Cookie Season Stout by Wild Leap Brew Co. is an Imperial Stout (BJCP category 20C), however, due to the addition of coconut it shifts to Spice, Herb & Vegetable Beer (BJCP Category 30A). This beer pours a very deep brown, not quite black in appearance. It has a fizzy tan head that didn’t last long and also looked a bit murky, though not opaque. Along with the lighter color, the aroma seems to be more of a pastry stout leaning more towards dark caramel than roast. There is some cocoa nibs as well as coffee and cream, but most of the dark character is that of burnt sugar, caramel, and raisin-like dried fruit. Hidden underneath is also some light toasted coconut flavor that you have to search for. The flavor is also dark caramel malt forward with notes of raisins, prunes, burnt sugar, caramel, and toasted marshmallow, as well as a crisp cookie character. Much like the aroma, the coconut flavor is buried and possibly undetectable if it wasn’t in the description. There is some alcohol warmth, but its relatively well-hidden and not fusel-y, however it does build as it warms and cuts into the thick creamy body. The sweetness was too much for me and it was lacking on roast for the style.

Unfortunately, this beer doesn’t deliver on the Samoa cookie promise from the label. It does have a maltiness reminiscent of cookie crust as well as a lot of caramel, but it’s too deep of caramel and lacks on the coconut. It’s as if raisinets and crème brulee had a drunken fling.