Spirit, Land, People: The Growth of Mezcal Craft Chocolate
It’s appropriate we call alcoholic drinks spirits. Fermented beverages carry with them the traditions of their homelands and the essence of their agricultural ingredients, and they’ve been used for millennia to both grieve and celebrate, to ease tensions, to bond relationships, to preserve the bounty of a harvest, to mark our hopes for the same next year.
Bean to Barstool has been covering the intersections of craft chocolate with artisan drinks for about six years now. We’ve looked at countless chocolate makers who have used alcoholic drinks to infuse flavor into their bars. By far the most common drinks used for this are beer and whiskey, with many substyles of each represented.
Over the last couple years however, I’ve noticed a somewhat unexpected spirit growing more and more common. Mezcal.
Mexican craft chocolate makers like Cuna de Piedra, Metiche, and others have led the way in this, and an increasing number of American craft makers have caught on. Mezcal bars are no longer a curiosity. They’re a way of carrying the flavors of this traditional Mexican spirit to new audiences, and a way of telling stories that might get missed otherwise.
Today, we’re going to talk all about the growing segment of mezcal-infused craft chocolate.
I reached out to Cuna de Piedra for this episode, and unfortunately, their production schedule did not allow time for an interview before this episode needed to be assembled. I want to apologize that I wasn’t able to get a Mexican craft maker lined up for this episode, as it’s difficult to tell the story of mezcal chocolate without them. I will continue working to get something scheduled, and hopefully we’ll be able to learn from these makers in future episodes.
Today, we’re talking all things Mezcal in craft chocolate!
Let's introduce our guests:
Lou Bank, host of the Agave Road Trip podcast, and the founder of S.A.C.R.E.D. Agave, an organization that works to improve lives in the rural Mexican communities where heritage agave spirits are made.
Kelly Campos, director of quality control at Chicago’s popular Dark Matter Coffee, and their craft chocolate spinoff, Sleep Walk Chocolate.
Eric Parkes, owner and chocolate maker at Somerville Chocolate. You can listen to a previous episode with Eric here to hear her talk about his collabs with Aeronaut Brewing.
Caroline Houghton, owner and chocolate maker at Carobeans.
Hans Westerink, owner at Violet Sky Chocolate. You can listen to a previous episode with Hans here to hear him talk about roasting cacao and coffee.
Shay Pal, craft chocolate and spirits enthusiast. You can listen to a previous episode with Shay here to hear her talk about pairing chocolate and spirits.
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.