Episode 05: Smoke

Smoke is one of the most evocative smells in the world, awakening a primal human recognition within us. It can be alarming or reassuring, acrid or appetizing, but it’s always impossible to ignore.

Smoke can be found in abundance in the world of craft beer, and it’s making its way into more and more bean to bar chocolate as well. There is a colorful world of these aromas and flavors out there, and brewers and chocolate makers are using that palette to paint beautiful culinary pictures in smoke.

In this episode we talk with Caleb Michalke of Sugar Creek Malt in Indiana, an artisan malthouse providing a range of unusual smoked malts for craft brewers. We also talk with Natalie Suwanprakorn of Xoconat in Bangkok, Thailand, and Eric Parks of Somerville Chocolate in Somerville, Massachusetts, who are both introducing smoke flavors to their bean to bar chocolates.

Beers mentioned in this episode include I Am Because We Are by Keeping Together in Chicago, Illinois; Såinnhus by Fonta Flora Brewery in Morganton, North Carolina; Stjørdalsøl by Lock 27 Brewing in Dayton, Ohio; as well as Norwegian farmhouse brewing traditions and the rauchbier tradition of Bamberg, Germany. While not mentioned in the episode, other smoke beer traditions are maintained elsewhere in Germany (Lichtenhainer) and in Poland (Grätzer or Piwo Grodziskie).

Chocolates mentioned in this episode include Up In Smoke by Xoconat (as well as others from this Bangkok maker) and Smoked Chocolate by Somerville Chocolate, as well as Big Smoke by Rococo Chocolates and 45% Milk Nibs & Oak Smoked Salt by Fjåk Sjokolade. 

Also mentioned in this episode were the blogs Larsblog by Lars Marius Garshol, Brewing Nordic by Mika Laitinen, and She Simmers by Leela Punyaratabandhu.

The music for this episode was sampled from an instrumental version of the song “200 Miles” 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:

Caleb Michalke is the founder of Sugar Creek Malts near Lebanon, Indiana. His malthouse produces a range of base and specialty malts, and is best known for their variety of historical and experimental smoked malts. Caleb’s family has farmed in western Indiana for generations, and he and his wife are raising two children on their family farm. They hope to open a small pilot brewery and tasting room at the farm in the coming years.

Natalie Suwanprakorn is the founder of Xoconat, a bean to bar chocolate maker in Bangkok, Thailand. She spent many years in the United States and owned Armadillo Chocolate in Gainesville, Florida, before returning to Thailand to be near family. She also teaches a chocolate-making class with Mackenzie Rivers, founder of Map Chocolates. 

Eric Parkes is the founder of Somerville Chocolate in Somerville, Massachusetts. He makes his chocolates inside Aeronaut Brewing’s facility, and is in regular creative collaboration with the brewers there.