Whisky and Whimsy with David Herrick of Foundry Chocolate
Foundry Chocolate in New Zealand release only a single inclusion bar each year, but this annual release has become one of the hottest tickets in craft chocolate. Each fall (for the Northern Hemisphere—spring for NZ), they release a bar infused with a different whisky from artisan New Zealand distillery Thomson Whisky. Each year's release is a unique flavor concept, and co-founder David Herrick and his team spend time throughout the year perfecting each annual batch.
In this nerdy, deep-dive conversation, David Herrick and host David Nilsen discuss the planning stages for each bar, walk through each annual release since 2021, and talk about the details of Foundry's process for infusing whisky into these bars. The Davids also talk about Foundry's origin story, the meaning behind their name, the thoughtful of their packaging, and what keeps them excited and curious.
You can learn more about Foundry on their website, or follow them on Instagram.
You can listen to episodes with New Zealander Luke Owen Smith here and here.
Episode timeline (approximate):
1:00 - Introduction
3:40 - Start of Interview: Foundry’s backstory
13:35 - The meaning of the name “Foundry”
17:30 - Whisky and the Thompson Distillery
21:50 - Whisky bar releases 2021-2025
42:45 - Whisky infusion process
53:40 - Release events and enthusiasm
54:55 - 2026 R&D
57:50- What he’s currently excited about
1:06:55 - Packaging and the story Foundry is telling
1:13:55 - End of interview
1:20:40 - End of episode
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.
Guest:
David Herrick, along with his wife, Janelle, are co-founders of Foundry Chocolate, a New Zealand-based bean-to-bar craft chocolate maker whose globally award-winning single origin, two ingredient bars make the flavor possible from single origins their absolute focus. Foundry only add a third ingredient to their chocolate once a year, and rather than more conventional approaches to flavored bars, they use liquid whisky to make an annual special release series of Thomson Whisky-infused bars, that have now gained such a following that they sell out in days and are sought the world over.
