Crio Bru Brewed Cacao Ghana French Roast 1.5lb (24oz) Bag

In 27 years I have received thousands of Amazon orders. I have reviewed a mere fraction of the items. This cocoa is worthy of my time. I put in a small Bodun French press, because I wanted one cup to try. I added a tabsp of heavy whipping cream and frothed it with a handheld mini frother. This is a fantastic cup of happiness to start my day. It is like a homemade cup of cocoa I might make for an honored guest after a day on the ski slopes! I didn't even add sugar. It is that good! I am going to reinvent the Ned Flanders Cocoa Recipe so it's low calorie and even happier. (Serves 1) Ingredients: 1 cup whole milk (or your preferred milk) 2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder 1-2 tbsp sugar (adjust to taste) 1/4 tsp vanilla extract Pinch of salt Whipped cream (optional) Chocolate shavings or sprinkles (optional) Marshmallows (because Flanders would!) Instructions: Heat the Milk: In a small saucepan over medium heat, warm the milk until it's steaming but not boiling. Mix Cocoa and Sugar: In a separate bowl, whisk together the cocoa powder, sugar, and salt. Combine: Add a couple of tablespoons of the hot milk to the cocoa mixture and stir until smooth, forming a paste. Add to Milk: Pour the cocoa paste back into the saucepan, stirring continuously. Flavor: Add the vanilla extract and continue stirring until everything is well combined and heated through. Serve: Pour into your favorite mug, top with whipped cream, marshmallows, and maybe a sprinkle of chocolate. Bonus Ned Flanders Touch: Serve it with a cheerful smile and perhaps a “Hi-diddly-ho!”

I'm a recent "convert." I haven't been able to drink coffee for a decade because it gives me severe stomach aches. I was delighted to find this alternative for a drink that is more assertive than tea but not as rich as hot chocolate or chai latte. I tried the Ghana French Roast and the Ghana Light Roast. The French Roast reminds me more of coffee with a bit of a burnt taste. The Light Roast is smoother and less bitter. Both are good, but my favorite brew is 3 parts Light Roast and 1 part French Roast! I should also say that the taste has grown on me--I found it OK the first time, and now I think it's delicious and have several cups a day. It's like trying beer or tonic water for the first time... you have to acquire the taste. On its own this beverage has a coffee-like consistency, and tastes bitter. I prefer to drink it with a little sugar and a bit of coconut or almond creamer. I've also added vanilla extract and maca powder for tasty variations. It's very nice both hot and iced. I brew a double-batch and save a portion in the fridge to drink cold. Very refreshing. If you cool it in the fridge make sure to shake or stir well before drinking because the "sludge" that pools in the bottom is the tastiest part. I use a French Press to brew it and I like the results. I only wish coffee shops would offer it on their menus too (I can't always brew and bring it with me on the go). EDITED TO ADD: Beware, this is habit forming! I now can't go a day without one or two cups.

The flavor of this Ghana French Roast is phenomenal if you love pure, unsweetened dark chocolate. It has a bold, earthy profile with subtle woodsy undertones. However, buyers should know that it does not body or taste exactly like coffee—it has a much lighter, more watery consistency than a standard cup of coffee. I found that letting it steep in my French press for a full 8 to 10 minutes (longer than the bag suggests) results in a much richer flavor. It's an excellent, healthy superfood drink packed with antioxidants, but there is a slight learning curve to brewing it perfectly

First off, this stuff smells amazing. It is cacao, after all. So, as soon as you open the bag, boom! Chocolate scent in your face! It is more work to brew, than coffee. For my coffee, I just put it and the water in my french press, then stick it in the fridge to cold brew, overnight. From what I have read, some people have cold brewed the cacao, but they had to use more of it. Considering how crazy expensive it already is, I'm not trying to do that. So, I hot brew the cacao, then make a mixture of approximately 40% coffee and 60% cacao. This gives the best of both worlds (coffee and chocolate). You get your caffeine boost (but a lower amount) from the coffee, and the delicious flavor and aroma from the cacao. Plus, doing this stretches my cacao further, effectively making it cost less per cup, while still being amazing.

Its a lot of work to make. You have to put it in the french press for a while and you're supposed to stir it partway through. I thought when I bought it the price was ok, a lot more than my go to coffee, but not abnormally more than 10 oz bags. However, the weight for volume of this is a lot more than coffee, so when it suggests putting half a cup into the full french press a significant portion of the bag is being used up. This was not the robust/strong amount. That was a cup, so if you choose to do that you might get three presses from a bag by my estimation. At the half cup, you'll get about 6. So as a treat, this ok, but it's not a daily drinker at this price. Now the taste: it's ok. It's not bad, it's pleasant. It's like very watery, not sweet hot chocolate tea. With cream, it was fine, but it's nothing to really get excited about. Maybe the double strength would be more exotic, but then we ask if a pot of french press is worth the effort and five bucks of mix. If I want hot chocolate I can make it with cocoa powder. It did seem to give a morning lift. I didn't miss my standard two shots.

Do not buy this is you not have a coffee maker or French press. If you steep this with 2 tablespoons of grounds using 8 ounces of water for 10 minutes and strain through cheese cloth, you end up with 4 ounces available to drink. It tastes good but not worth the effort.

Crop is good stuff, and it’s not coffee. I like hot drinks all day. Tea is bland, and even decaf coffee gets to be too much caffeine. Brewed cocoa is somewhere between hot chocolate and coffee. If you add creamer, it is a lot like dark hot chocolate, but without nearly the calories. A few differences to prepare for: 1.) You MUST use a mesh filter. The grain size is much larger than coffee, so it takes longer to drain through. A paper filter will overflow every time. French press is best, and letting it steep longer than coffee or tea will give much fuller flavor. 2.) There is a sheen on top. That is liquid cocoa butter. It is good. Don’t be scared, but do be aware it leaves a residue that is easily cleaned with soap & water. 3.) It is not sweet by itself. It is not Nestle hot chocolate. 4.) There is no caffeine, but there is a very mild stimulant. If you’re not used to coffee you can get the jitters, but it will take quite a bit. I actually mix mine 3:1 with coffee grounds. My favorite blend is double chocolate (1 tbsp) McCafe mild coffee (1 tsp) and treat with a some French vanilla creamer in a 14oz Yeti coffee cup. Now that I have my favorite locked in, I go for the 2lb bag for a much better price.

So, I really do like it. However, it is not coffee, not even close, it is very different. With that being said, I really like it, but I highly recommend not following their directions! I add 50% more cacao powder and let it soak longer. For a French press let it soak and maybe stir occasionally. I like to use my Final Press by I adding boiling water to my cup then dip the Final Press into the water. I gently tap it to get all the air bubbles out for a little bit. Then I cover it for 5 minutes. Then I press the handle a few times to get the cacao breathing. I let it set for 5-10 more minutes and repeat. I do this until the cacao nibs feel slightly spongy. Then I work the Final Press handle a number of times until the mixture look rich and luxurious. This takes about at least 15 minutes. I just let it soak. I have accidentally let it soak 30 minutes and one time for an hour. This is when it was at its best. Like I said it’s not coffee, but it is very very good if you don’t mind taking the time to enjoy the process :) P.S. I hope you try this and enjoy not only the cacao, but the process as well.

No me gusto solo, le tuve que agregar una cuchadara pequeña de azucar y entonces si tiene buen sabor. Pero el precio si esta demaciado alto. No lo comprare otravez por el precio tan alto. Deberia ser el mismo precio que el café normal para que lo compre.