Theobroma
Dogfish Head Craft Brewery in Milton, Delaware, United States 🇺🇸
Traditional Beer Rotating Out of Production|
Score
6.67
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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 surprised that we'd do something unexpected with this beer!).
This beer is part of our Ancient Ales series -- along with Midas Touch, Chateau Jiahu, Sah'tea and Ta Henket -- so step back in time and enjoy some Theobroma.
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 surprised that we'd do something unexpected with this beer!).
This beer is part of our Ancient Ales series -- along with Midas Touch, Chateau Jiahu, Sah'tea and Ta Henket -- so step back in time and enjoy some Theobroma.
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7/10
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Appearance 6
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 8
Overall 7
750 ml bottle. Honey gold color. Brief white head. Fragrant malt aroma has notes of cocoa and spicy hops. Flavor touches on cocoa and subtle chili heat. Sweet malt is accented by the honey. There is an ever present warmth from the chili peppers and alcohol. There are complex flavors at play. Citrus, nuts, earthiness and cocoa. Certainly, this is a unique beer. Noticeable alcohol is blurred by the chili heat.
Tried
from Bottle
on 12 Sep 2014
at 20:13
7.4/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 8
Overall 7.5
deep amber color. Very thin head. Malty nose with lots of cacao, chillis and hints of marmalade. Very low carbonation and this beer has integrated well over five years. Slightly sweet, oranges and chocolate dominate mouth but well rounded and slight hint of pepper. Warming cacao and chilli finish. Very nice and aged well. Nice
Tried
on 27 Aug 2014
at 12:01
6.8/10
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Appearance 7
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 7
Overall 6
Different but interesting and not bad. Pours cloudy golden without head or lacing. Some sweetness. Light cocoa. Light sour finish and some citrus here. Tap at Rehoboth Beach brewpub.
Tried
from Draft
on 27 Jul 2014
at 15:35
7.1/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 8
Overall 6.5
Reviewed from notes.
The bottle was big enough to pour about half into a pint glass and the rest into a snifter.
The appearance was a nice hazy light golden yellow with a one finger-ed white foamy head in both glasses. The lacing was the same in both glasses= trickles into the beer and was mostly light.
The smell had a roasted cocoa bean over top of some light chilis.
The taste was a good blend between the previously mentioned flavors.
On the palate, this one sat about a light to medium and actually showed a decent sessionable quality about it.
Overall, it kinda reminded me of Boulevard’s Chocolate Ale without the chilis.
The bottle was big enough to pour about half into a pint glass and the rest into a snifter.
The appearance was a nice hazy light golden yellow with a one finger-ed white foamy head in both glasses. The lacing was the same in both glasses= trickles into the beer and was mostly light.
The smell had a roasted cocoa bean over top of some light chilis.
The taste was a good blend between the previously mentioned flavors.
On the palate, this one sat about a light to medium and actually showed a decent sessionable quality about it.
Overall, it kinda reminded me of Boulevard’s Chocolate Ale without the chilis.
Tried
from Bottle
on 11 Jun 2014
at 14:52
6.5/10
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Appearance 6
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 6
Overall 6
750 ml bottle. Bottled in 2012, yep a tad old. Orange color with any head. Aroma is cocoa powder, chili peppers and honey. The flavor upfront with honey and chocolate with a grainy body. The pepper still is pretty strong in the finish causing the texture to end dry. Lighter body and light carbonation.The 9 % is hidden under the chocolate and chili but the flavor overall is rather weak. If the ancient Mayan’s really had this as their beer I feel sorry for them. Is this a novelty beer? Yes, it sure is.
Tried
from Bottle
on 02 Mar 2014
at 08:18
7.5/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 8
Texture 8
Overall 7
Shared at Ajen’s Farewell. I was expecting a dark beer but it poured a surprisingly clear light copper color with a nice white foamy head. Cocoa, mead/honey aroma. The taste is cocoa, honey and light chilly very subtle with no real heat. Very nice. Much less chocolatey than I expected but good.
Tried
on 23 Feb 2014
at 06:04
8/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 8
Flavor 8
Texture 8
Overall 8
750 ml bottle into signature tulip glass, bottled on 4/29/2013. Pours moderately hazy/cloudy golden amber color with a 1 finger dense off white head with good retention, that reduces to a small cap that lingers. Spotty soapy lacing clings on the glass, with a good amount of streaming carbonation retaining the head. Aromas of honey, toast, bread, cracker, orange, pear, apple, grape, nuttiness, herbal, floral, chile pepper, light cocoa, and herbal/yeast earthiness. Very nice aromas with good balance and complexity of malt, yeast, and spice flavors; with good strength. Taste of honey, bread, cracker, orange, pear, apple, grape, toast, nuttiness, herbal, floral, light cocoa/chile pepper, and herbal/yeast earthiness. Light chile pepper heat on the finish; with lingering notes of honey, bread, cracker, pear, apple, grape, orange, herbal, floral, light nuttiness, light cocoa/chile pepper, and herbal/yeast earthiness on the finish for a while. Very nice balance and complexity of malt, spice, and yeast ester flavors; with zero cloying sweetness after the finish. Medium carbonation and medium-full bodied; with a moderately slick/creamy mouthfeel that is good. Alcohol is very well hidden with only a small warming present after the finish. Overall this is a damn nice ancient ale style. All around nice balance of malt, spice, and yeast ester flavors; and very smooth to sip on for the ABV, A very enjoyable offering.
Tried
from Bottle
on 17 Jan 2014
at 22:25
5.9/10
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Appearance 6
Aroma 6
Flavor 6
Texture 6
Overall 5.5
POPE, Philadelphia tap ($8): Pours golden with a whitish head. Aroma is lightly honey, slightly boozy, and pale malt. Taste is underwhelming. I didn’t really get any strong cocoa flavors. Instead, I got a pretty simple, slightly sweet ale with boozy notes. Not bad, but not impressed.
Tried
from Draft
on 03 Jan 2014
at 09:14
6/10
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Appearance 4
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 4
Overall 6
750ml bottle pours a honey gold with zero head. Nose of honey, white chocolate, earthy, mead, floral. Flavor is sweet, honey, white chocolate, earthy. Sweet finish. Slightly boozy.
Tried
from Bottle
on 03 Nov 2013
at 07:53
7.3/10
—
Appearance 6
Aroma 7
Flavor 8
Texture 6
Overall 8
Draft sample at Freshcraft. Pours cloudy golden with an off white head. Aroma of light cocoa, citrus, grass, herbal, fruity. Flavour is moderate sweet and bitter, aspects coming out stronger than the aroma and with a chilli warmth in the finish. Medium bodied with light carbonation.
Tried
from Draft
on 11 Oct 2013
at 09:31