☕ Coffee ☕: Ingredients, Roasting, Grinding, Brewing, and Tasting

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Ok, the cats and I roasted some coffee with the Behmor earlier following some of the advise posted about no chaff trey and propping up the front. First two roasts were 222 grams with no chaff trey, pre heat 2 minutes, 1 pound manual P5 with fast drum speed watching that the temperature didn't go above 310 and FC came in around 10:30. Next roast was the same, but with the front of the Behmor propped up on a 2x4 and FC was at 9:00. Big difference!
 
Inkleg said:
Ok, the cats and I roasted some coffee with the Behmor earlier following some of the advise posted about no chaff trey and propping up the front. First two roasts were 222 grams with no chaff trey, pre heat 2 minutes, 1 pound manual P5 with fast drum speed watching that the temperature didn't go above 310 and FC came in around 10:30. Next roast was the same, but with the front of the Behmor propped up on a 2x4 and FC was at 9:00. Big difference!
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Playing with power and opening the door for short period of times as you enter first crack and during can help extend first crack and prevent you from shooting into second crack.
 
Inkleg said:
Ok, the cats and I roasted some coffee with the Behmor earlier following some of the advise posted about no chaff trey and propping up the front. First two roasts were 222 grams with no chaff trey, pre heat 2 minutes, 1 pound manual P5 with fast drum speed watching that the temperature didn't go above 310 and FC came in around 10:30. Next roast was the same, but with the front of the Behmor propped up on a 2x4 and FC was at 9:00. Big difference!
Click to expand...
Great info, thanks for giving it a try and letting us know. I did some playing around a year or so ago but couldn't remember exactly how well it worked but your times sound similar to what I recall.
 
Inkleg said:
Ok, the cats and I roasted some coffee with the Behmor earlier following some of the advise posted about no chaff trey and propping up the front. First two roasts were 222 grams with no chaff trey, pre heat 2 minutes, 1 pound manual P5 with fast drum speed watching that the temperature didn't go above 310 and FC came in around 10:30. Next roast was the same, but with the front of the Behmor propped up on a 2x4 and FC was at 9:00. Big difference!
Click to expand...


how long has it normally taken you to hit 1C/first crack? How much development time (1C to end of roast) did you get on that last roast that hit 1C in 9 minutes? I'll be looking forward to hearing how these taste compared to previous techniques.

hurry and post your notes Behmor roasters! i like hearing about stuff like this
 
It was taking 10:30 to 11:00 for FC with 222 grams. The Behmor achelies heel is the 320 shut down temperature so I'll switch between P4-3 to keep it around 310 until FC. I also know that the afterburner will kick in with about 10:30 left on a 1 pound roast ( I always use the 1 pound setting even though I'm doing 1/2 pound roasts) so I'll go to P5 at that time to keep the temperature up.

I let the 9:00 minute FC roast roll about 1:45 at 300 before pulling the drum out.
My MO is at the end of the roast I turn off the Behmor, pull the drum, hit the interior with the vacuum, hit cool. I'll take the drum outside and shake the shaff ;) out of it while holding it with leather gloves. I'll then drop the beans into a vegetable roasting tray for the grill (basically a 8x11 screen pan) and shake till cool.
 
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Does anyone make custom water for their espresso or does everyone just use tap water?

It'd be interesting to note the difference when using RO + CaCl vs. RO + CaSo4 (both with a touch of alkalinity from lime or baking soda).
 
bitteritdown said:
Does anyone make custom water for their espresso or does everyone just use tap water?

It'd be interesting to note the difference when using RO + CaCl vs. RO + CaSo4 (both with a touch of alkalinity from lime or baking soda).
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Pretty sure that has been discussed in this thread before. I've never messed with it, and i'm sure that it would make some difference (as you can certainly taste the difference between distilled and spring water), but I don't think it's nearly as impactful as it is with beer. Brewing coffee is a much simpler process than brewing beer, no starch conversion, no boil, no fermentation, so I think the old advice of "if it tastes good, it's good for coffee" stands much more easily. Minor differences in the taste of water will be completely covered up by the coffee.
 
bitteritdown said:
Does anyone make custom water for their espresso or does everyone just use tap water?

It'd be interesting to note the difference when using RO + CaCl vs. RO + CaSo4 (both with a touch of alkalinity from lime or baking soda).
Click to expand...

I’ve been using Gerber Baby Pure to ensure scaling is not an issue. I keep hearing about importance of water but have yet to experiment. I have a bag of Potassium Bicarbonate I’ve been meaning to blend with RO for that reason but have had my hands full lately just re-learning to roast for espresso.

My current testing is between my Monolith Flat & Compak K10 grinders. Lots of controversy between the 68mm conical burr-set & big flat. I may end up getting a Mon-Con & selling the K10 as I can tell there is a difference but am not sure how to take advantage of it. Holler if you need a mint K10


edit: @bitteritdown - I'd stay away from CaCl, CaSO4 & Lime for espresso.


@Inkleg - that’s some good info. I’d hazard to guess you’re gonna like the results. Text me when you & your coffee bro get a chance to brew it up decide if you like it better
 
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SCAA has a set guideline for brewing standards. Some roasters and cafes have stations set up to get their water to SCAA standards.

It's another detail you can pursue, but at a certain point there are diminishing returns. I hate science, so balancing pH, chloride, etc isn't my cup of tea. Plus my water is great, so that makes it easier
 
What I would do is titrate 1 cup of espresso at standard grind (home roasted) to determine the acidity, then build a water from RO/DI with enough alkalinity (lime) to neutralize that acidity, then add CaCl and/or CaSO4 (maybe Na) to certain levels (ppm) to determine whether or not it makes a difference or if I like it, etc...

It appears the SCA requires membership to access the papers, though I'm sure the papers are an interesting read.

Haven't had time to read all of this thread to find the other water discussion but having only one thread about coffee is perhaps not very efficient.
 
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One of my 1st purchases was thru amazon, and I went with the Ethiopian Yirgacheffe at 5 lbs. It was from smoking bean, was not anything super special, but had a decent price for the quantity. Helped in learning....and was still better than store bought! They offer a Guatemalan as well...that is the same...nothing super special but priced okay and still.......better than store (stale) bought.
 
Has anyone received their bf or cm redbeard orders? I got the shipped email but tracking says label printed only and it's been a week. I know this time of year is hell for everyone.
 
zpack said:
Has anyone received their bf or cm redbeard orders? I got the shipped email but tracking says label printed only and it's been a week. I know this time of year is hell for everyone.
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I saw a post on facebook about this too - everyone else's orders haven't shipped yet. This happened a few years ago to me when I ordered on cyber monday as well...took a good week for it to actually be shipped.
 
This weekend I worked on my Christmas Blend I'll be selling to friends and giving out to my family. For this year's blend I went with Colombia Narino Rio Juanambu and Burundi Kiganda Mirambi.

To make sure I had the best roast for each I tried three different roast profiles for the Colombia and two different ones for the Burundi. A few days later I made a cup of each roast and did a blind tasting of each.

Do you want to do something interesting? Do a blind tasting. Because it can really make you think about your roasts, the process, and show you how subtle changes make a big difference in the cup. It can also surprise you.

One of the more peculiar results for me was this: I had two "fast" roasts on the Colombian: one of them I had taken right up to 2C, while the other I dropped about 45 secs after 1C had ended. Even though I was certain I knew which one was the darker roast when I did the blind tasting (because it had a fuller flavor), it turns out I was wrong and the fuller flavor was coming from the lighter roast. I am thinking this is likely because I had managed to really stretch out 1st crack better on the lighter roast than the one which rushed into 2C.

Eventually I picked my favorite roast profiles for each bean and after trying a few different combinations I went with a 50/50 blend of the two. This blend has nutmeg, cinnamon, toffee, and snickerdoodle flavors - many common flavors of Christmas.

Anyone else doing a holiday-esque blend? I typically stick to single origins, but this is the one time of year I will do a blend; a lot of people like to gift them.
 
zpack said:
Has anyone received their bf or cm redbeard orders? I got the shipped email but tracking says label printed only and it's been a week. I know this time of year is hell for everyone.
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Same USPS status for me. Tracking number can on 11/30 but has been unchanged since.
 
I received my Red Beard order Friday evening and set this email to them. Have yet to hear back.

Good evening,

Received my order tonight and I’m looking forward to roasting and enjoying all these coffees. The cats and I counted more than twice and yep there’s a pound of Decaf Colombia Excelso missing. Please understand this is not a life game changer and we’ll get this worked out. I can only began to imagine how hard all your employees are working this time of year and things are going to happen. I don’t see the any need to pay shipping for one pound of coffee unless that’s whats required. A refund, discount, credit towards my next order or all payed world wind tour of coffee plantations will work also. Heck I’m easy.

Till we roast again
Jeff

Order #2748
Jeffrey DeWeese
 
^nice perspective inkleg


Is it correct to assume I need to go beyond 1c to coax chocolate flavors out of a roast? I see chocolate flavor descriptions in many beans but rarely get it in the cup. Thoughts?
 
Just got an email about the missing coffee. I guess the coffee plantation tour ain't happening. :coff4:

Jeffrey,

We very much appreciate your support in our company, and we are sorry to hear that you had a pound missing from your order. Our warehouse will be shipping out your missing coffee (Colombia Excelso Decaf) with no shipping charge. Hope you enjoy your coffee!

--
Nathan Maestas
Bodhi Leaf Coffee Traders
428 W. Katella Avenue, Suite B
Orange, CA 92867
(714) 633-BEAN (2326) x 101
www.bodhileafcoffee.com
 
Inkleg said:
Just got an email about the missing coffee. I guess the coffee plantation tour ain't happening. :coff4:

Jeffrey,

We very much appreciate your support in our company, and we are sorry to hear that you had a pound missing from your order. Our warehouse will be shipping out your missing coffee (Colombia Excelso Decaf) with no shipping charge. Hope you enjoy your coffee!

--
Nathan Maestas
Bodhi Leaf Coffee Traders
428 W. Katella Avenue, Suite B
Orange, CA 92867
(714) 633-BEAN (2326) x 101
www.bodhileafcoffee.com
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Did you include a photo of yourself when you replied? That may have done it ;).

Glad you got a quick reply and resolution. I just got some decaf from Roastmasters and am looking forward to roasting it.
 
Today I roasted my first batch of decaf.
I was really surprised to see how brown the green beans were to start:
IMG_20171205_134858.jpg


I toyed with Excel a bit to take notes and realized that I didn't capture enough detail, but it's a work-in-progress to determine what data to capture to accurately graph things.
Decaf roast.jpg

This was 1/4lb of green beans on a Behmor 1600+ using: 1/4lb, P3 mode. My goal was to slow 1st crack so it wasn't too fast or violent (based on what I've read this isn't desirable). So as soon as I hit 1st crack I hit P3 to cut the power/heat and coast through 1st crack. It lasted 1:40 so I hit cool @ 10:30 and opened the door to facilitate cooling since I read (and then saw for myself) that there is very little chaff from decaf beans. I forgot to continue to take temp readings so I could continue my graph. Lesson learned for next time.
So I believe I had 1:40 of development time which equates to ~14% development time (of total roast).

I intended to roast a bit longer (to the beginning of 2nd crack) but I couldn't add any more time. Again, lesson learned about choosing higher weight to start so I don't maximize the time I can add/roast.

Now I have a baseline to measure against, though. If it's too acidic and doesn't have the full flavor profile, I can go a bit darker next time - and I'll use 1/2lb setting and track temps all the way through cooling.

This is what I ended up with:
IMG_20171205_144721.jpg


I'll add comments in a few days when I taste it, but certainly open to comments, advice, etc.

Cheers.
 
Let’s see if my order from Happy Mug last night gets delivered before my Cyber Monday order at Red Beard. Heck, I’ll go one step further to say that it may arrive before Red Beard puts it in the mail!
 
jimyson said:
Let’s see if my order from Happy Mug last night gets delivered before my Cyber Monday order at Red Beard. Heck, I’ll go one step further to say that it may arrive before Red Beard puts it in the mail!
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My red beard order finally showed up at the post office estimated delivery Friday.
 
I received my sweet marias order today and I did an 8lb sample pack and the Honduran in there has everything smelling like bell peppers. I can't see myself liking a coffee that tastes like bell pepper. Yuck
 
@Schmoogdaddy i have. My suggestions would be to use a low acidity variety, preferably something low grown. A Hawaiian would be a great choice as would a Brazil. I’ve always wanted to use a Yemen as think it would be the ultimate buts it’s rare and can be spendy. The former(s) tend to have solid milk chocolate notes and have little acidity. This could give you the option of roasting a bit lighter & perhaps showcasing some of the “terroir” of the coffee. The latter has flavor descriptors that pair well with stouts best IMHO. Anywhere from Cedar, oak, holiday spice type flavors etc. It also stands up well to a darker roast so you can use it to add roast flavor to your beer.
 
zpack said:
I received my sweet marias order today and I did an 8lb sample pack and the Honduran in there has everything smelling like bell peppers. I can't see myself liking a coffee that tastes like bell pepper. Yuck
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Interesting... I wonder if that’s common or not? I just started getting into roasting myself and I’m contemplating on getting a sample pack like this and some other varieties. Are you happy with the selection that arrived?
 
I've had some coffee that smelled like bell pepper. Don't remember which one, but it was noticeable in the green coffee and if memory serves, also in a light roast, but lost it in a full city roast.
 
Yeah those bell pepper coffees must be taken to the second crack. I feel the same way with Sumatra... I've tried the lighter roasts on Sumatra many times but there's just too much mushroom. Take it to second crack and you get a nice blend of mushroom, moss, and walnut. The Forest Floor as I call it.
 
Schmoogdaddy said:
Anybody ever make a coffee stout with their home roasts? I was wondering if anyone has a particular coffee they recommend.
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Not yet, but maybe over christmas. There's a local beer called Last Snow that is off the charts good. It's a toasted coconut coffee porter.

jschm19 said:
My Behmor showed up today, and it looks like my beans finally made it to the post office. Might have to find some other beans to break in the roaster
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I know what you're doing this weekend.
 
Schmoogdaddy said:
Anybody ever make a coffee stout with their home roasts? I was wondering if anyone has a particular coffee they recommend.
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I've done a couple now, using Brazil and Colombian beans. For me the coffee got buried pretty good in the roasty stout and bourbon flavors. I did do a Caramel Latte Porter once, where I made caramel, added lactose, and added cold brew to the fermenter...that was actually pretty delicious and had a strong coffee flavor.

What I've been contemplating is a Coffee IPA, using some Guatemalan or Kenyan beans to compliment some citrusy hops.
 
HarborTownBrewing said:
I've done a couple now, using Brazil and Colombian beans. For me the coffee got buried pretty good in the roasty stout and bourbon flavors. I did do a Caramel Latte Porter once, where I made caramel, added lactose, and added cold brew to the fermenter...that was actually pretty delicious and had a strong coffee flavor.

What I've been contemplating is a Coffee IPA, using some Guatemalan or Kenyan beans to compliment some citrusy hops.
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Mikkeller made a coffee IPA that i had several years ago. It's going to be a tough one to balance, but doable.
 
Hmmm.......I think I'll cold brew some coffee and try adding different measured amounts to my IPAs on tap to see what might work. I'll keep notes and let y'all know what works and doesn't.
 

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