How about an adult way to get rid of the rest of the Easter basket candy? (And perhaps drown our sorrows in the bittersweet Butler Bulldog loss. Or your tax returns.) Wine or beer and chocolate.

Wine and chocolate pair well because both have tannins.

Think of a cocoa bean as a grape. The shell/skin holds the tannins which is where the flavor/aroma/mouth feel starts. Press the grapes or grind the beans and the goods are released. Same deal with beer. Hops, barley, malt also have shells/outer layers to the grain, and thus have tannins-the flavor/aroma/enjoyment enhancers.

There are more craft beers available in the Indy market, and the following plus Chocovine wine can be found at local retailers. Indy offers a bevy of chocolate and candy stores as well. Choose your favorite and enjoy a real spring fling.

Samuel Smith Taddy Porter, Rogue HazelNut Brown Ale: roasted barley, chocolate, coffee, caramel flavors in the brew pair with similar chocolate selections: caramels and caramel-filled truffles

Left Hand Milk Stout: Milk stouts are brewed with lactose sugar that gives a touch of sweetness and body and enhances that rich, dark chocolate flavor and velvety mouthfeel. Pair with coffee/cappuccino/espresso-filled truffles or dark chocolate.

Spaten Optimator: silky and warming, with nutty, molasses flavors. Delicious with cinnamon or ginger kissed chocolates.

St. Peter's IPA, He'brew Lenny's Double Rye IPA: strong, malty, bitter. . . works well with sweetness in malts and thus a no brainer for malted milk balls or chocolate covered graham crackers.

Coney Island Albino Python White Lager: brewed with ginger, crushed fennel and sweet orange peel. Wind this one around a box of orange/ginger-filled truffles.

Affligem Belgian Tripel/ Three Floyds Behemoth Barleywine Ale: both pack a punch and have a little sweetness, plus a hint of fig. Sip these with chocolate covered nuts or maple/molasses enhanced dark chocolate.

De Troch Lambics (framboise/kriek), Abita Purple Haze (raspberry wheat): Fruit flavored beers are a sure thing for dark and milk chocolates especially those filled with blackberry, cherry or raspberry..

Tyranena Brown Ale: "Rocky's Revenge" is from Wisconsin and is aged in bourbon barrels. This craft brew offers up inviting aromas and flavors of toffee and vanilla which calls for similar candy/chocolate combinations.

Chocovine is the quintessential indulgence for those who love wine and chocolate. Red wine base. Chocolate and cream added. 14% alcohol. From Holland.Tastes like Chocola to me. No wonder Cowboy Bob always had a smile on his face. Chocola was a Midwestern-produced chocolate milk/soda in a can. Cowboy Bob's Chuckwagon Theater was a TV show that aired in central Indiana during the 70's on WTTV-TV.