Beta5 is a little bit out of the way, at least compared to the other stops on our crazy, two day tour of the Vancouver hot chocolate festival. It was hot chocolate #20 of #21 we had during this trip. Beta5, named after the most desirable form of cocoa butter crystallization, has been making chocolate from cocoa beans since 2011. Their bars are made with a custom polygon mould that references the local mountains that can be seen from their workshop. The chocolate seems to be a mix of what they make in house from cocoa beans (although no further information is provided about this on the website or instore) and Valrhona couverture chocolate. Each of their chocolate are infused with different flavours. The Dessert Nerd bar is a white chocolate with freeze dried strawberries, rainbow nerds and pop rocks. The Catch A Wave bar is a dark milk chocolate with crunchy ripple cut potato chips. The Hokey Pokey Bar is a 66% dark chocolate with sponge toffee and flacked sea salt.
Their hot chocolate for the festival was called Shanghai Fog and was a floral jasmine green bubble tea hot chocolate served with a mini Shanghai Fog Cream Puff, a blend of jasmine mousse, madeleine, sponge, vanilla mousse and jasmine tea Chantilly. They are as famous here for their Cream Puffs as for their chocolates it seems.
Beta5: 409 Industrial Ave, Vancouver, BC V6A 2P8, Canada Open Tuesday to Saturday10am-5pm shop.beta5chocolates.com
