- 3 days
- Mon - Wed, 15 - 17 May 2023
- 9:00am - 4:30pm
- Belmont Estate, Grenada
- $675
Intermediate level course in Chocolate Tasting.
Chocolate Tasting Course and Chocolate Festival with Belmont Estate cacao farm and factory
A great chance to take your Level 2 Certificate in Chocolate Tasting courses in the beautiful Caribbean island of Grenada. Join us at Belmont Estate and also enjoy a whole range of chocolate and cacao activities at the Grenada Chocolate Festival, which takes place during and after the course.
The course will be held in the grounds of Belmont Estate cacao farm, surrounded by cacao trees and the Belmont chocolate factory. A specially cooked Belmont lunch will be provided during the course days and you can book your stay at one of the hotel or lodging options suggested.
The final day of Level 2 will include a guided walk in the Belmont farm for a live introduction to cacao varieties, running alongside the Chocolate Festival.
If you want to join us for both courses, make sure to check the details on the Combined Level 1 & 2 Certificate in Chocolate Tasting page.
Accommodation
The course fee includes lunches but does not include travel to or from Grenada, hotels or other accommodation, but we can recommend some venues on the north of the island, which are reachable for Belmont Estate each day.
See the list of recommended accommodation venues on the Combined Level 1 & 2 Certificate in Chocolate Tasting page.
Grenada Chocolate Festival – Rum Edition
The chocolate festival takes place around the island from 16 – 21 May and 2023, the 10th anniversary of the festival, sees a special ‘rum edition’, including distillery visits and a chance to develop your understanding of a common chocolate flavour note.
The main program includes plantation days, chocolate making workshops, rum masterclasses, chocolate history, art and yoga, a chocolate dinner and closing party.
The final day of Level 2 will overlap with the festival, with a study of cacao varieties growing at Belmont Estate.
For full details of the program, see the festival website https://www.grenadachocolatefest.com/schedule/
Level 2
The Level 2 intermediary course explores the world of fine and origin chocolate in greater depth, looking in detail at the styles of different chocolate makers and different approaches to chocolate making, from micro-batch to large scale. Treatment and flaws in cacao are examined as well as the chocolate production chain and how these contribute to flavour.
The course explores chocolate history with an emphasis on taste and the current chocolate market. Over 25 chocolate bars and samples are tasted, with repeat tasting, profiling and blind tasting to gain a full understanding.
Level 2 introduces the Institute’s online chocolate profiling system, which will be used throughout the course working with laptops of tablets. Spare tablets will be provided if you are unable to bring your own device.
The course is held over an intense three days, or a two week programme of webinars and self study, and provides fuller understanding of fine chocolate and its flavour possibilities.
The course finishes on the final day with a 30 minute multiple choice exam based on the course content and a blind tasting test. Certificates will be issued upon achieving a pass mark.
- Chocolate production
- Chocolate types and styles
- Sensory exploration, practice and physiology
- Process chain tasting – bean to bar
- Tasting practice and profiling with our online system
- Cacao production, quality and flaws
- Understanding and tasting flaws in cacao and chocolate
- Cacao farming and economics
- Chocolate history from a taste perspective
- Take away study guide
- All the chocolate and sensory samples you will need*
- Certificate for exam passes
This course would be perfect for you if:
- You’ve began your chocolate journey, but you want to know more
- You’re a professional in the catering/pastry/fine chocolate industries and want to develop a full sensory understanding
- You are considering launching a fine chocolate business
- You want the ultimate, intensive gift the chocolate fanatic in your life
- You want to develop your tasting skills towards a professional level