I have a power tool...

[nunu]

Re: I have a power tool...

The hat looked like it was trying to make an escape. Was it windy?

I dont need another method for roasting, as my bench already has a couple poppers and my turbo oven roaster. I do have a heat gun floating around somewhere, but I dont think its robust enough to be used for full-time roasting duties.

[lucinda]

Re: I have a power tool...

Did my first roast this morning. Went a bit fast and frantic at the end so it got a bit darker than I wanted but there is no oil on the beans (Peru Segunda)... Yet ;D It was pretty warm outside this morning and I think that affected the roast, I did manage to keep it slow up to first crack but I think the ambient temperature was too warm.

Apart from getting used to using a larger roaster and the way the heat gun method works etc The convenience of being able to roast a large quantity of beans is going to be very good.

This roast is for a friend who lives down in the south east, and he has 1 (very good) roaster near him but not conveniently close (another town) so when he comes to Adelaide I send him home with enough beans to last him a couple of weeks.

[Lizzie]

Re: I have a power tool...

well done, Cindy!

it will  all get easier once you know for sure at what temp on your little Dick Smith gismo the first snaps of SC generally occur.
that way you can judge whether you want to pull the roast just "on" SC or a few seconds "in"....

also, if you decide to dedicate that BM totally to roasting,you can permanently mod it:
make hole in the front panel, pull the TCs which i have attached to the inside-front wall, out through the panel so they sit on the outside.
cover the TCs well with insulating tape (or you can insert the TCs in a hard plastic, hollow tube [5ml syringe or cut-down biro??] and silicone them in) and attach with stick-on cable-tie holder to the panel.
then you can take the skirt off the bread bin..makes it easier to manoeuvre the bin in and out of the BM.


L

[Corretto]

Re: I have a power tool...

It was pretty warm outside this morning and I think that affected the roast, I did manage to keep it slow up to first crack but I think the ambient temperature was too warm.

Congratulations on your first BM roast Cindy

Must admit Ive never found ambient conditions to affect a BM/HG roast yet. Even very warm and humid conditions or a cold Brisbane day makes practically no difference ... except maybe to how fast the BM and HG cool down after the roast. The bowl inside the BM is a very isolated environment with the heated air coming in the top from the HG.

Belinda

[hazbean]

Re: I have a power tool...

In the few BM roasts that Ive done, I havent seen much effect
from air temperature. What I do find a bit tricky is keeping the
heat at the right level after first crack -- its easy to let the roast
get away a bit at this point and finish sooner / darker than hoped.
So IMVHO its useful to be able to back off the heat at that point so as to
keep a gentle ramp up, but not overdo it and see the roast temp drop.

[lucinda]

Re: I have a power tool...

I blended the yemen I roasted with Lizzi last week and the yirgacheffe I roasted Monday 50/50 for this mornings coffee.

Fantastic. The Yirgy smoothed out the yemen and complimented it perfectly. I enjoyed it so much i didnt think about the flavours, but it was perfect with a slight sweetness to it.