This is a well fermented Criollo with lots of delicate high notes. The Ocumare is the type of cocoa bean that gave Criollo it’s reputation. It has a tangy berry note integrated with a delicate chocolate flavor in general. The preparation on this lot is quite good. The Co-op has been working very hard to improve their consistency and fermentation as of late. They still have some ways to go, but don’t we all. The beans are pretty uniform in appearance and taste, but there is a little variation here and there. It is really hard not to have that in the conditions of a co-op – just too many farms contributing to have a super consistent appearance. What they have put some effort into though is that they were able to obtain their Organic Certification this year. UPDATE - now they have it, now they do not. For finanacial reasons the co-op has decided to pass on their inspection eariler this year to renew their Organic Certification. The word is that they will be inspected later in the year. The implication is that they are still doing everything organic, the farmers are still organic, etc, otherwise they could not plan to be Certified later on. So, this is still the “same” Ocumare, but it is “different” – follow?

The first time I roasted this, I had this wonderful dry biscuity aroma coming off. It took me a day to realize where I has smelled that before – it was from the samples of Porcelano – that same luscious scent. (and no, I am not claiming this is a Porcelano or even related, the aroma just made me think of it) After that, there are some interesting woody smells, hints of cedar and oak. Overlaid on all of that is a high fruity note. I honestly can not put a name to the fruit. It is not quite berries, or citrus but is also both. The flavor profile pretty much matches the aroma, a little biscuit-like, mostly high bright notes, and a low key chocolate flavor. This is not a super chocolatey cocoa bean. It is much more refined and delicate. If you go into it looking for that kind of flavor, you will most likely be disappointed. On the other hand, if you like a bright chocolate, or what to add some brightness to a heavier more brooding bean, this would be a good one. I have tasted some of Dagoba Chocolates cocoa beans and chocolate and this is similar to a lot of what they use.

A word of caution on the roasting of this crop of Ocumare. Take it easy. It took me 3-4 roasts to get the hang of this bean (if I do have it) as I kept over roasting it, and I was taking it gentle anyway based on last year’s crop. If you take this cocoa bean to far, it turns bitter and astringent – not real great. I am not sure why it is doing this. I think that it has something to do with the fact that it is an “all high note” bean. You often roast a bean to drive off some of the brightness and accent the lower toned flavors. If you do that here, there is not much left. So, treat it gentle, enjoy the brightness, roast it just enough to dry the husk out well so it winnows well, and don’t expect this to be a powerhouse cocoa bean. Don’t try to make it what it is not, a big beefy chocolatey bean. Expect it to be what it is and can be – a Criollo, a “fine flavor” cocoa bean.

I am going to do here what I have been a little hesitant to do up to this point – give some “simple” directions for roasting this bean, since it is so touchy. Pre-heat your oven to 350 F. Put a pound of beans into a heavy corning ware type container, about an inch deep. Put them in for 10 minutes, stirring at 5 minutes (and every 5 minutes after this). At 10 minutes, reduce the heat to 300 and roast another 10 minutes. Pull out a handful of beans for comparison. Turn off the oven and let the remaining beans set/roast for a final 10 minutes in the cooling oven. Remove them and let them cool. This should give you a nice light tangy roasted bean. Compare the two sets and see what you think and adjust your roasting from there.