Page 5 - SBrewing(Dec2020)

Page 5 www.beveragestandardsassociation.co.uk

DECEMBER. 2020 | VOL. 12

When ripe pods are harvested from the Step 5: Blending, Grinding and Mixing
tree, opened with a machete and the In this process different varieties of cocoa

cocoa beans (seeds) and white pulp beans are custom blended according to the
(mucilage) are removed to begin the next manufacturer requirements. The nibs are
process. ground into liquid cocoa mass called

chocolate liquor, which is a combination of
Step 2: Fermentation cocoa butter and cocoa solids. Sugar,
Fermentation is a crucial step in milk/milk powder (only for white and milk
transforming the cacao bean to “chocolate.” chocolate), extra cocoa butter fat, lecithin

(an emulsifier preventing fat separation) and
It reduces the “sharpness” of the bean. The vanilla can be added to the cocoa beans.
acid and the alcohol kill the cacao seed to
stop it growing again, a variety of new Step 6: Refining

compounds and flavours start to develop.
The chocolate mass is sheared into a smaller
particle size (about 20 microns). It is
The concentration of polyphenols important to maintain this size. If the

(responsible for the sharpness) is lowered,
the process takes around 4 to 7 days to particles are too large it will result in a
complete. course mouth-feel. Too small, and the
chocolate particles may result in stickiness

Step 3: Drying and Shipping on the palate.
The beans need to be dried to 8% moisture,
often by exposing them to sun and air to
stop the fermentation.

This process causes the beans oxidize and
turn brown (this is the stage you usually see
in pictures as “cocoa beans”). The beans are

put in jute sacks ready to be shipped to the
manufacturer. If we made chocolate with
them now we could expect some off

flavours. So, they need to age a little.

Step 4: Winnowing & Roasting
After Winnowing (cleaning) we roast the

beans at 110 to 220C for 40 to 50 minutes
to develop the chocolate flavours of the nibs
(this is the beans minus the shells). Note:

You can actually eat the nibs, and it has
become quite fashionable to do so. The nibs
are excellent in savoury cooking as well.