best beer and chocolate

I am afraid Italy is a bit dreary for beer, there are a number of Italian brands, but most are non-distinct lagers, good, but not great, with the darkest being some amber lagers. The good news is that Guinness is widely available, and there is a bit of a start to Italian Microbrewing that might be fun to seek out. This website has some info on Microbrews and pubs that might have a wider variety of beer: http://www.maxbeer.org/eng/guide.php

Perugina and Venchi both make dark chocolate bars.

I agree with Paul... Italy is very dreary for beer, and what they call beer is at the far end of the spectrum from full bodied beers like Guinness.

Some restaurants will carry imported beers, and I found in Milan one of the largest selections of German beers I've seen anywhere -- including Germany. (Sorry -- can't remember the name of the place, but it was less than 5 minute walk from the Galleria Vittorio Emmanuelle, walking toward the train station, on the right hand side.

If you do run accross a selection of German beers.... for darks, try:

Flensburger Dunkel (very dark, smoky, notes of molasses)

Kostritzer Schwartzbier (black beer, very smooth)

Warsteiner Dunkel (typical dark, full bodied)

Meisels Dunkel Weisse (Dark wheat beer)

Spaten Dunkel (typical in darkness, but has a smoky note from the toasted malt)

Spaten Optimator (the uber-ultimate in balance between drinkability and full bodied)

Paulaner Salvator (not technically a dark, this lager is unusually full bodied)

Erdinger Dunkel Weissen (a dark wheat, creamy)

Schneider Weisse Original (also not technically a dark, this wheat beer is exceptionally full flavored and almost 'spicy' for a blonde)

Schneider Aventinus Doppelbock (a german double-fermented... )

Starkbier (any brewery, similar to bock beers, medium colored, full bodied, creamy mouth feel, very malty... and beware... high alcohol content)

Or, if there are some Belgian selections:

Chimay Blue (widely commercially available premium trappist ale)

La Trappe Tripel (very dark for a trappist, very complex taste)

And.... one from the UK just in case...

Paradox Grain (if you like Guiness, you will be in heaven -- this is an unholy marraige of an Irish style stout that is aged in previously used whiskey kegs... strong stuff)

I could go on and on... but will wait for specific beer questions to prattle any further...

For good, dark beer, you'll need to change your destination to Belgium, Germany, or the UK. If any such thing exists in Italy, I haven't seen it. You'll see mostly light lagers and pilseners.

Venchi, my favorite Italian chocolate, can be hard to find. They have shops at most major airports in Italy, but usually after security. In Rome, Bottega del Cioccolato on Via Leonina makes their own great dark chocolate. It's a short walk from the Cavour metro stop - the exit for trains from Termini towards the Coloseum actually puts you on Via Leonina, just walk to the left when you exit, shop is on the left at corner with Via del Boschetto. Perugina dark chocolate is available everywhere. It's least expensive in grocery stores (which can also be fun just to wander around in).

Beer is expensive in Italian restaurants and pubs, and dark beer isn't common. Best bet for good dark beer is an English or Aussie pub. Most larger and resort cities have at least one. Birreria Peroni near Piazza Venizia in Rome might be another option, but don't remember whether Peroni makes a dark beer. You can buy beer much less expensively in grocery or convenience stores, and most will likely have some dark beers available.

You can find Irish bars that will sell you a Guinness. There are plenty in Rome and I found one in Siena. If you are in smaller towns you will be out of luck. I don't really like wine and I do not consider myself to be a wine drinker. Like you I am more of a beer person (I live beervana for crying out loud) but I would at least order the house red when you go out for meals. Even I liked that stuff.

Thanks so much everyone. And thanks for the list Jim. He's only had about half those beers, and was especially looking for a stout aged in whiskey kegs, so your suggestion of Paradox Grain was most welcome.

Some of the best chocolate I've found in Italy was by shopping in the local grocery store. Find the coco content you like the best 61%, 70%, etc. I also love Nutella as a quick fix. In the stores you can find little snacks of Nutella, you don't have to buy a full jar.

Also, try some of the cookies in the cookie aisle, there are some good chocolate ones there as well.

Perugia and Turin are chocolate centers for Italy, but you can find good chocolate everywhere, you just have to look!

Oh...and look for the darkest chocolate Gelato as a fix.