Theobroma - Dogfish Head Brewery

WesWes

New York

3.58/5  rDev -6.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

The beer pours a hazy amber color with a thick frothy offwhite head that slowly fades to lacing. The aroma is decent. It has a very complex array of aromas from pale and crystal malts to cocoa and chilies. It's unlike anything I've ever encountered, but in a cool unchartered territory kind of way. The taste is decent as well. It's smooth with hints of cocoa, but warming in the finish with a hot pepper hit. The peppers are there, but are hidden in the cocoa flavor. You don't feel it until it hits your stomach. It kind of burns. The mouthfeel is fine. It is a medium/full bodied beer with adequate carbonation. This beer is interesting to say the least. I'm not sure I'd buy another one at $12 dollars a bottle, but it was an experience.

Serving type: bottle

10-17-2008 00:42:22 | More by WesWes

deltatauhobbit

Maine

3.9/5  rDev +1.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a golden color with a large head that fades slowly and leaves a good amount of lacing on the glass.

Smell isn't overwhelming but there are alot of subtleties going on, I can make out the honey the best, malt, slight cocoa aroma, not picky up any spiciness from the chilies though.

Taste is pretty creamy and smooth, not quite what I expected, some herbal spiciness going on, honey is also the ruling flavor but follows up with an odd chocolate aftertaste, I know cocoa is involved but it just seems really weird in a light looking beer.

A highly interesting beer and proves once again that DFH isn't afraid to experiment.

Serving type: bottle

10-16-2008 22:53:05 | More by deltatauhobbit

Billolick

New York

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

Large DFH style bomber, love the Aztec/Inca style graphics on the label. Pours clear, light amber, with glowing/fiery orange highlights. Minor lace/head. Smoky/sweet nose. Smoke, unsweetened chocolate, earth, slight glimmer of chili spicing. Interesting and different creation by those innovative DFH brewers. Cant say its one of my favorites or that I would spring ($12.99 for the bomber) for it again.

Serving type: bottle

10-16-2008 22:12:24 | More by Billolick

NoahSYGG

New York

4/5  rDev +4.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

this beer is WEIRD! that doesnt mean its bad. I was expecting to have all these different flavors. I couldnt put my finger on what it smelled/tasted like. The color was an orangey copper. I drank it out of a snifter but i couldnt decide what the aroma was. It was interesting and delicious. I am glad the apv was on the lower side for DFH. I dont know what this beer is, but it is a good effort. drinkability good and so is the mouthfeel. try it if you can.

Serving type: bottle

10-13-2008 03:07:22 | More by NoahSYGG

marcpal

New Jersey

4.4/5  rDev +14.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

750ml heavy bottle poured into an Urthel Tulip glass.

A: Was I expecting something looking like a chocolate stout? I guess, because I took a double take at the orange fuzzy beer that came out with a thin head. Tons of carbonation and virtually clear.

S: Oddly enough, hints in the nose lead me directly to the idea of fall weather. Cracked black pepper in the nose makes me want to sneeze. No chocolate detected, far more honey. Interesting, very interesting.

T: Honey is apparent as well as some ginger on the tongue. Chili malt sweetness, which I can believe I like. No bitterness to the beer which is different take from DFH and spices like you would get in a chili (cumin?). Sweet honey with the aftertaste from the chile like the heat of a roasted banana pepper, candied ginger. How can something with this allspice flavor also be a bit too sweet Im not sure.

M: Not what I thought it would be, smooth texture. Not chocolatey chewy but chocolate and light bodied. Demerits on my part for a bit high carbonation.

D: Alcohol stays under the radar. Complex and unique is what I think DFH will give me and they deliver that. Its a pricy beer but one Id like to get more of, a different route for a beer and takes you different places. Will be down at the brewery and brewpub soon, hope to try it on tap.

One of the most different and unique beers Ive had. Id expect nothing less from these guys, at the end of the beer I grew to love it. Would have guessed the alcohol to be under 5%.

Serving type: bottle

10-12-2008 23:05:21 | More by marcpal

cvstrickland

North Carolina

4.22/5  rDev +10.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

750 ml Champagne-style bottle, poured into a small snifter yields a hazy honey-amber body capped with a thick layer of fine-bubbled white foam. The head retreats into a thick collar that leaves a bit of lacing on the glass.

The smell of the drink is spicy and sweet, with a bit of unidentified citrus juice, mild chocolatey malts, a tingle of nutmeg and a fruity hint of hot green chilies. A mild herbal grassiness freshens the aroma.

The taste is honey-sweet and a touch fruity, with a subtle chile heat that accents the aftertaste. The chilies in the recipe speak up with both a fresh green flavor and a smidgen of heat. Dry cocoa and fruity notes of juicy melon and a rich, pervasive, earthy flavor that I'd almost swear is pumpkin, add depth and sweetness. A note of sweet green grass and overripe apple emerges from all the rest of the fruity sweetness as the drink warms, even as a bit of warming in the belly leaves me wondering who's responsible... if it's the anchos, the potent abv, or both. Otherwise, there is no trace of alcohol in the quaffable elixir.

The drink is light on the palate and medium in body with a juicy consistency and mild carbonation. The fine, mellow sweetness of the drink defies my impressions of it being drunk in antiquity from a chalice fashioned from a sacrificed human skull... a hewn coconut goblet, or a granite tulip glass perhaps, but no, no... not a skull...even as I wonder what role the potent brew might have played in helping the indigenous folk of old in communicating with their gods.... But I digress....

So, it's another landmark brew from history, resurrected by Dogfish Head, and I am, once again, amazed. Theobroma is excellent, if in an odd, 'traditional' way. Never confined by any semblance of in-the-box thinking, the folks at DFH could probably make beer out of briars and bathwater that would taste good, sell like mad, and otherwise earn the respect of discerning drinkers everywhere.

Serving type: bottle

10-12-2008 11:47:44 | More by cvstrickland

seanpachefddfa

Maryland

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

Appearance-poured a golden amber color with a slight haze to it. A thin fluffy white head that settled very quickly. Not what one would expect. Was expecting something darker but still nice.
Smell- getting some honey, spice, and chocolate in the nose. Also getting some other aromas that I can't put my finger on but nice overall.
Taste-some spicy up front followed by some sweet honey and choc.
mouth feel-a medium body beer with a mild carbonation
Drink ability- not what I was expecting at all but a very good beer overall by dfh. Overall a easy beer to drink.

Serving type: bottle

10-11-2008 02:29:13 | More by seanpachefddfa

Lupe

New York

3.65/5  rDev -4.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Definitely not the color I expected, but a beautiful beer. Pours a clear brurnt orange with a fluffy white head. Great retention as the beer took some time to dissipate, and left some lacing.

Intriguing aroma that is simple at first (it smell like beer), before complexities come out. Notes of orange, cocoa, and chilies. Lindt has a dark chocolate bar with chile that has a similar aroma. Very nice.

Starts unexpectedly with sweet citrus and caramel malt. Little mix of dark chocolate and chile slowly builds and adds a level of heat. Spices join the party before the sweetness returns with lots of honey. Very complex - a lot going on here. Alcohol is only faintly noticeable. Finishes sweet with some pepper at the back of the throat.

On the medium side of full-bodied, smooth and resiny. A sipper that is very complex. Couldn't have too much at once, but I'd seek it out again for a nitecap.

I've been waiting for this ever since hearing about it. Not as good as I'd hoped, but a very interesting beer and a must try. I've got another bottle to age - perhaps a little time will do it some good.

Serving type: bottle

10-10-2008 19:49:11 | More by Lupe

unclejedi

Alabama

3.55/5  rDev -7.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

Bottle courtesy of Lackenhauser in the One of Each BIF

Appearance: As others have noted not at all the appearance one might expect, but then again as this was supposedly a resurrected style, who knows what to expect. Poured into a Free the Hops tulip, brownish orange with a very slight cloudiness, white foam head that dissipates into a thin ring within about a minute. Very light lacing.

Aroma: Orange, some chocolate, and a slight beery aroma that I'm not sure how to describe, perhaps a little yeasty

Taste: Dark bitter chocolate with a little bit of sweet citrus fruitiness, perhaps not unlike A Terry's Chocolate Orange. Flavor evolves into something else as it warms, a hint of the chile flavor appears. Not much spice, at least in terms of spices I am familiar with. Still this is quite complex, again there are flavors I'm not sure how to describe.

Mouthfeel: Very dry powdery palate, with an aftertaste similar to artificial sweetener. Almost no heat from the chilies whatsoever, another unexpected result, however as it warmed, I began to sense some chili flavor.

Drinkability: Interesting beer, I might like to drink one every now and then, but I don't think I'm drawn to consume it regularly.

Serving type: bottle

10-09-2008 04:44:51 | More by unclejedi

younger35

Minnesota

3.1/5  rDev -19.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Picked up the last bottle of this from Sam's in Highland Park for around $14. Dogfish Head seems to be a little over-the-top for me but I'd be lying if I said I wasn't pumped to try this. Drank from my Ithaca Excelsior tulip.

Appearance- Pours a light orange brownish yellow with a soft two finger caramel white head that dissipates very very slowly. Leaves a spotty thin cap but amazingly thick collar and plenty of lacing.
Smell- Honey and oranges start with a bit of sweetness to start. The chocolate is barely detectable in the background but gets a bit better as it warms. Its not as near as spicy as I was hoping but who knows. The alcohol is a bit pronounced as well.
Taste- Very interesting. I've only really known Annatto Seed as a spice (although seems to be more color than anything) when I make Puerco Pibil. Like that dish it just seems to lend a bit of an earthy spice. Light peppery kick but no sign of any spicy heat like I was hoping. The chocolate becomes more apparent as it warms but its still very mild and kind of disappointing. A slight sweetness in the middle with that dry honey finish and a lingering bitterness from the Annatto Seeds and Coco Nibs.
Mouthfeel- Medium body with a semi heavy feel with some rather aggressive carbonation and a dry numbing finish.
Drinkability- Well the first glass was nice. The second was a little hard to get down and the third was easy again (had a buzz). It can be sort of cloying at times and the dry finish seems to escalate it. I highly doubt the first beer tasted anything like this but it's a cool concept and a decent beer to share with a friend.

Serving type: bottle

10-08-2008 23:12:36 | More by younger35

CrellMoset

Virginia

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

Bottle from Macs, Atlanta, GA. Poured into a chalice.

Appearance: Not at all what I expected to see, but that's not a bad thing. It pours a golden, slightly hazy body with a fuzzy, fizzy, bubbly, fast-fading head that leaves small, bubbly islands of fluff on top of the beer. Carbonation is highly active, pinpoint fine, and quick.

Aroma: Mostly honey and spiciness, though it's not a "spicy" spiciness. There's certainly some of that there, though there are peppery notes, clove-like notes, and a few other nice, rounded spice notes. Actually, some chocolate is coming through now that it warms, so I'm gonna bump it up half a notch.

Taste: Wow. That's a mouthscrew right there, in a good way. Very little bitterness in this one, as an initial matter - just a lot of spice and a lot of sweet. The honey is represented in the simple sweetness, there's plenty of faint "essence of chocolate" notes that come through thanks to the nibs (this comes through more as it warms), the ancho chilies lend a rounded, mellow spiciness to the whole ordeal, and the ground annatto - which, from the description in wikipedia, is what I'm assuming is lending a majority of the non-chile nutmeg/allspice/white pepper-esque notes - lends a nice touch itself.

Mouthfeel: Surprisingly smooth for as effervescent and and big-bubbled as it is. Even though the flavors are fairly light, though, there's enough complexity, sweetness, and spiciness here that a slightly less-carbonated mouthfeel might be more appropriate. Still though, not bad, and it improves slightly as it warms.

Drinkability: Alcohol's up there, but this is one hell of a complex and interesting beer. I split the bottle with my father, which may have helped (he was quite taken aback by it, by the way). It's not one I could have every night, or every week, or even every month. However, it was very reasonably priced for a 1 pint 9.4 oz. beer of this complexity, and could definitely be a good special-occasion beer (as many of DFHs are). It was definitely a conversation starter at my table (even my mom liked it, which is rare).

Serving type: bottle

10-08-2008 00:34:02 | More by CrellMoset

paco1029384756

Illinois

3.95/5  rDev +3.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Pours a clear golden orange color with a small, short lived head.

Scent of honey, a hint of chilies, slight cocoa, some sweet malts, and a bit of alcohol. I was expecting this to have a stronger scent, but instead I leave with a good scent with subtlety.

Taste of cocoa powder, ground annatto, slight roasted coffee beans, and chilies. Chilies add a good spice to this beer and do not over power the other flavors; alcohol is well hidden too.

Mouthfeel somewhat heavy, but too clean for the weight.

I am surprised I liked this beer as much as I did, as I have been repulsed by Chile beers in the past. A well balanced beer with a good flavor, even with the chilies.

Serving type: bottle

10-08-2008 00:25:09 | More by paco1029384756

guild337

Virginia

4.22/5  rDev +10.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

I first had this at the DFH Alehouse in Falls Church VA on tap, and was somewhat unimpressed. After the sever heard what I had to say, he told me to pick up the brew in the 750ml bottle. I did just that, and I have to say I agree. A lot more of the subtle nuances of the chile and chocolate came forward with the bottle aging. After some cellaring, this could be a very nice beer. Although, it is still pretty good right away.

A - Supprisingly light golden coloring (for a beer brewed with chocolate). Little to no head.

S - Smells of honey, and the fragrant annatto. No chocolate here to be found.

T - Honey again right up front (if you like Midas Touch, you will enjoy this beer also), a little hint of smokiness of the chilies, and just a bit semisweet earthiness of the chocolate (I really had expected this beer to taste of chocolate...and it almost doesn't).

M - Very nice and light. Clean, and refreshing with little carbonation.

D - Very easy to drink for a 9%+ beer, and one which is brewed with chilies.

Not a miss for DFH by far, but I think I will need to try some further aged bottles in a few months to see the full potential.

Serving type: bottle

10-06-2008 18:47:29 | More by guild337

Proteus93

Virginia

3.78/5  rDev -1.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A: Golden honey colour - a white, foamy and fizzly head. Retention is mediocre, leaving a nice but broken sheeting, though there is a lack of sticking

S: Soft chilies, honey, and a toasty maltiness. Not detecting a great deal of chocolate. It's a rather light aroma in that sense... overall, it's pretty nice and certainly interesting to smell. Something almost like buttered microwave popcorn comes to mind, strangely.

T: Honey stands out, hints of chocolate, a fruitiness of sorts. The flavours of chilies are far more muted in the flavour as compared to the aroma. Somewhat peppery, not so much like alcohol, though that comes out a little. As it warms, more spiciness comes through.

M: Medium with a little hint of chewiness. A soft, shimmering carbonation adds a nice touch without being overpowering.

D: The alcohol content is pretty high and it becomes more and more apparent as the beer warms a little. Certainly an intriguing beer, as DFH will be. The scent stands out in particular, though the 'buttered popcorn' smell starts to go away as it warms.

Serving type: bottle

10-05-2008 03:30:47 | More by Proteus93

ATLbeerDog

Georgia

3.25/5  rDev -15.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Pours a bold orange/red with a full ½ inch white head. Smells of cloves, spices, vanilla, and honey. First sip is both spicy and mellow - very complex . A creamy milkshake like smoothness adds to great mouthfeel. Unfortunately, there is simply too much going on here with no one flavor taking charge. It is just a mess.

Serving type: bottle

10-05-2008 02:20:25 | More by ATLbeerDog

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

tiffanya

Washington

4.08/5  rDev +6.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Poured from bottle into Caracole snifter glass.

Faint spices on the nose.

Smooth mouthfeel.

Flavor - malty with cocoa butter and honey. Hints of chiles rushing in & out as the beer changes temperatures.

Interesting; complex.

Well-hidden alcohol.

Serving type: bottle

10-03-2008 21:05:05 | More by tiffanya

NeroFiddled

Pennsylvania

4.1/5  rDev +7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

From the DFH website:
"This beer is based on chemical analysis of pottery fragments found in Honduras which revealed the earliest known alcoholic chocolate drink used by early civilizations to toast special occasions. The discovery of this beverage pushed back the earliest use of cocoa for human consumption more than 500 years to 1200 BC. As per the analysis, Dogfish Head's Theobroma (translated into 'food of the gods') is brewed with Aztec cocoa powder and cocoa nibs (from our friends at Askinosie Chocolate), honey, chilies, and annatto (fragrant tree seeds). Theobroma is 10% abv and will be available in Champagne bottles for a September 2008 release.

... I had no idea that this beer existed until I saw the bottle on the shelf, and when I read the label listing "...cocoa nibs, cocoa powder, ancho chilies, & ground annatto" I was quite excited. I thought of dark milk chocolate with chilies - yum! But what I skipped right past was the "honey", and there's more honey to it than cocoa. Oh sure it's there (as are the chilies in a perfect quantity!), but I'd have liked to have more chocolate flavor. Surprisingly, perhaps - or perhaps not - the annatto comes through loud and clear. It's kind of nutmeg-like, and it lends a nice, kind of earthy or woody edge to the beer. But I'm getting way ahead of myself...

To re-start off, as usual, DFH has created a great label. I love the Mayan/Aztec look to it, and the cartoonish (and even sexy) girl rounds it out perfectly.

It's a slightly hazy deep-amber beneath a creamy head of off-white. The nose is enticing with a combination of clear pepper, cocoa, and honey. You'd have to know the annatto was in there to associate it. Or maybe not.

In the mouth it's medium-full in body and creamy with a fine-bubbled, seemingly natural, moderate carbonation.

The flavor is at first sharply fruity and honeyish. It quickly yields to maltiness, woodiness, and cocoa-notes accented by nutmeg (annatto). The malt is rich, toasty, and somewhat similar to Vienna malt... kind of like a 'beefed-up' Maerzen. The pepper kicks in just as it crosses the palate, and then lends a minor burn to the swallow and the lingering, surprisingly cocoa-ish finish. There are some grassy notes, but whether they come from hops or something else is a bit of a mystery. Overall, the combination of honey, fruitiness, cocoa, chilies, and spice is quite intriguing! They don't exactly come together in a perfect balance, yet that gives it some charm, and to a certain extent, even greater depth of character. It's unusual, and complex, even though all of the flavors are pretty boldly right out there.

Without question, and regardless of anything else, I'd have to say that this is one of the most unique beers on earth at this point in time!!! That's not too unusual for DFH, however, as I think they did that years ago with Immort Ale. And there have been quite a few more in between. That said, it's a bit of a 'must-try'. Beyond that, it's actually pretty drinkable. At 9 or 10% abv, it's small glass fare, meant to be savored not quaffed, and a bottle can be split between 2 - 4 people easily. Not to be missed!

Serving type: bottle

10-03-2008 01:12:35 | More by NeroFiddled

nrbw23

Ohio

3.9/5  rDev +1.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A- Pours a golden orange color with a thin white head. Not too much lacing spotty at best.

S- Touch of chocolate, spicey, and fruity.

T- Very different here nothing like I expected. Chocolate covered chilli peppers, followed up with some citrus and finishes nice and spicy.

M- Fairly light in body and nice carbonation.

D- Really easy to drink even thought the higher ABV and the chilli.

Serving type: bottle

09-30-2008 02:22:16 | More by nrbw23

Brad007

Vermont

4/5  rDev +4.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a light golden-copper color with a thin one-finger head and subdued carbonation.

Aroma is sweet and malty with a hint of the cocoa powder, honey and chiles. Subtle and inviting.

Taste is nice and spicy upfront with a mouthfeel full of cocoa and honey. Sweetness from the malt is there along with a very faint alcohol burn.

Mouthfeel is a bit dry and sweet with cocoa and honey flavors sticking at the back of the throat.

Seems very drinkable but I don't really see how it stands out. It's well done though. Definitely would shine with some aging.

Serving type: bottle

09-28-2008 02:44:50 | More by Brad007

jsled

Vermont

3.23/5  rDev -15.7%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

From the Winooski Beverage Warehouse in Winooski, VT. 1pt 9.4 fl oz bottle, purchased 2008-09-27.

Pours: mostly clear rich gold. Solid, active light-tan head, receding modestly.

Smell: sweet, peppery. floral. Unique.

Taste: sweet. balanced. not malty. Very faint chili notes. No discernible cocoa or chocolate. After-taste of chili, but fleeting. No traditional "honey" character, but the sweetness is undoubtedly that. Subsequent sips have a more pronounced chili/pepper earthyness.

Mouthfeel: light. lingering sweetness. little carbonation.

Drinkability: moderate. The flavors are not off-putting, but the combination is strange. It certainly doesn't taste like a 9% beer, which is dangerous, but there's something about it that makes me content to just leave the glass on the table a bit longer than usual.

Serving type: bottle

09-28-2008 00:14:36 | More by jsled

lbkornlb14

New York

3.7/5  rDev -3.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Unlike any other beer Ive ever had. There is really no cocoa nibs or cocoa powder taster, I Thought it would pour dark but ended up pouring light/ a tint of orange. I waited for this beer since I heard about it, I was impressed because it was so different. I could not pinpoint one flavor except maybe the honey on the finish and a little cinnamonesqe smell on the nose. Really great effort by DFH. try it if you see it, my review will make a little more sense

Serving type: bottle

09-28-2008 00:08:13 | More by lbkornlb14

cbl2

New York

4.05/5  rDev +5.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

9/27/2008 $14.99 750 mL 9.00% Bottled in 2008.

Appearance:

Pours a crystal clear orange brown topped by a huge 2 inch tight white head that is extremely slow to settle, leaving behind a beautiful lace when it does.

Aroma:

A touch of nutmeg and chocolate with a bit of a spicy burn from the ancho chile.

Taste/Mouthfeel:

Nice chewy, yet smooth mouthfeel. Flavors of honey and grapes, reminiscent of Midas Touch are then cut with a blast of subdued spicyness that builds in intensity. A subtle chocolate presence appears in the finish, with notes of hot cocoa. Alcohol is nicely masked. All in all a nicely balanced beer and a return to historical fashion in the vein of Midas (I didn't care for Jihua).

Serving type: bottle

09-27-2008 20:57:32 | More by cbl2

pwoods

Ohio

3.63/5  rDev -5.2%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

beachbum1975 shared this with me at his house, thanks a bunch!

750ml brown DFH wine style bottle. Poured into a snifter.

A: Pours an orangy light copper with a bit of murkiness. A good head pours and holds for a little bit. No lacing.

S: Some starchy, rooty veg. A touch of cayenne spice in the back but not heat in the nose. Some biteless anise.

T/M: More of the starchy and potato like veg. Definitely more of the pepper spice and thankfully lacking almost all heat. Not really picking up on much chocolate... maybe a touch of sweetness and very slight milkiness. Body is medium with subdued carbonation.

D: Very interesting and tasty enough. 9% is a bit limiting but it's nearly undetectable and drinks pretty easy. Glad I got to try it but I'll probably trade mine.

Serving type: bottle

09-26-2008 00:55:09 | More by pwoods

beachbum1975

Ohio

2.53/5  rDev -33.9%
look: 4 | smell: 2 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

Got a 750ml of this anticipated beer at Dutch's in Hyde Park. Jay, the owner said he just got this off the truck yesterday. Shared with pwoods at my place.

A: Pours a slightly cloudy, rust yellow with a nice creamy off-white head that disappears quickly.

S: After a good roll in my glass, I smell a murky, earthy, musty blend of undefinable scents. Smells also included cinnamon and a strange lingering spiciness, almost like pepper.

T/M: Surprisingly light-bodied with a fair variety of flavors including mild cinnamon, muted anise, earthy hops, mildly toasted malts. The finish was warm (almost spicy). As the beer warmed, the alcohol became more prevalent. This reminds me of the 2006 vintage of Three Floyd's Munsterfest - lots of earthiness.

Overall, this was unique beer and I am glad I had the opportunity to try. Would I buy it again? Probably not, no thanks - too light bodied and strange for me...

Serving type: bottle

09-26-2008 00:38:34 | More by beachbum1975