10 Reviews: Best Cacao Nibs for Brewing (Apr 2024)

When you open a bag of Navitas Cacao Nibs, you’re likely to detect a strong dark chocolate aroma. These nibs have an irregular roughness that gives a natural sensation. Since this product is organic, it should go without saying, but the breakup of the nibs vs uniform machine cuts is a wonderful contrast from most of the competing markets. These nibs have a delightfully bitter, dark chocolate flavor with a mild aftertaste.

It's pure cacao. You can brew it like coffee, or just eat it. I eat it. Lol!

by crunchies

The roasted cacao nibs used by Northern Brewer are sourced from Ecuador. The nibs may be added late in the cooking process, but bear in mind that this will remove some of the bitterness from the nibs. Add in the secondary for a week or two for a smoother contribution. Cacao nibs are a terrific addition to dark brews like brown ales, porters, and stouts, but feel free to try them in other kinds as well!

These coco nibs are fabulous. I have found that I get more flavor soaking them in spiced rum rather than vodka. There was no flavor change by soaking them in spiced rum just pulled more flavor out of the nibs.

by Nick J.

Organic Cacao Beans from Food To Live can be used in a variety of ways in the kitchen. The simplest method to consume them is to mix them into muffins, cookies, pancake batter, and other baked foods. They’ll provide a nice chocolate crunch to any such delicacies. They’re also a healthier alternative to sugary chocolate chips, plus they’re completely vegan. You can brew it and blend it with your favorite morning coffee recipe in addition to baking with it.

I have been so happy with my purchase. These organic cacao nibs have an incredible aroma and taste to them! I love opening the bag and smelling their potent aromas! Better quality than I ever expected! So glad I was willing to try Food to Live!

by Sarah

These certified organic cacao nibs are manufactured simply by crushing cacao beans into little bits. To preserve the delicate nutrients and bright tastes contained in pure cacao, low temperatures are maintained throughout processing. Chocolate nibs are ideal for adding a cacao crunch to desserts, snacks, smoothies, and anything else that calls for a little cacao crunch. To bring out the genuine chocolate taste, combine them with something sweet.

The cacao nibs from Sunfood are awesome! The taste more fresh and truly natural than other brands I’ve had.

by Kevin Rail

These organic cacao nibs are a true chocolate indulgence. These raw nibs are the original unsweetened chocolate chip, made from crushed beans. Cocoa nibs are crispy, delicious, and high in minerals and natural mood boosters. It’s ideal for homebrewing! We suggest blanching them for a minute in hot water to sterilize the nibs and aid in unleashing a lot more flavor.

I've been brewing for 10+ years and using ingredients from Brewers Best for quite some time. They always seem to have quality product for the price you pay. I used almost the whole package in a batch I brewed and used the extra ounce or so to sprinkle over ice cream. That was a bonus as well! Would Reccommend!

by Jason H Eggers

These nibs had a more crumbly feel than some of the other products. Its crumbly texture makes it a great topping for açai bowls and other similar dishes, as well as another trail mix. This non-GMO, keto diet-friendly, and vegan-friendly snack are touted as a replacement for chocolate chips. They’re fairly sweet, with a chocolaty fragrance and a great bitter character, but there’s not much of an aftertaste.

We ground these up to add with coffee for our own at home cold brew and it gave it a very nice, bolder flavor! Looking forward to finding other uses for them too!

by MargaretDee

The cacao nibs from Healthworks are a little smaller in size than some of the rival cacao nibs, suggesting that they have been crushed a little more – which helps when putting them into a blender. These organic nibs are not as crunchy as other of their rivals and do not have a strong aftertaste. It’s marketed as being suitable with smoothies, granola bars, or trail mix, and it comes with a recipe for avocado chocolate muffins (which are rather tasty).

I used this for brewing a chocolate milk stout. I placed this in the fermentation chamber for a week before kegging. When I transferred the beer, all the cacao had dissolved off and only the nibs remained. The beer turned out very nice.

by Anthony S.

Cacao nibs are often used as a basic component in chocolate by chocolatiers. Cacao nibs are also popular among beer producers and wineries. These nibs by Cacao King are raw and can be roasted further to get varying roasting intensities for varied taste profiles and to manufacture chocolate. They have a very rich and wonderful chocolate scent, which is typical of genuine Arriba beans from Ecuador.

PERFECT for snacking. EXCELLENT in my nut mix. LOVE these tasty bits!!!

by Rob

These cacao nibs have been roasted, so although they aren’t completely raw, the roasting does give them a somewhat richer taste. We believe these will be more appealing to individuals who have never eaten cacao before. The Viva Naturals brand nibs were simple to use and include in our everyday snacks and dinners. We encountered little sorting and grinding, which is often required to deal with particles of the shell.

Snagged these on sale. They have a really smooth, chocolatey taste and bake into cookies so well. Perfect addition to trail mix. I have been grinding them with my coffee to brew in the mornings--so good.

by Sam Matherly

Pure Natural Miracles is the only cacao nib brand that gives the same degree of strong, rich, and dark tastes as Pure Natural Miracles. These dark, consistently sized nibs have a strong aroma and flavor, so a little goes a long way. And, if you’re still getting acclimated to the taste, tossing a few of these nibs into a baking effort will infuse the whole dish with a punch of insanely delicious chocolate.

These nibs are fresh and full of flavor. Exactly as I expected. I am using them to add chocolate flavor in brewing a stout. I can't wait to taste it!

by Bob