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Post by cheebs on Feb 6, 2009 14:09:02 GMT -5
Part of my visit to Hugo Hermelink's FINMAC cocoa plantation and plant. This video relates to ther chocolate manufacturing operation. All equipment is vintage, which Hugo was lucky enough to purchase at basically scrap prices from two different manufaturers in Costa Rica who were modernizing their plants. The chocolate manufacturing part of FINMAC's operation is very recent, this batch seen here is their second or third. The chocolate still needs a lot of work. Cacao grown at FINMAC is all Trinitario, from 6 different clone stocks. For a larger image go here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=30-RqYF4K_A
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Post by garth on Feb 7, 2009 16:06:45 GMT -5
Cool. So now it's at the point for final grind? What's the final product(s) ? Ok Chocolate, Ha! But bars, confections, raw materials?
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Post by cheebs on Feb 7, 2009 16:47:51 GMT -5
In the big conche it's already ground and sugar has been added. 3 days later, finished bulk chocolate, packed untempered in 25-kilo boxes. This goes either to a Euro buyer or the local market for confectionery use.
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Post by Brad on Feb 7, 2009 23:47:12 GMT -5
3 Days....
Wow.
For a commercial endeavor, that's a pretty long time.
With a MacIntyre style of conche refiner, which isn't all that expensive to buy, and is pretty much what many large companies (and even my company) are using, one can go directly from bean to incredibly smooth finished product in about 12 hours.
Using a MacIntyre, there's really no need for a roll refiner AND a conche. It serves both purposes in one machine, and does a great job at that.
Having said all of that, it was certainly interesting to see a winnower in operation. I'll be it's one very noisy beast!
Brad.
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Post by cheebs on Feb 8, 2009 0:02:03 GMT -5
3 Days.... Wow. For a commercial endeavor, that's a pretty long time. With a MacIntyre style of conche refiner, which isn't all that expensive to buy, and is pretty much what many large companies (and even my company) are using, one can go directly from bean to incredibly smooth finished product in about 12 hours. Using a MacIntyre, there's really no need for a roll refiner AND a conche. It serves both purposes in one machine, and does a great job at that. Having said all of that, it was certainly interesting to see a winnower in operation. I'll be it's one very noisy beast! Brad. Oh no doubt... you're preaching to the choir here. IMO the scale of this machinery, not to mention all the downtime due to the age factor is not worth it at all. He would definitely be better served by smaller, newer, more efficient equipment. I can't even begin to imagine what this guy's electricity bill is like! What Hugo for sure has down is his cacao, hugely flavorful and fruity, but with little acidity. Sadly, his main liquor client, a Belgian conglomerate, demands a very high roast that all but eliminates the fruity notes. Oh, and the entire operation is terribly noisy. I guess because the winnower is enclosed it doesn't seem so bad. I did have a huge headache by the end of the day though.
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