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jimyson said:
so to pull a shot like I just did is simply amazing.
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That's what it's all about. Your technique will get better & more polished in time. With as nice of a grinder you have, sometimes too much fuss works against you.
A couple tools/tricks I've found helpful are a small misting bottle for RDT & a funnel so you can easily grind directly into the portafilter. A little side to side shake settles the grinds & I do use a distributor to level bed prior to tamping. I don't like to tap the PF because I think it causes the fines to settle at the bottom of the basket which amplifies channeling.

You've probably already read about some of these things but here are some links in case anyone else is curious:

1. Ross Droplet Technique (RDT) discussion. Old but gets you in the ballpark. The gist is that a spritz or a some droplets of water on your beans will eliminate static when grinding. Single dose grinding can get really messy without this.

1.A Mist bottles: 2oz glass mist/spray bottles are the most common tool used for RDT although some use droppers.

2. Funnels: These help get all the coffee into your portfilter which can be tough when directly grinding into it. Some (nicer) grinders can make especially tall & fluffy piles of ground coffee & the funnel keeps it from falling out of the basket. You can shake or tap the PF to settle the grounds without fear of making a mess which makes them a helpful tool in basket prep. . [url=http://www.orphanespresso.com/OE-Aluminum-Portafilter-Dosing-Funnel_p_2415.htmlOrphan Espresso Funnel in multiple sizes[/url]

3. Distribution tool: These have taken the place of the Stockfleth Move. Some folks don't even bother to tamp after using one. [url=https://www.kafatek.com/index.php/index.php/store/grooming-tool-for-49mm-baskets/]Kafatek 49mm. Lots of these on the market - OCD brand is a popular maker.

4. Leveling tamper: You need an even coffee bed in order to get an even extraction. It can be tougher than you'd think to do a level tamp without help but these new tampers take the guess work out of the equation. Anytime you eliminate extra tasks and variables you can make it easier to focus on more important stuff. Kafatek LevTamp. There are other competitive models available as well.

5. Naked/Bottomless Portafilter: It might not make your espresso taste better but it sure as hell makes it more fun to watch! Seriously though, it's a critical diagnostic tool for assessing if your technique needs adjustment.[/url][/url]
 
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@jammin

I think I need to minimize the tapping of the basket when distributing. I do grind directly into the basket with a OE funnel and then use a toothpick for WDT. I’ll try your method tomorrow.

I’ll also check out the RDT method and see if I can minimize static better than it already does.

I’ll definitely be buying the distribution tool. Thanks for the link. I really feel line that will make the difference.

I try to tamp it fairly level already. I’ll continue to check the puck once I get the distribution tool to see if I should get a new tamper. I have been wanting to measure my basket and tamper with a caliper to see he difference. I feel like the tamper could be a slight bit bigger. Maybe that’s why I’m getting channeling as well.

I already have a bottomless portafilter. It was a diy job from one of the last owners. Speaking of which, I want to buy a small mirror. Bending over to look is a pain in the ass with a manual lever machine.

Thanks for all the tips and techniques. I value the guidance.
 
Like a regular white letter envelope. Or did you mean just put a label on a zip lock taped up? Sry would like to find a cheap way to send y'all some. Thanks jimyson for starting that thread. We have discussed it here before. Id love to send you some, no trade needed. Just quit whooping me at chess :). Also just need a little help shipping. I mean if they crack a little nbd, no?
 
jimyson said:
Anyone want in on a swap?

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/forum/index.php?threads/Home-Roasted-Coffee-Swap.653990/
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Bump to next page.

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applescrap said:
Like a regular white letter envelope. Or did you mean just put a label on a zip lock taped up? Sry would like to find a cheap way to send y'all some. Thanks jimyson for starting that thread. We have discussed it here before. Id love to send you some, no trade needed. Just quit whooping me at chess :). Also just need a little help shipping. I mean if they crack a little nbd, no?
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I just reuse a brown padded envelope that I usually get something from Amazon in. I wouldn't use a white envelope... Probably need something better constructed.
 
So an update on the Bullet and my experiences, to anyone interested.

I had purchased 10 lbs of Colombian to get a feel for the roaster, and after about 4 roasts I got a good sense of how it worked and how to get a great tasting Colombian. Great.

Next up: Ethiopia. This is probably the origin I roast the most of, so I need to figure it out. My first few roasts of Ethiopia were just not good. With one I hit 1C at about 7:10, then the next roast I tried to push out first crack and I hit it at 10:00. The first one doesn't taste bad at all, and after a couple days rest I'm pleasantly surprised at the floral flavors (but it's still a liiiiiittle lacking. But the one with a 10:00 1C - that is horrible, horrible coffee. Probably the worst I've ever roasted.

I thought about it for a bit and came up with a gameplan, then went to work on the roaster. I wanted to hit 1C around 8:30, and I ended up hitting it at about 8:50, so not too bad. Then I was able to draw out 1C to last about 1:30. Then dropped it about 25 seconds after 1C ended. It was the kind of roast where you know it went really well. I bagged it, then about 30 mins later I gave it a sniff and it smelled REALLY good. The less successful roasts haven't smelled very good, so this is a good sign.

This roaster is really causing me to stop and think, and to think through my coffee as I taste it and as I prepare to roast. With the Behmor I had a routine down so tightly that I could do it in my sleep and the coffee always came out tasting great. I'm sure I'll get there eventually with the Bullet, but it's one of those things where when it's working out it's a blast, but when it isn't you just sort of want to quit.

That all said, with the coffee exchange coming up, I'm going to try to get it all figured out before then so I can share some good coffee with someone. The exchange puts a good amount of pressure on me to figure it out :)
 
Thats what its all about right there. Glad you are having fun with that beautiful roaster. I really like how you describe thinking and tasting it. I need to do that more. I am impressed you had the skill to go from 850 to 10 with little adjustments. Something that happens to me is it seems like messing with the temperature around first crack stalls it.

There's like 99 ways to skin this cat and most work. Joe marraco alludes to that in those videos. He recommends experimenting over and over in those videos. He won't even be pinned down to describing a basic way to roast. I don't know how you guys extend 1c. my general first crack time is right around 9 as well and I usually pull the coffee about 20 or 30 seconds after that. Right as the party gets started i call it. Once I hear it starting to crack i pull it and cool instantly. If I take it past that with the pricier Ethiopian, im devastated. I know it'll taste good and it will have some more chocolate flavors, but the berry flavors will be gone. It would be fun to all roast the same coffee and see what it tastes like. I don't do well with formal stuff but if you PM me your address I'll send you some. Really hope it doesn't cost $3 to send some coffee.

One thing I've noticed for sure is that the faster I get to First crack the louder it is. The thing I fear most is underdeveloped coffee hiding in the bean. Welp cheers, heres to roasting till our beards are long and gray and wise.
 
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Harbortown knows! He has experimented with it a lot on this thread. Iirc he found 2 tablespoons to be the perfect amount. There are few things i dont like and whisky in coffee is one. Dont know why, just never liked it. Maybe i would like something more subtle like this.
 
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Newbie question here. Does sweet Maria’s usually sell the Ethiopian Yirragcheffe (however it’s spelled)? I’ve been holding off on ordering from there till they release them, but I’m starting to wonder if I should look at other vendors.

Any insight from the season coffee roasters here would be appreciated. Thanks!
 
Yrg’s are spellled a couple ways so don’t sweat it.

If you’re looking for one, I presume you’re wanting a washed coffee that’s floral & maybe a touch spicy. I think the best African coffees are still to come but if you need something to hold you over Roastmasters has a Yrg that sounds good:
https://www.roastmasters.com/eth-chelelektu.html
 
I could hit a golf ball from my office to Intelligentsia, but I never go (expensive). I buy filters there though, so I stopped by and the guy talked me into an espresso.

Brazil something or other. First sip... Holy sip! So many freaking flavors, then it all disappeared within two seconds. Tried it again... Same thing, but less flavor up front. Another sip, the flavors still die a little more. This must be kind of what drug addicts talk about when they are "chasing the high"...never the same after the first try.

The thing is, this has no after taste at all, which left it feeling surprisingly thin.

What I did taste was very good though, and I need to stop by more often.
20180815_122604.jpeg
 
pshankstar said:
Newbie question here. Does sweet Maria’s usually sell the Ethiopian Yirragcheffe (however it’s spelled)? I’ve been holding off on ordering from there till they release them, but I’m starting to wonder if I should look at other vendors.

Any insight from the season coffee roasters here would be appreciated. Thanks!
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This gives a basic idea when crop are harvested and available.
https://legacy.sweetmarias.com/library/coffee.prod.timetable
 
The people at roastmasters said they weren't going to get the good stuff until late august, early September, so dont know why i jumped in early. Cant help but think i jumped in on some early fruit. Not disappointed though! The konga sede from burmans is fruity and nice. To be clear though it seems this kind of coffee is expensive, so you have to weigh all that. Bodhileafs sale this week is on some brazilian. Every time i have bought some of their sale brazilian i have been like wow, why didnt i get more of that. Now, i pretty much only prefer Ethiopians. Hoping for some crown jewel or roastmaster konga to be stellar. We are going to have to agree to disagree about sweet marias.
 
Anyone else track weight loss of their roasts?

It's something I just recently started paying close attention to. I think it's a helpful metric in determining roast adjustments to make when cupping.

Discuss
 
jammin said:
Anyone else track weight loss of their roasts?

It's something I just recently started paying close attention to. I think it's a helpful metric in determining roast adjustments to make when cupping.

Discuss
Click to expand...

I just did on a recent batch. Started with 20 oz and finished with 17.6 oz (it was a pretty light roast — maybe City, or a bit lighter).
 
jammin said:
Anyone else track weight loss of their roasts?

It's something I just recently started paying close attention to. I think it's a helpful metric in determining roast adjustments to make when cupping.

Discuss
Click to expand...
I think this is something we should be logging and paying attention to if we want to be serious. I have been admittedly lazy here, but intend to start paying attention to this
 
Yeah, I have avoided it for a while just because I feel like I already have too much data that I don't do anything with, but...knowledge is power.

I've been struggling with getting fruit and berry flavors out of my Ethiopian roasts. I've shortened the roasts so I hit 1C at about 8:30, and stretch that out about 1:30 long. I drop about 40 seconds later. This helped, but I'm still missing the bright fruit and citrus flavors I was very much getting with the Behmor.

Maybe I'm not dropping it quick enough? Should I be hitting 1C sooner than 8:30? Anyone have any freaking ideas???
 
I have not measure the weight of the coffee post roast in a while, but I was thinking I was getting about 6oz of full city+ roasted coffee from 8oz of green beans. I did have some Ethiopian wet process roasted to just past first crack(city+?) from a recent roast session and it weighed 195gm. So about 13% weight loss.
 
HarborTownBrewing said:
Yeah, I have avoided it for a while just because I feel like I already have too much data that I don't do anything with, but...knowledge is power.

I've been struggling with getting fruit and berry flavors out of my Ethiopian roasts. I've shortened the roasts so I hit 1C at about 8:30, and stretch that out about 1:30 long. I drop about 40 seconds later. This helped, but I'm still missing the bright fruit and citrus flavors I was very much getting with the Behmor.

Maybe I'm not dropping it quick enough? Should I be hitting 1C sooner than 8:30? Anyone have any freaking ideas???
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I'm no rocket surgeon, but I think the way each unit heats the chamber is going to have an impact on this. Keep in mind this is my speculation and I have zero scientific evidence to back my claims. I do know that a fluid bed roaster has a tendency to roast a coffee with a brighter profile. Even though my heat source is a heat gun and I tend to get bright roasts with that heat source, I feel the fruitiness of some coffees has been muted from what it should be but my roast times are also longer than I want them. Curious what others input is as well. I need to work to modify the lid of my roasting chamber to make the chamber smaller and hold more heat in, my theory being that will help me cut down on my roast times getting to 1c and hoping that helps me bring out more fruit flavors.
 
HarborTownBrewing said:
I hit 1C at about 8:30, and stretch that out about 1:30 long. I drop about 40 seconds later. This helped, but I'm still missing the bright fruit and citrus flavors I was very much getting with the Behmor.

Maybe I'm not dropping it quick enough? Should I be hitting 1C sooner than 8:30? Anyone have any freaking ideas???
Click to expand...

sounds like you already have the answer.

if i'm reading this correctly, your overall roast time is is 10:40 or 640sec (8:30 to 1C, 1C lasted 90sec + 40 additional seconds dev time). So overall development (time after 1C) is 130sec. This means you had 20.3% development time. I think this is why you're missing out on the flavors your after. Probably would make a great shot of espresso.

Try & reign in your dev % to around 12% and see how it cups
 
Reading through some of this makes me think how nice it would be of each of us provided some metrics like roast time, fc, dev %, and loss with the beans that we send out in the exchange.
 
jammin said:
Anyone else track weight loss of their roasts?

It's something I just recently started paying close attention to. I think it's a helpful metric in determining roast adjustments to make when cupping.

Discuss
Click to expand...

Can you explain more about what characteristics you are looking to influence in cupping through weight loss?

You also mention 12% loss is good for drip. What about espresso?
 
Great question and it sparks lots more tangential thoughts. After measuring with my cheap kitchen scale many times it seemed that filling the little plastic cup was exactly a pound at least with its rudimentary measurement skill. Surprisingly, seems most coffees weigh pretty much around the same. Clearly on a digital scale that's not true but it seems like a full plastic cup is pretty close. I consider this looking at the forest through the trees and I know many of you are more exact and that's cool too.
I am very in tune with the weight of the roasted coffee and even though I don't measure it I believe it is very key. And dialing in different weights with similar roast profiles would be interesting. I could be wrong but I would think that the lighter it is in roast level and weight would be ideal. I mean a fully developed interior without going too dark on the exterior. That way the Coffee Bean is dried out enough to make sure there are no under-developed morsels in the center, and the maillard reaction is happening beautifully. Thus a light roast that is fully developed so to speak. I hope I'm right about this, but I don't want to travel too far down that path in just considering simple weight because I have some ideas that are probably missguided.

Nevertheless, the lighter the coffee gets the less fruit taste you are going to have in my opinion. And even though I don't measure I like to drink the Ethiopians much heavier. I am getting massive fruit flavors with my roasts as long as the beans don't get too light in weight or to Darkly roasted. They seem to go hand-in-hand. But I don't think they have to and that circles back to a light roast that is lighter in weight. That could only be measured by a digital scale im sure. When I get to First crack at 10 30, I think I'm pulling the roast 20 30 seconds after. I think you might be dropping it a little late for fruit flavors. If you get the first crack at 8:30 and can hear a nice loud audible crack as soon as it starts really cracking that's when I take it out. I take it out as it's still cracking a little bit and cool it instantly. I'm getting pretty strong fruit flavors doing that and roasting that hot and quickly, the fruit flavors will dissipate very quickly after that point. Chocolate and nuts after that. That's just been my experience.
 
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jimyson said:
Can you explain more about what characteristics you are looking to influence in cupping through weight loss?

You also mention 12% loss is good for drip. What about espresso?
Click to expand...

I wish i had a good answer. So far I'm just taking good notes on it so I can knowwhat profile lead to the loss & what it tasted like. So far I feel like if the loss is low, say 10% or less the roast will be too bright & probably grassy. I recently finished off an espresso roast that had 21% development time & 15% loss. It tasted good with low acidity - flavors were subdued as well. I am resting another batch with a similar profile but less loss.

Happy to share my results & I agree - it would be cool to hear from others here too
 
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^^exactly. Im on the same page with you and am excited to see what you uncover. To light of weight and green is left in it, for sure. As you stretch development and limit weight loss, it seems nirvana is not far behind. I hope you find the roast. Perhaps low air, moderate heat, drying the beans gently, but not to long, not to dry. Bean dependent, climate and freshness too, im guessing. And then somehow find the way to that perfect maillad spot. But not to dark. Man I wish I had those skills.
 
So I just roasted a batch for a fellow member that I’m meeting tomorrow. Unfortunately I won’t taste this batch to see the result. I have 21.71% loss with 21.30% development. What does that tell me? Did I cook it too much or do some beans just lose more weight than others. This is Uganda Bugisu

IMG_1369.jpg
 
I think it tells you some indication. It sure shows you are dialed in and well observant. Also i think it shows some pretty cool technology and skills. Yes, you cooked it too much if it was fresh konga and you wanted blueberry flavor. Uganda i am not sure about. It might be perfect for that coffee. That is a reasonable seeming roast and time frame, surely not to dark or light. Sometimes thats nice to hide imperfection in the bean. Not saying that bean has imperfection, just in general. I am not familiar with uganda coffee at all, but it seems regardless of bean if you really want to taste its regionality, brightness, and full flavor lighter would be needed. Am i wrong? I have found at that time and roast more chocolate and other flavors become prevalent. Ultimately roasted both, lets say one minute past 1 c same methods and this roast would reveal quite a bit. Not doing a separate espresso roast, i think i would prefer a lighter roast even with less than perfect coffee. Once all the middle silver skin is dark or even black, that lightness is less perceptible imo.
 
jammin said:
nice, so 12% loss. i'm thinking thats a pretty good level to be around for a drip roast.

how did you roast it?
Click to expand...

I just roast on my kitchen stove in a 2 gallon heavy pot, stirring constantly with a long whisk. It took a while to really get technique and timing and heat levels down, but I can roast very consistently now. One plus is that I can do fairly large batches (I drink a fair bit of coffee, and everything I drink is home roasted).

I’ve generally heard 15-20% loss is normal. On the few occasions where I’ve done pretty dark roasts the beans subjectively feel lighter (I toss between two bowls to de-chaff and cool the beans), but I haven’t weighed those batches yet.
 
applescrap said:
I think it tells you some indication. It sure shows you are dialed in and well observant. Also i think it shows some pretty cool technology and skills. Yes, you cooked it too much if it was fresh konga and you wanted blueberry flavor. Uganda i am not sure about. It might be perfect for that coffee. That is a reasonable seeming roast and time frame, surely not to dark or light. Sometimes thats nice to hide imperfection in the bean. Not saying that bean has imperfection, just in general. I am not familiar with uganda coffee at all, but it seems regardless of bean if you really want to taste its regionality, brightness, and full flavor lighter would be needed. Am i wrong? I have found at that time and roast more chocolate and other flavors become prevalent. Ultimately roasted both, lets say one minute past 1 c same methods and this roast would reveal quite a bit. Not doing a separate espresso roast, i think i would prefer a lighter roast even with less than perfect coffee. Once all the middle silver skin is dark or even black, that lightness is less perceptible imo.
Click to expand...

This bean has such a generic profile. The sweet spot is 5-10 seconds after 2nd crack. I’ve been trying to dial in on the development % and have never measured for loss. I’ve been trying to work down from a usually 30% development time with the bean by not overloading the basket and pushing full power on the Behmor further into FC. This seemed to successfully do that. Then I calculated loss and am concerned that 21% may be too high. Not sure how to get both solid development and low loss on this.
 
jammin said:
Try & reign in your dev % to around 12% and see how it cups
Click to expand...

Good point, and I will try this. I am not a Rao follower but I had generally been trying to get around 20% before dropping.

In the Behmor, I would drop an Ethiopian about 20 sec after 1C and this was great, but the Behmor also didn't cool the beans immediately...I think there is a bit of coasting going on there (I let the beans stay in the drum throughout the "cool" cycle). So I was sort of assuming I should let the beans stay in the drum a little longer on the Bullet since they would cool immediately once the roast is over.
 

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