Episode 77: Brad Kintzer of TCHO Chocolate

Today we’re talking with Brad Kintzer, the chocolate maker for TCHO Chocolate in Berkeley, California. In our conversation, we discuss TCHO's corporate ownership and how they source their cacao. We also talk about the flavor labs TCHO has established in many cacao growing regions to work with growers on a mutually-informed flavor lexicon for chocolate, and to improve quality.

We spend about the last third of the interview talking about TCHO’s relationship to craft beer, both through the cacao nibs they provide to hundreds of brewers through their relationship with BSG (Brewers Supply Group), a major ingredient provider, and through direct collaborations with breweries like Fieldwork and Faction. These collabs have resulted in some really unique chocolate beers, and most recently, a beer chocolate bar called Hoppy Hour made with Cascade, Centennial, and Chinook hops.

Listen in as we talk with Brad Kintzer at TCHO.

You can learn more about TCHO and purchase their bars here, and you can purchase the Hoppy Hour bar specifically here.

Follow Bean to Barstool on social media!
Instagram
Facebook
Pinterest
TikTok

Sign up for host David Nilsen's newsletter to get regular updates!

The episode Episode 77: Brad Kintzer of TCHO Chocolate from the podcast Bean to Barstool has a duration of 52:12. It was first published 19 Mar 04:00. The cover art and the content belong to their respective owners.

Permalink

More episodes from Bean to Barstool

How to Host a Beer and Chocolate Pairing!

My new book Pairing Beer & Chocolate: A Guide to Bringing the Flavors of Craft Beer and Craft Chocolate Together is out now, and you can get it from Bean to Barstool or Amazon!

In honor of the release, we’re talking today about how to host a beer and chocolate pairing at home. How do you plan it, how do you guide the event itself, and how do you give your friends a memorable evening with beer and chocolate? I’ve got you covered. Listen to this episode for all the information you need, and reach out if you have any questions!

You can find recommendations for specific pairings to incorporate here.

Want to hire me to run a pairing for you remotely? Get in touch.

Check out David's new book Pairing Beer & Chocolate: A Guide to Bringing the Flavors of Craft Beer and Craft Chocolate Together.

Follow Bean to Barstool on social media!
Instagram
Facebook
Pinterest

Sign up for host David Nilsen's newsletter to get regular updates!

Bonus: Beer Tarot for World Tarot Day with Courtney Iseman

Saturday, May 25, is World Tarot Day, and this is the perfect time to learn more about what beer and Tarot have in common. Beer writer Courtney Iseman's zine Beer Tarot: Pulling Cards, Pouring Beer, and Discovering Self is a fantastic way to learn more about both, whether you're a beer fan who's curious about Tarot or vice versa. Listen to this quick interview Courtney to learn 3 things Tarot folks might be surprised to learn about craft beer, and 3 things beer lovers might be surprised to learn about the world of Tarot.

Listen to the episode for a discount code to get 30% off the Beer Tarot zine in the Bean to Barstool shop!

If you're in the New York City area, head to Beer Witch in Brooklyn on June 20 (Summer Solstice) for a Tarot event—have some great beer, get a Tarot reading, meet Courtney, and get a copy of her Beer Tarot zine!

The Wonder of One Cacao Tree with Raven Hanna

Raven Hanna lives on the big island of Hawai'i, and her backyard is a picture of what most of us see when we hear the phrase tropical paradise. She has a PhD in molecular biophysics and biochemistry, and she loves science, but she also loves her senses, and the opportunity to immerse herself in the natural world. Her book One Cacao Tree: Backyard Cocoa, Tiny Fermentations, and Chocolate Making in the Tropics is an accessible, tangible guide to every step of cacao's journey, from growing to fermenting, grinding to tempering.

In this episode, Raven and David discuss the book, what it's like to be surrounded by natural wonder, how cacao grows and tastes with other botanicals, using story to make flavors memorable, and so much more.

You can learn more about Raven here, and purchase her book here.

You can purchase David's new book Pairing Beer & Chocolate: A Guide to Bringing the Flavors of Craft Beer and Craft Chocolate Togetherhere.

Bonus: All About Beer Fermentation

Beer is fermented (usually) by one of two closely related species of yeast. In this quick bonus episode, we look at what how beer fermentation works, the differences between ale and lager, and how yeast and fermentation impact beer flavor. Enjoy this quick primer on beer fermentation!

Follow Bean to Barstool on social media!
Instagram
Facebook
Pinterest
TikTok

Sign up for host David Nilsen's newsletter to get regular updates!

Somerville Chocolate & Aeronaut Brewing

Today we're looking at a fascinating collaboration between a craft chocolate maker and a craft brewery. Eric Parkes at Somerville Chocolate is a tenant in Aeronaut's building, so he makes chocolate just a short distance from where brewmaster Mark Bowers and Director of Brewing Operations Filipe Garcia are brewing beer. This has allowed for an ongoing creative exchange between these worlds, yielding unique beers made with cacao and unique chocolate bars made with beer, brewing ingredients, and cacao and other ingredients that have been first used to make beer. The relationship has allowed for creative experimentation and mutual education. In this interview, Eric, Mark, Filipe, and I discuss the benefits of this arrangement and look in detail at the beers and chocolate bars that have come from it.

You can learn more about Aeronaut Brewing here.

You can learn more about Somerville Chocolate and order bars here.

Aeronaut beers discussed in this episode include Coco Sutra and a barrel-aged Baltic Porter with cacao.

Somerville bars discussed include Hops Dark Milk, Beer Fermented Dark, and two variations of a Beer Soaked bar made with the cacao from the above-mentioned Baltic Porter.

Follow Bean to Barstool on social media!
Instagram
Facebook
Pinterest
TikTok

Sign up for host David Nilsen's newsletter to get regular updates!

Every Podcast » Bean to Barstool » Episode 77: Brad Kintzer of TCHO Chocolate