A Valentine’s Brewquet

- By Marsha Bryant

1
With its wild fermentation and pour,
The Framboise is a beer to adore.
It stays true to the berry
And fizzes so merri-
ly. Tongue-tickling tartness galore.

2
Malty forward, this silky Milk Stout
Shows what creamy dark ales are about.
It’s primarily roasty
(Some chocolate, some coffee),
And finishes creamy side out.

3
Liquid Springtime, this bright Éphémère
Blossoms crisply, lets in light and air.
With its fresh apple taste
And a fine Belgian lace,
‘Tis a cider-meets-wheat ale affair.

4
O the Coconut Hiwa pursues
That fruit’s dance with mocha, accru-
ing a mouthfeel so light
It will surely delight:
A translucently dark porter brew.

5
Chocoholics and stout fans will swear
This blends fine drinking chocolate with beer.
Not too sweet, not too dark:
It’s Organic, remark-
able Chocolate Stout you can share.

6
Guilty Pleasures? Why not be inclined
To taste coffee and bourbon entwined?
Go ahead and partake
of Espresso Cheesecake
For dessert. Be your own Valentine.

The Brewquet:

1. Framboise Lambic, Lindemans, 2.5% ABV (Belgium)
2. Milk Stout, Left Hand, 6% ABV (Colorado, USA)
3. Éphémère Belgian Style Wheat Ale (Apple), Unibroue, 5.5% ABV (Quebec, CA)
4. Coconut Hiwa Porter, Maui Brewing, 6% ABV (Hawaii, USA)
5. Organic Chocolate Stout, Samuel Smith’s, 5% ABV (England, UK)
6. Espresso Cheesecake (Guilty Pleasures series), Wicked Weed, 12.2% ABV (North Carolina, USA)

Romeo & Juliet Goblets by Fellowship Foundry Pewtersmiths

MARSHA BRYANT writes about modernism, poetry, women's writing, popular culture, and pedagogy. Her recent essays have appeared in Feminist Modernist Studies, The Classics in Modernist Translation, and The Conversation. Bryant is Associate Editor of Contemporary Women's Writing, and Professor of English & Distinguished Teaching Scholar at the University of Florida.