Founders Brewing Co.
Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA · Est. 1997
Also known as Founders, CBS, Canadian Breakfast Stout
Tally's Take
Why this matters
The white whale — with an ownership twist. CBS (Canadian Breakfast Stout) began as a taproom-only experiment aged in bourbon barrels that had previously held maple syrup, and became one of the most legendary 'whale' beers in the world. Worth flagging for transparency: despite the craft image, Founders is now majority-owned by Spanish brewer Mahou San Miguel (a 30% stake in 2014, controlling ~90% by 2019).
The founding thesisMike Stevens and Dave Engbers founded it in 1997; after early struggles with unremarkable beers, they nearly went under and decided to brew the extreme, flavor-heavy beers they actually wanted to drink.
The Museum
Timeline
- 1997Founded
Stevens and Engbers open in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
- 2010sExtreme pivot
Near-failure prompts a shift to big barrel-aged and adjunct stouts; KBS and CBS become whales.
- 2014Mahou enters
Mahou San Miguel buys a 30% stake.
- 2019Majority sold
Mahou San Miguel takes controlling ~90% ownership.
The People
Behind the beer
Near bankruptcy in 2001 the pair stopped making approachable beer, which saved the company.
Co-founded in Grand Rapids, 1997.
The Beer Library
Beers
Canadian Breakfast Stout (CBS)
LimitedImperial Pastry Stout
Coffee and chocolate, aged in bourbon barrels that previously held maple syrup.
Drank this? Add it to your passport →Kentucky Breakfast Stout (KBS)
SeasonalImperial Stout
Bourbon-barrel-aged coffee and chocolate stout.
Drank this? Add it to your passport →All Day IPA
Year-RoundSession IPA
Full hop character at under five percent, released in 2012. It created the session IPA category more or less single-handedly, and every brewery in America now makes one.
Drank this? Add it to your passport →Travel Guide
Plan a visit
- Full kitchen
- Taproom
- Live music
Follow the money
How it changed hands
2 recorded moves- 1997Founded
Mike Stevens and Dave Engbers founded it in 1997; after early struggles with unremarkable beers, they nearly went under and decided to brew the extreme, flavor-heavy beers they actually wanted to drink.
- 2014Mahou enters
Mahou San Miguel buys a 30% stake.
- 2019Majority sold
Mahou San Miguel takes controlling ~90% ownership.
Today the chain tops out at Mahou San Miguel.
Show your working
Sources
- controlConfirmed
Founders Brewing Co. is controlled by Founder / family.
Mahou San Miguel Annual Report 2024 · Mahou San Miguel · 2025-10
BreweryHigh reliabilityAccessed 2026-08-05Reviewed 2026-08-05
Only the claims above are sourced. Everything else on this page is the archive's own research and has not yet been tied to a document — which is worth knowing rather than hiding.
Straight answers
Common questions about Founders Brewing Co.
- Who owns Founders Brewing Co.?
- Founders Brewing Co. is owned by Mahou San Miguel. Founders Brewing Co. is based in Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA.
- Is Founders Brewing Co. still independent?
- No. Founders Brewing Co. is owned by Mahou San Miguel and is no longer independent.
- When was Founders Brewing Co. acquired?
- 2014. Mahou San Miguel buys a 30% stake.
- When was Founders Brewing Co. founded?
- Founders Brewing Co. was founded in 1997 in Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA.
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