By Kristen Kuchar

A box of chocolates is an iconic gift for Valentine’s Day, but why not combine those chocolatey sweets with well-made local beers? These chocolate brews are a great way to celebrate, either on their own or paired with a tasty dessert.

King Montezuma Mayan Chocolate Stout | Spice Trade Brewery & Kitchen
This American stout is inspired by an ancient Mayan recipe for chocolate. It’s infused with Ceylon cinnamon, Mexican vanilla and four different types of chili pepper.

Loompa Land Vegan Dark Chocolate & Ginger Stout | Mountain Sun Pub & Breweries
Mountain Sun Pub & Breweries celebrate Stout Month with various limited releases, one of which is this stout brewed with vegan dark chocolate and fresh and candied ginger. Mountain Sun Pub & Brewery, Southern Sun Pub & Brewery and Under the Sun Pub & Pizza are located in Boulder while Longs Peak Pub & Taphouse is located in downtown Longmont.

Lugene | Odell Brewing Co.
Lugene is a rich chocolate milk stout brewed with chocolate and lactose. The beer is named after a local farmer that utilizes Odell Brewing’s spent grain.

Woody’s Chocolate Stout | Crystal Springs Brewing Co.
Located in Louisville, Crystal Springs Brewing makes a salted, chocolatey stout available in cans. Woody’s Salted Chocolate Stout is a mix of dark roasted malts and chocolate sweetness with a hint of salt.

Snowed in Mocha | Copper Kettle Brewing Co.
Snowed in Mocha is an imperial oatmeal stout with chocolate and local coffee. It’s aged in bourbon barrels and comes in at 12.6 percent ABV.

Cuvee de Chocolatier gift box | WeldWerks Brewing
WeldWerks Brewing’s Cuvee de Chocolatier three-bottle box can be purchased on Eventbrite, and all three are available on tap. The caramel edition is an imperial stout aged for 30 months in Blanton's & Eagle Rare bourbon barrels with Colombian cacao nibs and caramel. The coconut infusion is an imperial stout aged for 28 months in Buffalo Trace Experimental bourbon barrels and Law’s Whiskey House rye barrels, culminating in Bolivian cacao nibs and coconuts. The third is the strawberry symphony, an imperial stout aged for 22 months in Buffalo Trace and Blanton’s bourbon barrels with Ecuadorian cacao nibs and strawberry.

Peanut Butter Milk Stout | Left Hand Brewing Co.
This milk stout is brewed with lactose and peanuts with rich milk chocolate notes. Left Hand describes the beer, available year-round, as an adult peanut butter cup you can drink.

El Jefe Double Chocolate | 4 Noses Brewing
4 Noses Brewing produces many delicious El Jefe variations – Mexican coffee, caliente imperial stout and con leche. For this El Jefe double chocolate, an imperial stout is brewed with cinnamon, Sweet Bloom Coffee and extra cacao.

German Chocolate Porter | Breckenridge Brewery
Breckenridge Brewery’s vanilla porter is one of their most well-known and liked brews, so the brewery launched a limited-edition pack of porters. In this 12-pack, you’ll find two chocolate-driven porters: a German chocolate and a neapolitan.

Mexican Chocolate Yeti | Great Divide Brewing Co.
As part of the Yeti series, Mexican Chocolate Yeti takes the imperial stout and adds spices, vanilla and coffee. This flavorful beer is inspired by a traditional champurrado drink.