Roasting suggestions for cold-drip coffee?

[bodyboardingbum]

Hi All,

Have just started my home-roasting journey using a new Behmor 1600 Plus, loving it so far (although a lot to learn!).
I have also recently purchased a full cold-drip tower for a bargain price on an auction website. Now, i am expecting it to arrive ~tuesday/wednesday of next week, so i should decide on a roast or two and get them ready!

I know this is a subjective question, but i'd appreciate some starting guidance on what type of roast you would start out trying for the cold-drip? My understanding is a lighter roast will produce a fruitier flavour, and is often favourable? I've only had cold-drip once, so my preference/palate is very non-existant in this realm.

I have the following green-beans available for choice in my cupboard:

Brazil Yellow Bourbon Especial
Guatemala Jacaltenango SHB
Sumatran Mandheling Jade
Peru Ceja de Selva Estate AAA
DECAF -Wow!

Suggestions on a blend/roast profile to point me in the right direction?

Thanks,
Kyle.

[Steve82]

Depends what you like? if its for milk drinks it does not matter, anything will produce heavy base flavours....

However if you want more fruits and delicate acidity to be enjoyed diluted black.
The only bean on your list I would use and have used extensively for cold drip is the Guatemala Jacaltenango.

Hard for me to translate anything to your roaster, but a lighter roast that is slower overall works well.

Something like 6 to 7 min to 150c bean temp, then 4 to 5 mins to first crack start. You want to be steady and cruising into first crack, pretty much the heat setting you want to finish at, but not so slow that you dont get a decent first crack reaction.

I like a decent start to RFC then as the reaction settles the roast will slow down to around 3 - 4 C per minute, when first crack ends give it another minute or so getting the roast to stall out a few seconds before dumping the beans. Let the beans rest a week then brew at 12g per 100ml water.

I like to dilute the resulting brew around 60 / 40 water. Using a glass pre heated with boiling water, then adding that water back to kettle to cool the water down, to then use with the cold drip makes a pleasant warm beverage. Very smooth.

[bodyboardingbum]

Thank you, Steve! I appreciate your reply, it seems that cold-drip is a bit of an unknown around here.
I'll roast up some of the Guatemala and see how it goes after a week

I'll also be enjoying it black, so looking for those subtle fruity tones and low acidity.

[bodyboardingbum]

Just roasted up 200g of the Guatemala Jacaltenango SHB in the Behmor, ~1min past FC (Rosetta Stone of 1min 15s), on the P2+B profile, auto cool.
Bagged, labeled, and hopefully my Cold-Drip tower arrives mid-week so i can pop these in Friday

[greenman]

I recently did some cold brews with lighter roasts, the standout was a Sidamo Guji OCR natural roasted 30 seconds past rolling first, the berry and fruit notes were amazing.

[Steve82]

I recently did some cold brews with lighter roasts, the standout was a Sidamo Guji OCR natural roasted 30 seconds past rolling first, the berry and fruit notes were amazing.

Yep love a good natural processed Yirg or Sidamo for cold drip and any filter brewing. Just about to V60 some now!

[DesigningByCoffee]

I recently did some cold brews with lighter roasts, the standout was a Sidamo Guji OCR natural roasted 30 seconds past rolling first, the berry and fruit notes were amazing.

So would that be around 211-213 degree drop point Greenman?

[mwcalder05]

At work, we find fruitier coffees such as a Yirgacheffe or Guji work the best in the cold drip. The roast is relatively light, but the profile is long enough to develop the sugars in the beans. Otherwise you'll get a face full of acidity!

Also, when I put the towers on, I grind out the coffee about 15 minutes before putting it onto drip. Using fresh coffee to get an even extraction on these things is a real pain in the backside!

Let us know how you go!
Michael

[bodyboardingbum]

Well it arrived earlier than expected, so now i'm caught without any coffee that's ready! Ha.
Might have to pop down to my local roaster and see what they've got

Came with a washable filter for the main chamber, but i've seen most people add filter paper to the top of the grinds too. Right?

[cosmic_couple22]

Ahhh so your the one that knocked out my highest bid, 4 times I have had the highest bid on these and beaten in the last minute, getting a complex.

What is the quality like?

Chester

[bodyboardingbum]

I won this via auction last Saturday, but they appear all the time so i'm sure you'll get one

Quality is surprisingly good, the glassware seems very solid, much better than i was expecting for chinese glassware. It was missing one of the small silicon joiners, but nothing a bit of aquarium tubing didn't solve. The acrylic stand is actually much nicer than the images make it out to be, very solid, and very stable. Nice weight behind it, with some grippy silicon feet on the bottom. I might add some thin felt to where the glassware sits into the acrylic, so it's a little softer.

If you're in Perth, welcome to come check it out

About to go grab some beans now, and see what i can make happen. Haven't made cold-drip before, so unsure what grind to use, or drip rate... trial and error!

[Dimal]

Wow!

That is some showpiece 'bbb'....

Mal.

[mwcalder05]

And let the fun begin.. if it helps, we grind at courser than plunger and drip at one drip every two seconds.

M

[bodyboardingbum]

First test batch just finished! 65gm coffee, with ~800ml water. Dropping at ~35drops/minute (timed with a metronome ha!). Total time was ~6hrs.
As expected, i don't like the flavour of the beans i've got (don't like them overly with espresso either!). But, i have a better understanding of how it works, and the way the flavour develops!

Keen to see how i go with my own SO roasted, and i think a slightly coarser grind.
The Guatemala Jacaltenango should be good to go from Thursday/Friday, so i'm eager to see how that tastes. I feel i might have an order for some african SO's via BeanBay sometime soon!

[artman]

That looks very slick!

The paper on top of the grinds is to stop the water drops creating divots in the grinds.

I got a bruer for my birthday, but it's not for another three months before I can open it. The agony!!!

Cheers