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Inkleg said:
Unfortunately this is not the post you’re waiting on. Delivery has been pushed back to Wednesday probably due to the winter storms.
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Sorry fellas I know you’ve been waiting for an update. After a full day at work I only have a little time in the evening to fart around with the roaster. I really like the exhaust from Norfab. Clamps are a royal pain the first time you clamp them, but super easy off and on after that. I still have to exit the room with the exhaust and hook up Phidget, but was able to fire it up last night. HOLY crap is this thing quiet! I had to look to see if the drum was turning.
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It's look great, @Inkleg ! That venting looks like some extremely high quality stuff. I hope to upgrade to that someday.
You're right about the roaster being quiet, I had a similar experience when i first received mine. Ive been looking forward to an update from ya - glad to hear you're finding some time to get going with it!
 
Favorite coffee
I cant think back the whole year, but three recent come to mind.

The yirgacheffe burman top lot that was supposedly from a single lot, single farmer, that someone processed for him. It had nice blueberry flavor, and when the blueberry wasnt there it was flawless. It was 10 a pound.

The banko crown jewel. This coffee separates itself from average for sure and was top notch.

The Guatemalan geisha I have been drinking. While not mind blowing its an enjoyable sweet cup.

My favorite brewing gadget is the old krups blade grinder. Because when its out, we are on vacation. Running it off an extension cord on the pop up comes to mind.

Aha moment for me recently is to think about the coffee and its best expression and then work backwards to the roast. Highlighting the good and diminishing the bad.



jammin said:
What was everyone's top 3 coffee moments of 2019?

- favorite coffee?
- favorite brewing gadget?
- big "AHA!" moment in dialing in that perfect cup?
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@applescrap - great post! Really enjoyed that.

I roasted a great deal of coffee this year & Ive been thinking back on lately while brewing/drinking my morning cup. Not in terms of volume, but variety of Lots.

Fav coffee:
Ethiopia Natural Sidamo Oromia. This was an organic coffee imported by Royal, the same folks who do the Crown Jewel program we all frequently enjoy. In the cup, it was just that "punchbowl" of fruit. Great sweetness & balanced acidity. I bought this coffee in late March and roasted several similar coffees with it throughout Spring and it was the standout of it's peers.
Honorable Mention to the 2019 Banko from the Crown Jewel program. Although the 2017 left us hoping for another hit of that Blueberry drug, this coffee was just remarkable all the way around. Impeccable sorting & prep to the point you wouldnt guess it was Natural Process. The sweetness, clarity & delicate floral notes are not difficult to pull out; really glad I got to try this one.

Fav brewing gadget/equipment:
Since I didn't add any new equipment this year, Ill give the nod to my Monolith Flat grinder. It's designed from the ground up for single dosing & can switch from espresso to filter effortlessly. The grind quality is top-tier in all range. Although it is built specifically for espresso, the Press-Pot grind has the lowest amount of fines of any grinder that Ive used or owned. If you ever really get into French Press, you'll quickly learn that how difficult it is to get a homogeneous coarse grind that isn't loaded with fines.

A-HA! Moment of 2019:
Recently I cracked the code for getting (well, at least one path) a really active First Crack that has a controlled RoR. No crashes or runaway finishing temps. I wouldnt consider it the end-all, be-all or some sort of gateway to perfect roasts but Im happy to have gotten this problem area of my roasts under control. Im looking forward to experimenting with it more in 2020 and getting more roasts under my belt to gain a better understanding of how it impacts the cup and how different coffees react to it.
 
As far as popcorn popper, steel skillet or the oven, which gives the best result? I'm leaning away from the popcorn popper at the moment.

Also, I'm going buy unroasted beans and was wondering which supplier you think is best overall? I will not buy from anywhere but a supplier (no Amazon).

We just got a pound of freshly roasted coffee and there's a nice difference. I'm just looking for a bit of improvement.

Thank you!
 
davidabcd said:
As far as popcorn popper, steel skillet or the oven, which gives the best result? I'm leaning away from the popcorn popper at the moment.

Also, I'm going buy unroasted beans and was wondering which supplier you think is best overall? I will not buy from anywhere but a supplier (no Amazon).

We just got a pound of freshly roasted coffee and there's a nice difference. I'm just looking for a bit of improvement.

Thank you!
Click to expand...

I cannot comment on which method is better since I have no experience with them. I started off with a Fresh Roast coffee roaster and now use the Behmor 1600+.

Regarding suppliers to buy beans. If there is a local coffee roaster and coffee shop, stop in and check with them. There are two in my area that I can buy green beans from, one 5-10 minutes away and the other is a 30 minute drive. Online retailers I have purchased from the following in no particular order.
Sweet Maria's
Legacy Farms Coffee
Bodhi Leaf
Bruman Coffee

Other Online Retailers whom I have not purchased from (for no particular reason just haven't).
Royal Coffee
Crop to Cup
I'm sure there are others who I am missing but others may chime in.
 
davidabcd said:
As far as popcorn popper, steel skillet or the oven, which gives the best result? I'm leaning away from the popcorn popper at the moment.

Also, I'm going buy unroasted beans and was wondering which supplier you think is best overall? I will not buy from anywhere but a supplier (no Amazon).

We just got a pound of freshly roasted coffee and there's a nice difference. I'm just looking for a bit of improvement.

Thank you!
Click to expand...

I don’t have experience with a skillet or oven, because everything I read said that the popper was the way to go and I already had one.

Instead of a skillet, consider a whirly pop. I know someone here at least used to use one.

Another cheap method is the bread machine/heat gun combo, applescrap uses that one.

My understanding is that the oven is the least desirable method.

For suppliers, check out sweet Maria’s, roastmasters, and Bodhi leaf. If you want to go straight to the source, the only one I know is legacy farms. Several of us have ordered from them and like their coffee.
 
davidabcd said:
As far as popcorn popper, steel skillet or the oven, which gives the best result? I'm leaning away from the popcorn popper at the moment.

Also, I'm going buy unroasted beans and was wondering which supplier you think is best overall? I will not buy from anywhere but a supplier (no Amazon).

We just got a pound of freshly roasted coffee and there's a nice difference. I'm just looking for a bit of improvement.

Thank you!
Click to expand...
A used a cast iron pot and heat gun along with my camp stove for a couple years, works well but very hands on. Look at the HGDB Heat Gun Dog Bowl it is similar and you probably have everything you need but the beans.

The stir crazy turbo oven DIY roasters works pretty well as do the Heat gun bread makers.

Sweet marias has good coffee and they have a forum for information.
 
Just curious, why are you staying away from the popcorn popper? I started on that and had great results before I moved to my Behmor.
 
Kealia said:
why are you staying away from the popcorn popper?
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Just from the basic info was that I'd only be able to do a small amount. Again, new, so I could be wrong. Intuitively, the popper seems a good substitute for an actual roaster.
 
davidabcd said:
Just from the basic info was that I'd only be able to do a small amount. Again, new, so I could be wrong. Intuitively, the popper seems a good substitute for an actual roaster.
Click to expand...
I've been researching roasting on the cheap also and am leaning toward the popcorn method. I cold-brew a gallon at a time, using 160 grams of grounds. The air poppers can do 85 to 110 grams in a batch, so by that method I would have to do 2 batches. But they also require the least labor so 2 batches isn't a huge chore...
 
bleme said:
I've been researching roasting on the cheap also and am leaning toward the popcorn method. I cold-brew a gallon at a time, using 160 grams of grounds. The air poppers can do 85 to 110 grams in a batch, so by that method I would have to do 2 batches. But they also require the least labor so 2 batches isn't a huge chore.
Click to expand...
You're right, not a huge chore, especially since I get into cooking/preparing things. My knee-jerk reaction was that I'd get a tiny amount but as long as I can swing a 2-3 days I'd be good. I imagine, once I get the timing down, I could even walk away for a minute.
As I said earlier, the air popper just seems like a good substitute.
With the cold-brew, do you heat it up? I'm more of a coffee rookie and one dimensional: Costco coffee, grinder, moka pot and hand-whipped milk.
thanks for the info.
 
davidabcd said:
You're right, not a huge chore, especially since I get into cooking/preparing things. My knee-jerk reaction was that I'd get a tiny amount but as long as I can swing a 2-3 days I'd be good. I imagine, once I get the timing down, I could even walk away for a minute.
As I said earlier, the air popper just seems like a good substitute.
With the cold-brew, do you heat it up? I'm more of a coffee rookie and one dimensional: Costco coffee, grinder, moka pot and hand-whipped milk.
thanks for the info.
Click to expand...
I brew either at room temp for 12 hours or fridge temp for 24. It definitely pulls different flavors from the grounds but mostly I do it for medical reasons. My doctor told me I had to cut way back on my coffee acids. Cold brewing extracts 65% less acid so I still get to enjoy my cup in the morning. Since I only get one cup now, I've been looking at ways to make the most of that cup.
 
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bleme said:
Cold brewing extracts 65% less acid s
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That's good to know. I cold brew a gallon of tea at a time, just the apple cinnamon one. Not for any reason other than it doesn't have sugar but does have flavor. I drink it instead of so many other options that aren't healthy in large volume. Funny though, I think it's fabulous, but not a single person who's tasted it likes it. I buy out the shelf at Kroger all the time. I keep wondering if think it's super odd how they're selling so much of one type of tea.
 
My family went to the annual Christmas Parade last Monday and camped just a block down from my favorite coffee shop, so obviously I had to cheat and grab a cup. I am usually happy with my fresh ground cold brew endeavors, but that was ridiculously good!
 
+++ to all the coffee bean suppliers listed so far... another for consideration is the Captain's coffee. They have some decent coffees.
I never did the popcorn maker method when starting to roast. I did the heat gun, big metal pot method for the first try ever, decided that it was quite labor intensive and moved right to having something else keep the bean bed moving! LoL! Modded a bread machine to not only keep the beans moving, but also hold the heat gun, which does allow someone to do other things, briefly, while roasting. You don't want to take your attention away for long....
At the beginning of this year I upgraded to an ailio bullet for my roasting needs. If interested, I have the bread machine still...in working condition. I use the heat gun so you would have to get one of those.
 
bleme said:
I've been researching roasting on the cheap
Click to expand...
Wait? What?? You can roast on the cheap??? I must have been out sick that day. :D

Had a little time on Sunday to get Phidget connected play with Artisan and watch some temperature readings on the new roaster. Still have to exit with the exhaust. This Saturdays booked I'm hoping for Sunday.

On a small world note. The new tech they hired and I'm helping train is from El Salvador. We were talking about pets and as he's scrolling through is phone and I see something. "Whoa.....back up. Was that a Probat sample roaster?" Is eyes get wide and asks me how I know that as he scrolls back. Long story short. He has a Behmor at home and has friends that have coffee farms in El Salvador. I'm making him coffee in the morning and we're talking coffee.
 
pshankstar said:
ust thought I would put it out there
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The thoughtfulness is always appreciated. Lots of helpful people here. Right now, I'm looking for the highest powered popcorn popper on the market. I do not own a heat gun but I do have two light sabers, one still in the package and one off of e-bay. Was that funny? Sometimes it's hit or miss.
 
Inkleg said:
Wait? What?? You can roast on the cheap??? I must have been out sick that day. :D

Had a little time on Sunday to get Phidget connected play with Artisan and watch some temperature readings on the new roaster. Still have to exit with the exhaust. This Saturdays booked I'm hoping for Sunday.

On a small world note. The new tech they hired and I'm helping train is from El Salvador. We were talking about pets and as he's scrolling through is phone and I see something. "Whoa.....back up. Was that a Probat sample roaster?" Is eyes get wide and asks me how I know that as he scrolls back. Long story short. He has a Behmor at home and has friends that have coffee farms in El Salvador. I'm making him coffee in the morning and we're talking coffee.
Click to expand...
...so when are you running a split on some El Salvador coffee? :D
 
There has been a gorgeous probat for sale in denver. @davidabcd a great thing to do would be to pop through this thread from the beginning. You will glean an amazing amount of coffee knowledge, progressions of equipment, and builds. My build and others are on here. Everyone starts somewhere whirlypop, heat guns, pop corn machines, etc...there are 99 ways up the mountain and 92 of them work. Where you start might not be where you end, haha, thats putting it mildly. Its a wonderful hobby and best of luck getting started.
 
Wow oh wow, that grade 1 dp Ethiopian from burmans i got on black is really really good. Super fruity and good. Its not the punch bowl but its damn close. I wish i would have got like 10 pounds of it or more. I might pick up 5 pounds of it at full price just to have more before it runs out. Iirc its called arichha.
 
Popcorn poppers roast very fast. Mine is only 1100 watts and it will roast a batch on average in 5-6 minutes. I dump mine into a colander in a box hooked up to a small shop vac to cool the beans and start the next batch right away. I can do 8 3oz batches in an hour which nets me around 19oz roasted. I could do 4oz batches but they require almost constant stirring with my machine. I roast outside and let the messy chaff fall to the deck and blow it away when I'm done. Plus there's a lot of smoke generated. 19oz will give me 2 weeks worth of 1 morning cappuccino and 1 afternoon double shot of espresso. Plus It could be up to 8 different varieties to play with. I don't use the poppers cover. I bought the popper at the thrift store for $3.

I started here...
https://legacy.sweetmarias.com/library/air-popcorn-popper-method/
 
For years I used a Wearever Popcorn Pumper that was 1400 watts. I would roast a pound in 5 batches @ 3.2 oz. in approximately 6.5 minutes per batch which is still pretty fast. The popcorn chute works nicely for directing chaff into a bowl or other container. I attached a screen inside the lower part of the chute to keep the occasional roasting bean from jumping out with the chaff. I thought about trying the 1250 watt model but never did.
 
I ordered 10 lbs of the Nicaragua Dipilto Monte Libano last week, it should be getting delivered today, and just now ordered the dry process Buenos Aires. Should have probably ordered it with last week's order...but like some other members here....the expectations of coffee to deliver on a blueberry flavor are exceptionally high!!! (Thanks to @jammin) and most beans have fallen WAY short on that promise! LoL!!!
 
Sweet, please update how they are. Inquiring minds want to know!
Ruint said:
I ordered 10 lbs of the Nicaragua Dipilto Monte Libano last week, it should be getting delivered today, and just now ordered the dry process Buenos Aires. Should have probably ordered it with last week's order...but like some other members here....the expectations of coffee to deliver on a blueberry flavor are exceptionally high!!! (Thanks to @jammin) and most beans have fallen WAY short on that promise! LoL!!!
Click to expand...
 
Roasted all 10 pounds of it last night! Along with 1kg of Ethiopia Agaro Duromina. I have maybe a pound of the Dipilto left, that wasn't utilized in my Xmas blend, and is "resting", so if really desired...I could give my impression of it's flavor. Probably won't be till next week sometime that the dry process Nicaraguan shows up.
 
I could use some help from the group here. I'm trying to roast this Ethiopia Guji and only just now got a roast I think I'm content with (after 3 previous failed attempts). The bean is hella small and I'm blowing through the roasts - previous roasts got to 1C in like 6:00.

This time I did a much lower preheat and just kept off the gas. I pulled back a bit in the first few mins to drag out development, then got back on the heat.

Anyone have any thoughts on this? I'm content with the 8:25 1C...even then though it was very faint. This really reminds me of a peaberry.

upload_2019-12-13_10-53-35.png
 
@HarborTownBrewing

Sry for quick answer making pancakes. Batch size? Easy way to increase time, but comes with potential problems. Also 1 min plus past a 6 min 1c seems long. If your customers buy it and like it then you are doing it right :) For yourself, try closer to 40 seconds, thats where I generally stop. They are little, but they are dense too.
 

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