Theobroma - Dogfish Head Brewery

TucsonTom

Arizona

3.55/5  rDev -7.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

I'd been forewarned by bartender that this was not a dark beer. That was okay with me; I've enjoyed Sonora's White Chocolate Ale and it's also straw colored. My 4-ounce taster of Theobroma had that straw look with a bit of haze. I got no chocolate on the nose and no chocolate in the taste. But I got plenty of chile on the end in the back of my throat; I liked that part. Overall, though, it was not the most interesting thing I've had from DFH.

Serving type: on-tap

02-20-2013 04:17:55 | More by TucsonTom

stephenjmoore

Maryland

3.73/5  rDev -2.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A- Somewhat cloudy orange colored body with a thin white head.

S- Honey, cocoa, citrus, spices, hint of chile.

T- Honey definitely comes through first with a strong ginger-like taste as well. A slight chile taste comes in the middle, with some chocolate powder in the finish. Surprisingly subtle flavors besides honey.

M- Medium body, medium carbonation, good sipper.

O- Nice beer, but nothing stands out. Definitely not chile-forward.

Serving type: on-tap

11-23-2012 18:45:26 | More by stephenjmoore

socon67

New York

3.4/5  rDev -11.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A - Pours a light copper color. Visible carbonation and slight lacing. Cloudy look.

S - Smells of spices and vanilla. Behind that some cocoa powder is present. There is a bit of a hoppy presence. The blend seems like I've walked into a florist.

T - Not all that impressed. First, the spicy feel seems misplaced a bit. Very convulated, and it seemed to take over the chocolate and vanilla flavors that smelled so nice. There is almost no heat from the chilies. It shouldn't be considered a chile beer.

M - Medium feel that masks its ABV well. The spice gets a little tedious on this one. I'd have hoped it could be toned down. Balance is a bit toward the extreme side. It is however, a good beer to pair with food.

O - I tend to like the DFH experimental beers, but this one I'll pass on. It just seemed a bit of a mix-match that didn't do any one thing really good.

Serving type: on-tap

10-28-2012 02:17:57 | More by socon67

Darkmagus82

Montana

4.2/5  rDev +9.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Served on tap in a 10 oz chalice glass

Appearance – Served a golden amber colored brew with a small white head. The head faded fast to give only a lighter amount of lacing.

Smell – The aroma was bready with some notes of a yeasty smell. With the strong bread aroma were notes of chili and a bit of honey. While it is a cocoa brewed beer, I did not detect much in the nose at all. While not much cocoa, it was a nice aroma none the less

Taste – The bready flavor with some sweeter fruit and honey flavors start out in the taste. A lighter cocoa and yeasty taste come quickly to the taste, but never grow very strong. The bready flavor remains relatively constant throughout, but the cocoa and fruit start to fade more toward the end when some chili spiciness as well as a lighter herbal tastes come to the tongue. In the end a dry and spicy crisp flavor are left to linger on the tongue.

Mouthfeel – The body of the beer was on the just above average side in terms of creaminess with a carbonation level that was just below average. The light enhancement of creaminess was nice for the lighter cocoa, chili and honey flavors but not too heavy to take away from the great drinkability that the slightly lower then average carbonation level provides.

Overall – This was a very tasty beer with nice flavor transitions a great flavor profile and a good easy drinking feel. Well worth a try.

Serving type: on-tap

10-17-2012 00:29:27 | More by Darkmagus82

KeshiaM

New Jersey

4.33/5  rDev +13.1%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

This is not your typical chocolate beer. It's not your typical ale. In fact, there is nothing typical about this brew in the slightest.

The color is light amber, extremely unassuming for the punch it packs.

The smell is a mix of spice and sweetness with the slightest hint of chocolate and something I can't identity (probably the annetto)

The mouthfeel is thin and lightly carbonated with a little burn from the chilies.

It's the taste that blows everything away. Bold, spicy, sweet with a lingering aftertaste of cocoa. This is a beer to be sipped slowly, thoughtfully and with reverence (given the age of the recipe). It's high alcohol never over powers though the chilies start to burn at the end which stops this from being sessionable. Shame.

Overall this unusual beer is well worth trying, even going a little out of your way for. Sip it, ponder it and enjoy this food of the gods.

Serving type: on-tap

10-04-2012 23:21:11 | More by KeshiaM

woosterbill

Connecticut

3.88/5  rDev +1.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On-tap at Prime 16.

A: Clear gold body with a finger of fine white head. Ok retention, spotty lace. Not bad.

S: Smells like a nice strong lager. Clean herbalness, mild bready malt, and only a faint hint of spice. Enjoyable, but unexpectedly boring.

T: Follows the nose. All chile is relegated to the aftertaste, with breadiness, minerality, and herbal notes being much more prominent. In any case, it's darn tasty.

M: Medium body with moderate, delicate, creamy carbonation. Nice.

O: I expected craziness, and instead got competence. Fine by me.

Cheers!

Serving type: on-tap

09-01-2012 12:24:17 | More by woosterbill

BigTuna

4.13/5  rDev +7.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Had on-tap.

Light in color, which I thought was interesting considering it's a "cocoa" beer. Smell is nothing to write home about. It smells sweet, with a latent tingle that I'm guessing comes from the chilies.

The taste is superb. Muted, subtle, but still impressive. Just the smallest hint of chocolate makes the beer sweet. Mid-palate it I caught some orange-peel and more sweetness, and it finishes with a hotness from the chilies that I loved.

Overall: these ancient ales are hit or miss but I think Dogfish pulled it off on this one. It's a grower though; don't expect Theobroma to blow you away. Let it appreciate.

Serving type: on-tap

08-30-2012 20:13:18 | More by BigTuna

kylehay2004

Florida

4.2/5  rDev +9.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Enjoyed at the brewpub in Rehoboth Beach, DE

A: thin head and no lacing really on a clear bright golden with slight copper hue body.

S: caramel malts, toffee and cocoa.

T: The cocoa and honey notes are excellent and mesh very well. There is a light chili spiciness throughout greatest in the finish. Sour citrus notes as well.

M: medium body and moderate carbonation.

Overall: a very interesting beer which changes quite a bit as it is enjoyed. One of the better ones of the series.

Serving type: on-tap

07-28-2012 17:01:27 | More by kylehay2004

CraftBeerTastic

Pennsylvania

2.9/5  rDev -24.3%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Ba Review #194
Served On: 07/23/2012
Glassware: Flute Glass
Labeled ABV: -
Date/ Code: -

Had this on tap last night at the DFH Brewing & Eats - Rehoboth.

Look: Was a semi-clear darker gold color. Head was a thin white film with some patches of bubbles. Carbonation bubbles were hard to detect - almost like this was from a cask.

Smell: Sweet malty nose with some alcohol notes. Not much in the way of spice or cocoa as listed in the beer's description.

Taste: The mouth feel was reflecting a medium bodied brew. A sweet honey-like beginning turned into a carbonated mix of earthy floral and a touch of peppery biscuit for an almost Belgian quality. Finish was a lingering sweetness that faded into a twang leftover from the floral sweetness.

As I'm not real familiar with this particular style, my rating is mainly based on my personal experience with the brew during my visit at the brewpub last night.

Serving type: on-tap

07-23-2012 15:48:27 | More by CraftBeerTastic

BostonHops

Massachusetts

3.98/5  rDev +3.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

on-tap at american craft, brookline, MA.
tasted 7/22/11 (review from notes)

i'd put the color of this one at a slightly hazy orange/amber; yields a 3/4" off-white head, moderate retention, not a whole lot of lacing. interesting nose, not what i was expecting. honey, some fruitiness, maybe a touch of spice. not much in the way of chiles.

flavor is likewise interesting. there is a subtle presence of chiles but it's far from overwhelming, as was my initial fear. i actually get more of the honey and fruitiness. not bad at all. nothing amazing, mind you, but a completely drinkable, reasonably enjoyable brew. medium bodied mouthfeel with average carbonation.

overall, i'd try this again. as i mentioned there was nothing spectacular here, no wow factor, but it was pleasing.

Serving type: on-tap

06-19-2012 22:15:39 | More by BostonHops

Phelps

Arizona

3.75/5  rDev -2.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Enjoyed in a shaker pint at Flanny’s.

Lacquered-wood orange. Head is negligible, just a silky top layer that becomes a ring. Fairly hazy.

Very interesting. The aroma’s rather sweet and backed by spicy notes — it reminds me of Midas Touch. White grapes, some chiles, honey, sweet pear syrup and spices, perhaps coriander and clove? Looking at Dogfish’s website, fragrant tree seeds called annatto are among the ingredients, so maybe that’s it.

The flavor is similar, starting sweet with pear syrup and dried white grapes. Black pepper and toasted crackers show up first. There’s some background spice, but not much. As it warms I get more and more crumbled bitter chocolate. Zero chile spice, though they do contribute a little bit to the flavor. Very dry finish.

Moderate, stabbing carbonation breaks the beer into a good amount of fizz. Alcohol comes through the nose, but isn’t too powerful. Smooth medium body.

Like most of the ancient ales, Theobroma has a cool origin story. Unlike the others, this one carries a consistently mediocre rating. I don’t think it’s as bad as some, but it’s definitely not as complex as the myriad ingredients would suggest.

Serving type: on-tap

10-27-2011 22:57:47 | More by Phelps

hopking311

Florida

3.73/5  rDev -2.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours golden orange.. very little head.. moderately laced.

Smells a little winey.. astringent.. let it set.. still winey but getting more of the chiles I think

light bodied.. medium carbonation

interesting taste.. kinda dry.. bittersweet, fresh and earthy.

I like this.. but I think I will need to drink it again maybe out of a bottle next time to get more out of the flavors I was expecting.. Still a great session

Serving type: on-tap

09-27-2011 02:59:55 | More by hopking311

northyorksammy

Ontario (Canada)

3.4/5  rDev -11.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

On tap at Mr. Goodbar's. Golden body. Expected hotter peppers but it was muted, more cinammon and cloves. Little head. More like a roobis tea with flavouring addd to a beer. So-so drinkability. Not for everyone. Average mouthfeel. Might be better on cask.

Serving type: on-tap

09-20-2011 03:17:16 | More by northyorksammy

One2Remeber

Florida

3.28/5  rDev -14.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

12 oz poured into a snifter.

A: Head retention is weak, maybe there for 5 seconds. Color is very pale orange with a crystal clear body.

S: Nothing really jumps out at me. A mild sweet tartness. Hints of light fruit.

T: Blah, same as the smell. Nothing too crazy about. I guess the coco nips come out a little bit but nothing worth while.

M: Feels like a watered down Midas Touch. Like a wine or champagne but a very weak one at that.

D: I don't understand this beer. Do not want to be too harsh since I'm not an avid chile beer drinker but c'mon. DFH beers always explode with flavor and this one simply comes up short. Not for me and as a bartender, I would sadly not recommend this one.

Serving type: on-tap

09-17-2011 21:19:03 | More by One2Remeber

mentaltraveller

Illinois

4.38/5  rDev +14.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

I had this on tap at the Hop Leaf. The description looked interesting and it fulfilled expectations in that regard. The color is a deep, almost lager-like gold. The aroma is spicy and complex. The taste is very complex; honey and fruit but bitterness from something; finishes with a wonderful cocoa taste. The mouth-feel is smooth and nearly creamy. This is a very good beer; its originality earns it extra points.

Serving type: on-tap

08-25-2011 19:29:49 | More by mentaltraveller

avaldivia

California

3.45/5  rDev -9.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

On tap at the Coddingtown Whole Foods Tap Room is Santa Rosa. Poured into a Dogfish Head signature glass.

A: Poured brighter than I was expecting. Nice golden amber color. Decent head and lacing.

S: I smell the cocoa first and then the chilies. As per usual with Dogfish, it smells a bit sweet, but there is no alcohol on the nose.

T: The cocoa has pretty much disappeared except on the finish. I only get the slightest hint of it and that is because I was expecting it. The chilies are there, but they are not as prominent as I would have hoped. There is no heat from the chilies, but they do provide a nice flavor. Thankfully, not as sweet as the nose made me think.

M: Medium bodied. Medium carbonation. A bit dry.

O: Glad I tried it. This is a decent beer. I doubt I will order it again, but I may give it another try next year if they release it again.

Serving type: on-tap

08-18-2011 15:12:34 | More by avaldivia

ehammond1

California

3.7/5  rDev -3.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

On Tap

Urge Gastropub
San Diego, CA

Golden orange and honey yellow with plenty of bubbly carbonation rushing up through the beer. Thin, though persistent, white crown and dotted lacing down the glass. Very pretty, though not at all what I was expecting.

An interesting combination of honey sweetness and chili peppers--both ingredients really stand out remarkably well. There's some fruit-like sweetness as well. Reminds me of chipotle-infused dark chocolate candies.

While the nose is unique and the "ancient" ingredients are really able to shine through, I miss the same in the flavor. This tastes more like a sweet yet dull Belgian pale--sweet with honey, but a touch boring, simple, and one note.

Medium bodied with plenty of carbonation.

Another experimental ancient ale from Dogfish, and again, I think this one is probably more interesting to read about than actually drink. That being said, I'm glad I tried it and it's definitely enjoyable enough, though I doubt I'll be trying it again anytime soon.

Serving type: on-tap

08-10-2011 04:17:35 | More by ehammond1

charlzm

California

3.85/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Consumed August 5th, 2011 at Congregation Ale House, Long Beach, CA. Served in a chalice.

Beer is slightly hazy medium-yellow. A very modest head bashfully becomes a small white crown in only a minute or so.

Aromas of light cheese, sweet malt (caramel? crystal?), slightly funky and earthy note: imagine inoffensive mildew.

Flavor is much like nose. Cheese, sweet malt, slightly tart and funky. Can't really taste any chile or cocoa at all. Perhaps there is some wheat in it as well? Weird aftertaste... clove? Slight bitterness on the finish as well.

Mouthfeel is nice, with a good amount of carbonation keeping things sharp and lively.

Never would have guessed this for a chile beer! I found it refreshing after a longish walk on a sunny afternoon.

Serving type: on-tap

08-07-2011 00:48:33 | More by charlzm

snpub540

California

3.53/5  rDev -7.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured a nice orangish hazy hue with a white head that left a little bit of lacing on the glass.

Smell is bready with a slight chile spice in the back.

Taste is a bready malt sweetness upfront with the heat of chiles scorhing the tip of the tongue and a slight cocoa bitterness.

Complicated flavor here. I enjoyed it and now I'd love to have a picked up a bottle when I had a chance a few weeks ago.

Serving type: on-tap

07-27-2011 20:00:22 | More by snpub540

perrymarcus

Massachusetts

3.98/5  rDev +3.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

on-tap at american craft, brookline, MA.
tasted 7/22/11 (review from notes)

i'd put the color of this one at a slightly hazy orange/amber; yields a 3/4" off-white head, moderate retention, not a whole lot of lacing.

interesting nose, not what i was expecting. honey, some fruitiness, maybe a touch of spice. not much in the way of chiles.

flavor is likewise interesting. there is a subtle presence of chiles but it's far from overwhelming, as was my initial fear. i actually get more of the honey and fruitiness. not bad at all. nothing amazing, mind you, but a completely drinkable, reasonably enjoyable brew. medium bodied mouthfeel with average carbonation.

overall, i'd try this again. as i mentioned there was nothing spectacular here, no wow factor, but it was pleasing.

Serving type: on-tap

07-26-2011 05:12:40 | More by perrymarcus

claytong

Vermont

3.6/5  rDev -6%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

appearance - big head, surprised to see such a light golden color and clear as day. head dissipates pretty quickly

smell - mild pepper on end, citrus

taste - all things pretty mild - cocoa nibs, pepper, straw

mouthfeel - nice and smooth, quite refreshing, not getting 9 percent at all here. very drinkable. a bit light in body for what i was hoping for

Serving type: on-tap

07-17-2011 04:14:58 | More by claytong

daedalusfinch

Florida

4.13/5  rDev +7.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On draft in a Duvel tulip.

A: Mildly cloudy golden color with quickly dissolving head, leaving islands of foam at the top of the beer.

S: Nothing particularly special: some malt, an herbal sweetness, maybe lemongrass.

T: I was worried this would be too sweet, but it really wasn't, especially considering freshness and ABV. It was almost like drinking three different beers. Up front, there was definitely a little clovey sweetness that faded out fairly quickly, replaced with a satisfying wit beer-esque flavor/mouthfeel. As that faded, the chilis and smokiness arrived, giving a bit of kick at the end without being harsh. Delicious.

M: Slightly carbonated, maybe a little fuller than one would expect given the bottle description and color.

O: Not the beer I was expecting -- but in a good way. I've been swayed to pick up a few bottles, and I'll be curious to see what 6 months on the shelf will do to one of them.

Serving type: on-tap

06-29-2011 13:40:00 | More by daedalusfinch

tjsdomer2

Illinois

4.3/5  rDev +12.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Appearance: I did not expect this orange-red-brown-amber color. much lighter I would have thought, but I've never had a chile beer, so I don't know. Very good lacing.

Smell: Extremely complex. Initially some spicy cocoa, then some burnt caramel, and finally smooth honey. The only downside is it can be hard to discern the smells.

Taste/Mouthfeel: Very complex like the smell. The main difference is the chile comes out a lot more. Mouthfeel is excellent. The hops and spices create a nice bite.

Drinkability: A novelty beer that has its niche.

Overall: See drinkability.

Serving type: on-tap

06-27-2011 01:19:58 | More by tjsdomer2

fields336

North Carolina

3.73/5  rDev -2.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Served on tap at proof.
Served in ommegang tulip glass 12 oz

Appearance is an amber brown color with 1/2 finger white carbonated head. Dissipates quickly leaving slight carbonation on the top and sides.

Smell is of chocolate and has peppery notes. It is muted and biscuity and bready Malts are present.

Taste is of chocolate upfront and biscuity/bready malt and there is a definite yeast presence. No discernible hops. The token dogfish yeast is there. The upfront flavor is sweet and chocolate. It turns to more bitter chocolate and slight peppery notes at the end into the aftertaste which is earthy and peppery with a nice muted chocolate.

Mouthfeel Is a bit thick and chewy probably tending toward medium feel rather than heavy. Good carbonation.

Overall. I feel like this is a complex beer but feels slightly watered down.  I like the chocolate and chile flavors but could have used more. it was a bit sweet though. It is a decent beer though and nice to try a different style

Serving type: on-tap

06-26-2011 04:28:16 | More by fields336

ktrillionaire

Florida

3.3/5  rDev -13.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.5

Upon seeing the beer in the glass: "Are you sure this is the Theobroma?" Pours a straw-yellow hue, crystal-clear, and is capped with a bit of creamy white head. The nose is strange but fairly pleasant, showing mostly notes of honey, with faint traces of white chocolate and a spiciness similar to green cardamom. The taste delivers more cocoa flavor, again in the white chocolate spectrum. Honey flavor is appreciated, though the brew is not tremendously sweet. The pepper is not discernible in either aroma or flavor. As to the feel, it is just a tad under medium in heft and somewhat refreshing. Overall, this is an interesting brew and is easy enough to drink, but it is not some radical creation, nor a Chile Beer as far as I can taste; it is more like a Cream Ale with frills.

Serving type: on-tap

06-25-2011 09:16:52 | More by ktrillionaire