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Roses are red and violets are blue, but let’s get real you can’t eat or drink either. We envision a world where a six-pack replaces those 12 long stem roses. Let’s leave the mushy stuff behind this February 14th, but keep the candy – and add beer (of course). To complete this task, we sat down with the experts at France 44 with the difficult assignment of creating beer and chocolate pairings. We left the usual rules behind. Can’t pair an IPA with chocolate? Well we did, and we liked it. Together, we’ve crafted four couplings of some of our favorite brews with mouthwatering, lip smacking confections. And just to make it easy for you – we’ll be offering a special flight on Valentine’s Day featuring the beer and chocolate pairings below. That’s right – a flight of beer and chocolate. So swipe right for once and grab a table for two in our cozy Northeast taproom and make this Valentine’s Day a delicious one.

Beer: Mexican Honey Imperial Lager
Chocolate: Valrhona Grand Cru de Terrior Majari

We were surprised to find success on the first chocolate we tried with our buzzy Mexican Honey brew. This 64% dark chocolate from Madagascar is fresh, tangy and has notes of dried fruit. The fruit notes help pick up the citrus tang from the orange blossom honey that this beer is named for. We found that this chocolate and Mexican Honey have a similar smooth ending. France 44 uses these baking chocolate pieces to make its delectable brownies, but they work just as well on their own.

Beer: Midnight Ryder Black IPA
Chocolate: Miticia Piedras de Chocolate

A chocolate covered almond is hard to resist, especially when it is coated in cocoa powder. We paired this 75% dark, Spanish confection with our malty Midnight Ryder. The sweetness of the cocoa cuts the bitterness of this IPA, while the chocolate helps bring Ryder’s roasted and toffee notes to the forefront. The two combined taste like a toasted hot chocolate you could sip on all night.

Beer: Old Friend Holiday Ale
Chocolate: Dick Taylor Craft Chocolate - Belize

A simple but refined single-source 72% chocolate seemed like the perfect compliment to our complex, yet subtle holiday ale. This bar has its origins in Co-op – Maya Mountain Cacao from Toledo, Belize. Its notes of dried plum and tart cherry work well with the raspberry honey, fresh ginger and orange peel in Old Friend. Take in the ginger aroma of Old Friend as you bite into the chocolate, and see how it changes flavor as you sip the beer itself. An Old Friend becomes new again!

Beer: Hot Box Imperial Smoked Pepper Porter
Chocolate: Patric Chocolate Limited Edition Oatmeal Cookie

Smoky and spicy, Hot Box is a strong beer to contend with – so we found an equally strong chocolate we think is up to the challenge. This unique American chocolate bar, made with maple, oats, cinnamon and vanilla (yes, it really tastes like an oatmeal cookie) cuts through the heat and smoke of Hot Box. At the same time, the intense sweetness of the chocolate helps level out Hot Box’s robust combination of flavors. A good pairing for those who find Hot Box a bit aggressive, and those Hot Box addicts who want to taste it in different ways.

Join us Valentine’s Day for this special beer and chocolate flight – limited quantities available. Let your palate be the guide and experiment with your chocolates and brews to see what you find to be the perfect match. We hope to see you in the taproom soon. Happy Valentine’s Day from Indeed!

Can’t make it to flight night, but still interested in creating a beer and chocolate pairing of your own? France 44 Liquor Store and Cheese Shop has got you covered. You can find a selection of Indeed and all the craft chocolate mentioned in the above post. Grab a cheese board and draft while you’re there! The staff is incredibly friendly and happy to help you find the perfect pairings for your palate.