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First roast in the Gene Cafe

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  • First roast in the Gene Cafe

    Thanks to Andy, my Gene Cafe arrived late last week, complete with India Elephant Hills AA green beans.
    I unpacked everything and got my first roast done on Saturday. Cracked the bag this morning and was greeted with something that most definitely resembled a light roast and smelt wonderful.
    I've since brewed up a cup or two in the aeropress and am pleasantly surprised by my efforts!
    Many lessons learnt for a first attempt, and a long way to go. But very very happy. Thanks Andy ! Click image for larger version

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  • #2
    Welcome to the wonderful world of home roasting!!

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    • #3
      Good for you Whorl.
      You will have a ton of fun and good coffee from now on.
      I've used my Gene Cafe for 12 years now with (mostly) great results

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      • #4
        Certainly exciting times, and nothing like a new hobby for a reality check!
        I'll kick off some more roasts this weekend, some more for filter and something a bit darker to try with espresso beverages.
        Next major decision is on which beans to add to my collection, as this one certainly exceeded my expectations!

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        • #5
          Looks great Let us know what it tastes like in 5 - 7 days after roasting. As a newby I found dramatic improvement after a rest period.

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          • #6
            That's a great start Whorl, you will learn a lot along the way and if you keep some notes on the times, temperatures and taste you'll get yourself a base-line in no time.

            The Indian Elephant Hills is a great bean to learn a new roaster with, it works well through a range of roast depths which makes it easier to see what effect different roasts have on the results.

            Enjoy the ride.

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            • #7
              Second roast. Think I took this a little darker than last one. Bit hard to tell. Certainly more able to hear first crack this time. And highly enjoying the last batch. Will have to crack on and try another later on.

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              • Andy
                Andy commented
                Editing a comment
                'tis hard to tell on a website but I expect this will be even better than your last roast, it looks about where I like the Elephant roasted to but as a home roaster, the correct answer is whatever you like best!

                Goldilocks roasting works a treat, one too light, one in the middle and one too dark... you'll soon identify what works best for your taste-buds.

              • Whorl
                Whorl commented
                Editing a comment
                Thanks Andy. Yep I think this is better than the last one, believe I stopped it too early on that. Still tastes great though!
                Now the waiting game for this one...

            • #8
              Hey Whorl, out of interest, what basic profile are you following for your initial roasts? I am staring down the barrel of my first roast as well and would like a good starting point! Got the India Elephant Hills ready and waiting!

              cheers,
              Gav.

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              • #9
                Hey Gav

                So far I'm following a fairly basic approach that seems to have worked out well so far. There's a lot of variation in how people use the Gene, so see what works for you.

                My process is starting from cold. Add beans, temp to 235C, start. When I hit rolling first crack (lots of popping), I'll slowly drop temp to 225C over the next minute for roast development, then stop a minute or so after first crack finishes. That bit depends on how far you want to take it. I stop earlier for filter roasts. And my go to is letting either one cool in the Gene, it does a serviceable job for a novice.

                Hope that's helpful! I'm a novice still, but I will say that I've roasted some great coffee and one that contributed to one of my best cups at home ever.

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                • #10
                  Originally posted by Whorl View Post
                  My process is starting from cold. Add beans, temp to 235C, start. When I hit rolling first crack (lots of popping), I'll slowly drop temp to 225C over the next minute for roast development, then stop a minute or so after first crack finishes. That bit depends on how far you want to take it. I stop earlier for filter roasts. And my go to is letting either one cool in the Gene, it does a serviceable job for a novice.

                  Hope that's helpful! I'm a novice still, but I will say that I've roasted some great coffee and one that contributed to one of my best cups at home ever.
                  Awesome, thanks for the info man! Time for me to jump in and give it a try.

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                  • Whorl
                    Whorl commented
                    Editing a comment
                    Good luck, it's a lot of fun and totally worth it.
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