The Dogfish Head Theobroma has been described as a liquid time capsule. The people who describe it as such have absolutely no idea or experience regarding the era they are referring to, but it seems like a good phrase to encapsulate the heady concept beer. Dogfish Head brewery tends to lean towards the adventurous side of things with their creations, and the Theobroma fits nicely into the category. The Theobroma, which is translated roughly as the "food of the gods," is based off the chemical analyses of pottery shards recently found in Honduras. The discovery of the shards informed eager scientists that the earliest human consumption of chocolate occurred in 1200 BC, (in liquid form of course) pushing back the previously accepted date about 500 years. Dogfish Head wanted to recreate a version of what the early chocolate beverage may have tasted like, and produced an interesting, but not outstanding beer.
The brew utilizes artisan Aztec cocoa nibs from Askinosie chocolate, chillies, honey, and annato, a fragrant tree seed found down south. Theobroma is lighter in color than expected, it pours a dark orange hue, very clear and without much head or creaminess. The biggest faults of the beer stemmed from my pre-conceived notions and missed expectations. I pictured either a strong, toasty, and slightly bitter dark chocolate flavor or a serious chili kick to dominate the palate, but the Theobroma dosen't deliver. The flavor is very dead pan, the elements are there but all seem to be represented at such a similar level that none shine through. The chillies become noticeable on the finish after a while, but the flavor is far too mild. The Theobroma is interesting and worth trying but won't have the chance for a repeat performance. It may make you ponder the Aztec ways but it won't make you want to hunt a jaguar, it's not that inspiring.
Grade: B-
ALC:9%
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