How To Build A Cacao Fermentation Box | Ep.107 | Craft Chocolate TV

[@mistagunzz9670]

This man has single handedly taught me everything I know about the cacao tree and the chocolate making process. Thank you for teaching me how to fall in love with this hobby ❤

[@CraftChocolateTV]

This right here! This comment is why we do it! Thanks for sharing! We share your love for the hobby.

[@alphakaba3708]

He’s amazing !

[@ryanbowenphoto]

Thanks for this practical and informative tutorial! Im so excited to build one and improve my fermentations!

[@CraftChocolateTV]

Let us know how it goes!

[@earthboy9622]

Thanks for sharing this!

[@CraftChocolateTV]

It's our pleasure! We hope it is helpful for you. Thanks for watwching!

[@junglechef1]

Just about to harvest my first quantity of beans, still small as I only have 120 trees, but should be enough to make chocolate bars. What quantity of beans does this box hold and what do you do on the bottom with the juices that drain out (meaning is it up on bricks with something underneath to catch liquid or ??). Here in Thailand they use untreated hard wood, sometimes old reclaimed wood, so I'll likely go this route. Watched all your vids, great stuff!!

[@rhssuk]

How do you transfer from one box to another, plastic scoops? Should you cover the bottom of box, floor, with banana leaves to reduce the leakage of juice for the anaerobic phase, first two days?

[@rhssuk]

I believe the second and third boxes need holes drilled in the side walls. The aerobic phase needs oxygen, not getting in without holes.

[@rhssuk]

And finally I think the belly band should be 2/3 down, as pressure increases with depth. See water towers.

[@ognev]

Hi Dylan thanks for another informative video. Question: how many individual fermentations do these boxes last for or what is the normal lifespan of the box would you estimate?

[@CraftChocolateTV]

Our producers in the field say they will last for a couple of years, if well-maintained.

[@rezaponchi]

Very useful although I have a question about plywood which is produced using chemical glue per layer. It would be great if you continue with the videos of the fermentation process, manufacturing drying facilities and so on.

[@CraftChocolateTV]

Though the video states we used poplar, that was an error. It is food grade maple plywood using food grade soy based glue. As for your second requestion, you're in luck! We are currently following a veteran cacao producer here on Oahu while they ferment beans from start to finish. Stay tuned for more videos on post-harvest practices. Thanks for watching!

[@rezaponchi]

@@CraftChocolateTV Great!, thanks for update - it is hard to find such kind of food safe grade plywood. We shall looking forward next videos!

[@CraftChocolateTV]

@@rezaponchi if you can't find good food safe plywood, you can use untreated solid wood. So long as you make the walls out of food safe wood, plywood is not essential.

[@rhssuk]

Do you think it would be possible to ferment beans in a wooden aging Rum barrel?

[@rhssuk]

Thank-you, this is brilliant. Is it possible to give me the make and model of data logger please?

[@juansebastianortiz5055]

hi, I am Juan from Colomba, i woud like to ask you, what kind of wood is best for fermentation boxes, and how important is it for a correct fermetation process and the quality of the cacao bean. Thanks for all the videos,

[@CraftChocolateTV]

Mucho gusto, Juan! The wood used needs to be food grade plywood with food grade soy based glue. As mentioned in the video, any wood that comes into contact with the cacao should be untreated. As for the importance of a correct fermenation process, this is really the most important step for a good quality bean. The fermentation process (which includes the drying process) are where the flavour and quality are developed. Without it, it's really quite challenging to make good chocolate. The good news is that we are in production on a post-harvest video with a veteran cacao producer here in Oahu, following along as he ferments beans from start to finish. Thanks for your questions and for watching, Juan!

[@marilynubag1021]

What us the dimention / size if the box.

[@elis1645]

Thank you

[@CraftChocolateTV]

You are very welcome! Thanks for watching!

[@figueroalabs]

Out of plywood? I don't think that is even close to food-safe.

[@CraftChocolateTV]

For that reason, for everything that will come into contact with the cacao, we use untreated maple wood, include the plywood.

[@figueroalabs]

@@CraftChocolateTV Untreated is good, sure, but the glues use in plywood are very rarely food safe and almost never regulated. Some of them even carcinogenic. If the ply is thin and the cacao juice is acid, there is much chance that it will seep into with the changes in temperature and humidity.

[@ericblank6232]

Should take place in glass or plastic. Not wood

[@CraftChocolateTV]

@@figueroalabs Hey, we wanted to thank you for raising this question, as it led us to more thorough answers! First, the plywood is food grade maple (not poplar as stated in the video) and it uses food grade soy based glue. You're right - if it were regular plywood with typical glues, it would be a health concern, but the folks building these boxes use food grade materials for that reason. Thanks for helping us clear this up!