Which Colorado beer pairs best with Thin Mints?

Leave the milk and cookies to the Scouts. If you’re a beer lover, earn your (unofficial) pairing merit badge by teaming up Girl Scout cookies with local beers.

From a stout that pairs wonderfully with the tried-and-true Thin Mints to a tart and fruity cider that’s a no-brainer with 2023’s newest cookie, the Raspberry Rally, these combos will help you make the most of your yearly ration of Girl Scout cookies. (Sales end March 12; there’s a cookie finder app to help you find a booth near you).

We asked brewers to pair cookies with their beers. Here’s what they recommend sipping with your cookies.

Raspberry Rally and Stem Ciders’ Raspberry Cider

The Girl Scouts are selling a new cookie this year: Raspberry Rally, a sister cookie to the fan-favorite Thin Mint. Instead of a mint flavor, though, the cookie has a raspberry flavor, but is dipped in the same chocolaty coating. Pair this crispy cookie with a can of cider.

“Featuring the perfect balance of tartness from the use of raspberry puree and dry apple cider base, Stem Cider’s Raspberry cider perfectly accentuates the fruit-forward jammy qualities of Raspberry Rally while providing just enough pucker to complement its dry crisp finish,” said Patrick Combs, director of liquids for Stem Ciders.

Tagalongs and Our Mutual Friend’s Thanatoid

Go ahead and pack a snack bag of Tagalongs to tag along with you to Our Mutual Friend, where you’re encouraged to dunk those chocolate-covered clouds of peanut butter into a snifter of Thanatoid, a decadent barrel-aged stout. At 15.3% ABV, it’s a slow sipper that was aged in Laws Whiskey Four Grain Barrels for 14 months.

“The notes of vanilla, nugget, dark toffee and chocolate pair perfectly with these peanut-butter layered cookies,” says Jan Chodkowski, co-owner and head brewer at OMF.

Samoas and Denver Beer Co’s Maui Express Coconut IPA

A few years back, the most popular Girl Scout cookies were plotted on a map and the chewy coconut cookies that are Samoas showed up as Colorado’s favorite.

The Samoa is the most complex of the Girl Scout cookies, with chocolate, caramel and coconut creating a nice sweet and savory combo, says Andy Parker, director of innovation for Denver Beer Co.

“And Maui Express Coconut IPA is the perfect beer for it,” he said. “The big coconut aromas and flavors accentuate the tropical side, while the moderate bitterness from West Coast hops balances the sugar and makes sure your palate never gets fatigued. It’s a magical combo.”

Toffee Tastic and Doc Luces Brewery’s Pineapple Cinnamon Tepache

The gluten-free Toffee Tastic cookies are rich and buttery with little bits of crunchy and chewy toffee in them. They’re a match for the gluten-free beers at Dos Luces Brewery on South Broadway.

“The flavors of cinnamon and pineapple provide the perfect complement to the buttery toffee flavor of the cookie, while the light and dry body of the beer allows the rich sweetness of the cookie to shine through and truly be the star of this pairing,” said Judd Belstock, owner of Dos Luces. (Editor’s note: Dos Luces is temporarily closed after a car smashed into the building.)

Trefoils and Howdy Beer’s Western Pilsner

The Girl Scouts’ original cookie recipe was a simple sugar cookie with butter, sugar, milk, eggs, flour and a touch of baking powder. Trefoils, a simple shortbread cookie, are inspired by the original recipe.

“Light, biscuity and refreshing, Howdy Beer Western Pilsner, pairs perfectly with Trefoils in its bready profile and no-frills approach toward a crowd-pleasing classic,” said Combs. (The Howdy beer brand is owned by Stem Ciders.)

Lemon Ups and WestFax Brewing Company’s Westy Light

If your idea of dessert is key lime pie, lemon pie or orange chiffon cake, then the Lemon Ups are the tart and underrated Girl Scout cookie well-suited for citrus lovers. (They replaced the sugar-dusted Savannah Smiles a few years back.)

Lemon Ups are glazed on the bottom and come inscribed with little affirmations, like “I Am Gutsy.” Sync it up with an easy-drinking lager like the Westy Light for a “summer shandy-esque flavor,” said Anthony Martuscello, founder of WestFax.

Adventurefuls and LUKI’s Pitchman Porter

Last year, the Girl Scouts went gourmet on us when they introduced Adventurefuls, brownie-inspired cookies with a caramel filling, chocolate drizzle and a dash of sea salt. (If you’re a lover of brown butter cookies or brownies, Adventurefuls are for you.)

Try them with Luki’s Pitchman porter, which “features a biscuity base and a top layer of chocolate through specialty malts and aging on cacao nibs,” said Jeff Smith, co-founder at LUKI, a circus-inspired brewery in Arvada.

Thin Mints and WestFax Brewing Company’s Westy Light Velveteen Dry Irish Stout

The best-selling Thin Mints have been around since 1939, but were first called “Cooky Mints.” Pair a couple (or, hey, an entire sleeve) with the Westy Light Velveteen Dry Irish Stout.

“Thin Mints are my favorite, and I think the roasty and chocolatey flavors of Velveteen Dry Irish Stout complement the crunchy chocolate cookie,” said Martuscello. “The mint adds to the chocolate party and helps the roastiness of the beer stand out.”

Do-si-dos and Wynkoop Brewing Company’s Wixa Weiss

“Wynkoop’s classic German-style hefeweizen has big notes of banana and clove, which nicely balance with the oatmeal and peanut butter in the Do-si-dos, making a classic breakfast flavor,” said Wynkoop Brewing Company’s head brewer, Todd Bellmyer.

Our takeaway: Beer and cookies are suitable for brunch.

Girl Scout S’mores and Call to Arms’ Operation Steingrabber

We still have several weeks until ideal camping season, so in the meantime give this s’mores cookie a 10-second whirl in the microwave and the marshmallow and chocolate layers will melt to gooey perfection.

Pair it up with Operation Steingrabber, a dark Czech lager that comes with “roasty, malt-forward chocolate notes while still finishing crisp and pillowy,” said Chris Bell, Call to Arms’ co-founder.

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