Crunchy and Caffeinated: Hawaiian Chocolate 'Breakfast Bar' by Manoa

Manoa Chocolate certainly delivers a whole bean experience with its Hawaiian Coffee Beans 60% Dark Milk 'Breakfast Bar'.  With the back side of the bar absolutely jam-packed with large pieces of cocoa nibs and coffee beans, this crunchy bar earns its 'Breakfast Bar' name with a double punch of caffeine.

It tastes like a sweet dark chocolate, with only a slight milk taste. It does not have any of the strong tropical flavours that I associate with Hawaiian cocoa beans - in fact, the chocolate taste is quite neutral. Overall, this was a good chocolate-tasting experience.

Hawaii is the only state in the U.S. that grows cacao. Manoa uses locally-grown Hawaiian cacao to make the Breakfast Bar and locally roasted coffee, so you will get a true Hawaiian experience! I paid $9.99 for this chocolate bar, plus shipping (to Northern Ontario, Canada), from La Tablette de Miss Choco in Montreal.

If you are headed on vacation to Hawaii for a warm-weather getaway this winter, check out a Hawaiian Chocolate Factory Tour, it costs $14 and includes chocolate tasting and tea service.

Manoa makes a full range of chocolate bars, including bars made from cacao of other origins, and a dark-milk bar with lavender and one with goat milk, among other interesting combinations. Check out the full product range here: http://manoachocolate.com/products-page/.

Here are the package details from the chocolate reviewed today:

Manoa Chocolate 'Breakfast Bar', Hawaiian Coffee Beans 60% Dark Milk, 2 oz (56.7g)
Manufactured by Grass Shack Industries LLC (Kailua, Hawaii)
www.manoachocolate.com
Ingredients: Cocoa nibs, cane sugar, whole milk powder, cocoa butter & coffee beans. This product is made in a facility that processes milk powder and tree nuts.

For more information on other Hawaiian bean-to-bar chocolate, read this article or check the U.S. bean-to-bar chocolate list: http://ultimatechocolateblog.blogspot.ca/2014/03/bean-to-bar-craft-chocolate-makers-in.html.