New to Roasting

[scollops]

Woohoo got my Hottop today from Pullamn Espresso - Awesome......cant wait ok more tinkering in the coffee space and more consuion with tastes....lol

Any advice to get going....

[Mono]

Re: New to Roasting

Well done scollops, never used a Hottop but my advice would to even try your roasts that arent quite right as sometimes you can be surprised.

Enjoy, Steve

[Bubbacullen1]

Re: New to Roasting

Hi Scollops, congratulations! Im new to roasting and got my Hottop a couple of weeks back from Pullman, its one addictive machine (or is that the coffee roasting process )

There is a wealth of advice on the forum (under roasting)...all I can advise is read, experiment, take notes, read, experiment and take more notes. The example roasting guidesheet that came along with the roaster is a good place to start and once youve done a few roasts its good to change a few things and see what the impact is, i.e. heat, fan, beans etc. I also came across some roast profiles (not for the Hottop) on the web from a Tasmanian roaster...these gave me a guide on the type of heat etc with the type of beans used - all to be used as merely a point of reference - but I found them helpful.

I was also initially worried that I wasnt hearing second crack over the fan but it turned out I hadnt got to second crack...

Have fun, its a great machine and easy to use. Id like to hear how you go with it!

[scollops]

Re: New to Roasting

Thanks steve love that unknown...just waiting for the CS green bean offers now and good to go...

Mike

[scollops]

Re: New to Roasting

Thanks Mich di - much appreciated excited to get going, but as you say lots out there gotta go find. Maybe a few stickies on models perhaps a suggestion to the mods...who knows just keen now.

[A_M]

Re: New to Roasting

Thanks Mich di - much appreciated excited to get going, but as you say lots out there gotta go find.  Maybe a few stickies on models perhaps a suggestion to the mods...who knows just keen now.

How to use Vs lets tweak or play with a profile for a particular type of outcome... Can be very different.

My first Second Hand HT --- By the book and I sweated teh whole time ;D

I sold it and teh new owner got some training.. It was sink or swim time and sharks were in teh water ;D

He weighed 200g of PNG green beans... Hit the power on and set for max time (Old N model)

At the set temp it beeped and he put beans in..

I got a call to go. My instructions were to listen for FC.. Life teh rear filter for a few min and then let it sit back in place..

Listen for SC.. If the HT beeps.. and no SC heard Add extr time and cross fingers.

If ya hear SC and she starts to roll.. Hit the dump button.

30 min later I returned and he was a happy chippy.. Scared but happy.

PM MadPerie he is a great guy and learnt the hard way... Plenty of others out there to help ya..

But really... 200g of beans are cheep and until ya have done a roast or two... And or stuffed one up You will not know what questions to ask.

[scollops]

Re: New to Roasting

Good advice angermanagement - thats exactly how am feeling and its still in the box looking shiny.....

[A_M]

Re: New to Roasting

Good advice angermanagement - thats exactly how am feeling and its still in the box looking shiny.....

NO... That is  not good...  Go and open it up NOW..  Read the manual...

Get down and get dirty with it..

Power it up and get use to the key pads and where the two most important buttons are..

1: Eject / dump etc  

2: How to power down / power off at mains in an emergency..

Many dont.. But if ya ever get a bit if a fire going because of lack of cleaning and maintenance ... Chaff build up OR a roast gets away from you.

Ya need to know how and where the main power switch is..  Trust me... If ya not 100% ok with where things are... In a panic; ya will never remember.

Also get any heat proof gloves and  ya scales and ya re seal-able bags and work out a nice work flow...

Make use of ya time and that shiny thing ASAP.

[scollops]

Re: New to Roasting

OK i opened the box and unpacked and flipped the manual - hmm need to re- read and digest in the excitement. Ok along with my Hottop I got my temp probes so ready to use the software too. Ok may seem a daft question (apologies) I did search ...how to use/get the best of the software with a HOTTOP - a lot of people are using this and was looking for a step by step example to ensure am least on the right track. Being completely new to this I am tryin to mass information all confusing and exciting at once....I just wanna do some coffee ;D

Is there such a thing for a Hottop in using the CS software and altering temps as you go...?? I have some greens I wanna roast....lol. Pressures going to my head, only few more hours in work then home to play....

[A_M]

Re: New to Roasting

OK i opened the box and unpacked and flipped the manual - hmm need to re- read and digest in the excitement.  Ok along with my Hottop I got my temp probes so ready to use the software too.  Ok may seem a daft question (apologies) I did search ...how to use/get the best of the software with a HOTTOP - a lot of people are using this and was looking for a step by step example to ensure am least on the right track.  Being completely new to this I am tryin to mass information all confusing and exciting at once....I just wanna do some coffee  ;D

Is there such a thing for a Hottop in using the CS software and altering temps as you go...?? I have some greens I wanna roast....lol.  Pressures going to my head, only few more hours in work then home to play....

Read teh manual. And just do a basic roast... Not that hard.

Chat to teh supplier; is a sponsor I trust

As to changing temp on teh fly... Not really as I understand it..

And if ya doing a profile run, it should not be needed as teh profile will cover it.

Sounds like ya stressing and making it a bigger deal than it is.

Just get the first couple under ya belt first. Stop stressing

[WSullivan]

Re: New to Roasting

There is tonnes of info on the HOTTOP on the net, its been around for a while now so no shortage if info, not too sure if there is a step by step here, but there will be somewhere in the www, as AM said, get home, take a deep breath and pump out a roast on recommended settings, then move on from there, your gunna have fun today arent ya!!!!

[scollops]

Re: New to Roasting

My god full of beans ......arrrhhhh hahah full of beans.

Was actually thinking about the monitoring how you utilise this going forward for consistency....but ok small steps..... ;D

[gregpullman]

Re: New to Roasting

Take a deep breath Scollops...

Do a couple of roasts following the sample profile (based on the temp shown on the Hottops display). Note where you got SC on the bean mass temp readout. Then maybe try holding the power at 70% for a minute or two longer and eject the roast about 4 degrees before SC. The last roast should be a bit lighter and should taste brighter than the earlier ones.

Make sure you read the manual... we dont say that to be pedantic, theres important stuff in there and weve had several new customers contact us for support with concerns that wouldnt have arisen had they read the manual.

The CS software doesnt allow you to change the temps in the HT - you still need to use the panel for that. The CS software just allows you to see a graph of the overall roast profile which is useful when youre wondering what you did to achieve a particular flavour from a particular bean.

Take notes and taste each roast and youll be well on the way.

Greg

[scollops]

Re: New to Roasting

Cheers Greg manul in hand and reading....

[A_M]

Re: New to Roasting

Cheers Greg manul in hand and reading....

Thought ya was doing that back on teh 19th...

Was expecting you to have a roast or two under teh belt by now

Come on... Boots and all, jump in; the water is fine