The idea sounded sweet: Boulevard Brewing Co. hooking up with chocolatier Christopher Elbow for Valentine's Day. It turned out to be the hottest date in local food history: Chocolate Ale, a husky brew with a brilliant cocoa flavor that only built the longer it sat open. The beer, part of Boulevard's seasonal Smokestack series, sold out locally within 48 hours of its release. Like lovelorn suitors forced to sit out the romantic holiday, frustrated beer lovers turned to the Internet, seeking bottles at three times the retail price on eBay and Craigslist. The original plan was to make this a one-time thing, but the insane demand caught Boulevard off guard. Unlike certain real-life Valentine's Day dates, neither Elbow nor Boulevard actually meant to drive you to the brink of madness. So the folks on Southwest Boulevard issued a formal apology and promised to bring back the Chocolate Ale next Valentine's Day. When the day comes next winter, treat that precious bottle like your first love: Hold on tight and don't let go.
