We’re comfortably in the throes of stout season, and while we don’t always fully indulge in these winter wonders, we’ve definitely enjoyed our fair share this year. From dessert-like milk stouts to a complex space stout, our palates have run the dark beer gamut.

While on this stout kick, we were pleasantly surprised to come across one of the latest Flying Dog Brewhouse Rarities, the Tropical Stout. The Brewhouse Rarities series is an opportunity to let employees, besides the Master Brewer, bring their own creations into reality. In the Tropical Stout, this adventurous strategy is self-evident. This coconut and pineapple infused stout was brewed to evoke the feeling of yearning for the summer sun in the midst of wintertime woes. This is where the beer definitely succeeds.

Before reading anything about the intent of the brew, Sarah summed up the beer with the idea of “walking through cold city streets while dreaming of sand between your toes.” The beer pours deep and dark with a light brown head that dissipates as quickly as your tropical vacation dreams. The coconut and pineapple stand strong in the aroma and provide an interesting contrast to the rich maltiness of the brew.

Unfortunately, the pineapple also overtakes the flavor profile and gives off a very hoppy vibe that you might not expect or enjoy when sipping a stout. The higher than normal carbonation also seems to confuse the traditionally creamy mouthfeel of the style.

Overall, we cannot criticize too much the experimentation when that is the intent of the Rarities series. If you’d like to escape the doldrums of the latest Polar Vortex, pick up a bottle and enjoy the strange collision of worlds but don’t expect a masterpiece.