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  • Roast-a-rama

    First roast, what a cracker! SO ridiculously fun, I just want to do some more. It has bean torture having to hold onto my starter pack till 2MCM had my grinder off the dock. Once I knew it was winging its way toward me today, there was no holding back. As my partner was interstate, there was no one to suggest I waited till it was light and did it outside like a grown up, it was time to play   So, exhaust fan on, GMC Platinum heat gun with wide diffuser nozzle, Sunbeam CoolTouch Bakehouse under exhaust fan, large mesh strainer in sink ready to cool.

    Now the great thing about this breadmachine roasting innovation is the nice ambient temperature it gives, esp in a cool climate like Hobart. The other great thing is a built in timer, so you can easily track your roast. Started up the machine on dough setting, mine starts with a back forward motion for the first 3 mins, then moves into a brisk continual cycle - which was perfect. Set the heat gun to high and held the nozzle about 3cm above 250g of beans [El Salvador Santa Adeladida] first crack at about 6 minutes, second rolling crack at about 8, took it to 9 then flung into the colunder and fanned like crazy.  8-) Colour and aroma is great, some divits out of a few of the beans suggest that maybe it was too fast a roast at the end, might lift the heat gun up a bit higher for the next one. Exhaust fan did the job a treat, minimal smoke, chaff flew about a bit, but a quick whizz around with a dust pan fixed that. Took some pics to show and tell - flash is making them look shiner than  they are, they seem to have a nice matt sheen to them. Attempting to attach, here goes....



  • #2
    Re: Roast-a-rama

    The sunbeam cooltouch bakehouse sounds impressive! :-[
    Wish I had one.
    Do you just press a button and it all starts or does it warm up for ages first?
    Mines useless! At least for roasting coffee.
    Are these expensive machines?
    I think Ill check out cash converters tomorrow
    RH

    Comment


    • #3
      Re: Roast-a-rama

      Hi R-zhd,

      I am having a loving renaissence with my breadmaker, which has spent many a lonely year in the back of the cupboard until I read that post on roasting with them the other night! It doesnt heat up from the machine when it is in dough pummelling mode, but I found as the bucket is metal it holds the heat of the beans and gun blow which makes a nice stable little temperate box for the roast. Once it has reached the continual rotation cycle, the little paddle moves really fast, this seems to encourage an even roast, and no arm strain  

      I dont know what these cost, but I reckon that, like me, there must be plenty of folk who have been given one and lost that baking feeling early on,  so have a squizz in the paper when they have that Under $100 classifieds column and youll be sure to bag a Sunbeam CoolTouch Roasthouse for next to nuffin!!!  ;D

      Comment


      • #4
        Re: Roast-a-rama

        Baristacrat, great to see you using the old Breadmaker for a worthwhile purpose !!

        Love that macro photo of the beans too.  They look great  [smiley=cool.gif]

        What are you using to hold the heatgun?  I found that because of how the bowl keeps the heat in, the gun needs to be held at around the top of the bowl.  But I suppose the ambient air temp is a bit cooler down there in Hobart than Brisbane  8-)

        From my post in the Roasters section you can see I keep the HG at about the top of the bowl.

        Dont you find it addictive?  Its so easy this way, I couldnt help but do a few more roasts.  Much easier to experiment this way too.  Keeping notes is a breeze.   [smiley=vrolijk_1.gif]

        Belinda

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        • #5
          Re: Roast-a-rama

          Thats a great looking roast there Baristacrat (love that name 8-)),

          Im definitely going to mod our BM with a switch to bypass the automatic kneading control and then therell be nothing to hold us back. Dont forget to let us know how the roast turns out in the brew..... gotta have that feedback :P,

          Mal.

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          • #6
            Re: Roast-a-rama

            Howdy Baristacrat and congrats on your first roast!

            Looking at your pic I see what appears to be a lot of scorched tips which is an indication of to much heat. Your short roasting time is also indicative of to much heat.

            Try aiming for at least a 12 minute roast with a minimum of 3 minutes between 1st crack and pulling the beans. This will allow the beans to fully develop their flavor.

            Java "The roasting fool" phile

            Toys! I must have new toys!!!

            Comment


            • #7
              Re: Roast-a-rama

              Java[insert]Phile - Thanks for that info, I was fairly sure from reading up on some of your other posts after I roasted that I was too hot and too fast (!) So much to learn so many beans to roast!!!

              Belinda - Holding the heatgun with flesh tongs, I moved the heat diffuser over the beans while they were being circulated, which may be total motion overkill  : I think it is just going to take a little while to find the optimum method, definately need to work further away from the bean. And yes it is totally addicitve, I am really pissed I have work committments for the next 2 days away from my roasting set up. I must post the picture of my post roast stovetop though, it was tres cyclone larry, compared to your fantastically clean set up piccies  :-[

              If im this excited now, I can only imagine the state ill be in once I start cupping and then brewing.  ;D

              Comment


              • #8
                Re: Roast-a-rama

                Hey Baristacrat,

                Thanks very much for the idea of the breadmaker. ;D

                I had been thinking about automating the stirring because I like the heat gun and thought the breadmaker a great idea.

                So today, with my freshly arrived Sumatrans I pulled out the Breville breadmaker (from storage under the sink) and gave it a whirl. Really impressive, gets very hot though, so cut the heat in half after first crack (5 mins) and second came in at 14.

                The paddle in the basket is excellent for agitation and the heat obviously wont hurt the breadmaker but not so sure about the heat gun or my hand. I have taken the lid off the breadmaker for my next roast so will let you know how it goes.

                Also I am going to rig up something to hold the heat gun directly above the bowl without it being in the bowl. The good thing about the breadmaker is it is solid and doesnt move so being able to fix the heat gun is much easier than it was with a stainless steel set up.


                Comment


                • #9
                  Re: Roast-a-rama

                  Hi Rowdee,

                  I cant take any credit for the excellent innovation of the breadmaker, that gem of an idea belongs to Corretto and her original post describes her set up which also involves the heatgun being mounted above the breadmaker so it is hands free, and a fan nearby for chaff removal and cooldown.

                  I have done a few roasts with my breadmaker now and it is awesome for consistency, I havent found holding the heatgun an issue and quite like to be able to move it over the beans as they are being mixed, maybe the gloss will wear off after a couple of hundred roasts!!! Re the heat, my first roast whizzed way out of control as I was holding the heatgun too close to the beans, and combined with the ambient temperature from the tin, it was too much and resulted in overcooked beans.  > As Javaphile suggested, I have pulled the heatgun right back nearer to the rim, and this enables first crack at around 9 mins and the second however soon after i need depending on bean and the manipulation of gun to bean space.

                  Have a look at Correttos post for some visuals it is in the Roasting thread, Easy Hands Free Heat Gun Set Up lots of other good posts there. I also took the lid off my Roasthouse aka breadmaker, as it just got in the way.  

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Re: Roast-a-rama

                    Thanks Baristacrat (love that name!),

                    I was browsing last night and discovered Correttos thread. Excellent innovation.

                    Will try my beans tomorrow and probably do another roast then as well.

                    I forgot to say I used 200g rather than my customary 150g in the bowl and it handled it without any worries at all. As per the other thread, reckon it could take 500g easily.

                    Next roast I am going to try and bypass the initial kneading so it goes straight to the fast, continuous action.

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Re: Roast-a-rama

                      Well, I have rigged up the whole hands free deal now!

                      Sensational, suspended the heat gun on a length of chain so the nozzle is just above the breadmaker basket. First crack at 8 and second at 12 and it was away!!! Good to have my hands free so I could get the basket out and cool the beans.

                      The heat factor wasnt really an issue because the gun was far enough away to give extra time for roasting and not overheat anything.

                      The agitation with the paddle is great and because of the depth of the basket there is not a problem with beans flying around. 8-)

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Re: Roast-a-rama

                        Lookin good there rowdee 8-),

                        It really looks like the BM roaster is going to be a big winner from the few roasts that have come in so far..... Youll have to let us know how the beans turn out as a brew,

                        Mal.

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Re: Roast-a-rama

                          Turning a breadmaker into a coffee roaster?
                          next well be able to turn a soda fountain into an espresso machine

                          Doppler

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Re: Roast-a-rama

                            Thanks Mal, couldnt wait to try the beans.

                            I roasted 2 lots of Sumatran Mandheling from the August polls. The first lot I pulled out just on second crack and the second lot which are pictured went to rolling second crack.

                            I am delighted with both although the longer roasted has more strength (which is why I like the Sumatran). I tried them this morning even though I only roasted them last night! The next couple of days will be interesting in terms of their development.

                            Day off tomorrow so will be doing lots of tasting.

                            Next roast is going to be the Costa Rican which I have not tried before.

                            When I get around to it I will also post a photo of the roasting set up.

                            Geoff.

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Re: Roast-a-rama

                              Originally posted by rowdee link=1155122565/0#13 date=1155797408
                              Day off tomorrow so will be doing lots of tasting.
                              Sounds like you might need the extra couple of days up your sleeve, eh..... Youll be like a 4 cylinder car firing on all 8 pots

                              Originally posted by rowdee link=1155122565/0#13 date=1155797408
                              Next roast is going to be the Costa Rican which I have not tried before.
                              I think youll like this one... is really easy to roast through to a very dark roast if thats the type of roasts you prefer. Doesnt kill off the intrinsic characteristics of the bean but develops really great body as the roast progresses further into 2nd Crack. I wouldnt take it further than 40 seconds past the start of rolling 2nd though, might start to develop some ashiness into the flavour profile and this will definitely detract from the overall flavours :P.

                              Originally posted by rowdee link=1155122565/0#13 date=1155797408
                              When I get around to it I will also post a photo of the roasting set up.
                              Will be very interested to see your particular setup.... definitely seems like the beginning of a whole new trend in coffee roasting doesnt it :.

                              All the best,
                              Mal.

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