liquid breakfast — prominent maple syrup sweetness balanced by bold, earthy coffee and a smooth milk chocolate backbone, with a roasted malt bitterness that keeps it grounded.

How does Bean Spirit compare to Founders KBS? Both are maple- and coffee-forward breakfast stouts, but Bean Spirit leans heavier into its maple syrup character and uses a distinct Sumatra coffee blend, whereas KBS derives much of its complexity from bourbon barrel aging. They occupy a similar flavor space from different production approaches.

Is Bean Spirit good for sipping neat? Absolutely — at 10.0% ABV with layered adjunct flavors, it is built for slow, deliberate drinking at cellar temperature rather than casual pint-glass consumption.

Where is Bean Spirit made? It is brewed by Mikerphone Brewing in Elk Grove Village, Illinois, a Chicago-area craft brewery known for its music-themed releases and adjunct-heavy stouts.

What foods pair well with Bean Spirit? Pecan pie complements the maple sweetness; a dark chocolate torte mirrors the cocoa and roast notes; smoked bacon or pork belly echoes the breakfast theme; sharp aged cheddar provides a savory counterpoint; and vanilla crème brûlée matches the beer's subtle vanilla undertones.

What sizes does Bean Spirit come in? This release is sold as a two-pack, which is the standard retail format for Mikerphone Brewing's specialty stout offerings.

Is Bean Spirit worth the price? It positions as a premium limited-release craft stout. The use of high-quality adjuncts like Vermont maple syrup and single-origin Sumatra coffee, combined with the brewery's strong reputation in the adjunct stout space, places it comfortably among top-tier breakfast stouts in terms of value for the style.

Why Bean Spirit?

Mikerphone Brewing has built a serious reputation in the Chicagoland craft scene for producing some of the most sought-after adjunct stouts in the Midwest, and the Smells Like Bean Spirit line is a cornerstone of that reputation. This expression distinguishes itself through its specific coffee sourcing — Tugboat Coffee Roasters' Super Sumatra Mandheling — which brings a depth and earthiness that generic coffee additions rarely achieve. The Vermont maple syrup integration goes well beyond token sweetness, functioning as a structural element of the beer's flavor architecture. For drinkers who gravitate toward rich, layered breakfast stouts with genuine ingredient provenance, Bean Spirit delivers a focused, well-constructed drinking experience that justifies the hunt.