Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

Results of roast of Urban Roast on Gene Cafe

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

  • Results of roast of Urban Roast on Gene Cafe

    Hi all

    I have just sampled the roasts I did of the "Urban Blend" that Chris supplied with the
    Gene. Chris suggested 228 x 18 mins so I tried at that temp with times of 18.0, 19.5 & 21.0 mins. Each batch was 100 gm which used up the bag. There was no smoke during the roast and I didnt hear any cracks. The beans look reasonably uniform and color-wise they are probably around a city roast. (based on comparing their color to a page at Sweet Marias website). The 21 mins one is slightly darker than the 18 min ones. I have left them for 4 days. Note: they still smell a little bit like the raw beans did.

    For tasting I ground them for plunger and placed into small cups one spoon of each and added hot water and steeped for 4 mins then filtered into cups and tasted each one. I couldnt tell any difference between the three. Taste though is what I wanted feedback on. Its hard to describe but it reminds me of stale percolated coffee. I tried an espresso with a finer grind and it also has the same taste.

    If a bean still has a green bean smell does that indicate under roasting? Even though the color is not too pale. Any comments?

    Tomorrow Ill be starting on the starter pack.

    Mike



  • #2
    Re: Results of roast of Urban Roast on Gene Cafe

    Hi speleomike,

    You might want to check with Chris re his recommendation on roasting time as it may have been based on a different sized batch eg. 300gm? There arent too many variables when using the gene, though batch size is certainly one of them.

    You may find that the gene produces a darker roast when you work with a larger batch. Hence why your beans may still taste (and partially be) green.

    Then again, Chris might have just been getting rid of all his rubbish coffee and called it "urban blend" - Im only joking...but just couldnt help myself! :

    Comment


    • #3
      Re: Results of roast of Urban Roast on Gene Cafe

      Originally posted by Dennis link=1177675426/0#1 date=1177680667
      Hi speleomike,

      You might want to check with Chris re his recommendation on roasting time as it may have been based on a different sized batch eg. 300gm? There arent too many variables when using the gene, though batch size is certainly one of them.

      You may find that the gene produces a darker roast when you work with a larger batch. Hence why your beans may still taste (and partially be) green.

      Then again, Chris might have just been getting rid of all his rubbish coffee and called it "urban blend" - Im only joking...but just couldnt help myself! :
      Are you kidding me...using the dials you have control over time and temp at the touch of your fingertips.

      Comment


      • #4
        Re: Results of roast of Urban Roast on Gene Cafe

        Hi all

        > Then again, Chris might have just been getting rid of all his rubbish coffee and > called it "urban blend" - Im only joking...but just couldnt help myself!

        :-) well theres nothing wrong with using some crap coffee to let a newbie have something to use when they get a new machine so I wasnt expecting anything that was top notch.

        I have read the many posts here and distilled a few times/temps so Im going to try a Rwandan Cyangugu this morning. I have see folks here have suggest 250 16 and 240 17 and 232 17 so Im going to use 240 and carefully look, listen and small at around the 17 mins mark. Ill use 100 grams again.

        Ill also nuke some robusta for fun :-)

        Mike

        Comment


        • #5
          Re: Results of roast of Urban Roast on Gene Cafe

          Wushoes - read more carefully - I said there arent too many variables.

          I can think of, temp, time, quantity, bean type, and amibient temp. I dont consider this a large amount. Are there any more?

          As for twiddling the dials - within reason, it doesnt matter what you set the temp too - eg. the gene probably wont get to 240* in 20 mins with 300gm in the drum.

          Comment


          • #6
            Re: Results of roast of Urban Roast on Gene Cafe

            Hi all

            This time my roasts were I think much better. I used 100g of Rwandan Robusta at 240 C. I heard my first cracks at 20 mins, no 2nd crack was heard. At least now I know what the cracks sound like - they are quite distinctive if a little faint. I ended the roast at 25 mins. They look a dark brown but not burnt.

            I then used 100g of my Indian Tiger Mountain at 240 C. The 1st crack was at 12 mins and I think was noticable at 15 mins. This time there was a 2nd crack at 19 mins. I ended at 20 mins and its a nice even dark brown.

            The crack sound of the Indian Tiger Mountain was different to the Robusta.

            It will be hard to wait till Friday to try out the ITM :-)

            Mike

            Comment


            • #7
              Re: Results of roast of Urban Roast on Gene Cafe

              Hi Mike,

              I also have a new Gene roaster - I purchased mine in March from 2mcm. I thought Id share a couple of good tips with you that really helped me. Firstly, the sound of the 1st and 2nd crack are different. The 1st crack sounds like the breaking of a toothpick or match - it is a lower pitch. It may be just one loud crack, followed my fainter ones, or it may sound more like popcorn popping. This cracking may go on for a little while. The 2nd crack sounds more like you are rubbing cellaphane paper together - it is a higher pitch and it sounds more like the beans are "crackling". I think 2nd crack "normally" occurs about 2 - 4 minutes after first crack (more experienced roasters may give better info here). I have found that there is normally a bit of smoke before 1st crack, and then again before 2nd. You mentioned little smoke - that may be due to your small roast sizes. I have always roasted 300 grams.

              Ive heard that smaller roast sizes need more time, rather than less (which to me doesnt quite make sense, but Im there is an explanation). I decided to just practice on larger batch sizes - which may be a bit wasteful when I got it wrong. My roast times are normally around 18 - 21 min at 232. I set my indoor timer for 10 min, then I go outside to watch the interesting bit at the end. Im pretty forgetful, so when I hear the second crack I quickly hit the "cool" button without noting the time remaining.

              Another good bit of advice I received was to just "waste" a roast or two (thanks Dennis). What I mean by this is to plan on roasting them until they are black and undrinkable, so you can learn what happens during the roasting lifecycle process. I found this a useful excercise and I learned that I wasnt quite reaching 2nd crack (I thought I was, but I wasnt).

              I also find that when I want to listen for the cracks, I position myself near the chaff collector. The collector helps to magnify the sound of the crack(s) - it really does work (but I do inhale a bit of smoke ;-). It helps me differentiate between the sound of the bean cracking and the sounds of the beans turning around in the drum.

              I normally start using my beans in 48 hours - I can never wait 4 days. I only like milk based espresso drinks, so Im not into cupping (yet!). I do try eating one bean after a roast to see if I can taste charcoal (a sign that the roast is overroasted). Even so, I dont really like the taste of the freshly roasted bean (it tasted good at first, but then the bits get stuck in my throat!). Perhaps dipped in chocolate would be better!

              Straight after roasting, the beans dont smell their best. The fresh coffee aroma takes a day or more to develop. If your beans still smell green 4 days after roasting, and your coffee wasnt good, it sounds like you underroasted. If you overroasted, the beans would be very dark and specks of oil would be all over them (been there, done that!).

              One last thing - watch your beans as they roast. If they still have lots of chaff in the beans seam (I dont know the technical term), then they probably still need more roasting. After 2nd crack, a lot of this chaff disappears - it is amazing!

              Hope this helps a little from one "newbie" to another! If any more experienced roasters have gotten this far in my long-winded email, please let me know if Ive told any "lies" by mistake as Im also just learning.

              Happy roasting! Mary

              Comment


              • #8
                Re: Results of roast of Urban Roast on Gene Cafe

                Hi Mary,
                In my experience with my Gene Cafe, 300gm roasts partialy cover the hot air outlet of the roasting drum wheras 200grams leave it fully open.
                This could explain the shorter roast time for 300gm as the heat cannot escape from the drum as quickly.
                I usually do 200 gm for 18 mins at 225deg as the only two 300 gm roasts I have done were overdone when I came back at 17 mins and I was too late!
                As I have said on previous posts I have great difficulty hearing the cracks but after reading your observations re chaff in the seam of the beans maybe I will have to roast them for a bit longer.
                Up till now I have based my roast times on colour and how the beans taste .My wife is chief bean taster to make sure I havent burnt them!
                My Gene Cafe seems to roast faster than other c/ss.
                Cheers Herbie.

                Comment


                • #9
                  Re: Results of roast of Urban Roast on Gene Cafe

                  Hey guys,

                  Its great to hear of a few experiences here of others with the GC.
                  Ive now done a few roasts and for the most part happy.
                  I decided to stick to 300g and a temp of 230c so the only variable that Im playing with is the time. An interesting point Mary makes about the chaff, however Ive done at least one batch that still had a fair quota of chaff in the seams, but I wouldnt have wanted it to go any further.
                  I think one of the most important (and difficult) factors is the leave the beans to rest for at least a few days.

                  I look forward to sharing many more experiments with the GC !!!

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Re: Results of roast of Urban Roast on Gene Cafe

                    Just a point about the chaff... Some beans have more chaff than others (some have none, some have HEAPS)

                    Also, some beans like to hang onto their chaff, ie: I still have some on the beans even when they are roasted through.

                    If you are worried that they are not roasted through (still have a green, grassy smell) then bite into one - You can tell if it has roasted all they way through. it will be lighter in colour inside if under-roasted.

                    I cant give any tips re temp cause Im using a corretto with no thermocouple.

                    Comment

                    Working...
                    X