I’m not really a Valentine’s Day kind of person. I never make big plans, and I’m not the type that expects (or demands, as some do) candy, flowers, or jewelry.  All I desire is good company, great beer, and take-out for dinner.  I had the good company and take-out all lined up, and then I learned about two very special beers being released on Thursday. Without any actual planning, it was all coming together: I had Valentine’s Day plans.

I started at Black Shirt Brewing for their Chai Red Porter. And not only were they pouring this amazing beer, but they had a unique dessert to pair with it. Their description of the mind-blowing dish is as follows:

 “We teamed up with Jaime Boyko of Ghost Plate and Tap (Chai red Porter Ice Cream) and Ritual Chocolate (Balao Single-Origin 75% Chocolate) to create an incredible beer and dessert pairing.”

Oh–and it was also drizzled with Red Porter Caramel. WOW. Incredible, and truly one of the best pairings I’ve ever had. While I don’t expect to get ahold of any more of the ice cream, I certainly hope to see that porter again.

My next stop was Great Divide Brewing Co. for a Jim Beam Barrel Aged Chocolate Oak Aged Yeti Imperial Stout. I already love the standard Chocolate Yeti, and I’m a huge fan of barrel aged beers, so I had high hopes for this one. And it definitely delivered. So, so wonderful. I’m glad I made it there in time to catch it, as (in true Yeti form) I’m sure it didn’t take long to disappear. And I’d like to give a shout out to Corey, who didn’t make me feel like an idiot when my debit card got declined. It’s humiliating enough when that happens, so to have a nice person dealing with it makes it a little bit easier. (note: I go there frequently, and all the folks are quite nice).

I could not have asked for a better evening, as Black Shirt and Great Divide are two of my favorite Denver breweries. Both provided extremely unique, delicious beers on Valentine’s Day, which was–to me–the best gift ever!