Two homebrew enthusiasts, Dave Engbers and Mike Stevens, are college grads who decided to chase their dreams, quit their jobs and open a brewery. Founders Brewing Company began back in 1997 as Canal Street Brewing Company in Grand Rapids, Michigan. The word "Founders" prominently appeared in an old black and white photo of the original Canal Street breweries that adorned its bottles. The company soon became known as Founders Brewing Company, a moniker that most will agree is far catchier.
Founders live each day with no regrets. They push boundaries to break barriers and challenge the norm, something that's made clear by their eccentric choice of beer names. One of their most popular offerings, All Day IPA, speaks for itself. Beer for breakfast — why not? After all, beer is known as "liquid bread" thanks to its grain base and high carb content. Crack open a Nitro Oatmeal Stout at the crack of dawn, or salute the sunrise with some Breakfast Stout. Better yet, douse your cereal with Kentucky Breakfast Stout.
Despite partial acquisition by a large brewer (which technically disqualifies it from "microbrewery" status as defined by the Brewers Association), Founders still prides itself on small-batch handcrafted brews. Founders continues to make drinkable magic that will please even the most discerning of craft beer lovers.