A clear path to crafting your best chocolate starts by understanding each step.
Yes, we are a different kind of chocolate school.
Most beginners are taught shortcuts, the “give them what they want to hear” approach.
And most experienced makers are left to figure things out alone, because seasoned chocolate makers aren’t usually the people teaching chocolate classes.
Chocolate classes from the folks who sell beans and equipment aren’t based on real-life chocolate making experience, or from building a bean to bar business with chocolate at the forefront.
Social media videos offer a glimpse, but “content” isn’t the same as practical, tried-and-true method, or insights.
The Next Batch began in 2016 when, as a thriving bean to bar maker, I opened my heart and kitchen to teaching, because I believed in the need for small batch chocolate to thrive in a big batch world.
Whatever stage you are when you begin the course, you gain a more intentional approach to chocolate making built on skills, not chance.
If You’re New:
Start with a clear, proven process
Avoid costly trial and error
Stop guessing and start making decisions with clarity
Understand not just the how-to’s, but the why’s behind each step
Build skills that grow batch after batch
If You’re Experienced:
Improve consistency batch to batch
Nail down flavor development, gain skills to assess flavor goals in roasting and refining
Take inclusioncrafting to the next level
Understand why your process works
The only bean to bar course created by a working craft chocolate maker, designed for a global community making small batch chocolate. Whether your dream is to make chocolate for family & friends, start a chocolate business, or finally focus on improving your skills, learn through the guidance and real-life insights of a longtime bean to bar maker. Learn the techniques, maker insights, recipes, and creative how-to's of every type of bean to bar chocolate.
I’m a beginner, will this be too advanced?”
No. You’ll be guided with clear explanations that help you build strong fundamentals from the start. You can ask questions during the livestreams, use the materials as your skills grow, and registration includes a private Zoom call with Mackenzie.
“I already make chocolate; will I still benefit?”
Yes. This workshop is designed to nail down your process and deepen your understanding, not repeat basics.
“What if my setup is small?”
The Next Batch was created specifically for small-batch makers. We don’t just believe small size is an advantage, we’ve experienced the demand for and love of handcrafted bean to bar.
What’s inside and what’s included
After registering you receive instant access to all of the Workshop materials, and can make use of them on your own time frame, as often as you need for the life of the course.
Each chapter follows the process steps of crafting bean to bar, but students can make use of the chapters in the way that suits their needs best.
Easy-to-follow lessons, how-to’s, how-to and video demonstrations, downloadable PDFs, and livestreams.
Livestream sessions with Mackenzie dive deeper into methods, troubleshooting, and are recorded for watching/re-watching any time.
Includes a 90-minute private Zoom session for each student with Mackenzie
SECTION 1: GETTING STARTED (equipment, setting up a chocolate workspace, ingredients, livestream schedule, recorded livestreams)
SECTION 2: ORIGIN (understanding origin, sourcing cacao, sorting + storing)
SECTION 3: FLAVOR, AROMA, TASTE (how chocolate flavor is created, how makers achieve flavor goals)
SECTION 4: ROASTING CACAO (why we roast, equipment, the roasting process, targeting origin flavor, evaluating roasts, cracking & winnowing)
SECTION 5: BATCHCRAFTING (the role of %, creating recipes, using a melanger, troubleshooting flavor + texture)
SECTION 6: NIB-BASED BATCHES (crafting dark chocolate, dairy milk chocolate, plant-based milk chocolate, troubleshooting texture)
SECTION 7: WHITE CHOCOLATE (the unique needs of white chocolate, crafting white batches, dairy white chocolate, plant-based white chocolate)
SECTION 8: TEMPERING (stress-free tempering, the role of cocoa butter, seed tempering, melter,s and a DIY melter, choosing bar moulds, mould care)
SECTION 9: INCLUSIONCRAFT (intro to inclusioncraft, bar design, inclusioncraft structure, snackcrafting inclusions, tempering with inclusions, swirls and patterns)
SECTION 10: PRODUCTS BEYOND BARS (crafting drinking chocolate, chocolate nut and seed spreads, making couverture, crafting baking chocolate)
SECTION 11: THE B(USINESS) SIDE (business goals, what makes a successful chocolate business, branding + story, packaging, shipping, wholesale + retail)
SECTION 12: FULL VIDEO + PDF LIBRARY
“Mackenzie has given me the confidence and knowledge to go, react to the bean, and make chocolate.”
Emily Luchetti, chocolate & jam maker, cookbook author, James Beard Award for Outstanding Pastry Chef
Every workshop is taught by Mackenzie Rivers, the founder of the Next Batch, the chocolate maker behind Map Chocolate Co and the Cacao Barista, and the creator of some of craft chocolate’s widespread innovations and most memorable chocolate.
