Hottop Back to Back Roasting

[yoma]

Just wondering what the limitations are for back to back roasting on the newer hottop models B, P.

On the older D model, its not possible to start a second roast until the unit has cooled to under 70C according to its temp. sensor.  (Then it begins another pre-heat phase).

Is it possible to start a subsequent roast whilst theres one active in the cooling tray?

Im thinking about moding a D model to allow this.
I image the shell would get pretty hot!

The D model has an auto-eject when the temp. reaches around 217C.  Is this the same for the newer models?

-yoma

[gregpullman]

Re: Hottop Back to Back Roasting

Hi Yoma,

Those points are unchanged on the newer Hottops but they exist for good reason. The cooling / pre-heating aims to get the drum at the same temperature for the start of each roast. If this wasnt enforced youd get a lot more variation in subsequent roasts - you could start the first roast at ambient (say 25 degrees C), but subsequent ones could be started as high as say 180 (if you started another roast a couple of minutes after finishing the last one). As such the same program would give a faster second roast and consistency would be lost. The newer ones still have the auto-eject as a safety feature, at 220C, which prevents blowing the final safety feature - the thermal fuse which is the last line of defence against a toasted roaster! I find most of my roasts finish around 205C.

If you bypassed either of these, youd lose consistency between roasts in the first instance, and risk damaging the roaster if the temperature got too high. I dont see either of these as negative features; they allow for improved consistency and for safe operation, but if you do decide to do this just be aware of the risks.

I normally remove the rear filter once the roast has finished and by the time the cooling cycle has finished its normally pretty close to the temperature at which it starts to pre-heat anyway. So in terms of back to back, you may have perhaps seven minutes from when one roast is ejected to when the second is started.

Greg

[Sink_cut]

Re: Hottop Back to Back Roasting

And, I have found you really need to pull the drum out and check for stuck beans after each roast. By the time you do this its always cool enough for the next batch

[Randy_G.]

Re: Hottop Back to Back Roasting

And, I  have found you really need to pull the drum out and  check for stuck beans after each roast.  By the time you do this its always cool enough for the next batch

That is more work than is necessary. Make a simple tool from a stiff piece of wire (like brazing rod) attached to a handle. Use it to poke loose any stuck beans. Handling those hot parts is not the best recommendation, and every time you remove and replace the front bearing you stress it as well as wear at the threads of the front bezel.

[Sink_cut]

Re: Hottop Back to Back Roasting

Hi Randy,
Often you cant see the stuck beans (and parts of beans) unless you pull the drum out. There is also a fair amount of chaff build up on the wall opposite the element. You cannot get to this chaff without removing the drum.
I have never left beans or chaff in the roaster between roasts. Do you think it would have a detremental effect on the roast leaving it in?

David

[yoma]

Re: Hottop Back to Back Roasting

I have never left beans or chaff in the roaster between roasts.  Do you think it would  have a detremental  effect on the roast  leaving it in?

FWIW, I cant remember when I last clean the drum in mine - probably 150 (or more) roasts ago.

On average, I get about 5 "double roasted" beans per batch, which are easy enough to pick out.

IMHO it doesnt effect the roast at all.

-yoma

[gregpullman]

Re: Hottop Back to Back Roasting

I used to pull the drum out each time and knock out the stuck beans but I now concur with Yoma that they dont taint the roast and are very easy to pick out in the cooling tray. I guess the extra roasting makes them drop out. As far as cleaning the chaff, I normally puff a bit of air into the right side of the drum and this dislodges most of the chaff into the chaff tray. Id still pull the drum out every 10 or so roasts these days, but not after every roast.

Greg

[beanflying]

Re: Hottop Back to Back Roasting

Hi all,

for back to back roasts last week I did 5 on the trot. To speed the cooling cycle on the drum a little I took out the inlet cover and lifted the rear filter out most of the way. I drop them back in when it gets down to about 80C to even out the heat again and restart as normal. This only gives me about the right time to bag/seal and weigh thr next lot and crack another beer if I am lucky I guess it takes about 3 minutes after the cooling cycle has finished before restarting can be done.

Even after this session there was only 4 beans stuck in the drum, given how well jammed they were they were not coming out in a hurry. Apart from that only the odd bean or two seemed to be a reroast, also ocasionally an underroasted one (not sure but it seems that a few spend to much time on the glass).

A fair bit of extra chaff at the 4 oclock position in the roaster can be tapped out prior to a restart with the chaff tray left out without burning hands also a lung full of air into the inlet chute helps as well. Just tip it on its nose slightly when exhaling

[Sink_cut]

Re: Hottop Back to Back Roasting

Ok, You guys have convinced me to leave the drum in for a while. I guess I am a bit paranoid.

After about 70 roasts when I was on my third filter I started noticeing a bitter/burnt plastic flavour when I chewed the beans. I believe this was due to build up of burnt oil on the drum. It took hours of scrubbing and Mr Boema to remove this oil. When I did this the bitter flaovour went away (same beans/ same roast profile/ clean drum). I Know removing the drum every roast will do nothing to prevent oil build up, I am just pointing out that I have found some seemingly minorz things can taint a roast. I ll be cleaning the oil from my drum every filter change from now on (25-39 roasts) .

David

[gregpullman]

Re: Hottop Back to Back Roasting

Ive done mine a few times so far. Bucket of hot water and a liberal dose of caffeto does wonders. You still need to get in there with a toothbrush but it just flakes off instead of having to scrub and scrub. Hottop recommend removing the drum every 5-10 roasts and giving it a clean, so leaving it for 70 no doubt would have left you with quite a buildup. I dont think Id want to leave mine for 150 roasts unless they were all very light roasts! Hottop even mention espresso machine cleaner but on a rag. Perhaps Randy can comment on that versus the drum soak method thats worked for me.

[Randy_G.]

Re: Hottop Back to Back Roasting

The manual for the Hottops is written for the "average" user.. In regards to cleaning it is aimed at the user who would not be motivated to disassemble the roaster further than removing the drum. it was with that in mind that I came up with the cleaning of the roast camber using a rag wetted with TSP or similar. I have found that by the time the drum needs to be cleaned, the rest of the roaster is pretty filthy as well. When it gets to that point I usually disassemble nearly the entire roasted and clean all parts as best as I can, particularly the roasting chamber and the surrounding metal parts. I use a plastic bin and make a strong mix of TSP or equivalent and soak the drum and other parts, turning the drum occasionally. A brass-bristle brush can be used to scrub the drum and internal metal parts. I usually do this level of cleaning once a year or so.

[newbiesnob]

Re: Hottop Back to Back Roasting

Hi,
The manual for the Hottops is written for the "average" user.. In regards to cleaning it is aimed at the user who would not be motivated to disassemble the roaster further than removing the drum. it was with that in mind that I came up with the cleaning of the roast camber using a rag wetted with TSP or similarWhat is TSP? (Excuse my ignorance?)

[garglebutt]

Re: Hottop Back to Back Roasting

soak the drum and other parts, turning the drum occasionally. A brass-bristle brush can be used to scrub the drum

I have found that both the drum and the front glass plate have no issues going through the dishwasher. A little post care to remove some harder flakes and back into the hottop. I would do this maybe twice a year.

[beanflying]

Re: Hottop Back to Back Roasting

TSP will be a cleaning solution. Cafetto in a weak solution does the job nicely and gets the sink nice and shiney at the same time. Full strip and clean with a filter change (everey 30 roasts) seems about right.

Every 8-10 roasts I have been giving the Glass a wipe with Cafetto to make roast watching easier. Also after every session check the drum vanes for any stuck beans.