Roses eventually wilt. Chocolate may give you a cavity or two (ouch!)
On the other hand, beer surely will put the buzz back into your Valentine’s Day.
From chocolate porters to coffee ales, here’s a roundup of 10 beers — all made in the Keystone state— to warm the hearts of you and your sweetie come Feb. 14.
Wanderlust Chocolate Porter
(Barley Creek Brewing Company, Tannersville) One of the Pocono-based brewery’s seasonal highlights, this dark brown beer from Barley Creek has hints of roasted coffee, notes of smoke and the taste of chocolate reminiscent of a heart-shaped box of the good stuff.
Info: 1774 Sullivan Trail, 570-629-9399, Barleycreek.com
Stegmaier Winter Warmer
(The Lion Brewery, Wilkes-Barre) One of Lion Brewery’s most popular seasonal beers, this winter warmer boasts a red color and has a malty, sweet and fruity aroma. With a well-blend of pale malts, and a copious amount of caramel, a six-pack is the perfect way to surprise your boo on a February winter’s night.
Info: 700 N Pennsylvania Ave., 570-823-8801, Wilkes-Barre, lionbrewery.com
Chocolate Covered Strawberry Stout
(Whitehorse Brewing, Washington) For the sweet-tooth in your life, try this collaboration with Canonsburg-based Sarris Candies. This stout is brewed with 20 pounds of Sarris’ Dutch Cocoa and a whopping 132 pounds of strawberry purée. It is available on draft in both Whitehouse taproom locations, as well as in limited release of bottles.
Info: 400 Adios Drive, 724-416-3014, whbrewing.com
Love Stout
(Yards Brewing Company, Philadelphia) Cupid is calling for you and yours to sip on this English-style stout made with pale and dark English malts and noble hops. The result? According to our test-tasters, it’s a Valentine’s Day-inspired beer that has an ardent and smooth flavor with a deep roasted grain taste.
Info: 500 Spring Garden St., 215-525-0175, yardsbrewing.com
Grand Cacao
(Tröegs, Hershey) Chocolate lovers unite: Think of this beer as a cold glass of milk chocolate, but with some roasted barley and oats mixed with hints of sweet cream. The brewery makes this cocoa drink with Peruvian cacao nibs and natural vanilla. What you get is a velvety sweet, melt-in-your-mouth experience, the perfect combo.
Info: 200 Hershey Park Drive, 717- 534-1297, troegs.com
Banker’s Brown Ale
(Two Rivers Brewing Company, Easton) If dark chocolate is not your thing, try this brown ale made with light chocolate, caramel and coffee. The brewery named this staple beer after “meeting their banker for the first time and showing him their business plan.” Cheers to you, Mr. Banker!
Info: 542 Northhampton St., 610-829-1131, tworiversbrewing.com
Chocolate Meltdown
(Penn Brewery, Pittsburgh) When choosing the perfect Valentine’s gift for your bae, why not go with something simple, but tasty? Penn’s Chocolate Meltdown is like cake in a bottle. This dark and full-bodied ale has notes of roasted caramel with succulent milk chocolate (made by the Steel City’s Betsy Ann American Chocolate), which gives the beer a creamy taste. It’s so well liked, Modern Brewery Age calls it “one of the the most chocolately of them all,” in a recent tasting panel of several chocolate beers.
Info: 800 Vinial St., 412-237-9400, pennbrew.com
New Phone Who Dis?
(Evil Genius Beer Company, Philadelphia) Have a new fling and are desperately trying to avoid that booty call (you know the one who repeatedly calls and texts at 2 a.m.) without having to hit the block button? Well, relax: This caramel macchiato porter will do the trick. It’s brewed with La Colombe coffee, American barley, caramel and chocolate malt with a tad of dark wheat. It’s a full-bodied smooth drink with hints of sweet caramel, mocha and chocolate.
Info: 1727 N. Front St., 215-425-6820, evilgeniusbeer.com
Snow Melt East End Brewing
(Pittsburgh) If you and Mr. Right are tired of shoveling, why not warm each other up with a glass of Snow Melt? This winter ale has notes of pine and is brewed with simcoe and nugget hops. According to the brewery, it’s best used for “frost removal and guaranteed to clear the fog off your glasses.”
Info: 147 Julius St., 412-537-2337, eastendbrewing.square.site
Birch Street Porter
(Braeloch Brewing, Kennett Square) Another winter warmer that made this list this American porter has a creamy taste with a dry finish, according to the bartenders at this Chester County eatery/brewery. It’s the ideal beer to enjoy on a cold day; the more it warms, the better you can smell the notes of chocolate malt.
Info: 225 Birch St., 610-612-9242, braelochbrewing.beer
Goses are Red
(The Bruery; ships to PA) Sure, flowers will surely put a smile on your lover’s face, but this beer may be impress them more. This rosé and fermented gose ale has a funky and tart taste. Love candied hearts? This might be your best bet. It has the typical qualities you’d want from a gose, but also has a unique flavor thanks to its time spent in an oak foeder and an addition of some grapes. The Bruery, which now delivers to the Keystone state, also offers several offer chocolate varieties online.
Info: thebruery.com
— Micaela Hood/Pocono Record via Associated Press
