Fu Wan Chocolate - Beer Yeast #3 "American Ale Style Rough Ground Chocolate" 70% dark (bar) - Aug. 27, 2025

Chocolate of the Day

Fu Wan Chocolate
Beer Yeast #3 "American Ale Style Rough Ground Chocolate" 70% dark (bar)
Good ++ 
Weight: 1.236 oz. (35 g.) in total bar
Calories: 222 calories in 1 bar
Cost: $18.99 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Caputo's, online order

Welcome to Day #4 of Chocolate, Beer and Hops Week, featuring chocolates that contain some beer/beer ingredients (hops, malt, yeast other fermented flavors), and chocolates related to beer pairings.

Today's Beer Yeast #3 "American Ale Style Rough Ground Chocolate" 70% dark (bar) was made by Fu Wan Chocolate (Ping-Tung County, Taiwan). 

Aroma notes for this bean-to-bar chocolate included: dark chocolate; fizzy/fermented fruit (orange, peach, pineapple, apple, and much more) and fruity beer. 

These remarkable notes are possible if a maker is located near cacao trees, where chocolate can be made "in-country." And today's bar is one of those cases. Once harvested, cacao seeds surrounded by sweet fermenting pulp start to develop flavor almost immediately.*

The rough, stoneground texture and mouth feel--with tiny bits of cacao nibs (with surfaces presumably undergoing layered states of fermentation)--enabled a tasty, more multi-faceted flavor spectrum.

Flavors included the fruity spectrum mentioned in aroma notes (above), only with more depth and flavor fun. There was a fleeting hop-like bitterness, but it was very balanced and overshadowed by the lighter/brighter fruit notes.

This was a well-executed ride through the land of authentic cacao + fruity, fermented beer-like flavors--flavors that continued into a long and satisfying fruity finish. 

Thank you to Fu Wan Chocolate for this chocolate. It was very tasty and educational, especially with recent news about researchers "finally cracking" how flavor development is built with cacao/chocolate using specific microbes that can be applied to cacao fermentation facilities in the field immediately following harvesting cacao pods. (Fermenters and makers were already aware of this, but good to know the rest of the world is catching up; watch for more flavorable and fruity chocolates ahead.)

Maker's Tasting Notes: Orange, Grape, Pineapple, Pear.

Ingredients: Ping-Tung Cacao Liquor, Sugar, Cacao Butter, Yeast

Allergen-related information: "May contain traces of nuts and milk." 

*Most makers in the U.S. and Europe may have close ties to cacao farmers and co-ops in more equatorial climates, but nothing beats being in the same location, when it comes to sampling and influencing fermentation flavor development choices. (Think wineries in California and northern Mediterranean Europe; or beer-making regions in northern Europe and the Pacific Northwestern U.S.--where ingredients are grown and fermented in the same region.) The same is true in Asia, Africa and elsewhere.

The Chocolate Therapist - Rx Extreme Therapy 72% Natural Dark Chocolate & Organic Cacao Nibs (bar) - Aug. 26, 2025

Chocolate of the Day

The Chocolate Therapist
Rx Extreme Therapy 72% Natural Dark Chocolate & Organic Cacao Nibs (bar)
Good ++
Weight: 2 oz. (57 g.) in total bar
Calories: 340 calories in 1 bar
Cost: (part of a 3-bar package for $12 + shipping)
Purchased from: The Chocolate Therapist, online order 

Welcome to Day #3 of Chocolate, Beer & Hops Week--featuring chocolates with beer, beer yeast, hops as well as chocolates (like today's bar*) that are related to beer and chocolate pairings.

Many chocolate makers will include suggested chocolate + beers/ales and spirits pairings on their packaging. Others go a bit further... 

Today's Rx Extreme Therapy 72% Natural Dark Chocolate & Organic Cacao Nibs (bar) was from Julie Nygard of The Chocolate Therapist (Littleton, CO). Julie has created chocolate collections for beer pairings and made presentations on this subject. For more, see her video: How to Pair Chocolate and Beer. 

Aroma and flavor notes included: Bittersweet dark chocolate, smooth, roasted cocoa; faint and diffuse dark red fruit (dark cherry); very faint malt; and vanilla. The cacao nibs added their own slightly nutty, nibby roasted, mellow and balanced cacao with very faint and balanced savory (olive).

Texture: Smooth, almost velvety, dark chocolate punctuated with crunchy cacao nibs (pieces of cacao bean). 

The cacao nibs felt light and crunchy and freshly roasted. They had complex and mellow flavor; and had a texture that was not too hard. They weren't bitter/funky (no off notes). The nibs on their own, and as part of the overall chocolate + nib blend, were both "just right"--in the Goldilocks zone.

I sampled this bittersweet dark bar with Sierra Nevada Hop Splash, and the two harmonized surprisingly well.

Ingredients: "Bittersweet Dark Chocolate (Unsweetened Chocolate, Sugar, Sunflower Lecithin, Vanilla), Cocoa Nibs."

Allergen-related information: "Produced on Equipment That Also Processes Milk Products, Tree Nuts, Peanuts and Soy and May Contain Traces of These Products."

Markham & Fitz Chocolate Makers - Southern Pecan - 52% Dark Milk Chocolate with Caramelized Pecans & Black Salt (bar) - Aug. 25, 2025

Chocolate of the Day

Markham & Fitz Chocolate Makers
Southern Pecan - 52% Dark Milk Chocolate with Caramelized Pecans & Black Salt (bar)
Good ++
Weight: 2 oz. (57 g.) in total bar
Calories: 260 calories in 1 bar
Cost: $11.99 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Caputo's, online order 

Welcome to Day #2 of Chocolate, Beer & Hops Series--featuring chocolates with beer, beer yeast, hops as well as chocolates (like today's bar*) that pair with beer(s).

Today's Southern Pecan - 52% Dark Milk Chocolate with Caramelized Pecans & Black Salt (Batch #468) (bar) was from Markham & Fitz Chocolate Makers (Bentonville, Arkansas). It was made using cacao from Nicaragua.

Aroma notes included: sweet milk chocolate, sweet cream caramel and nut.

Texture: Soft, creamy whole milk chocolate with small, softly crunchy pecan pieces.

Flavor notes included: Sweet milk chocolate, with caramel (with faint brown sugar and maple) overtones, accented with salt. (I liked the salt.)

This flavorful milk chocolate was quite sweet, but it was a great mid-afternoon blood sugar booster; and the milk, nutty (pecan) caramel notes and black salt balanced the sugar. 

I enjoyed the blend of creamy, nutty (and very faintly fruity) caramel flavor notes in this satisfying milk chocolate. While I did not have a "biscuity beer"* to pair with this bar, I could imagine that it working nicely.

Maker's tasting notes: "Brightly aromatic cacao blends with cream and a salted subtle crunch of our Louisiana lady's heritage, the pecan."

*"Pairs well with a biscuity beer, your next Netflix binge, or storytelling with family around the campfire." 

Ingredients: "Cacao, Organic Cane Sugar, Organic Cocoa Butter, Whole Milk Powder, Caramelized Pecans (Pecans, Brown Sugar, Butter), Black Salt."

Allergen-related information: "Contains dairy & nuts."

Intrigue Chocolate - Peru Ucayali Valley 78% Cacao (bar) - Aug. 24, 2025

Chocolate of the Day

Intrigue Chocolate
Peru Ucayali Valley 78% Cacao (bar) 
Good ++ - Good +++
Weight: 1 oz. (28 g.) in total bar
Calories: 155 calories (estimate) in 1 bar
Cost: $6.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Intrigue Chocolate, online order

Welcome to Day #11 of Chocolate and Peru Theme Week; Day #1 of Chocolate, Beer & Hops Series.

Today's Peru Ucayali Valley 78% Cacao (bar) (Batch #000000090324) was from Intrigue Chocolate (Chisholm, MN).

Aroma notes for this bar included: cocoa, brown sugar, fruit (sweet fig and green apple) and faint malt.

Texture: relatively smooth stone-ground with a slightly astringent finish. 

Flavor notes included: rich dark chocolate, and fruity stout/beer/malt. While the flavors were rich, they were, at 78% cacao, not eclipsed by the higher cacao content.

I enjoyed the contradictions. The flavors were hearty, almost bold, but it was a well-rounded and balanced boldness. The fruit flavors (apple and plum with brown sugar compote) were rich and nuanced, almost fermented. Balanced, satisfying, stout-like flavors without an excess of acidity or bitterness, with just a little floral (green' apple + floral).

This would be an interesting chocolate to include in a flight of Peruvian chocolates and/or paired with beers/stouts. 

Maker's tasting notes: "This chocolate has flavors of tart green apple, fresh apple blossoms, and stout beer served on nitrous. It has low bitterness and astringency, but full-bodied chocolatiness."

Ingredients: Roasted cacao nibs, raw cane sugar, cocoa butter

Allergen-related information: (None listed on label.)

Willie's Cacao - Chulucanas Gold Peruvia Dark Chocolate Single 70% Cacao (bar) - Aug. 23, 2025

Chocolate of the Day

Willie's Cacao
Chulucanas Gold Peruvian Dark Chocolate Single 70% Cacao (bar)
Good ++
Weight: 1.76 oz. (50 g.) in total bar
Calories: 280 calories in 1 bar
Cost: $9.99 for 1 bar
Purchased from: WoldWide Chocolate, online order

Welcome to Day #10 of Chocolate & Peru Theme Week. 

Today's Chulucanas Gold Peruvian Dark Chocolate Single 70% Cacao (bar) was from Willie's Cacao Ltd (Uffculme, UK). 

Willie's Cacao specializes in bean-to-bar chocolates that "capture the stunningly individual flavours of the world's great, single estate cacaos."

This 70% chocolate was made from native Criollo cacao beans from the "mountains of the Morropon province in Peru."

Aroma notes included: dark chocolate, faint, fleeting black licorice; molasses/brown sugar (raw cane sugar), fruit (green/white grape, raisin, green fig); very faint fig and oat/malt cookie.

Flavor notes for this smooth chocolate included: smooth dark chocolate with pleasing, slight fig/raisin cookie with tiny, delicious upticks in white wine/green grape juice (high-end, sweet dessert wine), and at least one little fleeting floral note.

This dark chocolate was pretty friendly/approachable with well-balanced, low-moderate fruit acidity and bitterness and low earth notes.

I really liked the subtle bouquet of grape and sweet green/brown sugar--and even floral--notes; the short list of (three) ingredients; and the thoughtful sourcing and execution involved in this single origin Peru bar.

Maker's tasting notes: "Notes of Raisins and Plums"

Ingredients: Dark Chocolate: Cocoa mass, raw cane sugar, cocoa butter

Allergen-related information: (None listed that I could see on label adhered on top of packaging.)

Xocolatl - 85% Dark Chocolate Peru (bar) - Aug. 22, 2025

Chocolate of the Day

Xocolatl
85% Dark Chocolate Peru (bar)
Good ++
Weight: 1.3 oz. (37.5 g.) / 2.6 oz. (75 g.) in total bar
Calories: 200 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $11.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Xocolatl, online order

Welcome to Day #9 of Chocolate and Peru Theme Week.

Today's 85% Dark Chocolate Peru (bar) was made from bean-to-bar by Xocolatl LLC (Atlanta, GA). 

This ultra-dark 85% cacao bar follows the 70% Dark Chocolate Peru (bar). Both these Xocolatl bars were made using Pangoa Peru cacao that was "directly sourced from the Cooperativa Agraria Cafetalera, a cooperative of coffee & cacao farmers in Pangoa, Peru." (San Martin de Pangoa is located in the Central Amazon region of Peru.)

Aroma notes for this bar included: dark, dense chocolate with faint, dried fruit; very faint fleeting (not unpleasant) umami (only after first unwrapped); and black licorice.

Flavor notes included: deep, very dark (yet still balanced) chocolate; robust cocoa/well-done brownies with embers of tart fruit (cherry + lemon marmalade). Very faint warm spice. Medium-to-long finish.

The brighter flavors in yesterday's 70% version of this dark chocolate reminded me of "a Trinitario-like cacao variety--with relatively bold cocoa, fruit and citrus notes; and less like some Forastero cacao varieties that are more dark and dense (less 3-dimensional, with less complex fruit)."

Today's 85% bar still had the fruity heart of a bold Trinitario cacao, even though it was bolder and denser.

I appreciated the balanced fullness of this ultra-dark chocolate infused with rich, stewed fruit (citrus/lemon marmalade with prune, stone fruit, cherry) flavors--all conjured from just three organic ingredients. 

I really enjoyed comparing yesterdays' sweet 70% sibling (made with cacao from the same Peru co-operative) with today's 85% more somber, less bright, less sunny and less sweet version. Pairing the two was enlightening, and would make a very educational side-by-side pair for a chocolate tasting/class.

Maker's Tasting Notes: "Profile: Bright, clean citrus with lively acidity & low sweetness"

Ingredients: Cacao*, Cane Sugar*, Cocoa Butter* (* organic)

Allergen-related information: Made on equipment that processes peanuts, soy, wheat & tree nuts (almond, coconut, hazelnut, pecan). Vegan.

 

Xocolatl - 70% Dark Chocolate Peru (bar) - Aug. 21, 2025

Chocolate of the Day

Xocolatl
70% Dark Chocolate Peru (bar)
Good ++
Weight: 1.3 oz. (37.5 g.) / 2.6 oz. (75 g.) in total bar
Calories: 200 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $11.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Xocolatl, online order

Welcome to Day #8 of Chocolate and Peru Theme Week.

Today's 70% Dark Chocolate Peru (bar) was made from bean-to-bar by Xocolatl LLC (Atlanta, GA). Xocolatl, the company's packaging reminds us, "was the original Aztec word for chocolate."

The cacao used to make this bar was "directly sourced from the Cooperativa Agraria Cafetalera, a cooperative of coffee & cacao farmers in Pangoa, Peru." (San Martin de Pangoa is located in the Central Amazon region of Peru.)

Aroma and flavor notes for this bar included: confidently complex (smooth but assertive) dark chocolate with tart fruit (cherry, lemon preserves) and medium acidity. Very faint butter, warm spice. Medium-to-long finish.

Speculation: If I had to guess the cacao variety...This dark chocolate reminded me of a Trinitario-like cacao variety--with relatively bold cocoa, fruit and citrus notes; and less like some Forastero cacao varieties that are more dark and dense (less 3-dimensional, with less complex fruit).

I enjoyed this well-executed and thoughtfully sourced dark chocolate. The balanced fullness of the tart and jammy cacao flavors (all made possible from just three organic ingredients) was especially satisfying.

Maker's Tasting Notes: "Profile: Fruit preserves, baking spices, complex with a long finish."

Ingredients: Cacao*, Cane Sugar*, Cocoa Butter* (* organic)

Allergen-related information: Made on equipment that processes peanuts, soy, wheat & tree nuts (almond, coconut, hazelnut, pecan). Vegan.