I certainly understand the disinterest in players farming love—I get the impression that combat isn't truly supposed to be a challenge, and Alouette's level doesn't really seem to matter anyway. Still, it is weird that said monster (the one that later becomes a slime Allouette) runs the love-dispensing check when denied a broken heart and indeed dispenses it.
As for the beer situation, I'd actually already completed that event when I asked the question, but didn't think to check whether that meant I could now buy alcohol. D'oh. Thanks for the help.