Dogfish Head
Milton, DE
Available: ME, VT, RI, MA, NY, NJ, PA, DE, VA, NC, GA, FL, OH, MI, IN, IL, WI, KY, TN, CO, AZ, WA, OR
Theobroma or “Food of the Gods,” is based on archaeological evidence of an alcoholic chocolate drink brewed in Meso-America. It is brewed with honey, ancho chilies, ground annatto Soconusco cocoa nibs and Askinosie chocolate.
ABV: 10
ABW: 8
Color: n/a
Bitterness: n/a
Original gravity: n/a
Unique aroma of Tootsie Roll, honey and dried chili pepper, with background cocoa powder, heather, black cherry and grape skin. Chewy toffee, maple syrup and honey coat the palate, along with chocolate-covered cherries and marzipan. Subtle chili pepper emerges on the finish, warming my tongue, throat and soul. I never had a beer warm my throat before. An expedition in a bottle. Sign me up for the next one.
Given its advertised cocoa content, I had expected this coppery gold ale to be darker of hue, although the cocoa certainly shows in the spicy aroma, albeit subtly. More apparent in the body are the ancho chilies, which contribute a soft and faintly smoky bite to the beer’s otherwise round and nectar-like maltiness, with chocolate notes emerging only as the beer warms. Normally I like a British-style pale ale with chicken or pork mole, but I do believe this would work nicely, too.
John Hansell is an equal-opportunity drinker. He writes about beer, wine and spirits. He is the creator, publisher & editor of Malt Advocate, a magazine for the whisky enthusiast.
Stephen Beaumont boarded his first plane at the age of 15 and hasn’t looked back since, obsessing about travel to the point that he gets nervous if he doesn’t have a ticket or two stacked on the corner of his desk. When he’s not running around in search of new taste experiences, he makes his home in Toronto, where a new cultural experience is only as far away as the next neighborhood.
Sat Aug 28th, 2010
Birth of a Brewery
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