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What is best - popcorn or heat gun

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  • Stoveboy
    replied
    Re: What is best - popcorn or heat gun

    +1 for popper.
    Hope to skip HG and work on a rotisserie like Andys review. Might be able to do mini lamb-on-spit roasts in its spare time

    Leave a comment:


  • marcstolk
    replied
    Re: What is best - popcorn or heat gun

    Wait til you do a SWP Decaf then... you need to be closer than that to hear any of the cracks

    Leave a comment:


  • ozscott
    replied
    Re: What is best - popcorn or heat gun

    Mine are 4.5 mins usually for first crack and then another 5-6 mins or so to second. They always seem to taste good, but I have only done the 5kg starter pack to date. My 10kgs from the last bean bay arrived the other day, so Im kean to start on them. I might get to a Corretto one day, but for now my kids love the popcorn maker making coffee and for me I like the turn on and forget for a least 6 mins or so and then I watch and wait for the second crack. I can hear the first crack from 30 feet away and the second is becoming easier to detect now also.

    Cheers

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  • nunu
    replied
    Re: What is best - popcorn or heat gun

    In summer, you can expect 4 minute roasts on hotter days. 1st and 2nd cracks have no time between them.

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  • dailybean
    replied
    Re: What is best - popcorn or heat gun

    hmm, nice tips there nunu. i do notice the popper struggling in those kind of temperatures. 1st crack happened quite quickly surprisingly - ard the 4-5 minute mark. i was just experimenting since i had never done it in ambient temperatures < 10C.

    definitely different to what i was used to in summer

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  • nunu
    replied
    Re: What is best - popcorn or heat gun

    Poppers are nearly useless in the single digits, unless you put them in a box, or use a piece of wood to cover up part of the air outlet.

    You could have used the wood trick to get them to 1st crack, then remove it completely to coast into 2nd.

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  • dailybean
    replied
    Re: What is best - popcorn or heat gun

    i love my popper now since melbourne weather has cooled down a lot. did a roast tonight at an ambient temp of 10C and managed to extend a roast of 100g to about 14-15 minutes. in fact, it may have been a little bit too baked. never thought id say that with a popper...

    Leave a comment:


  • rowdee
    replied
    Re: What is best - popcorn or heat gun

    Great questions Toad,

    Billis photos are great. I would have used a little less volume because once you get them moving they can spray a bit. So a quarter to a third full of whatever container you are using. I use to use a bowl about the same size as Billis and 200-300g was about right for me.

    I would recommend you hold the heat gun when you start roasting. You will get a good feel of the whole process and once you have done a couple of roasts you can experiment with distance, angle, etc. I found holding the gun at a bit of an angle like Billis picture meant the chaff blew away. But I dont think it makes that much difference.

    Time will depend on your guns output, distance from the beans and once you have done a couple of roasts you will get the feel of what is happening. The wonderful thing about the heat gun and bowl is that you can see the changes taking place and identify what is happening.

    So if you are not familiar with something like Sweet Marias guide: (http://www.sweetmarias.com/roasting-VisualGuideV2.html) it is a good idea to have a look so you know what you are looking for. A couple of the other threads talk about roasting to charcoal so you know what happens. I have never done that, just dont feel I can do that to coffee beans but it obviously has some merit.

    All the best, be great to hear/see some results.

    Leave a comment:


  • Billi
    replied
    Re: What is best - popcorn or heat gun

    Hi,
    This may be of some help.


    I use my heat gun on max till 1st X, then reduce to the lowest setting until 2nd X, but I guess that all depends on the gun you use/have.

    Bruce

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  • julsajet
    replied
    Re: What is best - popcorn or heat gun

    Toad

    I tend to use a saucepan and usually do around 400g which fills the saucepan up about 1/3. Just vary the saucepan to the amount youre roasting.

    Most of my roast get to 1st crack around 10-15 mins and 2nd around 16-20 mins depending on the bean.

    I have the heat gun around 7-10 cm away from the beans with the heat gun on the highest setting, pulling away from the beans a little after 1st crack & turning the temp down slightly.

    Juls

    Leave a comment:


  • Toad
    replied
    Re: What is best - popcorn or heat gun

    I have just ordered a home roasting starter pack, and I have decided to start roasting with a heatgun & bowl. If I enjoy roasting, I can always upgrade to a corretto, and my ultimate aim is the Gene Cafe Roaster.

    But to get me started, can someone please help me with the following queries?

    - do I need a deep bowl or shallow? wide or narrow?
    - approx how deep should the beans be in the bowl?
    - approx how many grams of beans can be roasted in one batch?
    - how high above the beans should the HG be, and should it point straight down or at an angle?
    - how long should I be aiming for to get to 1st & 2nd crack?
    - what heat setting(s) do you recommend on the HG?

    Thanks in advance. I cant wait to get started  :

    Leave a comment:


  • Javaphile
    replied
    Re: What is best - popcorn or heat gun

    Nice set-up Billi.

    You can also use an old computer power supply for your 12 volts and if the agitation is too fast you can drop the voltage to either 7 or 5 volts by swapping around a couple of wires. It could easily be modded into your existing box it looks like and would help to keep the motor cool there-by extending its lifespan.

    Java "Inventors R Us" phile

    Leave a comment:


  • Dimal
    replied
    Re: What is best - popcorn or heat gun

    Good one Billi [smiley=thumbsup.gif],

    And , its very neatly done too and with its own box and everything..... a very snobbish roast setup 8-) ,

    Mal.

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  • Billi
    replied
    Re: What is best - popcorn or heat gun

    More pics
      Inside the box

    close-up of the bowl

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  • Billi
    replied
    Re: What is best - popcorn or heat gun

    My 2c.
    You don’t have to ”stand there for 10 + min.”, when using a heat gun.   A simple mod, is to add a motor and stirrer to the dog bowl, most seem to find the windscreen wiper motor from the wreckers for about $10 and an old battery, usually to be found lying around somewhere, will do the trick.
    Here is my set up:-
    Bruce

    Leave a comment:

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