> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://thechocolatelife.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Cacao Fermentation 101 | #PodSaveChocolate Ep68 - URL: https://thechocolatelife.com/cacao-fermentation-101-podsavechocolate-ep68/ - Published: 2024-09-01T23:51:42.000Z - Updated: 2024-09-05T18:00:19.000Z - Description: Episode 68 of #PodSaveChocolate is a follow-up to the previous episode Reimagining Fermentation. This episode features a deep dive into the fundamentals of conventional cocoa fermentation. Updated on Sep 4 to include the link to the Knapp book on Gutenberg.org. - Author: Clay Gordon - Tags: PodSaveChocolate, Live Stream 👍 The **original* photo featured (I added the sepia toning and cropped to 16:9) is by an unknown photographer. It was originally published by Arthur W. Knapp, 1920 and reproduced from van Hall's **Cocoa*, by permission of Messrs. Macmillan & Co. Public domain from [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Cacao%5Ffermenting%5Fboxes%5Fin%5FJava.%5FFrom%5Fthe%5Flast%5Fbox%5Fthe%5Fbeans%5Fare%5Fshovelled%5Finto%5Fthe%5Fwashing%5Fbasin.%5FReproduced%5Ffrom%5Fvan%5FHall%27s%5FCocoa,%5Fby%5Fpermission%5Fof%5FMessrs.%5FMacmillan%5F%26%5FCo.%5FIn%5FCocoa%5Fand%5FChocolate,%5Fby%5FArthur%5FW.%5FKnapp,.jpg?ref=thechocolatelife.com). **When and Where to Watch** 🗓️ The LIVE episode starts at 10:00 AM ****PDT**/****MST** (11:00 MDT, 12:00 CDT, 13:00 EDT), on Tuesday, September 3rd, 2024. ‼️ ****Join the conversation LIVE!** Links to watch/comment LIVE – or to view the archived episode – on all three platforms: [Cacao Fermentation 101 | #PodSaveChocolate Ep68Episode 68 of #PodSaveChocolate is a follow-up to the previous episode Reimagining Fermentation. This episode features a deep dive into the fundamentals of c…![](https://www.youtube.com/s/desktop/4151fd0f/img/favicon_144x144.png)YouTube![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/udvHE0j-wo0/maxresdefault_live.jpg)](https://youtube.com/live/udvHE0j-wo0?ref=thechocolatelife.com) Click to watch on YouTube in a new tab or window. Please subscribe (free!) to the [@PodSaveChocolate YouTube channel](https://www.youtube.com/@podsavechocolate/featured?ref=thechocolatelife.com), like this video, comment, and share to help grow the #PSC community. [Clay Gordon on LinkedIn: #podsavechocolate #lavidacocoa #thechocolatelife #fermentation #ferment…Episode 68 of #PodSaveChocolate is a follow-up to the previous episode Reimagining Fermentation. This episode features a deep dive into the fundamentals of…![](https://static.licdn.com/aero-v1/sc/h/al2o9zrvru7aqj8e1x2rzsrca)LinkedInClay Gordon![](https://static.licdn.com/aero-v1/sc/h/c45fy346jw096z9pbphyyhdz7)](https://www.linkedin.com/posts/claygordon%5Fpodsavechocolate-lavidacocoa-thechocolatelife-activity-7236155961235644416-GQ8R?utm%5Fsource=share&utm%5Fmedium=member%5Fdesktop) This ****LINKEDIN** link is shareable. [Cacao Fermentation 101 | #PodSaveChocolate Ep68Other event by TheChocolateLife on Tuesday, September 3 2024![](https://static.xx.fbcdn.net/rsrc.php/yT/r/aGT3gskzWBf.ico)#PodSaveChocolate Ep68![](https://scontent-lax3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.30808-6/457691351_912622754241264_2181661246422698156_n.jpg?stp=c280.0.720.720a_dst-jpg_s206x206&_nc_cat=104&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=1abd25&_nc_ohc=t1qaIo4lEiwQ7kNvgH_fjCy&_nc_ht=scontent-lax3-1.xx&oh=00_AYD4ThaxfluCTN-TQBUY0uHN7cpW-_QH2zGWq8rq-EekqQ&oe=66DAD2CD)](https://fb.me/e/5vhYa2tD2?ref=thechocolatelife.com) This ****FACEBOOK** link is also shareable. --- ## **Episode 68 Overview** After taking a look at Reimagining Fermentation, this episode of #PodSaveChocolate is a refresher course on conventional and technified cocoa fermentation techniques. [Reimagining Fermentation | #PodSaveChocolate Ep67Episode 67 of #PodSaveChocolate is dedicated to an interview with Bertus Eskes – an innovator in cacao fermentation techniques as witnessed by his TropMix and Anima fermentation methods that include understanding the role of cacao pulp and the flavor potential of cacao and finished chocolate.![](https://thechocolatelife.com/content/images/size/w256h256/2020/12/JR_Pods60x60FavIconCutoutButtons.png)The Chocolate LifeClay Gordon![](https://thechocolatelife.com/content/images/2024/08/Ep-067---EskesFermentation--Featured1920x1080.jpg)](https://thechocolatelife.com/reimagining-fermentation-podsavechocolate-ep67/) The post for the previous episode. | Key Concepts Covered | | -------------------------------------------------- | | My background | | When? | | Natural, Instrumented, and Technified Fermentation | | Primary (aka anaerobic) Fermentation | | Secondary (aka aerobic) Fermentation | | The Purpose and Limitation of Cut Tests | [Cocoa and Chocolate: Their History from Plantation to Consumer by KnappFree kindle book and epub digitized and proofread by volunteers.![](https://gutenberg.org/gutenberg/apple-icon.png)Project GutenbergKnapp, Arthur William![](https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/19073/pg19073.cover.medium.jpg)](https://gutenberg.org/ebooks/19073?ref=thechocolatelife.com) --- ### **Background (from the previous episode)** There is no ***clear*** understanding of when fermenting cacao became a common practice. In the places where cacao (Ecuador) and chocolate consumption (Mayan and pre-Maya Mesiamerica) originated, neither archaeological nor documentary evidence provides solid clues as to when the practice began. Even today in places like the State of Tabasco in Mexico *cacao lavado* (washed, unfermented) cacao is more prevalent than “well-fermented” cacao. > Cacao Sanchéz is the name given to unwashed, unfermented cocoa in the Dominican Republic. Some sources say 50% of the cocoa grown in the DR is Sanchéz. Hispaniola is the name given to well-fermented cocoa. As the featured photo in this post shows, box fermentation where the boxes are arranged in a “cascade,” has been around for over 100 years. Well before this, individual cacao farmers would routinely heap ferment whatever amount of fresh cacao they harvested in banana leaf cocoons. Until recently, protocols for fermenting cacao were rooted in history and tradition. Everyone “knows” that you need to ferment for between three and seven days (depending on varietal phenotype), turning the fermenting seeds at intervals to introduce air to move from “anaerobic” to “aerobic” fermentation and to ensure even fermentation to achieve an “80% well-fermented” distribution, as determined by a cut test. > Within the past two decades, our understanding of cacao fermentation has evolved through a focus on chemistry – a better understanding of genetics, understanding the chemistry of the pulp (especially brix and pH), understanding the pH of the fresh cotyledons, understanding the local microbiome (the presence and mix of yeast and bacteria species) that drive primary and secondary fermentation, measuring temperature changes, and more. The primary goals of technified fermentation have been to develop protocols that steer and control the chemistry of the fermenting seeds and dried beans to achieve greater consistency and create the potential for unique flavors in finished chocolate. --- ### **Questions?** If you have questions or want to comment, you can do so live during the episode or, if you are a ChocolateLife member, you can add them in the Comments below at ***any*** time. --- ### **Episode Hashtags and Related Accounts to Follow** #fermentation #ferment #fermented #cocoa #cacao #cacau #chocolate #chocolat #craftchocolate #PodSaveChocolate #PodSaveChoc #LaVidaCocoa #TheChocolateLife --- ### **Future Episodes** None scheduled when this post was published. --- ### **#PodSaveChocolate and #TheChocolateLifeLIVE Archives** **To read an archived post** and find the links to watch archived episodes, click on one of the bookmark cards, below. [Pod Save Chocolate Calendar and ArchiveNews, views, and conversations on topics in cocoa and chocolate streamed live to YouTube, LinkedIn, and Facebook. #PodSaveChocolate!![](https://thechocolatelife.com/content/images/size/w256h256/2020/12/JR_Pods60x60FavIconCutoutButtons.png)The Chocolate LifeClay Gordon![](https://thechocolatelife.com/content/images/2023/11/TagImageBanner-PodSaveChocTagFinal_1920x1080-5.jpg)](https://thechocolatelife.com/pod-save-chocolate-calendar-and-archive/) [#TheChocolateLifeLIVE ArchiveNews, views, and conversations on topics in cocoa and chocolate streamed live to YouTube, LinkedIn, and Facebook.![](https://thechocolatelife.com/content/images/size/w256h256/2020/12/JR_Pods60x60FavIconCutoutButtons.png)The Chocolate LifeClay Gordon![](https://thechocolatelife.com/content/images/2023/03/solen-feyissa-WG7v_wYZW4Q-unsplash-CalendarFeatured1920x1080.jpg)](https://thechocolatelife.com/thechocolatelife-live-calendar/) [PodSaveChocolateHosted by Clay Gordon, the creator and moderator of TheChocolateLife.com, #PodSaveChocolate covers a wide variety of topics in the worlds of cocoa and chocolate. The video versions of this podcast are hosted and archived on YouTube, LinkedIn, and Facebook. Click on the PodSaveChocolate link in the top nav on TheChocolateLife for the links to the post accompanying each episode.![](https://pnc.st/static/img/256x256.png)Pinecast![](https://social.pinecast.net/preview_card/podcasts/covers/d3730dca-0711-4720-9ef3-3b18918c1f0d/TagImageBanner-PodSaveChocTagFinal_1920x1080.jpg?title=PodSaveChocolate)](https://pnc.st/s/podsavechocolate?ref=thechocolatelife.com) Audio-only podcasts --- ## Not a Member? Live The Chocolate Life – Live La Vida Cocoa! Sign up for Free to comment and receive members-only content. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. 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