What does the word "local" have to do with being "craft"? Does it matter where beer and chocolate are made, and where their ingredients come from?

If you’re a chocolate fan curious about beer, here are a few things craft chocolate fans are often surprised to learn about craft beer, from a professional beer writer.

Beer people don’t talk about beer the same way chocolate people talk about chocolate. What can both learn from each other when it comes to helping consumers make decisions and know what to expect when they’re making a purchase?

Beer and chocolate can both be made with a wide range of added flavor ingredients, including coffee, spices, and fruits. Craft beer and craft chocolate use different words to refer to these additions, but they have many of them in common. Here’s what’s what with adjuncts and inclusions.

Beer and chocolate have an agriculture problem. The problem, of course, isn’t the agriculture of these products itself—the agricultural traditions and innovations that make beer and chocolate possible are robust and thriving. The problem is the invisibility of that agriculture, and the impact that invisibility has on the public understanding of both products.

Learning about bean to bar chocolate origins or craft beer styles can be confusing, and rigid definitions and guidelines can be helpful. They can also limit our understanding of nuance and variation. How can we use them without being bound by them?

What do hops and cacao have in common when it comes to terroir?

Craft beer and craft chocolate have a lot in common. Here are 10 things craft beer fans are often surprised to learn about bean to bar chocolate.