New to Roasting

[scollops]

Re: New to Roasting

hahah am going am going....damn work few hours more....cant wait got some Brazils to cook - cant wait for bean bay sales...whoohooo

[A_M]

Re: New to Roasting

hahah am going am going....damn work few hours more....cant wait got some Brazils to cook - cant wait for bean bay sales...whoohooo

Where are you located ?

Nothing in ya profile..

[beanflying]

Re: New to Roasting

Just do it ! to borrow someones slogan

I remember when my Hottop first turned up I didnt actually use it for over a week either lots of reading and looking and contenplating my navel Came to the conclusion that the worst I could do was to make a dud roast and just get on with it. Out of 100s I think I have binned 2, one was caused by a dead rear fan and the other was just wrong and I still havnt really figured out why. It doesnt mean you will get it perfect every time but thats part of the fun with having a new toy is the playing.

First roast was great BTW

[A_M]

Re: New to Roasting

Get down and get dirty with it..

AND

Just do it ! to borrow someones slogan

If ya still reading teh manual and have not run a Roast by tonight...

Some of us might put out a contract for the HT retriever squad ;D

OH... And pics as proof by COB... None of this I did it crap...

PROOF, date stamped pic and a copy of todays paper with the date visible

If it arrives after midnight... Not good enough.

[scollops]

Re: New to Roasting

Come on...I can do that except post (well maybe once I get my Internet charged up over the weekend now (honestly just moved using USB PEN).  But will document and get one going for proof date, pic maybe a graph if am lucky.

Cheers though guys for all the support appreciated.

Updated Profile - Brisbane Nth Side

[A_M]

Re: New to Roasting

Come on...I can do that except post (well maybe once I get my Internet charged up over the weekend now (honestly just moved using USB PEN).  But will document and get one going for proof date, pic maybe a graph if am lucky.

Cheers though guys for all the support appreciated.

Updated Profile - Brisbane Nth Side

AlexT will be over my way again tonight to collect his rebuilt Faema.. I should say his Faema with a rebuilt Procon pump. Feel free to drop around after 8:30.


You had better turn up on teh 6th.. If ya this side of town... No excuses.

[scollops]

Re: New to Roasting

8.30 would of been ideal but missus having a girly day - am up for another though...I missed the 6th ?  What was that I missed something...was this Bean bay day ?arrahhh so many things see focused on roasting now not dates....right am off to cook some beans.....

Hang on up for the 6th ok ...phew can plan that

[A_M]

Re: New to Roasting

8.30 would of been ideal but missus having a girly day - am up for another though...I missed the 6th ?  What was that I missed something...was this Bean bay day ?arrahhh so many things see focused on roasting now not dates....right am off to cook some beans.....

Hang on up for the 6th ok ...phew can plan that  

Please explain the term that is highlighted above ?.

As to the 6th

http://coffeesnobs.com.au/YaBB.pl?num=1273567885

PS.

Make a short cut and use this link... Just refresh and scroll through a few times a day and stay current

http://coffeesnobs.com.au/YaBB.pl?action=recenttopics;display=30

[scollops]

Re: New to Roasting

Ok sounds like I can make that and get some good ideas and tips hopefully.  OK roasting was on last night - weapon of choice was Honduras Los Bancos beans......250g ready to go.  Ok I set the machine up and plugged in my external temp monitor - lappy was playing up with the CS software ...worked and didnt work displaying the graph....so took notes...

Ok first thing - setup time 20 mins top temp 216 to kick it off High heat no fan.  Was acually stressing at this point - watched the temp climb and noticed how much of difference from the probe to the machine - wow huge....

Anyway buzzer went off dropped the beans and began to cook.  This is were too much reading takes you ....high altitude beans, what was it now, and remember to drop the temp to slow the cook....wow really stressing there...ok temp rising slowed down to about 12c a min - I thought this being a high altitude bean needed a good high heat...

Back to it - reduced temp around 190c and fan on to slow down...first crack approx 202c - pretty high temp I thought (but hey my first time didnt know) at this point I thought it was going wrong - fan had slowed temp to about 5c a min first crack went - then I started asking myself, was that the second crack - maybe leave a little longer...still waited the rolling cracks had stopped just the odd pop - I couldnt bear it decided could be bin job... Anyway pulled at 207c - couldnt take the unknown....beans out not the dark roast I wanted.

Ok on inspection - nice brown beans, few others lighter - actually looked better the following morning.  I decided to try this new fandangled coffee (bit young but you never know).

Fired up my machine ground the beans - did a double ristretto.  Ok verdict........

Bright - not acidic but just enough to be  a bit bitey and not linger
body was good, but got the taste that it was new needed something - maybe a few more days perhaps.  I cant say I like bright tasting coffee but I didnt tip it downt the sink either.

Tried a quick latte - hmm the coffee being a tad bright was the big thing there - I dont take sugar so guaged that straight off.

In short will give a week  - I did learn stop stressing, I prefer dark roasts with body (well at this time).  Time goes pretty quick when you stare at the beans going round and round....

Pic attached was straight off the press - got slightly darker the following day.

Ok where did I go wrong... ?  I know its all trials and things - in fact am already planning on a next batch.  

QUestion though - how do you know when the first crack should be around so you alter the settings prior to ensure consistency ...if possible....I am guessing from 190 - 206 ish depending on beans ?

[A_M]

Re: New to Roasting

So many points and so mush to say..

( Sounds like it was pulled prior to second crack - Plunger or AP)

Set ya profile and let it go..

Sounds like many others here..  Too much reading / internet and trying to make the numbers add up.. You said it and I agree.

Making a simple process un manageable.

RELAX and go with the flow... Do not stress....

1:  Start using 200g... The HT can manage more but Less is often better to start with and to get the HT bedded in.

2: No not try to over manage the HT and het hung up on TEMP readings.. Only numbers and can often mean little - With out contect and an understanding of all the variables.

A couple of points are out of ya control and can be relied upon to get good roasts.

A: Ya ears... Yep those two receivers on the side of ya head..

B: first crack and second crack will happen..  Temp values are a guide and can be 25C different between Person A and Person B... But the beans will be first crack at the same temp..   It is the gauges and other crap that gets in the way.

C: Rule of thumb....

Let the HT do its thing..

- Pre heat
- Add beans when it says so
- Listen for first crack and what the HT does.. Temp changes and fan etc (Keep ya mit off)

- Listen and watch and smell

- Watch the time / profile etc..

- If about to end ( a few seconds left) and second crack has just started or has started let it go..

**** If no second crack then extend the time if possible and then eject at second crack.

**** IF second crack has started but ya have  > 15 seconds left to run - Eject.

- Let it cool / bag and drink in a few day time..


If ya stuff it... Who cares... 200g of beans are cheep and the 30min is worth 10 x 200g for the education that 200g is going to give you.

PS. Any time ya want to drop around.. Give me a call... I will show you a roast on a KKTO and you can compare.. Be prepared to relax and enjoy.

[beanflying]

Re: New to Roasting

Well done you have cooked the first batch and no bad smoke came out

All of what AM said but relax and enjoy is the key, even take a beer to do the roast sit back and watch listen and tweak.

Also not sure if you did it or not but the Hottop likes a good warmup before the first roast of the day so run a short program of 10-12 minutes to preheat.

[gregpullman]

Re: New to Roasting

Also not sure if you did it or not but the Hottop likes a good warmup before the first roast of the day so run a short program of 10-12 minutes to preheat.

I must say Ive never done this and not had any problems with my first roasts. Second roast and onwards in a session normally start a bit slower due to the unit already being warm so the heating element isnt on for as long before loading, so I guess doing that would make them all behave the same way. Im more inclined to drop the next load of beans into the drum when its cooling at the start of the next roast and use them to cool the drum quicker, then eject them when it reaches pre-heat. While you still dont start with as much residual heat, the beans start off a bit warmer so you dont get as much of a temp drop when you load the beans as theyre already 40-50 degrees.

[beanflying]

Re: New to Roasting

Hi Greg,

with the standard D model I have been using (currently undergoing brain transplant and playing ) I normally dont drop the beans until 100 degrees so I like to have everything nice and warm first. Even when the brain transplant is done I will still be running it above that temp for a bit then wind it back to drop for a start.

Works for me anyway

[gregpullman]

Re: New to Roasting

Fair enough - thats one of the great things about the Hottop - it lets you roast the way you want to rather than having to do it someone elses way, and Im sure youll find it even more so once your DX project is up and running!

[A_M]

Re: New to Roasting

Fair enough - thats one of the great things about the Hottop - it lets you roast the way you want to rather than having to do it someone elses way, and Im sure youll find it even more so once your DX project is up and running!

Scollops made teh mistake of dropping over ;D

I will not steel ;D his thunder and hit what transpired :

What is in the cup will be the proof

Damm I hate it when these big dark Hummers do slides in ya street and then have teh hide to pull up in ya drive way 8-) 8-) 8-) 8-)

AM