Selecting the Correct Beans

There is an almost limitless number of variations that can be made with microbatch chocolate depending most on the type of bean (or blend of beans) one uses, but also depending on the way it is processed. An understanding of this can only be achieved by experimenting with roasting and processing techniques, but there are a few guidelines to follow to ensure a decent finished product.

There are three basic types of beans: Criollo (considered the best-quality beans), Trinitario (considered medium-quality beans), and Forastero (also considered medium-quality beans). Decide on a location-specific cocoa bean (single origin), and the type (Criollo, Trinitario, or Forastero). There are Criollo beans that make fine chocolate and there are Criollo beans that produce terrible chocolate, in the same way that some Forastero beans can produce exceptional chocolate even though their reputation is that they are only good for flavorless, onedimensional chocolate. It depends on the quality of the fruit tree and how the beans were handled on the journey from the tree to their final destination. Mold is one of the most common defects found in fermented cocoa beans.