Brewers discuss how to brew the best chocolate beer using Cholaca

I refuse to believe anyone who says they don’t like beer because they are likely only drawing from the narrowest of definitions of “beer.” Scan the list of the nearly 200 categories of the Great American Beer Festival awards, and I would bet most anything that there is something there for everyone. Chocolate beer, for example. Who among us can’t admit to enjoying the taste of a chocolate beer? Especially in the last few years, thanks to an innovative new chocolate brewing ingredient called Cholaca.

What is Cholaca?

Cholaca was founded in 2012, by Ira Leibtag, to bring healthy, organic and regeneratively farmed pure cacao to the world, while curating sustainable economic partnerships with farmers throughout Peru and Ecuador. Currently used as an ingredient at more than 85 breweries, Cholaca is pure, 100 percent cacao made from one of the planet’s most nutrient-rich superfoods. This delicious ingredient, available as a liquid, is also a natural stimulant and mood enhancer, can be enjoyed on its own and is also easily used in recipes. Cholaca is available at local retail stores or commercially via a wholesale program. Cholaca is offered in a few varieties and is made from only three ingredients, with no preservatives, emulsifiers or additives. It is also vegan, gluten free, dairy free and paleo friendly.

At this year’s GABF, a panel of brewmasters — Oskar Blues’ Tim Matthews, Left Hand Brewing’s Steven Brockwell, Copper Kettle Brewing’s Jeremy Gobien and Sleeping Giant’s Christopher O’Connor — shared their insights into brewing with Cholaca in order to impart that perfect chocolatey goodness into their brew. Take a listen in the video above.