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

[TrickyDick]

It is interesting that you say that about the chocolate nut flavors. My last of the 5# guat peaberry beans I got for free with my roaster I finally roasted (graph I posted a couple posts ago).
This was a weird tasting bean. I think it still needs a little more rest. It was strangely lacking the typical chocolate flavors I had in previous roasts. Very bright. Much more complex flavor and aroma than the earlier roasts I did.

TD

 

[HarborTownBrewing]

Was the non-chocolate guat roast a lighter roast than the guats that tasted like chocolate?

 

[TrickyDick]

Not exactly. I dumped at 3:93 and had a very long (for me and for peaberries) period between 1C onset and finish. The previous roast I dumped at 390 with an overall shorter roast and less development time. strange. I think that the airflow also makes a difference. I am half tempted to pony up the $ to watch the coffee boot camp videos, but I've already spent too much on this damn hobby and have other loose ends that I need to tie up first. Anyways, I think that I should probably dig out my pencil and paper logs (Pre Artisan) to see where each of my Peaberry roasts ended. I also need to start adding tasting notes to the logs for them to have any meaning beyond where 1C started.

I DID move all my beans to the basement as well as the roaster, pending install of the hood for the electric brewery while I'm on vacation. SWMBO will love it. Beans now gently and spaciously occupy one storage shelf in three empty beer cases. Ironically, the Ethiopian beans that I've never been a big fan of before, are by far the bulk of what I have.

TD

 

[TrickyDick]

The free sample of Maui Mokka came today. These are the smallest beans I've seen yet. I suspect they are soft as well (based on that article by boot that jammin posted) I bet they will roast fast. Also says natural on package. I assume this to mean dry process and will have significantly more chaff.
TD

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[jammin]

turn down the heat a good 30-60 seconds earlier than you're used to.


Edit: I should have said 10-20* earlier then you're used to. I adjust based on temp and trajectory more so than time

 

[HarborTownBrewing]

Well I took a boatload of Ethiopian (2 different roast profiles) and Kenyan beans to share with family over the long weekend. Basically, I've learned that I need to keep the acidic, citrus coffees for myself because no one else gets as stoked about them as I do. I'm sitting there sipping these coffees just absolutely jacked with excitement for how great they taste and how good a roast they are, and everyone else is like, "yeah, it's good. Pass the sugar?" NO!

Best thing for me to do would be to probably order some Columbian and keep it around for them.

 

[passedpawn]

Well I took a boatload of Ethiopian (2 different roast profiles) and Kenyan beans to share with family over the long weekend. Basically, I've learned that I need to keep the acidic, citrus coffees for myself because no one else gets as stoked about them as I do. I'm sitting there sipping these coffees just absolutely jacked with excitement for how great they taste and how good a roast they are, and everyone else is like, "yeah, it's good. Pass the sugar?" NO!

Best thing for me to do would be to probably order some Columbian and keep it around for them.

Same goes for homebrew!

My oldest boy was home over the holiday. We were playing poker late at night and I made a pot of coffee. He remarked how good it tasted, without knowing I roasted it myself. That's a good feeling, unsolicited compliments.

I've been roasting a lot. I'm under-roasting and using more grounds. I've been meaning to post pics of my glorious ghetto roaster, give you overachievers a good laugh.

 

[HarborTownBrewing]

Same goes for homebrew!

I've been roasting a lot. I'm under-roasting and using more grounds. I've been meaning to post pics of my glorious ghetto roaster, give you overachievers a good laugh.

Very much true about the homebrew - I guess I've forgotten that; I just got so used to being more selective with what I give to whom.

You've talked about this roaster of yours for a while. We need pictures, dang it!

 

[passedpawn]

Very much true about the homebrew - I guess I've forgotten that; I just got so used to being more selective with what I give to whom.

You've talked about this roaster of yours for a while. We need pictures, dang it!

Will do. I took a short video of it last time I roasted, but my camera wasn't writing to the flash card. I think the card wasn't fast enough for my camera's video stream. I have a new fast flash card now, tested, so I'll definitely get something up. It won't impress you guys too much, but it does roast really well.

 

[HarborTownBrewing]

One of the Yirgacheffe's I took to my family gathering was one where I put a lot of heat on it early on, and it came out to be an acidic beauty (well, if you like that sort of thing). Roasted it on Tuesday of last week. From Thursday through Saturday I was tasting a lot of acidity and some citrus and sweetness in there - exactly what I like in Ethiopians.

TODAY I tried it, and it's a different animal all together. Sweet and creamy - hardly any acidic flavor at all. Very little citrus, and only when it's hot. I'm surprised how this one changed so much between Saturday and today.

On another note, the wife and I are trying to buy a car. Okay, we've been looking since October, but each of us having sore backs make it pretty tough to agree on comfort. Finally getting close and narrowing it down to a couple cars at this one dealer. So I'm talking to the salesman last night and he explains it takes him 2+ cups of coffee each morning just to get started for the day. I'm thinking I may just roast up some Nicaraguan and take it to him when we go in to negotiate later in the week

 

[HarborTownBrewing]

So much emotion in this picture. An empty cup but so many options

Working from home has so many benefits.

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[TrickyDick]

Vacation coffee. Seattle's best must be a misnomer. Yuck.

 

[pricelessbrewing]

I'm still roasting every once in awhile, just enough to keep myself drinking a cup or two a day. Still doing it in a skillet, starting on a baking sheet I get them "preheated" to 300F then finish the roast slowly over about 15 minutes in a skillet on the stovetop with lots of agitation until I hear first crack then proceed to whatever roast level I want.

I think the most difficult part for me is agitating enough to remove enough chaff and to keep the roast consistent as I tend to forget to weigh the beans before hand so I'm doing inconsistent batch sizes which means the time it takes to roast is sporadic. Still tastes good tough!

 

[HarborTownBrewing]

Still doing it in a skillet, starting on a baking sheet I get them "preheated" to 300F then finish the roast slowly over about 15 minutes in a skillet on the stovetop with lots of agitation until I hear first crack then proceed to whatever roast level I want.

Have you considered a whirlypop? I'd say it's less work, but honestly, cranking that knob isn't all that much fun; although it may cut your time down substantially.

With all my whirlypop roasts, I don't think I had a single one go longer than 16 minutes. I just wonder if your preheat to 300 is baking them before you get them to the stovetop and roast for another 15 mins.

Just wondering - I'm not sure. I've never done it that way, and am curious to try it with my dad sometime, so if you have any input I'd love to hear it.

 

[HarborTownBrewing]

Vacation coffee. Seattle's best must be a misnomer. Yuck.

Vacationing is the worst for coffee drinkers. The potential is always there, but there is hardly anything out there it seems.

 

[pricelessbrewing]

Have you considered a whirlypop? I'd say it's less work, but honestly, cranking that knob isn't all that much fun; although it may cut your time down substantially.

With all my whirlypop roasts, I don't think I had a single one go longer than 16 minutes. I just wonder if your preheat to 300 is baking them before you get them to the stovetop and roast for another 15 mins.

Just wondering - I'm not sure. I've never done it that way, and am curious to try it with my dad sometime, so if you have any input I'd love to hear it.

I kinda prefer the long heat time, as it seems to give me a bit more even roasts and more control over where it finishes. If i rush it it always is more roasted than I wanted. Sometimes I'll put a lid on it for a bit, and shake vigorously to remove all the chaff during the roasting process but I'm worried that the lid traps too much smoke/steam from the oils.

The preheated helps with an even roast as well because coffee roasted doesn't happen really until it reaches 350+F so I could theoretically hold it there for 2 days and never have roasted coffee. Just helps with an even roast in my mind.

 

[jammin]

Colombia Herrera - freak'n nailed this roast. can't wait to see how it cups out

 

[TallDan]

Espresso con panna this morning. Might have to have these with decaf as an after-dinner drink.

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[HarborTownBrewing]

I've hit a point, just about 4 mins ago, where I decided I need an espresso machine for my office. Because sometimes I just don't feel like sipping a whole cup of pour over.

Coffee as a utility. Is that a problem?

 

[TrickyDick]

I've hit a point, just about 4 mins ago, where I decided I need an espresso machine for my office. Because sometimes I just don't feel like sipping a whole cup of pour over.

Coffee as a utility. Is that a problem?

What did you buy? Been eyeing the rancillo Silvia I think it is called.

Brewed French press unicorn peaberry this morning (Klatch). wow. This is all kinds of incredible. Caramel pecan frosted roll with a smack of acidity plus huge caramel and floral aromas.

In other news, they didn't get around to putting the hood in the basement woe I was out of town due to contractor schedule. So... Need to haul roaster upstairs. However, I have a decent supply of Hawaiian coffee plus a couple pouches from klatch that were waiting for me when I got home. Got two pounds of green beans, the previously mentioned Maui Moka, and a pound of Kona private small estate grown (samurai coffee co). Those beans are much larger than the Maui beans. Also found a bag of roasted Maui Moka beans and a small bag of the samurai beans (enough for a pot from the looks of it). So it may be a while before I need to roast again. Most of the Kona coffee I had was meh. Starbucks has pour over brew 100% Kona they sell only in HI, which was pretty good. Tour bus driver said of the Kuaii coffee plantations, that most are machine harvested!! I think they are catuai (?) strain. I didn't do any coffee tastings, because of the over scheduled nature of the trip and organized tours.

TD

 

[HarborTownBrewing]

What did you buy? Been eyeing the rancillo Silvia I think it is called.

Brewed French press unicorn peaberry this morning (Klatch). wow. This is all kinds of incredible. Caramel pecan frosted roll with a smack of acidity plus huge caramel and floral aromas.

TD

No espresso machine for me, yet. I don't see that happening anytime in the near future, because to be honest - if I'm going to get my wife to let me spend espresso machine-type money, I'm going to buy a small sailboat.

That Klatch sounds fantastic. Did you get it roasted, or were you able to buy some green? http://www.klatchroasting.com/Kenya_Gachatha_Unicorn_Peaberry_p/ken_gat_uni_pea.htm

 

[TrickyDick]

I bought it roasted. It was phenomenal.

TD

 

[TallDan]

I've hit a point, just about 4 mins ago, where I decided I need an espresso machine for my office. Because sometimes I just don't feel like sipping a whole cup of pour over.

Coffee as a utility. Is that a problem?

I work from home most of the time, but consider the espresso machine a weekend treat.

What did you buy? Been eyeing the rancillo Silvia I think it is called.

That's what I have, with the PID controller. My controller is an older one though, I've considered swapping out for a new one to control steaming temperature as well.

 

[jammin]

What did you buy? Been eyeing the rancillo Silvia I think it is called.


TD

the lelit is a hell of a machine for the price. for uner $1K - its a very strong contender
http://www.1st-line.com/store/pc/Lelit-PL41TEM-Anna-Espresso-Machine-PID-w-gauge-p7279.htm

if you want to step up a bit, i used to have a bezzera bz07. very well built and highly functional.
http://www.1st-line.com/store/pc/Be...ne-PM-semi-automatic-tank-reservoir-p3438.htm


for a nice dual boiler machine, the spaz, viv2 is inceredible performer! loaded with features and is a tried and true machine. loads of info about it on the web and parts are easy to find should it need any.
http://www.chriscoffee.com/S1-Vivaldi-II-p/vivaldi-ii.htm




that said, you can't beat an old school e61 design. they inherent soft infusion system on the grouphead pours LOVELY shots (the viv2 has a similar feature). this design has been around since the 50's and is a sure fire winner to this day. there are a LOT options in this class so you'll have to find one that suits your fancy. here is a nice one that is "middle of the road" as an example
https://www.chriscoffee.com/Rocket-Espresso-Cellini-V3-p/rcpv3.htm




if it were me, i'd search for a nicely refurbished:

faema lambro

or

conti empress:

 

[HarborTownBrewing]

Dang it, guys. Dang it dang it dang it. You all make me want to spend money and buy an espresso machine.

I stumbled across this thread just a tad under one year ago. I did my first roast, Yirgacheffe, from a whirlypop on my grill, on August 6, 2014. Tried it August 8 and was hooked right away. It was actually really good - like, I just happened to roast a good enough quality bean to make me interested.

In the meantime, I've upgraded and bought a roaster, grinder, additional brewing equipment, tons of filters, and a whole lot of beans. It's been awesome.

It was funny, because I first got the idea to roast coffee about 3 years ago but I couldn't find enough info out there to convince me I could do it, until I found this thread on HBT and saw people I could relate to (brewers) were making good coffee.

Cheers, all.

 

[jammin]

round 2 at the DP Ethiopian we bought at the GCC. Blew through the ramp to 1C faster than intended (despite slightly lowered power). I managed to tight rope a really nice stretch at a very low MET.

I'm excited as the aroma coming out of the exhaust was total blueberry pancakes and raspberry jam!

 

[HarborTownBrewing]

I'm excited as the aroma coming out of the exhaust was total blueberry pancakes and raspberry jam!

That sounds fantastic.

I bought some really good Ethiopians and a Kenyan from SM about a month ago and I've been very pleased with them. Great flavor for warm summer weather.

I'm starting to think about stocking up on some Columbian beans for blending and for some more chocolate flavor. Right now about 80% of my stock is from East Africa.

 

[passedpawn]

I'll get some pics of the final coffee here later. This is my ghetto roaster. It's working perfectly (I've experimented and got the right temp on it's little crappy dial there). Roast time is about 20 min. I could make that faster, but then the roast is a little uneven.

I improvised a piece of ducting in the middle there. The chaff blows around a lot, so I've been considering putting some holes at the top to let the chaff actually exit the chamber, but then the heat will too.

 

[HarborTownBrewing]

That is mesmerizing to watch.

 

[HoppyDaze]

We just got a Technivorm Moccamaster at work...very nice.