Theobroma - Dogfish Head Brewery

caminiti

New York

4.97/5  rDev +29.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

best beer ever.
Pretty much, in my opinion.
Poured a crisp gold or honey color, not at all what I expected, which was somewhat darker. Slight head that almost immediately vanished. The smell was crisp cocoa, not chocolate, and not soon forgotten. Taste was a crisp very lightly sweet, a little honey, then cocoa, again, not the sweet cocoa, though. Crisp on the tongue, and real easy to drink, disquises the alcohol content. If it wasnt so damn expensive (about $13 at Westmere Bev in Albany) I would drink it every night, and now I cant even find it.
In a word, bestbeerever.

Serving type: bottle

01-22-2009 22:29:15 | More by caminiti

Topheropolis

California

4.95/5  rDev +29.2%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

I treated myself to this for New Years Eve. Unfortunately I didn't make it due to the 3- 750ml strong ales I started with. So it's my New Years Day Ale. It has a nice chocolatey, citrus nose with a perfect balance of cocoa, chilies, and honey on the pallet. Delicious!

Serving type: bottle

01-01-2013 21:36:52 | More by Topheropolis

ZX6Chris

California

4.9/5  rDev +27.9%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

A-Beautiful ight amber color. Barely any head, just a few bubbles floating on the top.

S-Sweet flowery honey aroma. I've had honey beers before but this one is the best.

T-Sweet, flower honey, cocoa, chilies build slowly and you can feel the heat after awhile.

M-Light body and great carbonation

D-Very easy drinking and an interesting brew.

Serving type: bottle

05-24-2010 03:47:00 | More by ZX6Chris

MrHurmateeowish

New Hampshire

4.85/5  rDev +26.6%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

750ml bottle obtained at the Liquor Shoppe in Tygsboro, MA. Pours a hazy dark golden-amber body with a half inch of off-white head. Aroma consists of pepper, cinnamon-like quality, with chocolate, bubblegum, nut, and banana. Hot pepper, coming off as a cinnamon like quality, with a fair bit of bubblegum, nut, banana, with come cocoa in the undertones, with some notes of fruitiness. Surprisingly light-bodied with ample carbonation. No alcohol flavor or hotness to speak of, but the alcohol effects definitely make themselves known... Dangerously drinkable, unique, and complex - unlike any beer I've had. I definitely am impressed - if only this had been approved for NH! Really really good stuff - another slam-dunk for DFH!

Serving type: bottle

07-27-2009 00:41:53 | More by MrHurmateeowish

gipzy

Pennsylvania

4.85/5  rDev +26.6%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Appearance - wonderful honey orange color, head generous medium rich cream , dissipates quickly

Smell - sweet and floral / hints of cocoa

Taste - sweet and very mild pepper spice; complex to start and then fades to a second wave of sweet undertones.

Mouthful - medium body, moderate carbonation

Drinkability - For me always a "good night in" turn-to beer. Impress your friends and conversation starter beer. wonderful!

Serving type: bottle

01-09-2011 19:17:15 | More by gipzy

guedesigns

Maryland

4.85/5  rDev +26.6%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

A: Lightly Cloudy, light head, soft amber in color.

S: Slight cocoa aroma with a bit of spiciness. You can smell the typical grainy aroma that every dogfish head brew has up front, it is followed by a mild pepper and almost tart or sour smell. but not over powering by any means, just right.

T: AMAZING! I have a favorite chocolate. That chocolate has red chilies infused in the cocoa. This reminds me of it, but without the spiciness. I absolutely love the taste of this beer. It's dry, not sweet, but it does have sweet aftertones. WOW! I just took another swig, and all I can say is wow! It almost tastes like it was aged in oak.

M: Refreshingly carbonated, not too much, not too little. it coats your mouth and leaves a light bitter/sweet aftertaste. It's a full beer, but not like a cream ale, however just shy of one.

O: I have never had a beer that compares to this one. It is one of a kind and will set the bar for those who wish to recreate it. I am absolutely in love with this brew. Thank you dogfish for yet another amazing beer.

Serving type: bottle

08-12-2011 04:18:38 | More by guedesigns

Minotaur

Pennsylvania

4.8/5  rDev +25.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

A snowy night and a bottle of aged Theobroma. With the ingredient list the expectation is of a chocolaty dark beer. Poured into a tulip glass.

Instead it is a orange amber with a half a finger head that quickly evaporates, only leaving a thin lacing. Bubbles persist through out the glass.

The aroma is sweet and thick: it has a distinctly tropical - muted mango like, with the slightly spicy pepper smell.

The taste is wholly unique. It is mead-like, with plantain-banana flavors. There is a persistence of alcohol but it all appears very mild. The cocoa taste provides a thick body and bitterness beneath the honey flavor; there is some semblance to mead but it is distinctly beer-like in mouthfeel and consistency. As you drink down the glass the rich chocolate taste becomes more pronounced and heavier on the tongue, but it is a bitter and mellow flavor: not as sweet as the aroma. The pepper zip kicks in on the back of the tongue. While I often drink big beers, this one is hitting like a hammer.

This beer is luxurious, unique and amazingly well crafted. It is for slow sipping but the sparkling, sweet nature of it also makes it highly drinkable.

Serving type: bottle

01-08-2010 03:28:29 | More by Minotaur

July2Nov

Hawaii

4.8/5  rDev +25.3%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Appearance: Golden orangish hue with a thin lacing.

Smell: This one is so complex and have never smelt anything like it before! Honey, cocoa, chilies and something akin to apple. This is so inviting.

Taste & Mouthfeel: Much like the nose attested to, but lighter and more compact, the taste is refreshing with an undercurrent of the chilies just lingering in the background. This is a near perfect melding of flavors and ingredients. The alcohol in the background is the only thing that reminds you that this indeed is a beer, while the honey, chilies and cocoa tell you that your onto something more than just beer. No one taste element overpowers another. If this is in fact a 9% abv, it is the most well-hidden alcohol that I've ever encountered. This sweet nectar goes down as smooth as honey. The body is thin and light for the abv %. Simply amazed with this one. I feel like I should be drinking this out of a gold chalice or a hollowed out skull....something truly fit for this beer of gods.

Overall: I'm not one to exclaim exaggerations about beer. I usually tell it like it is, and I've got to say, this is one of the best beers I've ever encountered! It's just so seamless and exciting, while retaining a historical blueprint. It's like discovering the past but in a tactile way. DFH you've really outdid yourself this time! I applaud you on this off-centered, but wholly grounded beer. Thank you.

Serving type: bottle

02-19-2012 06:43:49 | More by July2Nov

MCDuhamel

Ohio

4.8/5  rDev +25.3%
look: 3 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.75

Poured from a crown capped large format bottle, a bit north of fridge temp, into a tulip. Liquor is medium amber, a bit hazy (maybe the bottle had been a bit disturbed), with a fairly small head that falls apart quickly. No lacing at all. Lots of very small bubbles racing to the top. The nose is a complex yet balanced amalgam of chiles, earth, and bitter chocolate, which follows through to the palate. A slight honey character comes through midway through, with a nutty roastiness showing up as well. The finish is dry, with a cocoa and dried chile note. Although this seems like it should be muddled, it somehow manages to achieve a nearly perfect balance. The chile flavor is obvious, but there is only the subtlest hint of heat. This is an outstanding, if very difficult to categorize, beer. Surprisingly drinkable.

Serving type: bottle

02-02-2013 00:25:10 | More by MCDuhamel

Jeffreysan

Maryland

4.73/5  rDev +23.5%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75

750 ml poured into a goblet

Appearance: Beautiful dark golden honey color with half of a finger of white head that quickly dissipated into a thin crown/halo of white bubbles.

Aroma: Straw, grass, black pepper, citrus. A lot of Belgian Saison qualities. Very pleasant.

Taste: Sweet honey and citrus upfront and Belgian yeast. A lot of spice. Black pepper, honey, herbs. Then comes the spicy “heat” (more like pleasant tingle on the sides of the tongue) of the ancho chilies. Finally, the chocolate aftertaste that finishes long and pronounced, but slightly bitter and not overpowering or sweet. This beer is extremely well balanced between the chili, the chocolate and the honey.

Mouthfeal: medium-light and smooth. Very little carbonation. Very pleasant alcohol warmth in the finish.

Overall thoughts: From the way the beer is described on the label, having been brewed with cocoa powder and nibs, Askinosie Chocolate, honey, ancho chilies and annatto, I was expecting a dark beer, like a Mexican mole sauce, and the dark golden honey color totally surprised me and the surprises kept coming. I found this beer extremely complex and exceptionally good.

Serving type: bottle

04-29-2013 20:43:30 | More by Jeffreysan

neenerzig

Ohio

4.72/5  rDev +23.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

First of all as a big chile head myself who loves hot peppers and hot sauces and has had other chile beers both good and bad, this is simply not a chile beer! The classification here of it on this site as a chile beer should be changed ASAP. This is most likely an herbed/spiced beer or an ancient herbed ale. I mean think about it, this beer is not like Rogue Chipotle Ale, which is a true representation of a good chile beer. Even Ed's Cave Creek chile beer, shitty as it is in my opinion, is in some ways more of a chile beer than this one. Just because this beer has a hint of chile in it, and chile sweetness at that not even a spicy chile flavor, does not make it a chile beer! However this is a really kick ass beer! I sent a request about a week ago now for the classification to be changed, but to no avail thus far. Anyways onto the review, which is from my notes seeing as how I drank this about 12 days ago now. Also the picture of the bottle of beer posted here was taken by my good friend Jon (imaguitargod) at my house on the evening that we split a bottle of this.

Split a bottle of this with a friend recently. Poured into my pint glass. This beer is a cloudy copper/amber color. the white frothy looking head was an inch thick when poured that settled to a very nice surface coating with very nice lacing several minutes after being poured. Aromas of cocoa and honey are present, followed by a slight smell of sweet spice. the taste is pretty much the same, a malty honey flavor along with strong hints of cocoa and a slight, earthy sweet chile flavor, but there is no burning spiciness or heat, as there is in say Rogue Chipotle Ale. Rounded out with a slight toasted biscuity flavor. Has a crisp and smooth, full bodied mouthfeel with moderate carbonation. A great beer all around Extremely easy to drink, the 9% ABV is very well hidden indeed. Seeing as how my friend and I initially paid $22.00 for a bottle of this to go at bar we were at recently, I am damn glad I was able to another bottle to age for only $12.00 A truly fantastic and unique beer here!

Eric

Serving type: bottle

10-04-2008 06:32:47 | More by neenerzig

CheckMate

New Hampshire

4.72/5  rDev +23.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

750ml bottle obtained at The Liquor Shoppe in Tygsboro, MA - split with BA MrHurmateeowish. pours a murky amber color with about a half inch of off white head that quickly dissipated. scents of citrus, pineapple, and spices. tastes of pineapple, pepper, chile peppers, vanilla, and banana. moderate to high carbonation. a good tasting beer, i won't lie it's beginning to give me heart burn from the spicy Chile peppers Dogfish Head uses, but it's a really well made beer. after the first sip i was blown away by this beer. the heartburn is worth every sip of the beer.

Cheers!

Serving type: bottle

07-27-2009 01:11:41 | More by CheckMate

ManiacalBilby

Georgia

4.72/5  rDev +23.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Taken from my notes on June 15th.

Appearance- What?! I was expecting darker. Nice honey color with about a fingers worth of off-white head forming out of a 3/4 pour from the bottle into a snifter.

Smell- Mostly honey. Just a little bit of chile. 

Taste- Mostly honey again with cocoa coming next and I could feel the chile heat in the throat after the swallow. Chile and cocoa became more apparent upon the sip as it warmed. Very balanced for the intense flavors involved. Loving this. 

Mouthfeel- Somewhat thin but not in a bad way. Carbonation is medium and feels appropriate.

Overall- Great beer. This is something I picked that would have shocked me if if I didn't enjoy it. I've seen ratings all over the place for this beer. Give it a shot and decide for yourself. 

Serving type: bottle

08-02-2011 18:32:15 | More by ManiacalBilby

hippityhophead24

Tennessee

4.72/5  rDev +23.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Appearance: Nice almost golden, yellow color. Which I would assume is from the annatto. Big frothy head about two finger widths high. Very nice carbonation.

Smell: Hints of spices, honey, sweetness, and a slight cocoa sent. There are some other aromas that I could not identify.

Taste: When it first hits the tongue you get a honey sweetness. After that, you get a spicy mid tone finished off with the chocolate that slightly dries the tongue.

Mouth feel: Has a nice smooth feel on the tongue. Very smooth, slightly bubbly on the rest of the mouth. Nice medium body, not too light, yet not very heavy. Nice carbonation.

Overall: This beer was a treat I shared with a good friend. I think it was a very interesting beer that I was super excited to try and share. I would definitely purchase this offering again. Great, interesting taste, nice color, and great exotic spice, chocolate, and sweet tones.

Glasswear: 750ml bottle poured straight into Goblet

Serving type: bottle

08-14-2011 03:31:08 | More by hippityhophead24

becktone

Ohio

4.7/5  rDev +22.7%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

From notes 10-28-08

Eye: Cascading head, nice formation especially for a brew that has no widget. Retention needs work. Lacing needs work as well, so far the initail head on the pour was good but the head quickly fell to a more "comfortable" size but continued to diminish. Color is that of a dark mead...dark gold, hints of orange, maybe even some very light brown shades in here. When held to the light the color is more of a dense gold. This beer is hazy. Every aspect of the brew is appetizing with the exception of the head and the lacing...its nine percent, so retention shouldn't be a trouble...I've seen bigger beers hold a head, maybe its the other things in there, honey-chili-cocoa perhaps..

Nose: Honey is very forward in this brew, reminds me quite like the aroma of a mead. Not smelling any cocoa or ancho chile aromas...perhaps once the beer warms a bit. Overall sweet aroma, pretty much dominated by honey. Still after warming considerablly I cannot get anything but honey, all the flavors found in the taste don't come through in the aroma...perhaps its better that way, more of a surprise. Either way it still smells great.

Tongue: Here's what I get: Honey sweetness, followed by cocoa that hits on the rear sides of the tongue (and the soft palate, roof of the mouth) and is in turn followed by a subtle chili spiciness that sits right in the middle of the tongue-following the length of it-leading to the finish which returns to the cocoa and sits in the mouth for the aftertaste. What I find cool about this beer is that all three of these big flavors have their moment in the limelight, however, they all remain in the mouth. During the aftertaste, once the beer has been swallowed, mead-like sweetness is still felt and tasted on the tip of the tongue, chili down the middle crease of the tongue, and cocoa at the back corners of the tongue. All three together, very distinctly sit upon different sections of the tongue and each can be picked out individually, however its the taste of the whole that is neat, try not to concentrate on any one of these tree different flavors...This is a beer that I really do like, great offering from DFH, extreme as usual and tasty as usual. I'll prolly pick up some more bottles before they're all gone, I've already two in the cellar.

edit: make sure that this one is more on the warmer side, if it is too cold then all you'll get is the honey, it tastes great even at room temp...well not 80 but maybe 60. However it is much more refreshing cool, and at the perfect temp it all comes out.

Mouthfeel and Drinkability: The 9% abv is hidden extremely well. And despite the fact that I cannot taste any hops in this beer, or really even feel them (as in bittering) this beer is extremely well balanced. The chili gives some spiciness in flavor and feel (the feel of dry powder on the tongue...impossible feel to describe but its hinted at in this beer..), the cocoa gives some dy character and some perceived bitterness as it sits along the back of the tongue and roof of the mouth, and the honey provides sweetness. Finish is semi-dry. Body is medium, some weight added by the honey, carbonation is perfect playing off the honey so well. This is one that is dangerously drinkable. If you like Midas Touch, or if you Like mead I guarantee you'll like this one as well.

Serving type: bottle

11-09-2008 17:39:49 | More by becktone

allthatAles

Georgia

4.7/5  rDev +22.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Pour: hazy, Golden honey hued. head formed and well structured. breaking down slowly.

Nose: delicious, it reeks of honey with slight hint of malt and ghostly imprint of hops. it also has nuance of creme

Mouth: absolutely heavenly! Honey/malt and cocoa on the front, ancho chile and hops in the middle as it gives way to creme, cocoa, honey warming on the way down thanks to the chiles and the 9% ABV

This is in my opinion the best offering i've sampled from DFH. though, i have yet to enjoy the pleasure of the midas touch and based on the concept of it i wonder how the two would stack up against one another.

Serving type: bottle

08-31-2010 14:27:13 | More by allthatAles

grssmnperez

Texas

4.7/5  rDev +22.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Had bomber dated from 2009 that i had cellaring in the wine cooler for 1 yr. opened and was hit with an awsome aroma of honey and spice! While pouring could see some hints of sediment from age and the color had changed from fresher batches that i've had throughout the year. The amber color had turned a beautiful orange and upon tasting was hit with awsome honey and coco flavor. I was dissapointed with the chile which didnt come through. I just seemed to want more and more and it was not dry @ all! Overall, and awsome expirience with age! Well worth the wait!

Serving type: bottle

11-15-2010 05:24:27 | More by grssmnperez

elton044

Florida

4.68/5  rDev +22.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

This was my first foray into Chilean brews and I was not disappointed by any stretch of the imagination.

This brew poured a relatively clear amber, leaning ever so slightly toward the redder side of the 'amber' spectrum. The carbonation was pleasantly active in this one! The sound was almost as enticing as the smells I soon made note of. This level of carbonation led to a moderate, cream-colored head.

To be honest, I had to revisit the smell of this creation several times. A touch of sweet honey and chocolate notes, expectant wheat notes, a sharp caress of chilies, each exhibiting an ebb and flow of its own; a give and take with one another that I found complex and scintillatingly intoxicating. All intertwined to create a cornucopia of pleasing scents.

This is one that I can't say enough about the taste. It seemed to know my palate almost better than I did. Initially, there's a nice sweetness, presumably from the honey, that very quickly yields to medium-bodied chocolate tones. Almost immediately, a bit of the chilies danced across my tongue - just enough to provide an intriguing tingle here and there. The overall flavor progression bordered on perfect.

The level of carbonation didn't interfere with the flavors in the least. To the contrary, it very much added to them. Instead of fighting with or masking the flavor tones as in some other brews, the carbonation in this one served purely as a vehicle for each stage of the flavor progression. Precisely as it should be.

Several reviewers have likened this creation to chili-infused chocolates. While some of the basic characteristics are indeed similar, this brew elevates the combination to an entirely new level. I highly recommend this brew - and that's not the hobby anthropologist in me being duly enthralled with the basis for the creation of this brew talking either.

Serving type: bottle

08-15-2011 02:02:22 | More by elton044

JoeMayo

Massachusetts

4.65/5  rDev +21.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

Based on what I had heard, I was NOT expecting to like this beer as much as I did. It truly is an "exercise in sublety" from DFH. I was blown away by how elegant this beer is. The flavors of chocolate and honey are typically found in much darker beers and were integrated exceptionally well into this gem.

A- Pours a dark gold, approaching amber at the center of the glass. Slightly hazy with not much in terms of head.

S- I was expecting to get punched in the nose with chocolate, but couldn't even smell it! Rather, a plethora of unusual aromas rose from the glass, but all worked so well together. Annato is the primary scent, but a yeasty, bready aroma is also there. A mild smokiness is noted and hints of dried ancho chillies come through.

T- Both sweet and bitter-sweet chocolate notes come through, accented by a mild cream flavor. It has the cocoa profile of a good chocolate stout, but is followed up by so much more. Rich ancho notes and sweet honey balance one another as a mild smoky flavor comes through in the background. The finish is a lingering flavor of sweet chocolate ganache and cream.

M- Pretty crisp, which seems somewhat contradictory to the creamy flavors. Relatively light-bodied.

D- Really easy to drink. It's so complex that you want to savor it and explore its flavors. Not too heavy, but so complex and wonderful. I am thoroughly impressed with this one.

Serving type: bottle

11-06-2008 02:31:13 | More by JoeMayo

bierguru

Florida

4.65/5  rDev +21.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4

Amazing!!
this beer is exactly what i have been talking to my friends about one with spice

the beer pours golden and doesnt keep its head a light film stays

smell: its got a heavy sweet and spicy aroma

my first couple of tastes i just sipped and swallowed with that i just got fore taste of the sweetness from the honey and then a kick from the chilies (but not overbearing just a hint)

after the first tastes i started to let the sip linger in my mouth thats when i started to get that chocolate taste after i swallowed

the texture that was left was as if i had let a piece of chocolate melt in my mouth

in both these different sips the spice near lingered but rather can and went however after my third glass from the 750 mL bottle i did start to get a burning sensation in my chest (and no its not intigestion lol)

the beer was amazing and i suggested it to all further more if you are going to want to eat w it i suggest some sort of red meat or perhaps a chocolate covered chicken

Serving type: bottle

06-02-2010 01:34:33 | More by bierguru

EkimGram

New York

4.63/5  rDev +20.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

Appearance: 24.4oz bottle poured into a standard pint glass. Colour is a pale, translucent orange-brown. Head is a finger thick and fades to a dense film. Slight amounts of visible carbonation.

Smell: This smells so differently than it looks. Nice round aromas of cocoa, spices, chile, and a sweet tartness that I will attribute to the annatto.

Taste: Bold flavours of bready malt, spices, chile, and a boozy sweetness are the leaders backed by a very subdued cocoa essence.

Mouthfeel: Medium body, oily texture with a hint of carbonation and a heat that grows as you drink.

Overall: This is the best chile beer I've had to date. It is complex, interesting, and profoundly delicious.

Serving type: bottle

07-26-2012 03:50:26 | More by EkimGram

phattysbox

New York

4.6/5  rDev +20.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

New York City premeire of this brew - on tap at the East Village Tavern. First 25 people got a DFH snifter - I was #4!! Cheers to DFH!

Pours a very fine 1 inch head that slowly recedes. There is a nice lacy sticking all the way to the bottom of the glass. Color is a light orange and slightly hazy. A woderful looking brew.

Never smelled anything quite like this before. Dry cocoa powder followed by sweetly spicy smell from the annato (sp?) and chiles. There is a faint husk in the back - but quite pleasing.

Tastes like chocolate covered chipotle chiles!! Though not in a very strong way at all. This brew has two completely different tastes as it moves from front to back. At first you get sweet and subtle chocolate and malts. This is followed by a very subtle chipotle chile feel. I like this very much as compared to other chile beers - others seem to assertive and spicy. A nice hop character (also subtle) rounds everything out. 10% ABV?? Never noticed it - in the smell or taste. Impressive. Meduim bodied and dry, this brew goes down real smooth.

Drinkability is fantastic given the chiles and high ABV.

Hands down the best chile beer out there.

Nicely done DFH, when are you bottling?

Serving type: on-tap

09-25-2008 15:47:56 | More by phattysbox

GClarkage

California

4.6/5  rDev +20.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

10/30/08- Purchased at a beer store in Portland. ME. $9.99 price tag.

Presentation- 750ml bottle, 2008 release. Poured into my Duvel tulip.

Appearance- Dirty copper-amber colored pour. Maybe a 1/2 inch head on the pour with a slight rim remaining. Leaves decent lace sheeting behind.

Smell- Very subuded, but quite nice nose of mole, random sweet peppery spices and chocolate. Unlike any chili beer I have smelled.

Taste- Wonderful notes of deep caramel wrapped up with chocolate and cumin. The whole beer combined tastes like a butterfinger bar dipped in mole. Quite amazing flavor unlike anything I have ever had before. Very very slight spicy taste. A small dash of hops, but really not even enough to note. Nice malt base ties it together.

Mouthfeel- Smooth with a lower carbonation. Lovely short lasting chocolate-caramel-buttery-mole thing.

Drinkability- Insanely interesting and very tasty as well. I would highly recommend this to anyone. If you don't like chili beers, give this a try. It's nothing like Crazy Ed's and totally different than Rogue's. Yummy!

Serving type: bottle

11-01-2008 01:14:33 | More by GClarkage

hustlesworth

Ohio

4.6/5  rDev +20.1%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

A- Clear honey amber with a thick cream colored head. Slowly rising bubbles give the impression of viscosity. Head retention is ok but there's about zero lace.

S- interesting aroma. Sweet and somewhat beery, pale grains and the slightest hint of spice. I want to say that I can smell a bit of cocoa, but if I didn't know it was in there I might not even suggest it. There's a deeply earthy note that falls somewhere between oats, soil, and mushrooms and as the beer warms I can definitely smell cocoa butter, not roasted cocoa. Floral, almost fruity honey notes play well against this. There's also whiff of alcohol but I can't detect any sort of nutmeg annatto aromas.

T- sweet and honeyed, initial notes of vanilla with fruit blossom hits first with more of a beer taste than I expected. The honey is complex and seems to shift in character as other flavors move in. The earthy aroma I described earlier is now translated as the fruity sweet heat of dried ancho chiles which is now unmistakable. Theobroma has the perfect amount of chile heat and flavor in my opinion. It's mildly mouth numbing and the chile's flavor is sensed mostly in the sinus. Finally we have these cocoa nibs. Not chocolatey as one would expect, but more of a creamy, fatty, earthy cocoa-butter type chocolate flavor that in a way is reminiscent of Christmas. A little research about the cocoa making process will tell ya that the beans are fermented before being dried and shipped, again laying foundation to this mysterious earthiness. I'm now certain it's a combination of the chile and the nibs with maybe some annatto, although I can't detect it in any other way. However, I never knew that shit even had a smell or taste. I always think munster cheese or something. Anyway, I'm gonna assume cocoa powder is what's giving this hint of bitterness in the finish, replacing hops. Also notable is that chiles and cocoa almost completely mask this 9% abv bruiser.

MF- not cloying or sticky. At all. Numb mouth and heartburn from the chiles although this beer is not at all "hot". The relationship that honey and the heart amount of booze have results in a beautiful dryness. Very clean, warming, and satisfying. The thought of carbonation never even crossed my mind until now but it's there, it's in charge, and comparable to a helles lager.

D- for a brew of such strength and odd nature, this is solidly drinkable. Between the alcohol, chile, and cocoa I'm feeling an absolute sense of euphoria right now. It's almost inspiring. The mesoamerican nobility must have been running around like crazy fools if they were gettin high on this stuff. It belongs in a snifter or narrow-mouthed tulip to concentrate the nuanced aroma and hell, quite frankly next time I'll treat it like scotch. I'm usually not a fan of DFH's recreation of ancient brews but this one is a straight banger.

Serving type: bottle

09-10-2012 05:02:30 | More by hustlesworth

tsreynolds

New York

4.58/5  rDev +19.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Quite possibly the best tasting beer that I have ever had.

Appearance - A medium to light brown haze. It pours a two finger head but it didn't last long. The lacing remained on the glass throughout.

Smell - Hints of chili and chocolate.

Taste - At first I was overwhelmed by the chocolate taste which then changed to a sweet and spicy flavor. The aftertaste left you wanting another sip.

Mouthfeel - It was nicely carbonated and light in the mouth.

Drinkability - I could easily drink this all night. I had one then switched to another beer but found myself craving another and quickly switched back. Ended up having four by the end of the night. With the high abv I obviously was feeling good after four.

Serving type: on-tap

12-11-2008 19:36:46 | More by tsreynolds