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Corretto Roasters - how long is your roast?

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  • Corretto Roasters - how long is your roast?

    I'm currently using a IR heat gun to measure the temperature of the roast at 1 min intervals. My roasts are mostly around 350g and I try for the hit FC around the 11 or 12 min mark. The temp according to the IR gun is usually around the 215 mark.

    My aim is to reach the following temps:
    5 mins - 150 degrees
    11 / 12min - First Crack (my gun usually reads around 215, sometimes higher, sometimes lower)
    up to 14/15mins - stop the roast before SC. My temp from the IR gun is usually around 230.

    I know the IR temperature reading is not the most accurate, so I've purchased a couple of cheap K type probes and have just started to use them, but their readings are lower than the temp gun. However, as I am so used to the IR gun readings, it may take me a while to recalibrate my thinking of what the temps should be.

    Appreciate if you could share what times and temps Corretto users aim for. Or is a Corretto roast profile no different to other roasters?

  • #2
    Generally my measured temps are about 15 degrees lower than those you quote, using a Heatsnob / thermocouple which seems reasonably accurate despite the noise issues. This is to be expected: IR thermometers measure everything in their view not just the bean mass.

    I don't track FC but I'm used to hearing it around the 200 mark*. I usually drop the roast between 215 and 220 depending on beans and desired depth of roast.The one time I let it get to 230 it was so overdone I couldn't drink the result**. I don't start recording until I hit 80 degrees and total time is generally around 16 - 18 minutes to roast 625g (1/4 bag).


    *I generally look for the curve inflection that often occurs at around 205 degrees and reduce my heat input at this point so I am usually paying attention to the roaster at around 200.


    **I usually clean up my workshop while the roaster is running, I got distracted and it got away on me, I'll try not to do that again.

    Comment


    • #3
      Originally posted by dimmy View Post
      Appreciate if you could share what times and temps Corretto users aim for. Or is a Corretto roast profile no different to other roasters?
      Following anyone elses temperature points will result in less than perfect coffee and will drive you insane chasing the same result.

      Even if you could replicate someone else's profile exactly you would end-up with coffee they like which might be nothing like what you want.

      Variables include:
      * Probe placement
      * Ambient air temperature
      * Green bean temperature
      * Roaster mass
      * Heat Application
      * Green bean varietal, density, moisture content, size, processing, age...

      The only "truth" is the temperature at first crack. It's intrinsic to the Arabica bean at 196C and regardless what your temperature measuring device says you should make a note in your roasting log of the time at first crack so you can see easily if you are early or late which will help determine the rest of the roast progression (faster or slower). Logging first crack will also give a clue on how different beans roast.

      Roast to suit YOUR OWN taste.

      To do that you will need to keep your variables close to the same, take lots of notes and then taste the difference. You'll have something stand out as better and can then use that for your baseline for other roasts which will get you to your optimum roast faster.

      5 mins - 150 degrees
      11 / 12min - First Crack (my gun usually reads around 215, sometimes higher, sometimes lower)
      up to 14/15mins - stop the roast before SC. My temp from the IR gun is usually around 230.
      That's perfect data (if your coffee tastes great!).
      Don't get hung-up on other people's times and temperatures, build your own baseline of temperatures and times, make one change and see if it improves the coffee (eg: first crack at 13min or first crack at 10min)

      Comment


      • #4
        Really nicely explained Andy...
        Worth a 'Sticky' on its own I reckon.

        Mal.

        Comment


        • Andy
          Andy commented
          Editing a comment
          I agree but apart from having too many stickies already, no one reads them

          Will ponder the best way to FAQ an "according to Andy" one day to compile my thoughts/opinions/rants.
          Might make it a registration entrance exam.

        • dimmy
          dimmy commented
          Editing a comment
          I think a blog would be good place to start (if you had the time).

      • #5
        Originally posted by Andy View Post

        Following anyone elses temperature points will result in less than perfect coffee and will drive you insane chasing the same result.

        <snip>

        The only "truth" is the temperature at first crack. It's intrinsic to the Arabica bean at 196C and regardless what your temperature measuring device says you should make a note in your roasting log of the time at first crack so you can see easily if you are early or late which will help determine the rest of the roast progression (faster or slower). Logging first crack will also give a clue on how different beans roast.

        Roast to suit YOUR OWN taste.

        <snip>

        Don't get hung-up on other people's times and temperatures, build your own baseline of temperatures and times, make one change and see if it improves the coffee (eg: first crack at 13min or first crack at 10min)
        Thanks Andy. I never knew FC for Arabica beans occurs at 196, but that's a great nugget of information. I always thought beans had different FC temps... 😦

        The purpose of this post was to see whether my roast times were similar to other Corretto roasters. My manual setup won't allow me to 'copy' anyone's roast even if I wanted to.

        Comment


        • Andy
          Andy commented
          Editing a comment
          FC = Football Club
          first crack = readable for a newbie learning from your posts.

          If you copy or aim for a similar end time then you have already moved away from the principle of roasting to suit your own taste. A 5 minute roast or a 30 minute roast doesn't matter if you enjoy the result.

          I "get it", we all did the same thing in the early days but the best roast results are really achieved cutting your own path using your equipment, tastes and roasting data.

          As a commercial roaster I have to roast to an average of tastes, as a home roaster you can be exact!
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