Once upon a time, any man who considered serving the woman in his life beer for Valentine's Day would have been considered a special kind of lunatic.

And truth be told, on special occasions, most females still want the bubbly stuff in their glasses to be sparkling wine, not Belgian ale. But nowadays, many more women, especially younger women with sophisticated palates, are choosing beer as their No. 1 beverage —- no matter what day it is.

Jessica Moss, the 25-year-old resident "beer maestro" at Muss & Turner's in Smyrna, epitomizes that trend.

A lively presence, with curly dark hair and piercing blue eyes, Moss is whip-smart and altogether passionate about beer. She's an award-winning home brewer, who's worked at Five Seasons Brewing Co. in Sandy Springs. And since coming to M&T last year, she's conducted the weekly Thursday night beer tastings, helped start a new series of beer dinners and installed a beer engine on a nifty rolling cart that allows her to serve cask ales table-side.

In other words, Moss is the kind of woman any beer geek would love to have for a sweetheart on Valentine's Day. And she has some pretty strong opinions when it comes to beer and the feminine mystique.

"Stereotypically, due in part to American advertising," Moss says, "we have this image of beer being about a passive guy watching football, with pork rinds and a Budweiser.

"But that's not what a beer drinker like me is all about. Historically, women made the beer, baked the bread, cooked the food —- that was the role of women. Honestly, beer dates back to women —- women were the original producers of the malted beverage."

After graduating from high school in Atlanta, Moss moved to San Francisco, originally planning to pursue a career in acting. But after touring vineyards in Napa and Sonoma, she became convinced that she wanted to become a sommelier.

Eventually, though, the craft brewing scene captured her imagination, and Moss says she was "transfixed with the flavors and complexities" of the bold beers from the likes of Stone, Lagunitas, North Coast and other California companies. Finding her way back to Atlanta, she immersed herself in the local beer community.

"I love doing what I do now," Moss says. "I love hosting beer dinners and the tastings every week. And as funny as it may sound, I love being a female who has become an authority on beer. I love that people come to me with questions, and people come to my tastings to learn."

Oddly enough, Moss' father doesn't drink beer. "I've tried," she says. "He is very supportive of me. But my mother is the beer drinker in the family."

When it comes to beers for Valentine's Day, Moss likes beers that are as striking as Cupid's arrow.

"Valentine's Day is all about decadence, sensory overload and romantic celebration," she says. "Beer for the occasion should be nothing less than a luscious indulgence, reflecting the spirit embodied in the holiday."

FOUR PICKS

Some of Moss' favorites, with brief tasting notes:

> Young's Double Chocolate Stout: Pours like chocolate milk and tastes like adult Yoo-hoo. This English delicacy appeals to all levels of beer drinkers. An amazingly creamy and smooth dessert.

> Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout: The renowned Garrett Oliver's offering appeals to women who promise that they aren't beer drinkers, and at 10.6 percent alcohol by volume, it has the punch of a wine.

> Lindemans Framboise: Pours like pink champagne and is the perfect friend of chocolate. This raspberry-flavored Belgian beer fools non-beer drinkers, and makes a wonderful Valentine's Day beer.

> Cantillon Lou Pepe Kriek: The classic Belgian brewery creates a complex sweet and sour delicacy for the sophisticated palate, with oak and distinctive tart cherry flavors.

JESSICA MOSS PRESENTS

Muss & Turner's Thursday night beer tastings resume Feb. 21, with Jessica Moss presenting a selection of bieres de garde. Reservations: 770-434-1114 or reservations@mussandturners.com

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