2. Flavour Evaluation

The flavour evaluation protocols described here are applicable whether the samples have been processed using one of the small-scale fermentation methods described above or have been produced commercially.

Aging and storage of beans

Freshly fermented and dried beans usually have: a) very strong fruit notes that are very volatile, b) lower cocoa flavour notes, c) higher acidity (especially acetic acid), and d) a range of possible off notes (such as yeasty, musty and other odd notes). Therefore it is recommended that the bean samples are stored for a period of time to “age” before they are transformed into cocoa mass.

Aging for between 6 – 12 weeks improves stability, makes the samples more representative of commercial shipments and facilitates optimal expression of the true flavour potential of the beans. Beans should be stored in a new, clean bag suitable for food use and made from a breathable material. It is important that any bags used to store the beans are odour-free to ensure that the material used does not impart any off-odour or flavour to the beans as a result of storage.

It is important that the beans are stored carefully under conditions where they will not suffer from mould damage, infestation by pests or contamination from other samples or substances which could cause taints or pose health risks (See Part III Section 3c).

Physical quality assessment via cut test can be carried out during this time to visually assess fermentation progression and bean fissuring using appropriate representative sampling protocols and assessment charts (See Appendix A).