Chocolate Cookie Stout
Area Two Experimental Brewing

Overwhelming odor of some bad fake cookie smell

I reviewed the Party Cake last year and wanted to see if another beer from them would be just as "experimental". Thankfully, this on the shelf at Gary's in Madison as I grabbed it a few weeks back and there were some similarities to the offering that I previously had. Tons of sweetness and cake frosting dominated the taste as the alcohol was well-hidden and as was the case with most beers of this type, this got better as it warmed up in my pint glass!

The pour to this was cola brown with a bubbly, mocha head that was plenty thick and offsetting compared to the darker liquid. I wish that there was more lacing left behind as it was quite thin and spotty without any hints of well-defined rings. Tons of gritty dark cookie, store-bought cake, and sugary filling was in the nose as the taste contained nuttiness, coconut, vanilla, sarsaparilla, and frosting coming through underneath everything. Slick, sticky, and filling once it went down, this was like an Oreo without the filling as there was a strong sense of coffee creamer in the aftertaste.

To be fair, this was as tasty as could be for being a gimmick beer as there was an underlying heft that emerged once this fully warmed up. I would have toned down the booze a bit as it was a few notches too strong but thankfully, this wasn't overly sweet or cloying as it wasn't too lip-smacking once it fully went down. "2021 11 A2CCKY" was written on the bottom of the can but I have no idea if that was the month during which this was brewed. Regardless, this felt fresh and fun as it had the richness of chocolate without the milkiness and bitterness that would make me want to have another bar - or can. This was worth a go once as a novelty, although I expected a bit more from an experimental beer.

This starts with a hit to the nose as the pint can is opened. Even before the can is emptied into a clear glass liter mug, a strong aroma of sweet malt, chocolate and even a little creaminess can readily be detected. The color of the liquid is the typical black coffee brown of most stouts. There's a sparse tan head, but it seems to be enduring. The taste is good, but it's not spot on a chocolate, or even a chocolate creme cookie. There's definitely another taste reference, like coconut or almond, contributing. It's not that it's negative, nor annoying, it just seems to be there unexpectedly. Actually, it contributes to the overall depth of the taste and adds no cloying sweetness. What 10% ABV? Likeable for sure, but it still tastes more like a Mounds Bar than a chocolate creme cookie.