One of my favorite memories of my trip to Quito, Ecuador, in 2024 was a night spent at Bandido Brewing’s cozy taproom, just a short walk from the historic district. Founder Nathan Keffer played host and invited some off the city’s other brewers as we opened bottles and talked into the night.
Nathan and I have stayed friends since then, and he recently reached out to tell me about a new beer Bandido has developed using multiple different forms of cacao, not just the nibs or husks. We sat down recently to talk all about his new cacao beer. Along the way, we discussed the story behind Bandido, the craft beer scene in Ecuador, and how the use of local ingredients can tie a beer to where it was brewed.
You can follow Bandido Brewing on Instagram here.
You can learn more about Somos here.
You can read the entirety of the article from which the prologue of this episode was taken here.
You can read the blog post mentioned about Kitu Chocolate here.
Check out David's book Pairing Beer & Chocolate: A Guide to Bringing the Flavors of Craft Beer and Craft Chocolate Together.
Sign up for host David Nilsen's beer newsletter for regular beer musings, and the Bean to Barstool newsletter for pairings, collaborations, and maker profiles.
The music for this episode is by my dear friend, indie folk musician Anna ps. You can find out more about Anna’s music in the show notes or at their website annapsmusic.com, where you can also get in touch to book them to play at your brewery or other establishment.