Boulder’s Cholaca, founded in 2012 by Ira Leibtag, produces a pure liquid cacao (mixed with coconut sugar) that is ideal for use in making hot cocoa, mocha drinks, baked goods, and … beer. In fact, Cholaca is used in chocolate beers by Oskar Blues, FATE, Fort Collins, Zwei, Big Choice, Copper Kettle, Coopersmiths, Crazy Mountain, and now Breckenridge.
I attended a tasting yesterday of Breckenridge’s new seasonal Nitro “Chocolate Orange Stout” (13 IBU, 6% ABV) brewed with Cholaca, orange zest and Mandarina hops. The finished product successfully conveys its components in a velvety texture with a creamy nitrogen head. I also will pair well with a variety of foods, especially roasted meats.
As a bonus, Cholaca is made with organic, fair trade chocolate from Peru and Ecuador that is vegan, gluten free and dairy free with no preservatives, emulsifiers or additives. I can see why breweries delight in using it for their chocolate brews. It’s easy to use, is available in different levels of sweetness, and is pure.
Cholaca is available for order at www.cholaca.com.