Girl Scout cookie and beer pairings you have to try

Girl Scout cookie season is (finally) here, and if there is one thing that could make the little delicacies any better, it's beer.

But which beer should be paired with which cookie? I asked Catherine Kogos, store manager of the Casual Pint - Northshore, to sophisticate my palate with some of the best pairings. 

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Samoas & bold, full-flavored Scotch ales

This caramel and toasted coconut cookie with dark chocolate is always the first empty box in my pantry. 

To ensure the rich flavor of the Samoa doesn't overshadow the beer, Kogos pairs it with a bold, full-flavored Scotch ale. She suggests Yeehaw's Velvet Charmer, a "maltbomb of a sweetness" that will enhance the coconut and chocolate of the cookie. The Yeehaw Eighty is a good less sweet option, she said.

"Scotch Ales traditionally go through a long boil in the kettle for a caramelization of the wort," Kogos said. "This produces a deep copper to brown in colored brew. This creates an ale that is sweeter and fuller-bodied, with a much more pronounced malty caramel and roasted malt flavor."

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Thin Mints & dark, roasty stouts

Oh, Thin Mints. They're delicious, come with like 1,000 cookies in one box AND their crispiness is perfect for dunking into beer.

"Chocolate infused stouts or porters are good for dunking," Kogos said. "They have a bold enough flavor that balances well with the minty freshness of the Thin Mint."

Kogos recommends a Boulder Shake Chocolate Porter or local Hexagon Chocolate Jesus with this one.

Tagalongs & dark, malty lager

It was tough for Kogos to find a beer worthy of the vanilla, chocolate and peanut butter flavor fusion, but she said to start with a dark, malty lager.

"A slightly heavier bodied, colored version of a pale lager," Kogos said. "The beer's darkness is sometimes the result of roasted malts, it is often artificial and made with dark caramel syrups. The taste may include mild sweetness from caramel."

Kogos said YeeHaw's Dunkel is perfect for this pairing, with a Lazy Magnolia Southern Pecan brown ale trailing close behind.

Trefoils & IPAs

The classic shortbread cookie's butter and vanilla flavor pairs well with almost any beer, Kogos said, but she suggests trying it with an IPA.

"The subtle sweetness of the Trefoil will make the hops pop and shine, bringing out their citrusy brightness," she said. "Dogfish Head 60 Minute IPA would be an excellent choice with the Trefoil. It’s a session beer with a lot of citrusy hop character. Dogfish has mastered this popular style of beer."

IPAs aren't for everyone, though. Kogos said the Blackhorse Vanilla Cream Ale is a great alternative pairing.

Do-si-dos & Hefeweizen

Pair this peanut butter classic with a golden Hefeweizen, a great option for craft beer newbies, Kogos said. 

"A Hefeweizen is an easy to drink, smooth wheaty German style beer," Kogos said. "Notes of clove and banana are signatures of this traditional style, complemented by a subtle bready malt character."

Kogos suggested Yazoo's Hefeweizen, as well as Starrhill Brewery's.

"Another one that would be wonderful with the Do-Si-Do is the Wells Banana Bread Beer," Kogos said. "How can you go wrong with peanut butter and banana?"

S’mores & coffee milk stouts

The new S'mores cookie had me thinking, "Why didn't they think of this before?" last season. Luckily S'mores returned this year and is just waiting to be paired with a coffee milk stout.

"Dark, roasted and with the right amount of sweetness, this type of beer brings up memories of sitting by the fire at camp with a hot cup of coffee and a s’more in hand," Kogos said.

She suggests Blackhorse Brewery's Coffee Milk Stout, an English style sweet stout with fresh roasted beans from Knoxville's Three Bears Coffee Company.

More:Video: 100 Years of Girl Scout Cookies

Try them all

The Girl Scout Council of the Southern Appalachians will host its Cookie Creations event Feb. 23 at 6-9 p.m. at the Foundry. Balter Beerworks will provide beer for a cookie and beer pairing. For tickets click here.

The Casual Pint - Northshore's Girl Scout Cookie and Craft Beer Pairing will be March 11 at 3 p.m. Provided cookies will be paired with four and six flights. The event supports a local Girl Scout troop, but is not affiliated with the Girl Scout Council of the Southern Appalachians. 

While Girl Scout cookies can be consumed at a rapid pace, the same strategy should not be taken with beer. Drink responsibly.