Obscura Cacao - Telegraph Brewing Company

oline73

Maryland

3.35/5  rDev +16.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Poured from the bottle into a snifter.

The beer pours a dark brown color, I thought it would be darker. The smell reminds me of Belgian spice and bananas. It's light and sweet, but there isn't much chocolate. The flavor has a note of banana, but is very mild overall. There is just a hint of sweet malt and a mild chocolate flavor.

Serving type: bottle

02-15-2013 23:09:54 | More by oline73

moonknight31

California

2.5/5  rDev -12.9%

05-19-2013 17:02:56 | More by moonknight31

MoistPope

California

3.25/5  rDev +13.2%

04-28-2013 05:33:41 | More by MoistPope

kojevergas

California

2.1/5  rDev -26.8%
look: 3 | smell: 2.25 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 2

750ml brown glass bottle with hood and wire cap (also known as a cage) over a cork acquired at a local SoCal beer store for $13.00 and served into a Mitchells of Lancaster flared stem-tulip in me gaff in low altitude Los Feliz, Los Angeles, California. Reviewed live. Expectations are high; I really think this brewery is underappreciated. A collaboration with twenty-four blackbirds chocolate. "Ale brewed with cocoa beans and with cocoa beans added." Batch number 123.

Served cold, straight from the fridge, and allowed to warm over the course of consumption. Side-poured with standard vigor as no carbonation issues are anticipated.

No issues with liquid surging out of the bottle upon opening. Just a satisfying plop.

A: Pours a half finger beige-light khaki colour head of nice cream and thickness, and above average (>2 minute) retention. Body colour is a clear translucent orange with amber hues. No yeast particles are visible. Vibrance is average. No bubble show. It's not what I expected, and it's not all that great - but there are no overt flaws. Not unique or special, but generally appealing. No lacing as the head recedes.

Sm: Burnt brown bread, banana, toast, artificial tropical fruit (with accompanying syrupy sweetness), smoke, and nuts. I don't get any cocoa/cacao at all. Cereal grains. Very vegetal. Boiled cabbage comes to mind. A mild to moderate strength aroma, and to be honest a rather off-putting one. Where's the cacao I expected? No yeast character or alcohol is detectable. I'm starting to get real doubtful about this one.

T: Mango, murky tropical fruit, malty sweetness. Syrup, even traces of slight oxidation. Banana. I don't get any cacao/cocoa whatsoever, nor even any chocolate malt notes - nothing. Floral hops. Yeah, this is just badly executed. Bland and vaguely redolent of cardboard. Boring. Balance is awful; build is poor. Really not liking this at all. This shouldn't have made it to market. All that's really here is a thin fruity character that won't satisfy anyone.

Mf: Thin, lightly watery. Lacks body. Poor presence on the palate. Smooth and wet. Unrefreshing. Carbonation is also a bit troublesome. Poorly executed. Doesn't suit the flavour profile at all.

Dr: A misstep from Telegraph. This shouldn't have seen release; this definitely wasn't what they were going for. Unforgivable at this price point too. This one's to be avoided. I'm a little bitter I paid $13 for it. Probably the worst beer I've had from Telegraph to date. Really disappointed in them. Difficult to drink due to its low quality. I'll finish the bottle, but I won't enjoy it.

D

Serving type: bottle

04-12-2013 03:15:43 | More by kojevergas

GRG1313

California

2.5/5  rDev -12.9%

04-05-2013 07:02:47 | More by GRG1313

2beerdogs

California

3.25/5  rDev +13.2%

03-22-2013 20:42:19 | More by 2beerdogs

tbeq00

California

3.5/5  rDev +22%

02-07-2013 03:11:27 | More by tbeq00

brendaniel

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev +39.4%

12-22-2012 01:11:57 | More by brendaniel

nanobrew

California

1.25/5  rDev -56.4%

10-09-2012 17:42:41 | More by nanobrew

sholland119

Pennsylvania

3.25/5  rDev +13.2%

05-30-2012 20:19:33 | More by sholland119

drewone

California

2.5/5  rDev -12.9%

05-08-2012 03:11:48 | More by drewone

JohnK17

Pennsylvania

3.5/5  rDev +22%

05-04-2012 22:35:09 | More by JohnK17

UCLABrewN84

California

2.28/5  rDev -20.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 4 | overall: 2

Bottle pour sampled at mrbubbler's tasting.

Pours a slightly murky orange with a white-orange head that settles to a thin cap on top of the beer. Small dots of lace form around the glass on the drink down. Smell is of cooked vegetables and cocoa powder. Unfortunately, the taste is exactly the same. This beer has a good level of carbonation with a crisp mouthfeel. Overall, this is a pretty bad beer with some off aromas and flavors.

Serving type: bottle

04-09-2012 03:24:48 | More by UCLABrewN84

UnknownKoger

California

2/5  rDev -30.3%

03-28-2012 18:11:38 | More by UnknownKoger

justintcoons

Pennsylvania

3.78/5  rDev +31.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Batch #99.
Poured into a snifter.

A: Pours amber with a reddish hue. Has 3 fingers of white head that leaves behind some spotty lacing. Cloudy with aggressive carbonation.

N: Banana bread, musty old book, cocoa nibs, caramel and candy sugar.

T: Banana bread, banana peel, cereal grains and caramel upfront. Mid-palate reveals suggestions of stone fruit such as plum & nectarine along with the mustiness of an old book, honey and wet cardboard. Finishes with the cocoa nibs coming through adding some slight bitterness along with almost tangy apricot/banana peel flavors, some very earthy funk and some dirty espresso notes.

M: Light-medium bodied, smooth, clean, bitter and dry.

O: A lot of honey and banana throughout. The cocoa nibs add to a strange finish. The mustiness comes off rather pleasant to me. Reminds me of a DFH Ancient Ale particularly Theobroma (with banana peels added.) Strange, quite refreshing and worth a try. I will definitely try some more of Telegraph's weird detours.

Serving type: bottle

03-12-2012 00:39:01 | More by justintcoons