Love is in the air!
No, it isn’t? You aren’t feeling the love this year?
Regardless of whether you are in love or not, you should give Craft Beer For Valentine’s Day. Maybe it is for the love of your life or a gift you give yourself.
Here is a quick list of traditional cupid inspired gifts but with a craft beer twist.
Chocolate
When you say chocolate craft beer, I think of stouts. And I can’t think of a better chocolate stout than Samuel Smith’s Organic Chocolate Stout. This beer has been around long before the big craft beer boom and has stood the test of time.
Don’t take my word on it; Beer Advocate gives it a 93 out of 100! That is an impressive score for a beer that is easily found year round at any decent beer or liquor store.
The Organic Chocolate Stout is the perfect dessert beer and pairs perfectly with just about any sweet treat that you plan on eating to celebrate Valentine’s Day.
Flowers
Flowers are a classic romantic gesture and for many it is a must for a successful Valentine’s Day. But did you know that some craft beers are made with flowers?
There are not a lot of them but if you look around then you can find them. Most use flowers with saisons/farmhouse ales, golden ales, IPAs and other lighter bodied beers. They goal is to impart the floral notes and balance out tart, bitter and other flavors. Bonappetit.com has a list of beers to check out that all feature flowers.
To my knowledge, the only beer I have tried that featured flowers was Hortense by MadTree Brewing in Cincinnati, Ohio. It is a saison that was brewed with nasturtium flowers and cucumbers. The floral characteristics were obvious and complimented the saison quite well.
Wine
A glass of red wine looks almost perfect when paired with a nice Valentine’s Day dinner but wouldn’t you rather have a craft beer?
What about a compromise, a craft beer that has been aged in wine barrels?
Barrel aging is one of the most popular and sought after beer styles right now. While most think of bourbon and whiskey barrel-aged beers, there are many other types of barrels being used. These include gin, tequila rum, and wine.
Russian River Supplication begins as a brown ale but then it is aged in used Pinot Noir barrels. The aging lasts 12 months with sour cherries, brettanomyces, lactobacillus, and pediococcus added. This beer gets a 99 out of 100 on Beer Advocate which I would have to agree with the strong rating. It is an amazing beer that blurs the line between craft beer and wine.
Rubus Cacao Aged In Bourbon And Red Wine Barrels is a beer that was released just once in 2016 and fans are petitioning for another batch. Rubus Cacao is a raspberry, chocolate stout that MadTree Brewing makes in January each year. It is a great beer on it’s own but then they took it and aged it in 5 bourbon barrels and 1 red wine barrel. Then resulting barrel-aged beers were blended and bottled. The result is an explosion of chocolate, raspberry, bourbon and red wine flavors.
These two might be hard to find but take a look around or ask your local bottle shop and I am sure they can point you to a wine barrel-aged beer.
Teddy Bear
Ok, teddy bears and other stuffed animals are kinda cheesy gifts to give. But every year, millions of people give them to those that they love.
So if you don’t want to give a giant stuff bear, consider Upland Teddy Bear Kisses as a new way to give that classic gift. This article notes its dark caramel and vanilla notes which I think sounds quite amazing! It is an award winning craft beer so I think it is safe to add this to your list to try before February 14th.
No, you can’t cuddle with it but you can hold it close as you enjoy it’s richness and feel the warmth of this stout.
How are you celebrating this year?
Will you give Craft Beer for Valentine’s Day?
