In this episode cacao agronomist Sarah Bharath talks about cacao lavado (unfermented cacao), using story to explain complicated systems, and the nature of learning and unlearning.

In this episode we take a deep dive into cacao fermentation with Sarah Bharath. Sarah works with cacao farmers in Trinidad & Tobago on behalf of Meridian Cacao, assisting them in improving their farming and post-harvest processes. Sarah is both a passionate advocate for cacao farmers and an inquisitive researcher whose curiosity drives her enthusiasm for always learning more about this fascinating crop. Today we talk all about the cacao fermentation process, how the variables of that process impact the flavors of chocolate, and how climate change is forcing farmers and scientists to constantly adapt to new realities.

Sarah Bharath works with cacao farmers in Trinidad & Tobago on behalf of Meridian Cacao, assisting them in improving their farming and post-harvest processes in hopes of increasing the amount of fine flavor cacao Meridian is then able to purchase and pass along to craft chocolate makers. In this episode, we talk with Sarah as well as Chris Heier, head brewer at Half Hitch Brewing in Cochrane, Alberta, Canada. Chris is one fourth Tobagonian, and has brewed a beer and made his own chocolate with Meridian’s Trinidadian cacao from Jagassar Estate.