> ## 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. # What Makes a Good Chocolate “Good?” | #PodSaveChocolate Ep 127 - URL: https://thechocolatelife.com/what-make-a-good-chocolate-good-podsavechocolate-ep-127/ - Published: 2025-06-19T19:00:30.000Z - Updated: 2025-06-22T20:42:13.000Z - Description: Episode 127 of #PodSaveChocolate was inspired by the similarly named and themed episode (125) on the Craft Chocolate TV YouTube Channel, hosted by Dylan Butterbaugh of Manoa Chocolate (Hawaii). [updated with resources] - Author: Clay Gordon - Tags: PodSaveChocolate, Live Stream, #Footnote **When and Where to Watch** 🗓️ The stream airs LIVE at 11:00 ****PDT/MST** (12:00 MDT, 1:00 CDT, 2:00 EDT), on Friday, June 20th, 2025. Links below to watch LIVE and to view the archived episode. Click on this (shareable) link to watch on YouTube. Please subscribe (free!) to the [@PodSaveChocolate YouTube channel](https://www.youtube.com/@podsavechocolate/featured?ref=thechocolatelife.com), like this video, comment, and ****share** this episode to help grow the #PSC community. This ****LINKEDIN** link is shareable. [![CTA Image](https://thechocolatelife.com/content/images/2025/05/LinkedInLogo.png)](https://www.linkedin.com/posts/claygordon%5Fpodsavechocolate-lavidacocoa-thechocolatelife-activity-7341530226385985536-d9o3?utm%5Fsource=share&utm%5Fmedium=member%5Fdesktop&rcm=ACoAAAABaLUB44l0lzyoZ9nf9Lg8nfstgzLqxbg) Watch and comment LIVE or view the archived episode on LinkedIn. Join my network on LinkedIn to receive notifications and to refer business to each other. [Watch this episode on LinkedIn ](https://www.linkedin.com/posts/claygordon%5Fpodsavechocolate-lavidacocoa-thechocolatelife-activity-7341530226385985536-d9o3?utm%5Fsource=share&utm%5Fmedium=member%5Fdesktop&rcm=ACoAAAABaLUB44l0lzyoZ9nf9Lg8nfstgzLqxbg) This ****FACEBOOK** link is shareable [![CTA Image](https://thechocolatelife.com/content/images/2025/05/FacebookLogo.png)](https://www.facebook.com/events/1220947702819744/) Watch and comment LIVE or view the archived episode on ****TheChocolateLife page** on Facebook (for 30 days, then watch the archive on YouTube). Follow [TheChocolateLife on Facebook ](https://fb.me/thechocolatelife?ref=thechocolatelife.com)to receive notifications and catch up on other content. [Watch this episode on Facebook ](https://www.facebook.com/events/1220947702819744/) --- ## **Episode 127 Overview** What *does* make a “Good” chocolate “Good?” As with many things in the world of chocolate and cocoa, the answer is, “It depends.” I have talked about what I mean by “quality” many times in episodes of TheChocolateLife::LIVE and PodSaveChocolate, but I have not approached the question by asking what “good” means. That’s the topic for today’s episode, “What *does* make a ‘good’ chocolate ‘good’?” What characteristics comprise a “good” chocolate? This episode is inspired by Episode 125 “What is Good Chocolate?” uploaded to the YouTube channel Craft Chocolate TV being recommended in my feed. As I was watching it, I realized I did not agree completely with what the host (Dylan Butterbaugh, founder of Manoa Chocolate) had to saty on the topic. It will probably also not surprise anyone that I think the topic is worth spending more than five minutes and thirty-three seconds discussing. So I am going to take about an hour talking about “good,” “quality,” and how the use of those terms intersects with how we use the terms, “specialty,” “craft,” “artisan,” and “bean-to-bar.” > This is **not** going to be a blow-by-blow, point-by-point response video. I encourage you to watch the entire episode for the complete context and make sure I am not misrepresenting anything. > This video explores what makes chocolate "good". The speaker discusses the importance of starting with high-quality cacao beans and the role of other ingredients like cocoa butter and milk powder. They also highlight the significance of proper processing techniques and offer tips for sourcing excellent cocoa. > — AI-generated (probably Gemini) video summary on the video page Following is a summary of the video with key points and timestamps generated by the still-in-beta Dia browser from The Browser Company (the developer of the Arc browser, which I have mentioned in prior episodes). - **Introduction & Main Question —** Host Dylan introduces himself and poses the central question: What is good chocolate? ​⁠\[⏱️ 00:00\] - **Importance of Quality Cacao Beans —** Good chocolate starts with high-quality cacao beans. If you don’t start with good beans, you can’t make good chocolate, no matter how skilled the process. ​⁠\[⏱️ 00:10\] - **Chocolate-Making Process —** The process involves roasting, refining, and conching to achieve the right texture and flavor, but the bean’s quality is still the foundation. ​⁠⁠\[⏱️ 00:24\] - **Flavor and Texture —** Good chocolate has a beginning, middle, and end in flavor, with a pleasant texture and a range of nuanced flavors originating from the bean. ​⁠⁠\[⏱️ 00:48\] - **Other Key Ingredients** - **Cocoa Butter:** Its quality varies and affects flavor and texture. Trying different cocoa butters is recommended. ​⁠⁠\[⏱️ 01:08\] - **Milk Powder:** For milk chocolate, the type and quality of milk powder matter. ⁠\[⏱️ 02:05\] - **Sugar:** They use organic cane sugar, ground finely for smoothness. ​⁠⁠\[⏱️ 02:24\] - **Texture Preference —** The host prefers chocolate ground below 20 microns for a creamy, smooth texture that enhances flavor. ​⁠⁠\[⏱️ 02:50\] - **Minimal Ingredients —** Good chocolate usually has a short, pronounceable ingredient list—often just cacao, cocoa butter, and sugar for dark chocolate. ​⁠⁠\[⏱️ 03:44\] - **Cocoa** \[sic\] **of Excellence Competition —** The “Cocoa of Excellence” competition is a good resource for finding high-quality beans, as it judges and selects the best samples globally. ​⁠⁠\[⏱️ 04:20\] - **Conclusion —** Good chocolate is about starting with great beans, using quality ingredients, and careful processing. ​⁠⁠\[⏱️ 05:10\] [WhatisGoodChocolate\_CraftChocolateTV125-transcriptThe full transcript of the episode, lightly edited and formatted.WhatisGoodChocolate\_CraftChocolateTV125-transcript.pdf46 KBdownload-circle](https://thechocolatelife.com/content/files/2025/06/WhatisGoodChocolate%5FCraftChocolateTV125-transcript.pdf "Download") --- ### **Other Resources** [DiaResponds\_WhatIsGoodDia’s responses to being asked what Good meansDiaResponds\_WhatIsGood.pdf53 KBdownload-circle](https://thechocolatelife.com/content/files/2025/06/DiaResponds%5FWhatIsGood.pdf "Download") [DiaResponds\_WhatMakesGoodChocolateGoodDia Reponds to What Makes Good Chocolate GoodDiaResponds\_WhatMakesGoodChocolateGood.pdf39 KBdownload-circle](https://thechocolatelife.com/content/files/2025/06/DiaResponds%5FWhatMakesGoodChocolateGood.pdf "Download") [WhatMakesGoodChocolateConsensus-GeminiResponseGemini Reponds to What Makes Good Chocolate GoodWhatMakesGoodChocolateConsensus-GeminiResponse.pdf57 KBdownload-circle](https://thechocolatelife.com/content/files/2025/06/WhatMakesGoodChocolateConsensus-GeminiResponse.pdf "Download") [ComparingDiaGeminiResponses\_WhatMakesGoodChocolateGoodDia compares Dia’s and Gemini’s responsesComparingDiaGeminiResponses\_WhatMakesGoodChocolateGood.pdf69 KBdownload-circle](https://thechocolatelife.com/content/files/2025/06/ComparingDiaGeminiResponses%5FWhatMakesGoodChocolateGood.pdf "Download") [MIT Study Finds ChatGPT Use Lowers Neural Engagement in Essay WritingResearchers warn that unregulated AI writing bots bypass deep memory processing, risking students’ cognitive engagement.![](https://thechocolatelife.com/content/images/icon/favicon-41.ico)Ground News![](https://thechocolatelife.com/content/images/thumbnail/webMetaImg-1)](https://ground.news/article/58-of-french-have-already-used-general-ai-in-their-personal-capacity?ref=thechocolatelife.com) --- ## **Questions?** If you have questions or want to comment, you can do so during the episode or, if you are a ChocolateLife member, you can add them in the Comments below at ***any*** time. --- ### **Episode Hashtags and Socials** #Manoa #ManoaChocolate [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/manoachocolate/?ref=thechocolatelife.com) #Hawaii #cocoa #cacao #cacau #chocolate #chocolat #craftchocolate #PodSaveChoc #PSC #LaVidaCocoa #TheChocolateLife --- ### **Future Episodes** 🗓️ No episodes were scheduled at the time 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/) Episodes 101+ (link to the first 100 episodes archive in this post) [#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/) Archive of all episodes — 1-129. [Clubhouse - The Chocolate LifeThis tag is for posts related to Clubhouse rooms. Featured image: original by @scottwebb on Unsplash![](https://thechocolatelife.com/content/images/icon/JR_Pods60x60FavIconCutoutButtons-173.png)The Chocolate LifeClay Gordon![](https://thechocolatelife.com/content/images/thumbnail/scott-webb-BkfudTcJSA0-unsplashClubhouse.jpg)](https://thechocolatelife.com/tag/clubhouse/) Link to the posts for each of the 29 weeks of Clubhouse. Each post contains an index of the topics covered. **Some* posts have links to episode audio. [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. Premium subscriptions available. ---