Brooklyn-based chocolate makers Mast Brothers is finally here in Shoreditch and what better time to launch than on Valentine’s Day?
Brothers Rick and Michael Mast teased us with a chocolate pop-up at the nearby Ace Hotel and now London has the full experience at their sleek, minimal chocolate factory on Redchurch Street.
I made a pilgrimage to Mast Brothers London on its second day of trading after strolling around Spitalfields and Brick Lane to see what else is new (its neighbour T2 Tea is also not to be missed).
The factory window resembles an art gallery installation with ‘Mast Brothers is making chocolate here’ lit up in neon above stacked sacks of cocoa beans. As you walk in, you notice the rich, malty aroma of hand-made chocolate that subtly fills the air.
Mast Brothers is London’s first bean-to-bar chocolate maker and you can watch the magic happen in the open factory behind a floor to ceiling window.
The chocolate brand is also a pioneer in chocolate drinks, which are offered at the cool chocolate bar, or to take away. Instead of a flat white, try a signature Brewed Chocolate, using house-roasted cocoa beans and served either hot or cold.
There’s also a decadent Hot Chocolate or non-alcoholic Chocolate Beer to try, plus sourdough with chocolate spread if you’re feeling peckish.
The full range of Mast Brothers chocolate bars are neatly presented, as though they were accessories in a designer boutique. The display is so perfect that I found myself instinctively reaching to rearrange the bars after they’d been ruffled!
Not only is the packaging beautiful, but reading the labels is like taking a tour of the world with cacao from some exotic destinations. The Origin Collection includes Guatemala, Papua New Guinea, Dominican Republic, Peru, Belize or the original Brooklyn Blend.
Other interesting bars are Stumptown Coffee, sheep’s milk, vanilla and smoke, cacao nib, sea salt and almond. The samples Belize and vanilla and smoke were fantastic, but it was a bar of Maple Chocolate that we bought to enjoy at home.
The 70% cacao dark chocolate has real depth of flavour with fruity tartness and a pleasantly grainy texture from the maple sugar. It’s pure indulgence and definitely a treat to be savoured – we made ours last for three nights.
£8 is the most I’ve ever spent on a bar of chocolate, but the quality, design and artistry makes it a cut above the rest. I’m sure I’ll work my way through the other bars gradually, but top of my Mast Brothers list is a cup of hot chocolate at the bar.
For more information, visit: www.mastbrothers.com
All photos by Cherie City
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