What really makes a great chocolate bar?

Most people think it’s about the recipe, the origin, or even the bean itself. But according to Saran Jagroo, a cocoa farmer with decades of experience, the real magic lies in one hidden step: fermentation.

In this short conversation, he walks us through:

Why you should never mix harvests when fermenting

How to recognize a perfectly fermented bean by touch, smell, and texture

What makes or breaks the delicate enzymes responsible for flavor

Why sunlight exposure in drying can completely shift acidity

And how soil and season create a fingerprint that no machine can replicate

No machinery. No formulas. Just craftsmanship built over decades.

In just 9 minutes, you’ll never look at chocolate the same way again.

What really makes a great chocolate bar?

Most people think it’s about the recipe, the origin, or even the bean itself.

But according to Saran Jagroo, a cocoa farmer with decades of experience, the real magic lies in one hidden step: fermentation.

In this short conversation, he walks us through:

Why you should never mix harvests when fermenting
How to recognize a perfectly fermented bean by touch, smell, and texture
What makes or breaks the delicate enzymes responsible for flavor
Why sunlight exposure in drying can completely shift acidity
And how soil and season create a fingerprint that no machine can replicate

And much more...

In just 9 minutes, you’ll never look at chocolate the same way again.

Listen to the whole conversation with Saran here

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The Part Listeners Couldn't Skip #76: The Most Crucial Step Behind Truly Great Chocolate - from the conversation with Saran Jagroo, 3rd Generation Cocoa Farmer

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