I am not a regular coffee drinker because it makes me bounce off the walls and keeps me up at night, but I love drinking coffee occasionally. Coffee wasn’t something I sought out, but when I learned more about the coffee industry on our Indonesia trip a few years ago, I was inspired to discover more about craft coffee and the great coffee shops in Austin. I even went to a coffee tasting!

Grab your cup of joe before we start reading! Here’s a little more about craft coffee and why we should drink it.

How Did I Discover Craft Coffee?

My interest in craft coffee started as many of my food interests came about, through a random experience. The first recognition was surprisingly in Indonesia. On our food tour, we stopped at Seniman Coffee, one of the leading specialty coffee producers in Indonesia.

They were one of the first coffee shops in Ubud and support the shift in those involved in the coffee industry, from growers to baristas, who are fine-tuning the craft to produce better quality and better flavors. From the coffee wheel decorating their walls to the siphon coffee maker on their counters, it was obvious that they take coffee seriously as true coffee enthusiasts and scientists.

A few weeks after I got home to Austin, my friend Janna invited me to visit Intelligentsia Coffee, a new coffee shop originally from Chicago that had opened up in Downtown Austin. There we talked to their manager Angela and that coffee spark grew. This was the U.S. version of my experience in Indonesia.

If you drink coffee, your palette is probably more in tune with the quality of beans or a roast. You can taste the difference between gas station coffee and coffee from a shop like Seniman Coffee and Intelligentsia Coffee. Keep reading to learn why.

What is Craft Coffee?

When you talk to craft coffee enthusiasts, they’ll tell you that we’re currently in the third wave of coffee.

The first wave began when coffee became widely consumed. People could buy coffee in grocery stores and in restaurants.

The second wave began when coffee became widely accessible through shops popping up everywhere, starting with Peet’s Coffee & Tea and taken over by Starbucks.

In the last decade, we’ve moved to the third wave, where coffee is more than a caffeinated drink to get you through the day. This is why boutique coffee shops have popped up.

This shift to third-wave coffee is part of a wider farm-to-table shift across the food industry. For coffee, it’s farm to cup. People want to know more about what they’re consuming. They want to know if it’s ethical and sustainable. They’re considering the impact their food and drink consumption has on the earth and on the people who create the product.

Craft coffee shops can answer these questions:

• Who grew and harvested the beans? Did they come from a single farm/origin or a single region?
• Are their farming practices sustainable? Were the farmers paid and treated fairly for their products?
• Are the beans fair trade (a way to help small farmers and an ethical and monetary guideline) or direct trade (bought from the farmer)?
• Who roasted the beans?
• Does the shop have good customer service? Does the coffee shop experience make the visitor feel good?

Following these guidelines isn’t perfect but it’s a start to ensure fairness and quality across the industry.

The coffee shops that can tell the full story from the farmer to the barista have the ability to draw in the visitor. That’s what makes a product craft. They take into consideration the quality of the product (the beans) and the people who grow and process the product (farmers, roasters). From there, they combine other quality ingredients with their coffee (i.e. quality flavoring or brands of oat milk), perfect the process, and deliver a beverage that makes the customer feel good.

How to Taste Coffee – Coffee Cupping

Did you know you can take coffee classes in Austin? Greater Goods Roasting Co. hosts a coffee cupping in their lab on the east side. We went in November 2019 and enjoyed learning more about coffee and how to taste it.

Our teachers taught us the technique of slurping with spoons to taste the variations in body, sweetness, and acidity. We also learned about the bean origins. 

If you’re a coffee fan and/or are a foodie who loves learning about food, a coffee cupping is a fun experience! Visit Greater Goods Roasting Co, Texas Coffee Traders, or Third Coast Coffee for educational events.

Where to Find Craft Coffee in Austin

There are plenty of specialty coffee shops in Austin with transparent practices! Here are a handful of them.

• Civil Goat
• Cuvee Coffee
• Greater Goods Roasting Co.  
• Houndstooth Coffee
• Intelligentsia Coffee
• Merit Coffee
• Thunderbird Coffee

Many of these coffee shops use Wild Gift Coffee, an Austin coffee bean roaster that sources directly. Other Austin roasters include Third Coast Coffee, Casa Brasil, Texas Coffee Traders, and Ruta Maya Coffee. You can purchase beans online or at local grocery stores.

Drinking Coffee in Austin

For me, learning about the coffee industry makes me appreciate the beverage even more. While I probably won’t become a regular coffee drinker, I’ll look for opportunities to have the best experience possible. Isn’t that the goal of a foodie? Happy drinking!

Do you have a specific coffee brand or coffee drink you love?

P.S. Curious about other foodie topics?

• Learn about craft chocolate
• Read more posts about eating and drinking locally
• Find Austin restaurant recommendations

The post Why Drinking Craft Coffee is Important + Fun Coffee Tasting in Austin appeared first on Fearless Captivations.

Vodka and Sprite. That used to be my alcoholic drink of choice. In my usual ‘late bloomer’ fashion, I started drinking later than most of my college friends, and beer was never my first choice. Beer, the watery amber liquid that smelled and tasted unpleasant, had one job, and that was to fill red solo cups for beer pong or flip cup.

Fast forward to post-college and my discovery of craft breweries in Austin. I’ll admit, I was first attracted by the craft and the passion of the brewers, not the taste of beer, though it was different and much better than the first beers I had tasted in my life. I eventually found appreciation for the flavor of beer after visits and tastings at brewery after brewery. My go-to, favorite beers have shifted from light lagers to hoppy and smooth IPAs.

The past couple of years have propelled my love of craft beer to new heights. It was my first time attending the Texas Craft Brewers Festival, but I know it won’t be the last! The weather was great, though slightly warm, and the beer was tasty and plentiful.

Produced annually by the Texas Craft Brewers Guild since 2003, the Texas Craft Brewers Festival featured 65ish Texas breweries sharing at least two beers each. We see new Austin breweries popping up constantly, but the fest was a strong reminder that new craft beer is being brewed all over Texas. The area most notable to me was the suburbs of Houston. Dallas and Austin also had strong showings. I was glad to see Big Bend Brewing Co and Lone Pint Brewery, two of the more hard-to-get-to breweries we’ve visited, there also.

For about $30, each ticket provided eight three-ounce pours, 24 ounces total per TABC rules. You could buy eight more three-ounce pours for $5.

Some brewers had special tappings that were released at different times throughout the festival.

Next year, I won’t forget my snack necklace! As the maker and wearer of this necklace explained, bringing in outside food and drink is prohibited, but edible jewelry isn’t!

Even though I didn’t wear a snack necklace, I satisfied my munchies at the fest. The food vendors included Salt & Time Butcher Shop and Salumeria, Noble Sandwich Co., Oasis Texas Brewing Company, M’lady’s Bakery, Napa Flats Wood-Fired Kitchen Austin, YAPA Artisan Empanadas, Johnny Joe’s BBQ & Catering, and Leo’s Gorditas.

I aimed for breweries I hadn’t visited with beers I thought I would like. Many of those beers were in the Houston area. Here are a few of the beers I tried:

• Braman Brewing (Richmond) – Double Action (Double IPA)
• Brigadoon Brewery (Plantersville) – Green Ogre (Imperial IPA)
• Jester King Brewery (Austin) – Cherry Funk Metal (Sour Barrel-Aged Stout Refermented with Cherries)
• Lorelei Brewing (Corpus Christi) – Ephyra (Double IPA)
• Orf Brewing (Austin) – Oocheenama (Asian white ale)
• Southern Star Brewing (Conroe) – Mango Theory (Fruit IPA)
• TUPPS Brewery (McKinney) – For Ella (Double IPA)

The breweries represented areas all over Texas. The booths were arranged alphabetically, making them easier to find. The signs also listed the beers the brewery brought.

The fest was a great place to learn about new breweries. Southern Heights Brewing Co, a soon-to-open brewery in Austin, had a prime parking spot for their cute VW van outside the fest entrance.

The fest was also well-managed. Though the line to get in was long, it went through quickly. There were rarely lines at each brewery booth unless it was for a special tapping. There was plenty of space to walk and mingle and lots of areas with shade. Of course, there was live music in the center of the park. Water stations with cups were positioned around the festival.

It was a fun day to celebrate the Texas craft beer community and enjoy the fruits of their labor. I hope everyone had as much fun as I did!

P.S. Want to plan an Austin craft brewery crawl? Check out this post!

The post Celebrating Craft Beer at Texas Craft Brewers Festival appeared first on Fearless Captivations.

The bean-to-bar chocolate movement is booming! We now have over 200 chocolate makers in the U.S. compared to only five companies 15 years ago. Chocolate has a long history in the world (thanks, Mesoamericans, Mayans, and Aztecs) and production was propelled forward when chocolate factories opened in the 1890s. I like to think we are working on going back to the roots, creating unique craft chocolate that honors the land, the farmer, the flavors, and the craft.

I’ve been learning all about craft chocolate – from reading a book and articles, attending a chocolate event, and tasting chocolate – and in true foodie nerd form, I’m fascinated by everything I’ve learned and experienced. There are chocolate makers and chocolate lovers out to change the world through chocolate, and I wanted to share some of my favorite and eye-opening facts and figures. So, are you ready? Let’s talk chocolate! 

What is bean-to-bar chocolate?

Bean-to-bar chocolate is carefully made in from start to finish. A chocolate maker will source, roast, grind, and smoothe the high-quality whole cocoa beans to make a chocolate bar. Chocolate makers are a part of the whole process – from where the beans are grown to what the chocolate wrappers look like. They’ve likely visited the cocoa farms themselves and know the farmers or at least source beans from specific farmers. Quality and flavor of the chocolate, as well as farming ethics, are what make bean-to-bar chocolate different from industrial chocolate.

Cacao Beans

But why craft chocolate?

As with other craft products, the thought is more care and better ingredients go into making a craft product. Beer and coffee are two other industries that come to mind. It’s mass production (industrial) vs. smaller batch production, like Budweiser and Folgers vs. your local craft brewery and coffee roaster. In the chocolate industry, craft companies are competing for consumer loyalties against corporations like Nestle, Mars, and Hershey’s. Craft companies are impacting more than their bottom line from the very beginning of their process. They know who their cocoa farmers are and aim to pay them fairly and a living wage. They don’t exploit farmers and they focus on quality and ethics.

The facts make it undeniable. About 70% of the world’s industrial chocolate comes from Africa, mostly from two countries, Ghana and Ivory Coast. Nestle made $100 billion in sales in 2015 while Ghana and Ivory Coast have a GDP of around $73 billion. Something doesn’t add up here. Adding the knowledge of Africa’s human rights issues and widespread poverty, buying cheap chocolate doesn’t seem worth it.

Enjoying craft chocolate means enjoying some of the best quality chocolate while supporting the hard-working cacao farmers that are providing for their families. You’re also supporting the chocolate maker that believes in the farmers and the art of making incredible-tasting chocolate. 

So, there’s a cool book about craft chocolate?

Yes! Megan Giller, a chocolate aficionado and blogger of Chocolate Noise, has been studying bean-to-bar chocolate for years and her colorful and insightful book about everything she has learned is available. I couldn’t put ‘Bean-to-Bar Chocolate: America’s Craft Chocolate Revolution‘ down and have learned so much about where chocolate comes from, how to taste chocolate, what drinks and foods to pair with chocolate, the history of many bean-to-bar companies in the U.S., and more! The book is packed with information and is sure to get you excited about chocolate.

Fun illustrations in the book

Snippets from the Book

Here are a few facts and things to know about chocolate from the book. The book is the perfect place to start learning about craft chocolate.

• ‘Chocolate maker’ refers to the people taking cacao beans and making them into chocolate bars. ‘Chocolatier’ refers the people taking chocolate and making them into confections like bon bons and truffles.
• Cacao refers to the pod and beans while cocoa is what it is called after it is fermented and dried. Chocolate is the finished product, like a bar, we eat.
• Single-origin chocolate means the beans used to make the bar is from one country. These bars usually say the country on the wrapper. Countries are known for specific flavors (fruity or nutty are a few), so that’s a way to find the chocolate you like.
• Going further, single-estate chocolate means the beans come from one specific farm.
• Cacao only grows 20 degrees north and south of the equator.
• In the U.S., cacao is only grown in Hawaii.
• White chocolate IS chocolate. It contains at least 20% cocoa butter, something present in every pod.
• Direct trade means chocolate makers buy directly from the farmer.

Great profiles on chocolate makers in the book

Craft Chocolate Recipes!

Yes, the book also includes decadent recipes from chefs and chocolate makers. This means you can take your craft chocolate and make things like chocolate mousse, truffles, cakes, and more!

What are some craft chocolate companies?

There are over 200 craft chocolate companies in the U.S. and here are a few of them. Many more companies are featured in the book! Also here’s a list of 50 chocolate makers in the U.S.!

• Askinosie Chocolate (Springfield, MO)
• Dick Taylor Craft Chocolate (Eureka, CA)
• French Broad Chocolates (Asheville, NC)
• Raaka (Brooklyn, NY)
• Ritual Chocolate (Park City, UT)
• SRSLY (Austin, TX)

Where Can I Buy Craft Chocolate?

In Austin, Texas, you can find craft chocolate at:

• Antonelli’s Cheese Shop
• Central Market
• Wheatsville Co-Op
• Whole Foods

Outside of Austin:

• Check out Whole Foods or Central Market in your city
• Check any artisan food shops
• Buy it straight from the chocolate company on their website
• Buy bars from different companies through ChocoCurb, Cocoa Runners, and The Chocolate Garage

Bean-to-Bar Chocolate Events

Megan is in town promoting her book with a few fun events. I got to attend her chocolate tasting event at Chocolaterie Tessa to taste some bean-to-bar chocolates and talk chocolate. They even had some cacao pods and beans for us to see. (Chocolaterie Tessa is an awesome chocolate shop in Austin. I love their single-origin bon bons!) Check out all the events here.

Roasted pod on the right, raw pod on the left

Some things I learned from the tasting (some of these things are included in the book too):

• It’s best for your palate to taste chocolate from darkest (higher percentage) to lightest because milk/cream stays in your mouth longer.
• Taste chocolate at room temperature for the full flavor.
• Raw cacao beans taste nothing like chocolate. Roasting the beans is where chocolate gets its flavors!
• The first craft chocolate was sold in 2005.
• The flavors of craft chocolate bars are not exactly the same because the beans vary from crop to crop. That’s what makes it fun!
• Craft chocolate is getting better and better because the machinery is getting better.
• The average cacao farmer is 50 years old and 25% of their children are planning to enter the industry. The cacao industry is not profitable because they are not paid as well for the crop. This makes it more important to support farmers to sustain and grow the industry. (More reason for my ‘why craft chocolate’ section above.)
• Recommended article to read: The Economics of Chocolate

Conclusion

Whew, that was A LOT of information! I could probably nerd out with you more but I’ll let you read the book to get the full scoop. Craft chocolate is an exciting part of the foodie world and I hope you get to experience it for yourself!

GIVEAWAY: If you want to WIN a copy of the book, check out my Instagram contest here or leave a comment below. I’ll pick a winner from all entries in a week!

Quick Links

• Megan Giller’s blog/website
• Buy the book on Amazon

Do you like chocolate? Any specific brands? What craft products do you like?

Disclosure: I was given an advanced copy of the book. I was not required to publish anything about the book and all opinions are my own. I read the book and if you can’t tell, I loved it and am happy to share all about it!

P.S. Want to learn the importance of honey? Check out this post!

Keep up with me elsewhere! You can find me on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Bloglovin’. You can also subscribe to the exclusive email list.

The post Bean-to-Bar Chocolate: How Craft Chocolate is Changing the World appeared first on Fearless Captivations.

My first brewery tour was at Live Oak Brewing Company and that experience had a lot to do with the development of the passion. It was a small group, about 20 people, and the brewmaster took the time to explain in detail why they brew, how they brew, and why beer tastes the way it does. Seeing the very equipment producing the beer I saw in bars around town and hearing straight from the passionate brewmaster himself made the beer and experience much more personal. The craft brewing industry is growing and it’s growing rapidly in Austin. It’s cool to think these brewery owners started with a passion for beer and found a way to share that passion with the community.

Craft breweries also have an impact on the Texas economy. A study was recently released by the Texas Craft Brewers Guild and it found that while 0.7 percent of the beer consumed in Texas comes from craft brewers, Texas craft brewers have created 51.2 percent of the state’s brewery jobs. The study also predicts the Texas craft beer industry will grow to $5.6 billion annually in eight years. Pretty cool.

Hops & Grain

While several of the breweries around town have adopted the fun, come hang out and enjoy our beer kind of “tour,” I personally enjoy getting to hear from the owners and brewmasters about their breweries’ story, obstacles, and future plans. And then followed by some time to sit around and enjoy the beer. My favorite breweries in Austin are Live Oak Brewing Company and Hops and Grain. If you want to learn about the brewing process in-depth, Circle Brewing has a great self-guided tour with an info sheet and numbered areas around their building. You can even see, touch and smell the different hops.

If you want to check out Austin’s local breweries, take a look at my Pinterest board. The list of local breweries keeps growing! Also check out this cool map of breweries in the U.S. There are so many! I just might have to add “take a brewery tour” to my must-do list when I travel to other cities.

[So far I’ve visited Live Oak Brewing Co, Thirsty Planet, Independence Brewing Co., Circle Brewing, South Austin Brewing Co., Hops & Grain and Austin Beerworks in Austin and NOLA Brewing in New Orleans.]

Have you been on any brewery tours in Austin or in your city? Which is your favorite?

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