Episode 03: French Broad Chocolates + Burial Beer

Beautiful things happen when talented, creative craft brewers and bean to bar chocolate makers come together.

In this episode we’ll talk to Jael Rattigan of French Broad Chocolates and Jess Reiser of Burial Beer—two innovators in the separate worlds of craft beer and bean to bar chocolate—who are working together to create whole new flavor experiences, and introducing their fans to new possibilities.

The commonalities in the way flavors are developed and layered to create beer and chocolate lead to natural partnerships between these two worlds, with breweries and chocolate makers working together to create beers brewed with cacao or chocolate infused with beer or its ingredients. The common ground for these collaborations goes beyond ingredients though to include the cultures and ethics behind both craft industries. Craft beer and bean to bar chocolate seem made for each other, and more and more, we’re seeing them made together.

Beers discussed in this episode include I Was Particles Among the Sky and My Existence Became Nevermore & Seventh Passing, both by Burial Beer. Chocolates discussed include two beer-infused bon bon bars from French Broad Chocolates.

The music for this episode was sampled from instrumental versions of the songs “200 Miles” and “Free”, written and performed by indie folk musician Anna ps from her 2016 album Umbrella. Anna p.s. conveys a sense of weariness throughout her simple yet resonant songs, but it’s a weariness that keeps a blanket of hope tucked up under its chin, even as the rain keeps falling outside the windows. You can find out more about Anna at her website.

Guests:

Jess Reiser is the co-founder of Burial Beer, a brewery in the South Slope neighborhood of Asheville, North Carolina. After co-founding the brewery in 2013 with her husband, Doug, and their friend Timothy Gormley. In 2018, the group established a second taproom location in a century-old forestry camp building in another area of Asheville. 

Jael Rattigan is the co-founder of French Broad Chocolates in Asheville, North Carolina. Prior to founding French Broad in 2012, Jael and her husband, Dan, lived in Costa Rica, where they operated a small bakery and confectionary called Bread & Chocolate. French Broad operates both a production facility and a chocolate boutique and cafe.