Home Coffee Roaster Competition 2016

[sweetpea64]

I believe it is 3 bags total, each bag needs 300g of roasted beans. Each bag is for a different category.

Ok, thanks, got it now. I realised I had misunderstood what Andy had said.

[nickR]

My second practice attempt (200g green) has resulted in a nice, biscuit-y aroma and very smooth as a latte. A nice bean, I will certainly buy these from Beanbay in future.

I am determined to work out what bean it is before being revealed!

2kgs of green to go, going to do my major practice roast this weekend weather permitting....

[nickR]

I believe it is 3 bags total, each bag needs 300g of roasted beans. Each bag is for a different category.

[sweetpea64]

Hi Andy, regarding your reply about entering all 3 bags to be judged, does that mean that each bag (i.e.Espresso, Cafe Latte & Filter) will be split into three and judged in each category, eg, what you enter as an expresso bean will also be judged in the filter and cafe latte sections too? Did I understand that correctly?

[Andy]

Feedback with comps has always been a little "hit 'n miss" but every year it improves and I can't see why this year would be any different.
Using a control bean should help take some of the human error out of it as the judges only need to determine how good the take on this bean was.

My wife thinks I should keep them all rather then enter the comp though (apart from the smell that is). Drinking well as a latte so far.

That's a good sign!

The good news for her is that when we announce what the control bean was (on competition close) it will be available in BeanBay for anyone who wants to retry it.

[themurphs]

Hi Andy,

I logged on to ask about competitions, (I think I am Ready!). Turns out no need to ask.
Buying now, I have been experimenting with blends for about a year and testing them on fellow workmates.

Would like feedback in the way of "placed 30 out of 100". or what improvements can be done for next year, if possible.

Cheers Glen

[nickR]

Well, I'm miffed. I could have sworn it was a central american bean by looks, but the 'yirg nose' (my wife) says it smells like an ethiopian coffee. She finds some sort of horrible smell from a lot of the Ethiopian beans which I never get at all (apparently thankfully).

It is nice and smooth so far (after just 2 days).

It is also quite uneven in size (like a Sidamo or similar) so might hand sort the peanuts from the pebbles for the next batch.

My wife thinks I should keep them all rather then enter the comp though (apart from the smell that is). Drinking well as a latte so far.

[Andy]

Gee it's hard to take a good photo of beans, isn't it?

For sure. Beans do a great job of absorbing light and cameras can only see reflected light... Even with great digital technology it's tricky to get a picture of what you see with your high resolution and auto-aperture eyes!

Your roast looks great though and yeah these are straight off the boat.

[nickR]

Practice number one!




Gee it's hard to take a good photo of beans, isn't it?

There's some tiny beans and some real peanuts in the mix.

[nickR]

Well, the control bean certainly smells - thought I'd been delivered a bag of freshly mown grass cuttings when I got home yesterday. Must be very fresh into the warehouse, I reckon.
Many more people entered yet ?

[Lukemc]

Awesome thanks Andy. Will definitely enter for the first time. Cheers.

[Andy]

Hey Andy, thanks for reviving the comp!!!
Will all entries receive feedback as they have in the past?
Do you have to send in all three bags to be judged? or can you submit just the espresso and latte entry?

Feedback?
I expect so. I'll try and encourage the judges to use the same forms and format as the commercial entries. I'll then collect the forms in PortMac and will probably scan or type the feedback in the week I return (after I get over the roaster back order catch-up!).

Enter all 3?
No need to enter all but you would be silly not to enter 3. What you thought was a great espresso the judges might like as a filter better. You don't have to own a Brazen or other filter machine to enter it, you can try your roast in a plunger to get a fair idea of how a filter will come out.

All righty then!
I think I'll give it a go for the first time since 2013.

As you should Brett! It's always fun and I'm excited to see how this new comp format goes. Having a control bean means you don't have to compete against million dollar bean budgets, or enter a complex blend all you have to do is great job with what you are given.

[fatboy_1999]

All righty then!

I think I'll give it a go for the first time since 2013.

[Lukemc]

Hey Andy, thanks for reviving the comp!!!

Will all entries receive feedback as they have in the past?

Do you have to send in all three bags to be judged? or can you submit just the espresso and latte entry?

[Andy]

That was a good one, bit tricky to handle though.
The control bean will be secret till after the entries are in.

It will be something good that works through a range of roast depths so each person can submit their take on it.

2.5kg is enough to do some small sample roasts and even a mistake before roasting the 900g beans for the entry.