We love chocolate. We love it for breakfast. We love it for dessert. We love it in milk, coffee and even in beer. The world of chocolate is vast, and worthy of its own study. I’m no expert in chocolate, but I’ll share with you what I’ve learned from those who are.

Not everyone knows this, but chocolate is also fermented, immensely diverse, and can be as complex as beer. Because of this, pairing beer and chocolate together can be tricky. But if you get it right, it’s absolutely divine.

Here’s a pro tip on tasting chocolate with beer. Let the chocolate melt in your mouth first. Otherwise, the chocolate may be too cold to reveal all its wonderful flavors.

Another pro tip, use these pairings as a guide, not a rule. There’s simply too much variation for broad generalizations here. Think of beer and chocolate as a web of flavor with many combinations.

The effect of chocolate on our mood is well documented.

It tastes good. It makes us happy.

It affects us in profound and deeply neurological ways.

By intentionally combining these flavors with the right beer, we can create an experience for ourselves, and our guests, that lightens the mood, and will be memorable.

Although successfully pairing chocolate with beer requires some knowledge and experience, it’s the practice that makes it perfect.

So grab some chocolate and a beer, and see what you come up with.