Malt is the foundational ingredient of beer, but it’s an afterthought for most craft beer fans. A new group of small, artisan malt houses are returning character to brewing malt, and that malt is popping up in unexpected places—including bean to bar chocolate bars.

Many brewers who use cacao in a beer have no idea where that cacao is coming from, or any of its more nuanced flavor notes. More and more brewers are recognizing the flavor diversity of good chocolate and the benefits of working with a bean to bar chocolate company to source ethical, quality cacao.

Beers and chocolates featuring smoke or spice flavors require graceful dance partners that can both set them free and keep them on beat. Find some great examples in this episode.

Many brewers and chocolate makers infuse their creations with ingredients and flavors from their own cultural backgrounds, allowing them to share their memories and cultures with consumers.

Smoke is one of the most evocative aromas in the world. It 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.

Beer and chocolate make graceful dance partners if we just give them the right music and room to move.

A brewery and a chocolate maker in Asheville, North Carolina, are creating beautiful new flavors together.

Beer & chocolate both have their own languages and modes of expression, and each can learn from the other.

Our flavor vocabularies for beer & chocolate are affected by so many things we rarely think about.