Bean to Barstool

Recent episodes

1. Allo & Rachel of Craft Connections Beverage Education Summit

   Aug 4, 2026

   Craft beverage education is one of my passions, and I really believe that the more people learn about their favorite drinks, the more they’re able to enjoy them. Allo Gilinsky and Rachel Benkowski definitely agree. I first met this pair at last summer’s Crafted For Action conference in Atlanta, where they were co-presenting an education tasting. Since then, they’re announced the inaugural Craft Connections Beverage Education Summit taking place in early 2027, an event that will bring together craft beer professionals for conversations and presentations around how we can better provide useful, approachable education for both staff and consumers. I recently sat down with Allo and Rachel to talk all about the philosophy and passion behind the Summit, why beverage education is so important, and how we can provide actionable tools for staff and consumers without overwhelming or talking over them. You can learn more about the Summit, and find their social media links, on the event website . You can listen to the previous episode with Master Cicerone Scott Fielder and Advanced Cicerone Chris Crowe mentioned in our conversation here . Check out David's book Pairing Beer & Chocolate: A Guide to Bringing the Flavors of Craft Beer and Craft Chocolate Together. Follow Bean to Barstool on social media! Instagram Facebook Pinterest Sign up for host David Nilsen's beer newsletter for regular beer musings, and the Bean to Barstool newsletter for pairings, collaborations, and maker profiles.

2. Media Relations for Craft Chocolate Makers: All About Press Releases

   Jul 28, 2026

   Does writing a press release sound scary and overwhelming? Who do you send it to? What do you include? Which news is important enough to deserve one? Welcome to Bean to Barstool's Media Relations for Craft Chocolate Makers series! In part 4 today, journalist David Nilsen and public relations pro Melinda Guerra talk all about press releases. What they are, when to send them, to whom to send them, what to include, and, just as importantly, the inverse of all those: when not to send them, what not to include, etc. David's been a full time food and beverage journalist for about a decade nowand Melinda has been a freelance PR professional helping brands tell their stories and connect with media for even longer than that. In this series, they share what they’ve learned over their careers to help craft chocolate companies of any size identify their stories, communicate them to media members and outlets, gain new customers, and keep the ones you have curious. Media Relations for Craft Chocolate Makers series: Podcast Episodes Why You Need a Media Plan Identify Your Company's Stories How to Build and Manage a Media List All About Press Releases (you're listening to it!) How to Maintain Media Relationships and Communicate New Stories How to Get Started, and Common Pitfalls Blog Posts Why You Need a Media Plan How to Identify Your Stories How to Build a Media List Adding Industry and Unexpected Outlets to your Media List How to Write and Send a Press Release How to Maintain Media Relationships and Communicate New Stories How to Get Started, and Common Pitfalls Check out David's book Pairing Beer & Chocolate: A Guide to Bringing the Flavors of Craft Beer and Craft Chocolate Together. Follow Bean to Barstool on social media! Instagram Facebook Pinterest Sign up for host David Nilsen's beer newsletter for regular beer musings, and the Bean to Barstool newsletter for pairings, collaborations, and maker profiles.

3. A Bar Apart with Luke Owen Smith

   Jul 21, 2026

   Luke Owen Smith in New Zealand has launched A Bar Apart, an organization with a corresponding emblem that certifies the quality and practices of New Zealand based craft chocolate makers. In today's episode, Luke shares what A Bar Apart is, what it means, and what he hopes it will accomplish. We’ve had Luke on the show before to talk about the craft chocolate and craft beer scenes in New Zealand , and he guest-hosted to interview Phoebe at Living Koko . We also recently had as a guest one of the chocolate makers who has signed on with A Bar Apart, David Herrick of Foundry Chocolate . You can learn more about A Bar Apart on their website , where you can also find links to their social media accounts. Check out David's book Pairing Beer & Chocolate: A Guide to Bringing the Flavors of Craft Beer and Craft Chocolate Together. Follow Bean to Barstool on social media! Instagram Facebook Pinterest Sign up for host David Nilsen's beer newsletter for regular beer musings, and the Bean to Barstool newsletter for pairings, collaborations, and maker profiles.

4. Media Relations for Craft Chocolate Makers: Building a Media List

   Jul 14, 2026

   Welcome to Bean to Barstool's Media Relations for Craft Chocolate Makers series! I’ve been a full time food and beverage journalist for about a decade now, and my wife and business partner, Melinda Guerra, has been a freelance PR professional helping brands tell their stories and connect with media for even longer than that, and in this series, we’ll be sharing what we’ve learned over our careers to help craft chocolate companies of any size identify their stories, communicate them to media members and outlets, gain new customers, and keep the ones you have curious. In part 3 today, David and Melinda talk about building a media list. They talk about understanding different types of media, making a list of media you might want to reach out to, the information you need for prospective contacts, how to find contact info, how to initiate communication, and more. Media Relations for Craft Chocolate Makers series: Podcast Episodes Why You Need a Media Plan Identify Your Company's Stories How to Build and Manage a Media List (you're listening to it!) All About Press Releases How to Maintain Media Relationships and Communicate New Stories How to Get Started, and Common Pitfalls Blog Posts Why You Need a Media Plan How to Identify Your Stories How to Build a Media List Adding Industry and Unexpected Outlets to your Media List How to Write and Send a Press Release How to Maintain Media Relationships and Communicate New Stories How to Get Started, and Common Pitfalls Check out David's book Pairing Beer & Chocolate: A Guide to Bringing the Flavors of Craft Beer and Craft Chocolate Together. Follow Bean to Barstool on social media! Instagram Facebook Pinterest Sign up for host David Nilsen's beer newsletter for regular beer musings, and the Bean to Barstool newsletter for pairings, collaborations, and maker profiles.

5. Bite Sized: David Herrick of Foundry Chocolate on Whisky Chocolate R&D

   Jul 7, 2026

   Welcome to Bean to Barstool Bite Sized, where we spend about 5 minutes on a specific topic in craft beer, craft chocolate, or artisan drinks. Today we're talking with David Herrick of Foundry Chocolate in New Zealand. David takes us behind the scenes of the R&D process for developing their esteemed Whisky bars released annually. Enjoy! You can listen to the entire episode this clip is from here . You can learn more about Foundry Chocolate here . Check out David's book Pairing Beer & Chocolate: A Guide to Bringing the Flavors of Craft Beer and Craft Chocolate Together. Follow Bean to Barstool on social media! Instagram Facebook Pinterest Sign up for host David Nilsen's beer newsletter for regular beer musings, and the Bean to Barstool newsletter for pairings, collaborations, and maker profiles.

6. Media Relations for Craft Chocolate Makers: Identifying Your Company's Stories

   Jun 30, 2026

   Welcome to Bean to Barstool's Media Relations for Craft Chocolate Makers series! I’ve been a full time food and beverage journalist for about a decade now, and my wife and business partner, Melinda Guerra, has been a freelance PR professional helping brands tell their stories and connect with media for even longer than that, and in this series, we’ll be sharing what we’ve learned over our careers to help craft chocolate companies of any size identify their stories, communicate them to media members and outlets, gain new customers, and keep the ones you have curious. In part 2 today, David and Melinda talk about identifying stories, understanding what constitutes a story, and what the different types of media coverage are. Media Relations for Craft Chocolate Makers series: Podcast Episodes Why You Need a Media Plan Identify Your Company's Stories (you're listening to it!) How to Build and Manage a Media List All About Press Releases How to Maintain Media Relationships and Communicate New Stories How to Get Started, and Common Pitfalls Blog Posts Why You Need a Media Plan How to Identify Your Stories How to Build a Media List Adding Industry and Unexpected Outlets to your Media List How to Write and Send a Press Release How to Maintain Media Relationships and Communicate New Stories How to Get Started, and Common Pitfalls Check out David's book Pairing Beer & Chocolate: A Guide to Bringing the Flavors of Craft Beer and Craft Chocolate Together. Follow Bean to Barstool on social media! Instagram Facebook Pinterest Sign up for host David Nilsen's beer newsletter for regular beer musings, and the Bean to Barstool newsletter for pairings, collaborations, and maker profiles.

7. The Past, Present, and Future of Women of Cacao

   Jun 23, 2026

   In this episode, host David Nilsen talks with Ava J Holmes and Fiorella Richter, the founders of Women of Cacao, a global, bilingual network uniting professionals across sectors within cacao and craft chocolate: from genetics and farming to chocolate making and science. The work of Women of Cacao culminates each year in the Women of Cacao Summit, a hybrid virtual and in-person global gathering. At the summit, you can be part of a movement connecting thousands across the cacao world in a shared, values-driven experience. The founders and organizers see the summit as an invitation to see the industry through a wider lens, and to help shape what’s next. This year's summit takes place September 17-20 . In our conversation today, Ava and Fiorella speak to the rich history of women in cacao and chocolate, their own journeys to craft chocolate, and what folks can expect at this year’s summit. You can learn more about Women of Cacao at their website , or on Instagram . Guests: Fiorella Richter Fiorella is the founder of Women of Cacao and Kaukawa Cacao, a Peru-based company working with native cacao varieties and origin-centered cacao experiences. Her work bridges cacao culture, sensory exploration, producer visibility, and regenerative approaches to cacao value chains. She is also a graduate of the Cacao of Excellence sensory evaluation program. Her approach explores how sensory evaluation and scientific tools can support greater visibility, recognition, and value creation for producers and origin countries. Ava J Holmes Ava J. is a serial entrepreneur whose work blends on-the-ground activism, storytelling through creative mediums such as fashion and chocolate, and out-of-the-box social ventureship. Her work has been featured across major media outlets from The NY Times and Vogue to Discovery Channel and TED Talks. Ava co-founded Women of Cacao and Cacao Center, an educational center and research hub in the lower Amazon that explores wild cacao strains, medicinal plants, and regenerative agroforestry. Her team collaborates with local farmers, scientists, and conservationists to produce the region’s first organic, ecologically-grown chocolate. Check out David's book Pairing Beer & Chocolate: A Guide to Bringing the Flavors of Craft Beer and Craft Chocolate Together. Follow Bean to Barstool on social media! Instagram Facebook Pinterest Sign up for host David Nilsen's beer newsletter for regular beer musings, and the Bean to Barstool newsletter for pairings, collaborations, and maker profiles.

8. Media Relations for Craft Chocolate Makers: Why You Need a Media Plan

   Jun 16, 2026

   Welcome to Bean to Barstool's Media Relations for Craft Chocolate Makers series! As a full time freelance journalist in food and beverage, David Nilsen has communicated with thousands of breweries, distilleries, restaurants, chocolate makers, and other businesses, and he's seen ones who maximize their relationships with media members and outlets, and ones who are leaving opportunities on the table. Additionally, his wife and business partner, Melinda Guerra, is a freelance PR professional helping brands tell their stories and connect with media. Between the two of them, they’ll be sharing what we’ve learned over their careers to help craft chocolate companies of any size identify their stories, communicate them to media members and outlets, gain new customers, and keep the ones they have curious. In part 1 today, David talks about why media relations are so important no matter the size of your chocolate business, and why you need to have a strategy for this. In upcoming episodes, we’re going to explore how to build a media list, how to identify the stories you want to tell, how to create press releases and what to put in them, how to maintain media relationships, what to do when you get media coverage, and much more. The goal of all this is not to overwhelm you, but to walk you through how you Can do this, and why you should. One note: while a lot of what we’ll talk about could apply to social media, and we will be hitting some specific aspects of social media, this series is focused on working with media members and outlets. Media Relations for Craft Chocolate Makers series: Podcast Episodes Why You Need a Media Plan (you're listening to it!) How to Identify Your Stories How to Build and Manage a Media List All About Press Releases How to Maintain Media Relationships and Communicate New Stories How to Get Started, and Common Pitfalls Blog Posts Why You Need a Media Plan How to Identify Your Stories How to Build a Media List Industry and Unexpected Outlets to your Media List How to Write and Send a Press Release How to Maintain Media Relationships and Communicate New Stories How to Get Started, and Common Pitfalls Check out David's book Pairing Beer & Chocolate: A Guide to Bringing the Flavors of Craft Beer and Craft Chocolate Together. Follow Bean to Barstool on social media! Instagram Facebook Pinterest Sign up for host David Nilsen's beer newsletter for regular beer musings, and the Bean to Barstool newsletter for pairings, collaborations, and maker profiles.

9. Redux: Spencer Hyman of Cocoa Runners

   Jun 12, 2026

   Bean to Barstool Redux: Vintage but still relevant conversations from the archives without all the extra narration. Just classic interviews from really cool people in craft chocolate, craft beer, and other food and beverage fields. In this edition, we talk with Spencer Hyman, co-founder of Cocoa Runners. Spencer and I discuss the similarities between music and flavor, how understanding different types of music listeners informs his work at Cocoa Runners, and how we can learn from tasting chocolate with other people of different backgrounds. Check out David's book Pairing Beer & Chocolate: A Guide to Bringing the Flavors of Craft Beer and Craft Chocolate Together. Follow Bean to Barstool on social media! Instagram Facebook Pinterest Sign up for host David Nilsen's beer newsletter for regular beer musings, and the Bean to Barstool newsletter for pairings, collaborations, and maker profiles.

10. Bonus: Why I Don't Think You Should Use AI Graphics for Your Craft Chocolate Business

    Jun 9, 2026

    Bit of a rant today: In this bonus episode, host David Nilsen talks about his concerns around the ecological and human harms of LLM AI technology, and why he doesn't think you should use it in promoting your craft chocolate business. Check out David's book Pairing Beer & Chocolate: A Guide to Bringing the Flavors of Craft Beer and Craft Chocolate Together. Follow Bean to Barstool on social media! Instagram Facebook Pinterest Sign up for host David Nilsen's beer newsletter for regular beer musings, and the Bean to Barstool newsletter for pairings, collaborations, and maker profiles.

11. Whisky and Whimsy with David Herrick of Foundry Chocolate

    Jun 2, 2026

    Foundry Chocolate in New Zealand release only a single inclusion bar each year, but this annual release has become one of the hottest tickets in craft chocolate. Each fall (for the Northern Hemisphere—spring for NZ), they release a bar infused with a different whisky from artisan New Zealand distillery Thomson Whisky . Each year's release is a unique flavor concept, and co-founder David Herrick and his team spend time throughout the year perfecting each annual batch. In this nerdy, deep-dive conversation, David Herrick and host David Nilsen discuss the planning stages for each bar, walk through each annual release since 2021, and talk about the details of Foundry's process for infusing whisky into these bars. The Davids also talk about Foundry's origin story, the meaning behind their name, the thoughtful of their packaging, and what keeps them excited and curious. You can learn more about Foundry on their website , or follow them on Instagram . You can listen to episodes with New Zealander Luke Owen Smith here and here . 1:00 - Introduction 3:40 - Start of Interview: Foundry’s backstory 13:35 - The meaning of the name “Foundry” 17:30 - Whisky and the Thompson Distillery 21:50 - Whisky bar releases 2021-2025 42:45 - Whisky infusion process 53:40 - Release events and enthusiasm 54:55 - 2026 R&D 57:50- What he’s currently excited about 1:06:55 - Packaging and the story Foundry is telling 1:13:55 - End of interview 1:20:40 - End of episode Guest: David Herrick, along with his wife Janelle, are co-founders of Foundry Chocolate, a New Zealand-based bean-to-bar craft chocolate maker whose globally award-winning single origin, two ingredient bars make the flavor possible from single origins their absolute focus. Foundry only add a third ingredient to their chocolate once a year, and rather than more conventional approaches to flavored bars, they use liquid whisky to make an annual special release series of Thomson Whisky-infused bars, that have now gained such a following that they sell out in days and are sought the world over. Check out David's book Pairing Beer & Chocolate: A Guide to Bringing the Flavors of Craft Beer and Craft Chocolate Together. Follow Bean to Barstool on social media! Instagram Facebook Pinterest Sign up for host David Nilsen's beer newsletter for regular beer musings, and the Bean to Barstool newsletter for pairings, collaborations, and maker profiles.

12. Bite Sized: Liang Wang of Kessho Chocolate

    May 26, 2026

    Welcome to Bean to Barstool Bite Sized, where we spend about 5 minutes on a specific topic in craft beer, craft chocolate, or artisan drinks. Today we're talking with Liang Wang of Kessho Chocolate in Austin, Texas. Liang talks about Kessho’s line of tea-infused chocolate bars. Enjoy! You can listen to the entire episode this clip is from here . You can learn more about Kessho Chocolate here . Check out David's book Pairing Beer & Chocolate: A Guide to Bringing the Flavors of Craft Beer and Craft Chocolate Together. Follow Bean to Barstool on social media! Instagram Facebook Pinterest Sign up for host David Nilsen's beer newsletter for regular beer musings, and the Bean to Barstool newsletter for pairings, collaborations, and maker profiles.

13. Tyler Cagwin of Nostalgia Chocolates on Selling Cacao to Breweries

    May 19, 2026

    In today's episode, Tyler Cagwin of Nostalgia Chocolates gives advice for craft chocolate makers on selling cacao nibs and other ingredients to craft breweries. Tyler has sold cacao to many breweries in upstate New York and now in North Carolina, and it's become a substantial part of his business at Nostalgia. Here he walks us through things to consider in advance, how to approach prospective brewery partners, what he presents when he meets with them, how he builds these relationships, and how he schedules cacao roasting for his brewery customers in his regular chocolate production schedule. This interview is filled with great advice for craft chocolate makers who would like to begin working with breweries. At the end, we also talk about the newest edition of Nostalgia's Hop Aged bar. You can listen to my past episode with Tyler here . You can also read a blog post about his Hop Aged bar here , and his work with New York breweries here . Episode timeline (approximate): 1:00 - Introduction 3:10 - How Tyler got started selling to breweries 6:30 - The knowledge level of brewers in regards to cacao 13:55 - Consistent questions he expects 15:10 - Info he provides proactively 17:20 - Pricing and sticker shock 21:50 - Workflow for providing nibs 23:55 - Marketing and co-branding 28:45- Production schedule considerations 29:55 - Roasting profiles 31:45 - Impact on his own cacao bean orders 35:40 - Providing husks and other ingredients 39:25 - Final thoughts on selling to breweries 42:20 - Hop Aged bar Check out David's book Pairing Beer & Chocolate: A Guide to Bringing the Flavors of Craft Beer and Craft Chocolate Together. Follow Bean to Barstool on social media! Instagram Facebook Pinterest Sign up for host David Nilsen's beer newsletter for regular beer musings, and the Bean to Barstool newsletter for pairings, collaborations, and maker profiles.

14. Redux: Beer Educator Em Sauter

    May 15, 2026

    Bean to Barstool Redux: Vintage but still relevant conversations from the archives without all the extra narration. Just classic interviews from really cool people in craft chocolate, craft beer, and other food and beverage fields. In this edition, we talk with Em Sauter, creator of Pints & Panels and author of Hooray for Craft Beer. Em and I talk about the book, her creative process, why positivity is so important in the craft beer world, and she even tastes a few craft chocolate bars along the way. Enjoy! Check out David's book Pairing Beer & Chocolate: A Guide to Bringing the Flavors of Craft Beer and Craft Chocolate Together. Follow Bean to Barstool on social media! Instagram Facebook Pinterest Sign up for host David Nilsen's beer newsletter for regular beer musings, and the Bean to Barstool newsletter for pairings, collaborations, and maker profiles.

15. Bonus: 5 Most Versatile Beer Styles for Pairing with Craft Chocolate

    May 12, 2026

    In this bonus episode, host David Nilsen talks about the most versatile craft beer styles to have on hand for pairing with craft chocolate. He explains why each style is so versatile and recommends types of craft chocolate to pair with each, and provides some information on how to host a pairing at home. You can read David's blog post on this same topic here . You can learn more about how to host a successful beer and chocolate pairing at home in this bonus episode or this blog post . Check out David's book Pairing Beer & Chocolate: A Guide to Bringing the Flavors of Craft Beer and Craft Chocolate Together. Follow Bean to Barstool on social media! Instagram Facebook Pinterest Sign up for host David Nilsen's beer newsletter for regular beer musings, and the Bean to Barstool newsletter for pairings, collaborations, and maker profiles.

16. Collaboration Case Study: Estelle Tracy on Educators Partnering with Craft Chocolate Makers

    May 5, 2026

    We recently wrapped up our four-episode series called Collaboration for Chocolate Makers, which looked at different collaboration ideas for craft chocolate companies. Today, we’re looking at a case study of a specific kind of creative collaboration within the industry to pick apart how it worked, and how you can apply it at your own chocolate operation. Estelle Tracy of 37 Chocolates is a chocolate educator whose has been a guest on Bean to Barstool numerous times (you can find links to those episodes below). She reached out to me a few weeks back to let me know about a unique collaboration she was involved in in 2025. Estelle worked with Castronovo , a popular craft chocolate maker, to release a limited chocolate bar, and then led a virtual event to tell the story of the bar. In our conversation today, Estelle talks about how she approached the pairing, how it worked, what the advantages were on both sides, and what you need to know if you want to pursue a similar collab as either a craft chocolate maker or an educator or enthusiast. Episode timeline: 1:00 - Narrated introduction 3:35 - Beginning of interview 6:50 - Summary of Estelle's collab with Castronovo 12:05 - How she pitched the collab idea 14:10 - Exclusivity of collab bar 21:05- Business advantage for the maker 22:50 - Developing the collab bar 26:20 - Collaborations between enthusiasts and makers 32:15 - Things she's do differently next time 36:10 - End of interview, closing thoughts on conversation Mentioned in this episode: Moka Origins Amazon Conservation Team J.Street Chocolate World Beer Cup 2026 winners Craft Chocolat Challenge 2026 winners Rhyme & Reason Chocolate Indulgence Chocolatiers Beato Chocolates DC Chocolate Society's Ultimate Chocolate Festival Survival Guide Lucid Chocolatier Past episodes mentioned: Brewing Pastry Stouts Thoughtfully with Wandering Monsters Brewing Hi Wire Brewing's 10W-40 Chocolate Imperial Stouts Wolves, Sons, and Ethereal Confections Brad Kintzer of TCHO Chocolate Elmer Pineda of Yojoa Chocolate in Honduras Front Porch Chocolate New Zealand Beer and Chocolate Writer Luke Owen Smith Check out David's book Pairing Beer & Chocolate: A Guide to Bringing the Flavors of Craft Beer and Craft Chocolate Together. Follow Bean to Barstool on social media! Instagram Facebook Pinterest Sign up for host David Nilsen's beer newsletter for regular beer musings, and the Bean to Barstool newsletter for pairings, collaborations, and maker profiles.

17. Bite Sized: 5 Minutes with Wandering Monsters Brewing

    Apr 28, 2026

    Welcome to Bean to Barstool Bite Sized, where we spend about 5 minutes on a specific topic in craft beer, craft chocolate, or artisan drinks. Today we're talking with Jason Brewer and Zac Boehnke of Wandering Monsters Brewing in Cincinnati, Ohio. Jason and Zac share the most important thing they've learned when working with cacao and other flavor ingredients, and the storytelling that's possible with these beers. Enjoy! You can listen to the entire episode this clip is from here . Check out David's book Pairing Beer & Chocolate: A Guide to Bringing the Flavors of Craft Beer and Craft Chocolate Together. Follow Bean to Barstool on social media! Instagram Facebook Pinterest Sign up for host David Nilsen's beer newsletter for regular beer musings, and the Bean to Barstool newsletter for pairings, collaborations, and maker profiles.

18. Collaboration for Chocolate Makers, Part 4: Creative Collaborations To Consider

    Apr 21, 2026

    This is the fourth and final part in a series called Collaboration for Chocolate Makers. In the series, we walk through different types of possible collaborations and how craft chocolate makers should go about them. In this episode, we talk about ideas for creative, outside-the-box collaborations—Partnerships with businesses or community entities that you might not think about as options but can really lead to some cool storytelling and visibility. I fully expect I’ve missed more ideas than I’ve come up with here, so please share others as you think of them! Collaboration for Chocolate Makers series: Podcast Episodes Why Do It, and General Considerations Collaborating with Beverage Alcohol Producers Collaborating with Other Craft Chocolate Makers Creative Collaborations to Consider (you're listening to it!) Blog Posts Why It’s Worth It, and Things To Consider Collaborating with Beverage Alcohol Producers, and Drinks-Based Collabs Chocolate-Based Collabs with Beverage Alcohol Producers Collaborating with Other Craft Chocolate Makers Creative Collaborations to Consider (coming soon) Check out David's book Pairing Beer & Chocolate: A Guide to Bringing the Flavors of Craft Beer and Craft Chocolate Together. Follow Bean to Barstool on social media! Instagram Facebook Pinterest Sign up for host David Nilsen's beer newsletter for regular beer musings, and the Bean to Barstool newsletter for pairings, collaborations, and maker profiles.

19. Redux: Chocolate Educator Sanna Forslund

    Apr 17, 2026

    Bean to Barstool Redux: Vintage but still relevant conversations from the archives without all the extra narration. Just classic interviews from really cool people in craft chocolate, craft beer, and other food and beverage fields. In this edition, is a chocolate educator who uses chocolate as a way to travel the world, recalling places she’s been and imagining ones she hasn’t, and helping others to do the same. All that’s required is an open and curious mind and a piece of chocolate. Join us for a conversation with Sanna Forslund about traveling through our senses, tasting chocolate with a sense of wonder, and how the natural world and the people around us can help us grow in our ability to do both. Check out David's book Pairing Beer & Chocolate: A Guide to Bringing the Flavors of Craft Beer and Craft Chocolate Together. Follow Bean to Barstool on social media! Instagram Facebook Pinterest Sign up for host David Nilsen's beer newsletter for regular beer musings, and the Bean to Barstool newsletter for pairings, collaborations, and maker profiles.

20. Bite Sized: Liang Wang of Kessho Chocolate on Branding & Art

    Apr 14, 2026

    Welcome to Bean to Barstool Bite Sized, where we spend about 5 minutes on a specific topic in craft beer, craft chocolate, or artisan drinks. Today we're talking with Liang Wang of Kessho Chocolate in Austin, Texas. Liang shares the meaning behind the name Kessho , as well as the thought that goes into their wrapper artwork and mold design. Enjoy! You can listen to the entire episode this clip is from here . Check out David's book Pairing Beer & Chocolate: A Guide to Bringing the Flavors of Craft Beer and Craft Chocolate Together. Follow Bean to Barstool on social media! Instagram Facebook Pinterest Sign up for host David Nilsen's beer newsletter for regular beer musings, and the Bean to Barstool newsletter for pairings, collaborations, and maker profiles.