Bean to bar workshop

Bean to bar workshops teach the complete craft chocolate making process, from bean selection to the final bar.

About this subject

The bean to bar movement represents an artisanal approach to chocolate making, where the producer controls every step from purchasing cacao beans to the finished bar. This concept emerged in the 1990s in the United States, driven by chocolatiers like John Scharffenberger, who sought to restore complex flavors lost in industrialization. Unlike commercial chocolate, which often uses standardized mass and additives, bean to bar values the unique characteristics of each cacao origin, akin to specialty coffee and wine.

The typical process involves roasting beans in small batches, followed by cracking and winnowing. The nibs are ground for hours in stone mills, releasing cocoa butter and forming a fluid paste. This mass undergoes conching, a step that refines texture and reduces acidity, and finally is tempered and molded. A bean to bar workshop allows participants to experience each stage, understanding how factors like roast time and conching influence the final flavor.

In the United States and Europe, the movement has flourished, with makers like Dick Taylor and Dandelion Chocolate emphasizing traceability. In Brazil, artisanal chocolate production is also rising, with producers like Luisa Abram highlighting Amazonian varieties. The specialty chocolate market in Brazil is growing about 20% annually, according to the Brazilian Artisanal Chocolate Association. The trend also promotes fair trade, as many makers buy directly from small farmer cooperatives, ensuring better prices and biodiversity preservation.

Interestingly, the term bean to bar is a registered trademark in the U.S., but it is widely used to describe the movement. Workshop participants learn that cacao fermentation is crucial for developing fruity and floral notes, and each growing region imparts distinct flavors, such as red berries from Chuao (Venezuela) or almond from Madagascar.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does bean to bar mean?

Bean to bar means 'from bean to bar'. It refers to a manufacturing process where the maker controls every step from selecting cacao beans to the final chocolate bar, ensuring quality and traceability.

What is the difference between bean to bar chocolate and industrial chocolate?

Industrial chocolate uses standardized cacao mass and additives to lower costs. Bean to bar chocolate values cacao terroir, uses only cacao and sugar (sometimes extra cocoa butter), and is produced in small batches, preserving complex flavors.

What is the production process in a bean to bar workshop?

Participants learn to roast the beans, crack them, remove the husk, grind the nibs in a stone mill, conch the mass to refine texture, and temper it to crystallize cocoa butter. Finally, they mold their own bars.