Three ways to surprise your beer-lover for Valentines Day (locally!)

It's that time of year again, where grocery stores stock up on marshmallows shaped like baby chickens, heart-shaped candy, and gross amounts of artificially flavored chocolate. Yes it's Valentine's Day this weekend, and we're prepared to help you get ready for this year's manufactured holiday. Chances are, if you're reading this, you have a beer lover nearby, or you yourself are one. Never fear, here's three (or more) events that are happening that will help you woo that special someone!

1. Take them to a Chocolate Pairing

While you can always find a box of preservative-laced, high fructose-laden chocolate at your local supermarket, it's not often that you can find chocolate and beer paired together. Luckily, Radiantly Raw has you covered. They've got five different events this week and weekend that are sure to satisfy any sweet tooth. You can even start with beer on Thursday and finish up with beer on Sunday!

• Thursday: Fossil Craft Beer, Radiantly Raw and Stir Beer Collaboration
  • Three Beers, Three Ways: Change your perception of beer by trying three different chocolates that "trick" your tongue! Pairings:
    • Stone Age Stout paired with Chocolate Cheesecake Truffle, Raspberry Rose Cream and Cinnamon and Cayenne
    • Kunda Porter paired with Vanilla Cashew Butter Cup, Pecan Turtle, and Cappuccino Truffle
    • Strawberry Camarasaurus Cream Ale paired with Elvis Style Almond Butter Cup, Chocolate Cheesecake Truffle, and Rae-Dyno (sweet chocolate)
• Friday: Chocolate and Moonshine Pairing
  • 300 Days of Shine pairs excellently with chocolate, but make sure you have a designated driver, as they can add up quickly! What will you pick?
    • Firebomb paired with Pecan Turtle
    • Apple Pie paired with Cookie Dough Bite
    • Colorado Honey Paired with Cinnamon and Cayenne
    • Margarita Moon paired with Orange Heat TruffleOption #1 is $10: 2 Moonshines paired with 2 chocolates. Option #2 is $15: 4 Moonshines paired with 4 chocolates.
• Saturday: 291 Whiskey and Chocolate Pairing
  • Get the flight of whiskey and chocolate: up to 6 styles of each that accentuate each experience.
    • American Whiskey paired with Sweet Sea Salt chocolate,
    • Colorado Whiskey paired with Pumpkin Spice Latte Truffle,
    • Colorado Bourbon paired with Blueberry Lavender chocolate,
    • Fresh paired with Pecan Turtle,
    • White Dog paired with Peppermint-filled chocolate,
    • The Decc paired with Strawberry Lemon chocolateOptions: #1: 3 Whiskeys paired with 3 chocolates = $18; #2: 6 Whiskeys paired with 6 chocolates = $28
• Sunday: Wine and Chocolate Pairing at Swirl All Day
  • Four dessert wines paired with four chocolates. $35/person
• Sunday: Chocolate and Beer Pairing at Storybook Brewing
  • Three delicious beers(Kilhaven Oatmeal Stout, Whoa Black Berry and Java Dragon Porter!) expertly paired with three award winning chocolates. Perfect way to surprise your sweetheart or treat yourself on Valentine's Day!

2. Skip the craziness this weekend and take them to Test Tap Wednesday

Fieldhouse Brewing has brewed up an early Valentines present for that special beer lover you have. Head over tonight at 5pm to taste their White Chocolate Raspberry Stout. Sorry, but this isn't a gluten free beer, but they do have those on tap. If you're a regular at Test Taps, you'll know how fast these beers usually sell out. Drag your Valentine there early and get the Hallmark holiday over with! Facebook Event

3. Do a self-guided beer tour

Take one for the team and drive your significant beer lover around to all the new breweries that have opened up this past year! There's tons of routes you can pick that cover a wide range of beers. Want to go Westside? Start at Bristol, head to Smiling Toad, then visit Fossil and Manitou! Like IPAs? Start at Smiling Toad and then hit up Bristol, Iron Bird, Storybook and Trinity. Stouts more your game? Start at Red Leg, head up to Pikes Peak, then back down to Great Storm and Storybook. Want to walk everywhere? You can hit up Phantom Canyon, Iron Bird, Fieldhouse, Fossil, Triple S and Gold Camp easily. See, there are tons of combinations for brewery tours in this town. Don't be afraid to make your own! Check out our brewery page to get directions to any brewery in town!