"The fact that we humans are indeed omnivorous is deeply inscribed in our bodies, which natural selection has equipped to handle a remarkably wide-ranging diet." — Michael Pollan, "The Omnivore's Dilemma" (Penguin Press, $26.95)

Renee' Hannans Henry/Staff (ENLARGE)

Chocolatier Kristen Hard of K Chocolat shows off some of her creations.

BRICK STORE PUB TASTING $30 for five beers and five chocolate truffles. 6 p.m. Aug. 14. (No reservations required; available while chocolates last.) 125 E. Court Square, Decatur, 404-687-0990. K Chocolat chocolates from Kristen Hard are available at the Chocolate Bar in Decatur (www.thechocolatebardecatur.com) or book chocolate flight tastings via Hard's Web site (www.kchocolat.com). BOB TOWNSEND BEER PICK E-mail Townsend Related: • More on food and drink • Restaurant reviews and search More Townsend New brews for fall and Oktoberfest  Budweiser American Ale  Craft brewers a perfect fit in Slow Food Nation event  Sweetwater Motor Boat Ale  Weyerbacher Brewing on track, after a struggle  • Bob Townsend is editor of Southern Brew News, a bimonthly beer publication distributed throughout the Southeast.

One of the most exciting things I've observed over the years that I've been thinking and writing about beer is how so many more people who are involved with fine food — from chefs and bakers to artisan cheese makers and organic farmers — have come to regard craft brewing as a creative endeavor worthy of their attention.

Nowadays, it seems there's some kind of dinner, tasting or other beer-related event going on somewhere in Atlanta several times a week. And the best of them put beer and food together in all sorts of imaginative ways.

Last week, a rather wild meeting of malt and cacao took place in Decatur — as Brick Store Pub co-owner Mike Gallagher met with chocolatier Kristen Hard of K Chocolat to put the finishing touches on the beer and chocolate tasting they're planning to present on Aug. 14.

Gallagher is burly and gregarious, with a love of great beer and fine wine. Hard is smallish and sparkly, with a passion for exotic chocolate and good whiskey. Sequestered in a corner of the Brick Store's upstairs Belgian Bar, they bonded over a mutual appreciation for strong, sugary cafe Cubano.

What really got the discussion going, though, was the way that Hard's crispy and creamy dark chocolate truffles — handcrafted with a minimum of 75 percent cacao and flavored with blends of herbs, spices, chiles and other unusual ingredients — could become a totally new taste experience when coupled with beer.

"Being that I don't know a ton about beer," said Hard, "I was really surprised by the different types of beer — what went well, how it worked and what it did to the chocolate. It's almost like something different could happen each time you tried it. As a result, I found myself getting more into beer than I could have ever imagined."

All of Hard's truffles have fanciful names to match their ingredients — Caribe Delight (infused with Caribbean rum); Dee Stress (with St. John's Wort, gutu kola and peppermint); Fountain of Youth (with green tea and fresh ginger). One called Fields of Joy has pink peppercorns and rosewater folded inside its dark chocolate shell.

Gallagher decided it might be fun to try that with La Binchoise Reserve, a lush Belgian-style amber ale with lots of fruity, floral flavors. And after some nibbling and sipping, both tasters decided the combination was surprisingly winning.

"That's a fruity, fruity beer — it's loaded with blackberry and cherry — and when it hits the chocolate, you suddenly get this rush of boysenberry," Gallagher said. "It kind of takes you on a trip," Hard said. "That combination is like a little adventure, going through fields of berries. It's really interesting."

Among the other beer and chocolate pairings Gallagher and Hard came up with:

• Honey Heaven (honey and ginseng) with Weihenstephaner Hefeweissbier (traditional German wheat beer with banana, clove and bubble gum notes).

• Rosemarino (organic rosemary) with Dupont Floret (zesty Belgian organic saison with complex malty, floral and spicy notes).

• Italian Cowboy (Illy espresso infused with Woodford Reserve bourbon) with St. Bernardus Pater 6 (earthy Belgian brown ale with dark malt and black cherry notes).

• Azteca Aphrodisia (hot chiles and peppery spices) with North Coast Old Stock (heady English barley-wine-style ale with vinous fruit, toffee and strong alcohol notes).