Chocolate Fix

My dear friend, Nikki Two-Beers, stumbled upon a Michigan beer (which shall not be named) while vacationing near Asheville, North Carolina this past fall. I was so excited that she got a hold of something craft-brewed from my new home state- so you can imagine my disappointment when she informed me that in her book, it rated "slightly less appealing than a Killian's" (I trust her book, by the way- the woman is a beer goddess- a Modern St Pauli Girl, if you will).

So this entry is meant to redeem that horrible review. If you like beer...if you like chocolate...this is the beer you will wish you'd known about sooner. Bell's Special Double Cream Stout is absolutely rich, creamy, and turned out to make a darn good afternoon snack while I watched the snow fall outside my office window on the first day of Spring.

Heavy on the roasted malt, barely a whisper of hops, and sporting a velvety beige head, this gorgeous beer was what I've always secretly wished Guinness was- utterly drinkable, instead of nearly chewable. It was an ideal accompaniment to my belated St. Patrick's Day dinner of corned beef, sauteed cabbage, and homemade scalloped potatoes. The next night I drank one for dessert with some dark chocolate flecked with cocoa nibs.

Bell's Bewery sells this brand seasonally, November through March- so get on the horse and scavenge around for a six-pack- or three. You won't be disappointed.

Check out Bell's Brewery here:

www.bellsbeer.com