So, this beer is really cool.

Dogfish Head based Theobroma on the chemical analysis of pottery fragments from Honduras… You know, typical Dogfish Head type stuff. Apparently, this analysis showed evidence of the earliest known alcoholic chocolate drink, circa 500-1200 BC, drank by early civilizations on special occasions.

Theobroma translates to “food of the gods,” which I’d say is quite an appropriate name. Dogfish Head brews this one with Aztec cocoa powder and cocoa nibs, honey, ancho chiles, and ground annatto.

Annato?

The sweet and peppery annato comes from the reddish pulp surrounding the seeds of the achiote tree from the tropical regions of the Americas. The use of ground annato in the recipe for Theobroma further proves the utter insanity of Dogfish Head founder Sam Calagione (and I mean that in the best possible way).

And so, here is my review of Dogfish Head’s Theobroma!

Appearance: Orange with a slight reddish tint (perhaps from the ground annato?), white head that dissipates quickly.

Aroma: Lightly sweet, hints of cocoa and spice. Very subtle aroma.

Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied.

Flavor: Gentle maltiness, light sweetness. The cocoa flavor is subtle. You can definitely taste the flavor of the ancho peppers. Slight spiciness lingers on the tongue in the aftertaste. A little cocoa lingers as well.

Overall: Much more subtle than I expected. Very drinkable, very unique, and very surprising. Based on the description, I was expecting something dark, rich, opaque, and unctuous. I was shocked to see a light orange, effervescent beer coming out as we poured this bottle. Really creative, really tasty. Sam did it again!