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  • Help with Gene cafe roaster

    Hi all
    am rather new to the roasting game, got hold of a cheap gene cafe, bought Andys starter pack of green beans and have been giving it a bash. Also had some Columbian supremo beans which i was given by the seller.

    Am familiar with the roasting basics from this helpful site- roast, cool quickly, store, grind and use but gotta say that my results have been dismal so far using the recomendations from the manual that came with the roaster.

    I noticed that in my searching online some people pre-heat the gene then add the beans- does this have a better effect?

    Hoping someone might have some profiles that they use regularly that could result in some drinkable coffee.

    Found this thread but couldnt find much else
    http://coffeesnobs.com.au/YaBB.pl?num=1158109405

    Thanks in advance.
    Bill

  • #2
    Re: Help with Gene cafe roaster

    I tend to follow Avacuppas instructions on the Gene.
    http://www.avacuppa.com.au/mediawiki/index.php?title=Coffee_Roasting_Using_Gene_Cafe_%2 8GC%29_-_Tips_and_Techniques
    At least, its a good place to start.

    Comment


    • #3
      Re: Help with Gene cafe roaster

      Hi Bill,

      have a look and a try of this:
      http://www.avacuppa.com.au/mediawiki/index.php?title=Coffee_Roasting_Using_Gene_Cafe_%2 8GC%29_-_Tips_and_Techniques

      Its easy to adapt once you "know your bean" and my other suggestion would be to get a bag or two of one bean, learn what works and what doesnt to get the result you want, then use that knowledge as a starting point for other beans. The bean that I would recommend to learn on is the Peru Ceja de Selva Estate from Beanbay, it is easy to roast, the cracks are loud and clear, and in my opinion, it gives a great coffee, however it is roasted, popper, gene - set & forget, or varying the temp as per the Avacuppa directions.

      Have fun

      Comment


      • #4
        Re: Help with Gene cafe roaster

        Welcome to roasting Bill.

        Here is my basic process--you will need to adapt it to your tastes, and to your thermostat.

        Heat Gene on 230°C for 5 minutes. Cool to about 80°C.

        Pour in 250 gms of beans.

        Set to 20 minutes, 230°. This gets up to heat with about 12 minutes remaining on the timer, and starts the heater cycling.

        First crack is at about 8 to 9 minutes remaining.

        Slowly turn temp. down to 225° over about a minute or two.

        Second crack happens at about 3 or 4 minutes remaining.

        After 30 sec. of second crack, hit cool.

        Turn on separate cooler. Hit emergency stop.

        Dump beans into cooler. Re-start Gene on cool down.

        Beans are cool in about 1 minute. Bag.

        Let mature as per your preference. (Mine is from 10 minutes to 10 days.)

        I only make doppio ristrettos.

        Im currently experimenting with slightly hotter temps and quicker roasts--no change so far. Slower roasts dont taste as good to me.

        Greg

        Comment


        • #5
          Re: Help with Gene cafe roaster

          Originally posted by 696267673A0B0 link=1299829913/0#0 date=1299829913
          I noticed that in my searching online some people pre-heat the gene then add the beans- does this have a better effect?

          Hoping someone might have some profiles that they use regularly that could result in some drinkable coffee.
          I didnt "cool quickly" for the first 6 or so months I had the Gene... Then Hazbean convinced me with an A/B comparison (we roasted the same thing, same profile..).

          Cooling quickly makes a BIG difference. I took the Gene apart to verify that this wouldnt hurt it. When I cool - I emergency stop, remove the drum (I have asbestos fingers, better get a glove...) dump the beans in the cooler and then either restart with more beans or dial up some time, hit the heat button and then hit it again to do a normal cool-down cycle.

          The heater is the only thing that needs airflow, and as long as you dont take 5 mins to dump the beans, the heat from the heater wont "soak" the plastic and the PCB..

          My profile is a bit like Gregs, but subtly different:

          1. Heat to 250C
          2. E-Stop, add beans
          3. Set 20 mins (so the arithmetic is easy) and go.
          4. First snaps of FC will be in 8.5 -> 10 mins (depends on ambient)
          5. I actually leave it on 250C* for a full minute
          6. Drop back to 225-->234C

          If I have it at 225 then SC happens in about 4.5mins, 232 it is about 3 mins.

          *: depends on the beans, but the KJM blend gets this treatment.

          I find this 100% repeatable.

          /Kevin

          Comment


          • #6
            Re: Help with Gene cafe roaster

            Thanks so much for all your responses.

            Only have intermittent net access so just read through it all.

            Appreciate your advice, will put into practice and let you know how i go!

            Comment


            • #7
              Re: Help with Gene cafe roaster

              So - Bill - how is it going??

              /Kevin

              Comment


              • #8
                Re: Help with Gene cafe roaster

                Originally posted by 5D687F7D4D7568777B767E1A0 link=1299829913/3#3 date=1299887233
                After 30 sec. of second crack, hit cool.

                Turn on separate cooler. Hit emergency stop.

                Dump beans into cooler. Re-start Gene on cool down.
                I finally commenced my roasting adventure over the weekend with 2 batches of Brazilian Yellow Bourbon. Got caught slightly on the first batch by the virtual absence of first crack and ended up with a roast that was just a little darker than Id planned. On the second batch I was alert to the minimalist first crack so the end result was where I wanted it.

                My concern though on both batches was controlling the GC during cool down. Ive built a "flower pot" cooler for fast cool down. On the first batch I hit the Emergency Stop (TEMP held down for 2 - 3 sec.) but it stopped in a position that made it possible but v difficult to remove the roaster drum. After emptying the beans into the cooler and replacing the drum in the roaster I then spent nearly a minute figuring out how to start the GC up again on a cooling cycle. On the second batch I pressed TEMP to stop the roast / start cooling, and then did the emergency stop. After emptying the beans into the cooler and replacing the roaster drum I did a re-run of figuring out how to get the GC back onto a cooling cycle.

                Can somebody please give clear, step-by-step instructions of what to press (or re-set) to get it running on a cooling cycle.
                Kevins post:
                Originally posted by 5150571A0 link=1299829913/4#4 date=1299893832
                dial up some time, hit the heat button and then hit it again to do a normal cool-down cycle.
                sounds rather like what I ended up doing, but it was so "hit & miss" that I dont clearly know what I did or what I should do on the next batch.

                Expert guidance will be most welcome.

                Comment


                • #9
                  Re: Help with Gene cafe roaster

                  Hmmm,
                  my emergency stop always stops in the correct place.
                  This is from memory:
                  1 Press Temp to start normal cooling.
                  2 When drum is about 180° from the correct stop position, press Temp for 2-3 sec. until E shows. (Drum slows when E shows and rotates to correct stop position.)
                  3 Remove drum. Dump beans.
                  4 Replace drum. Turn Time to re-start rotations.
                  5 Press Temp to resume cool-down.

                  Greg

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Re: Help with Gene cafe roaster

                    Thanks Greg - Ill follow that sequence on the next roast.

                    The wrongly positioned stop was only on the first roast; it stopped in the correct spot on the second roast.

                    Ill start sampling in a day or two.

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Re: Help with Gene cafe roaster

                      I do the same as Greg, but I dont bother with step 1.

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Re: Help with Gene cafe roaster

                        In my experience, the drum will occasionally stop in the wrong position, so care is needed to have the drum in a suitable position when E is pressed; Greg has described the correct position.

                        I dont usually worry too much about dumping immediately, Ill use "fast cool" (press the button twice) down to about 160, then E stop and dump, with a normal cooling cycle to finish. This gets the beans cool in around four minutes.

                        Comment

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