Valentine's Day certainly arrives at the right time of the year: When better but the dark nights of February to seduce your sweetie with a sumptuous symphony of the senses? And what better way to woo the object of your affections than with the delightfully delectable duo of chocolate -- and beer?

That's right. Chocolate. And beer.

Despite being considered the classic romantic couple, wine and chocolate really don't get along that well. But beer and chocolate make a blissful bond.

While wine generally gets overwhelmed by chocolate, beer has the chops to stand up to its richness and complexity. Wine gets lost, but beer offers complementary flavors -- earthy, roasty, coffee notes and bitterness (think semi-sweet) -- that are often echoed in chocolate.

Separately, both beer and chocolate have their fans. But, together, the two can create a stunning synergy found only in the most compelling of culinary combinations.

Fortunately, discovering those dynamic duos isn't difficult. Here are a few suggestions to help you reach your own chocolate and beer nirvana.

Dark beers, such as porters and stouts are made from malted barley that has been roasted to a dark, deep color. Just like dark-roasted beans enhance certain flavors in coffee, the darkened barley boosts the roast-y, toasty -- and even coffee -- flavors that go well with nearly any chocolate. Try a stout or a porter with a brownie for a real treat.

Weizens (German-style wheat beer) and strong Belgian-style ales often offer fruity and spicy flavors. These beers can bring banana, apple, apricot, dried cherry, raisin and peach notes with spicy clove, cinnamon or nutmeg. How can you go wrong with those classic dessert flavors accentuating your chocolate?

Another group of beers to try with chocolate includes malty golden beers such as Kölsch, helles and golden ales, American wheat ales or a pale bock beer. These sweeter, lighter colored beers tend to go well with dishes such as chocolate-chip cookies where the chocolate is not so highly concentrated.

Sparkly lambics also are great with chocolate. The tart sweetness in a framboise (raspberry) or kriek (cherry) lambic can be a perfect foil for a rich, dark, silky slip of chocolate, such as a flourless chocolate cake. Plus they are so romantic and pretty served in Champagne flutes.

This is the Valentine's Day to be daring! Armed with these guidelines, you can toss aside those erstwhile notions of red wine and truffles and instead, lead your honey on a journey of new discovery with chocolate and beer. "Research" has never been this sweet.