2025--BEER #5: Cookie Exchange Milk Stout-Berry Jam Thumbrprint (great Lakes Brewing Co.)

12/5/2025

Thank you Becca and Chris for providing beer number 5! Cookie Exchange Milk Stout-Berry Jam Thumbprint is caramel colored 5.5% ABV treat made by Great Lakes Brewing Company. Cookie Exchange is brewed with lactose, vanilla extract, and berry concentrate. This malty, berry treat will surely have Santa leaving extra presents under the tree and year.

Great Lakes Brewing Company opened in Cleveland Ohio in 1988. A brewery that serves the Ohio area and neighboring states with a proud tradition of creating great beer.

Photo Credit: Becca and Chris

Photo Credit: Trent

Photo Credit: Mark

Photo Credit: Jason

Photo Credit: Jeff

Photo Credit: Caleb and Maria @thecasualpageturner

Photo Credit: Ron and Margie

17 Comments

Heather and Wayne

12/5/2025 04:20:34 pm

Cheers to Happy Friday!! Wayne is a fan of milk stouts but was a little hesitant after reading the description of Cookie Milk Stout Exchange. We both thought this stout had a nice pour and the aroma was very sweet! First sip was sweet, second sip was even sweeter, and then came the bitter/tart finish which unfortunately we both disliked. But hey, this is what the Brewstravaganza is all about...the FUN of tasting new beers!! We both rate this one zero mugs but Wayne says if it would've been 10% ABV, he might've rated it a 1. We think the sour fans will love this one! We are both thankful that we were able to hang out with our daughter and sweet grandson today and we are looking forward to the weekend! Cheers!!

Brandison

12/5/2025 08:07:53 pm

After pulling this from the fridge we loved the can, festive and blue made it appealing. After reading the description we were befuddled but the beer was exactly as advertised. Unfortunately, this is not our cup of tea so going with 0.5/5 mugs. Had to give it something for the can we found appealing. Always enjoy this time of the year getting to try beers we otherwise never would have. Thanks Becca and Chris!

Matt

12/5/2025 08:08:52 pm

Another festive beer tasting! I didn’t hate it, didn’t love it. Heather is right, it’s awesome trying new beers! I’ll give it 3 mugs. I would drink it again with Christmas dinner dessert

Char Baker

12/5/2025 08:11:56 pm

Cheers everyone! I’m Thankful it’s Friday! Today’s beer was a unique one! The flavors were all over, sometimes sweet sometimes bitter and some Chocolate! The Christmas cookie can art is very festive! I give it 2 mugs

T. Bake

12/5/2025 08:20:48 pm

The can art on this beer is phenomenal! Love the blue and cookie design. I enjoyed drinking this beer after dinner. I taste a malty, chocolate flavor, not much berry, but more of a coffee taste. I give this 3 mugs on the mug scale. I’m thankful for the weekend and being able to coach my son’s first travel basketball game this weekend! Cheers all! 🎄🍻

Char Baker

12/5/2025 10:18:17 pm

Yay! We’ll be there!

Poppa Bearded Bake

12/5/2025 08:33:17 pm

The most festive can to this point, only after scanning the can was I able to recognize it as a Milk stout, opening it, the smell was very definitive, but I couldn’t recognize it, even drinking it I struggled identifying the smell, only upon reading Tyler’s description of caramel did it hit me, almost like a burnt caramel…a bit rough for me, Stouts and Porters I sometime struggle with…but the premise of the advent made me push through it. I grant it 2 mugs. Uncommon beers and styles really make it fun to face one’s fear!

Becca + Chris

12/5/2025 08:56:34 pm

⭐️⭐️⭐️ 1/2 - “Cookie Exchange 2025” is an enjoyable seasonal treat — a fun, festive, dessert-style stout that works best in the context of holiday dinners, dessert pairings, or cozy nights in. It’s not going to replace a “serious stout,” but as a novelty beer with a playful flavor.
Chris and I found it fun that Great Lakes does the cookie exchange each holiday season and uses a different cookie to base it off Of (historically they used vanilla shortbread in 2023 & peanut butter blossom 2024) once they are gone- they are gone which makes trying them each year special!
Looking forward to what 2026 will bring in this line- we will definitely be giving it a try!

Richard

12/5/2025 09:01:55 pm

I’m not a huge fan of stouts, but this one was sweet and smooth. It tasted like dessert, which was good since I drank it after dinner with the family. I would drink again for the same after a December dinner dessert vibe.

2 / 5 Mugs

Caleb & Maria

12/5/2025 09:44:25 pm

After the fist sip, Maria immediately gave this one a 5/5 🍻. Unsurprisingly, I wasn’t as enthusiastic. It’s definitely a great holiday, dessert type of sipper. I’ll go with 2.5/5 for being exactly as advertised. Cheers!

Tyler Bo.

12/5/2025 10:01:47 pm

I am not a huge stout fan but this one is good! I could drink 2 of these for sure! I’ll give this one 3 mugs in the scale. It’s always nice to try new beers especially one you wouldn’t order! Would’ve been better if I had some cookies with it.

Margie & Ron

12/5/2025 10:41:07 pm

Margie is happy this beer isn’t a heavy hitter at 5.5 abv. Cookie Exchange is based on what type of cookie? From the can art it must be a cutout sugar cookie given the sweet aroma. Margie is smelling Molasses, Ron hints of black licorice. Ron is tasting raisins. Wait something is naughty. Our beer isn’t caramel colored. More like engine oil. Lactose? Lactose? We talking about Lactose? Will our genetic mutation allow us to consume? Margie can’t figure out the taste – it’s a conundrum. After further sips, a good one and done…Margie & Ron rate 2.5 mugs.

Trey Bake

12/5/2025 10:47:55 pm

I had a feeling this was going to be a sweet and decadent beer going into tonight and it sure was. Usually for these types of beers I like them to be a little stronger and worth my while as it’s usually the only one I’ll drink. The description of vanilla and berry really shine in terms of flavor profile and leaves a sweet aftertaste that lingers. The can art is classic and fits the taste of the beer perfectly if that make sense. Overall a decent and very tasty beer but not something I enjoy more than one of. I give this beer a 2.1 out 5 mugs. Cheers and happy weekend!

Jeff

12/5/2025 10:58:03 pm

Ho, Ho, Ho what a great day. The weekend is here and we get to have beer number 5. I will say, I was very very hesitant on this one. I am not a fan of stout beers, but I was surprised with the taste. As a person that likes sour beers this one had some sour taste but not as much as I was hoping. I would give this one 3 mugs. The can art is awesome and I will say cookies and cream ice cream goes well with this beer.

Trent

12/5/2025 11:51:47 pm

The name and description of this beer couldn’t be more accurate. I am stout fan typically I enjoy oatmeal, coffee and chocolate stouts but this had a very unique fruity backbone. Would have loved a little more coffee hint and a higher abv but I enjoyed this beer! 2.5 mugs from me!

DaddyCam

12/6/2025 12:38:18 am

I wasn’t sure at first with a Milk Stout, it grew on me. The smell and aroma make you think it’s sweet, but I don’t think it’s too bad.
I will give this a 🍺🍺🍺1/2

Nick Morder

12/7/2025 06:00:01 pm

You can absolutely taste the milk in the drink which gave it a unique feel to me. I would’ve liked more of the cookie stout flavoring like others have. If this was a higher % I think I would’ve given it more mugs! 1.5 mugs from me.

2025--BEER #5: Cookie Exchange Milk Stout-Berry Jam Thumbrprint (great Lakes Brewing Co.)

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