Theobroma
Dogfish Head Craft Brewery

TheobromaTheobroma
Beer Geek Stats | Print Shelf Talker
From:
Dogfish Head Craft Brewery
 
Delaware, United States
Style:
Chile Beer
Ranked #8
ABV:
9%
Score:
87
Ranked #17,884
Avg:
3.85 | pDev: 14.81%
Reviews:
783
Ratings:
2,223
Status:
Active
Rated:
Feb 01, 2023
Added:
Mar 21, 2008
Wants:
  290
Gots:
  371
Theobroma is a celebration of chocolate, the food of the gods.

This Ancient Ale is based on chemical analysis of pottery fragments found in Honduras that 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 1,200 B.C. 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).

It's light in color, not what you expect from your typical chocolate beer (not that you'd be surpised that we'd do something unexpected with this beer!).

8 IBU
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by Cavery:
Photo of Cavery
Reviewed by Cavery from California

3/5  rDev -22.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
750ml shared with Klym, Poured into a Stone Nonic.

Reviewed 07-19-2011

A: (2.5) Golden orange body with a favoritism of lighter copper tones. No foam, no lacing. Very hard alcohol looking flatness to the beer. Not very appetizing at all.

S: (2.5) Spiced watery light alcohols. Malt sweetness is hidden behind dusty sun dried sweet chiles. Funky aged orange rinds with some signs of mold. Honestly this comes off like moldy dirty lager water. Alcoholic horse trough in some shady border town.

T: (2.0) Honey with all the smoothness removed. A raw honey character that is funnily carbonated with old teas. Yesteryears English breakfast with dusty dried chile sweetness. Strange coacoa nibs note that comes off like old pie crusts. Alcohol is percieved as dry and dissonant with the rest of the beer.

M: (3.0) It's carbonated and dry, which really makes for a dissonant experience with the taste. Old pie crusts collide in the coacoa nibs with unfiltered funky honeys: all due to the lack of patience of the mouth feel. The flavors are rushed due to a drying alcohol. The taste makes you think that if this beer had gone bad it should feel flat and wet. However, this is actually quite dry and not good tasting.

O: (2.5) Not a fan at all, I have another bottle that I'm not sure I'll revisit anytime soon. I'd be willing to give this another shot super fresh. I think the chiles added to an odd mix of sweetness, and no heat. Perhaps fresh the heat would mitigate some of the moldy flavors. Not sure what age will do to this, as it's only 9%. It's worth giving it a shot as this thing really isn't drinking well. This had no drinkability for me. Love the idea, but not the execution.

Revisit dated August 11th 2011

A: (3.0) Clear honey body that looks good enough to spread on toast, a modest head formation that went away fairly quickly. The beer looks fairly flat, but some more promising bubbles hug the side of the glass. At least the lack of bubbles gives you a good look at it's smelted gold body, nice color.

S: (3.5) Some funky old dried chiles that have been ground into a seasoning form, and mixed with extremely old dusty coco powder. There's an almost truffle salt like complexity to the nose that adds a dimension of earthiness to the nose. Salty potato chips and corn husks. Funky nose, but not bad.

T: (3.0) Some bitter stale potato chips with a strange mixing of pickled bamboo chutes. This is pretty funky. The alcohol breaks through to act as a vehicle for lingering honeys. The Chile heat has completely passed in this bottle, but I the flavor still comes off in a dried musky sort of way. Some strange dried indian corn in the middle-end, this is pretty weird. The way the flavors go together makes this drink like a mix of a lager, a saison, and malt liquor. Bizarre, but better than last time. Shoe polish linger in the end, yikes.

M: (3.5) The mouth really isn't bad this time around, as the honey lends a lot cover any gaps left by a lighter carbonation. The feeling of bubbles is somewhat of an achievement considering the 9% ABV and the perplexing flavors. I'd say the mouth is about where it needs to be to support the ingredients, but I think the ingredients have grown a bit too old in this brew. Nonetheless, honeys and soft bubbles do this brew a favor.

O: (3.0) I think this beer is a really great idea, but I'll have to just try it fresh sometime. I don't think this thing is worth trying in a bottle unless it's fresh off the line. To be quite honest, this thing has zero aging potential. The way that the chiles become a dusty background flavor is gross, and it accentuates dried corn/potato chip flavors to a point that it is dissonant with the coating honeys. I gave this thing 2 tries, and it's intriguing, but just not on the mark for me. I can safely say, this is a mediocre beer at best for me (at least out of a bottle).

Total scores averaged as my final review score.
Aug 12, 2011
More User Ratings:
Photo of Bouleboubier
Reviewed by Bouleboubier from New Jersey

4.14/5  rDev +7.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
Over the many times I'd tried this from the bottle or on tap, the best version is still that draft pour at the Brewings & Eats in 2008. That must have been one of the earliest batches. As compared to subsequent sips, I do recall in that first sampling that the chocolate was much more rich and prominent while the chile provided a lovely little accent to the finish, sort of enhancing the perception of caramelization in the darker malts. I should have bought another glass of it, but who knew this would be as good as it got. I did later enjoy a few bottles of it, however, the flavor in them did not come close to the intensity and expression of number one. I would be all over this if they ever decided to make a taproom-only one off again. (2080)
Feb 01, 2023
 
Rated: 3.5 by PhineasMcClintock from Massachusetts

Feb 14, 2021
 
Rated: 3.87 by BrewsOverHoes from Georgia

Aug 22, 2020
 
Rated: 3.84 by Gemini6 from Michigan

May 05, 2020
 
Rated: 3.84 by imnodoctorbut from Texas

Mar 19, 2020
 
Rated: 3.5 by PatrickCT from Connecticut

May 14, 2019
 
Rated: 3.18 by Duncian from Pennsylvania

Feb 20, 2019
Photo of Lone_Freighter
Reviewed by Lone_Freighter from Vermont

4.24/5  rDev +10.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Poured into a snifter due to the ABV.
The appearance was a mildly dark orange murky milky color almost light brown color with a small cap of a little white foamy head. This swiftly fell off to barely leave any lace.
The aroma had some milk chocolate, honey and chili peppers. With some warmth, the chocolate subsides and let's the honey and chili peppers take a firmer hold.
The flavor started off sweet with the honey and chocolate but leans into the chili peppers as I continued on. Mild aftertaste of honey, cocoa powder and chili pepper.
The mouthfeel was about medium bodied with a fair sipping quality about it. Chili pepper heat is noticeable but not burdensome. Good carbonation and ABV. Mild finish of chili pepper heat and honey, some dry cocoa powder substance.
Overall, I need to find more of this style as at least this one was very well done.
Feb 16, 2019
 
Rated: 4 by JohnDon from Texas

Oct 11, 2018
 
Rated: 4 by Beerbuddha from Florida

Jan 07, 2018
 
Rated: 4 by robrio89 from Connecticut

Oct 01, 2017
 
Rated: 4.43 by _nickg_ from New Jersey

Aug 08, 2017
Photo of briandschorr
Reviewed by briandschorr from North Carolina

4.37/5  rDev +13.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
Don't let the nose fool you. Sorry, this was my least favorite part. This beer is complex. A great head, good lacing and a wonderful taste. The honey overpowered the chocolate for me and I also noticed a mild heat in the aftertaste. As a fan of chocolate beers this is one of the best I have ever tried. If you are looking for a unique experience then this is well worth a try.
Aug 03, 2017
 
Rated: 3.58 by mltobin from Connecticut

Jun 29, 2017
Photo of Catfishhunter
Reviewed by Catfishhunter from Washington

4.6/5  rDev +19.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75
One of my favorite beers. Has been awhile since I have had it but the cocoa and pepper presence are apparent in this beer. As always with dogfish beers, the mouthful is good and substantial. Beer pours a dark golden brown color. Light head and good carbonation. Tough to explain this one and it may not be for everyone but it is a deliscious beer imo!
Jun 23, 2017
Photo of poisoneddwarf
Reviewed by poisoneddwarf from Idaho

4.29/5  rDev +11.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.25
2009 backlog. 14 oz sample from a 750ml bottle. Smells like a cinnamon roll. Thin head, moderate lacing. Tastes like holiday cookies, except it starts out sweet and ends spicy. I fucking loved this beer. Dogfish head never ceases to amaze me with their experimentation.
Jun 14, 2017
Photo of EMV
Reviewed by EMV from Pennsylvania

4.03/5  rDev +4.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
Poured from a bomber into a Dogfish Head tulip

L: Clear medium golden brown pour. 2 fingers of foamy white head. Good retention and lacing. Lots of chunky sediment at the end of the pour.

S: Sweet and fruity mixed with vegetables and chilis.

T/F: Semi-sweet and tart... honey and mild citrus/kiwi. Cocoa is present at the finish and there is some chili flavor with a very mild burn (more a tingle) in the aftertaste. Complex... floral and spicy... aromatic. Definitely warming... finish is sticky and leaves you wanting a bit more.

O: I've had this a few times and every time I walk away with a different experience/opinion of the beer. Complex as hell.... it's not really a Chile beer... although there is some VERY mild heat in the aftertaste... more an herbed fruit beer. One to experience, and it changes character nicely with age. I wouldn't want a steady diet of this but can definitely appreciate what it brings to the table and what DFH has accomplished here and I'm raising my overall rating accordingly.
Feb 06, 2017
 
Rated: 3.62 by Cpmitchno1 from Virginia

Dec 26, 2016
Photo of Rice_Nate_25
Rated by Rice_Nate_25 from Ohio

3.44/5  rDev -10.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Has a very strange aroma, but decent taste. Do not be discouraged by smell alone
Dec 19, 2016
Theobroma from Dogfish Head Craft Brewery
Beer rating: 87 out of 100 with 2223 ratings