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Hey @pshankstar great that you found that! Any idea how it got to that point?
I have no idea how it happened. The unit doesn’t move much and stays in the garage where I roast. If I moved it from room regularly I would think that would be the culprit but honestly it looks like it just burned out which is kind of scary.
 
Haha whenever bikers give trail advice I always laugh a bit, because they are either completely unaware of the average person's skills or they are being a bit smug. Sounds like your son was killin it though Apple! And you too, of course ;)

I've got another family rental coming up, and I'm thinking of roasting up a bunch of Guat for that. Seems to be a good crowd pleaser normally, and we'll go through a bunch of it I'm sure. Hoping my Sweet Marias shipment gets here soon, I'm dangerously low on beans all of a sudden.

Along those lines, I will also be stocking up on copious amounts of alcohol. Probably a couple homebrews, but also some cheap beers and decent bourbon. Pretty much every day feels like that Luke Bryan song: "Black coffee in the morning, dark whiskey in the evening."


View attachment 732095Maybe this is why the elements stopped working? 🤣🤣🤣
New wire (thicker gauge) and connectors. Cleaned it again and did a dry run after a normal cleaning and the elements work again. I’ll have to write back to Behmor and send them this picture. Looking forward to start roasting again after a $5 fix.
Double like!
 
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Well I have my first "customer" issue. They say the coffee they bought from me is "sour" and requested a darker roast of something else. They had told me they liked dark roast, and I gave them a Peru that I dropped at the onset of 2C (which is dark for me). But apparently it's not right for them. Part of me wonders if they are grinding it too fine, or how they are making it.

It's funny how subjective it all is. I tried that roast this morning and it was delicious, but once you hand the beans to someone else it's completely out of your control between the grind, brew, and their taste buds. I'm thinking I'll roast a Colombian pretty darn dark and see what she thinks of it. I have a feeling in the long run this isn't going to be worth the hassle but we'll see.

Hey @pshankstar great that you found that! Any idea how it got to that point?

Gonna definitely be worth it. If they want cheap beans fried, it will be good for business. Although would that rub off onto future roasts?
 
I have no idea how it happened. The unit doesn’t move much and stays in the garage where I roast. If I moved it from room regularly I would think that would be the culprit but honestly it looks like it just burned out which is kind of scary.
Super scary! It's all the farting around harbortown did in there 😁jk, wow those things are durable.

I supplied my bosses with coffee every Friday this year. hope they gonna think about that if its between me and someone else :). I need some beans, gonna check burmans tonight.

I need to roast some decaf, I feel like I am always fumbling too much with it. I know it has probably been shared with me before, but any tips on roasting this will be greatly appreciated!
 
Hey y'all its been a bit. Had to log in & give a heads up on this nice looking Kenyan from SM's

Kiambu Fram Farm AB

Notes claim "ripe blueberry". Im a big fan of the SL-28/Bourbon varietal and the AB screen size. On paper this one looks like a real winner.

Hope y'all have been well.

Cheers
~j
Thanks for the tip! I'm running low on green coffee, so I went for 10lb. I've had some real top notch coffees lately, so hopefully this keeps that streak alive. :)
 
@TallDan - give’n them a go today.
01FA58ED-B3C1-4C83-BAD4-CB077040D855.jpeg
 
Well I had that customer who wanted something darker so here it goes - the darkest roast I've ever made. Smoke billowed out of the roaster door when i dropped these and they are soooo shiny. I'm curious if she is going to like these or not.

I feel like I've sinned against these wonderful Colombian beans.

20210624_122112.jpg
 
I dropped them off, she wasn't there but her friend was and told me how the purchaser is "a connesouir". I bit my tongue instead of responding how I wanted to.

But in true Homebrewtalk fashion, I will give you all a thorough review of these charred beans once they've rested a bit. I've got enough to make a french press worth so that should be interesting.
 
I have been getting emails from Bohdi leaf the last few days for a home roasting contest. I suppose it is mostly a way to sell coffee but I thought it was an interesting idea. The time frame seems really tight to get the beans then send it back. If they sent you a tasting score sheet like a beer contest that might be fun to see what they say.

I tried to find the information on their website but it looks like they only have the information in the email, this is the text;

Use Code @ Check Out to Enter Competition
*Green Coffee Sale ends Monday 6/28 @ 11:59 PM*
*One Code Per Order*
Attention: Home Roasters
IT'S GOIN DOWN!


Y'all making us blush. We have over 50 Home Roasters set to compete! We are going to extend our sale through Monday 6/28 to give everyone a chance to join.

We are only accepting El Salvador Montevideo Washed submissions, so secure your's today and use code: PICK 25 for 25% off! Checking out with code PICK25 is your submission. We will toss in a small competition submission bag with all Montevideo Washed orders.

If you haven't purchase your El Salvador Montevideo Washed yet, what are you waiting for?! We love tasting coffee, but we have to cap this competition @ 100 entries, so don't wait!

SEND SUBMISSIONS TO:
428 W. KATELLA AVE (SUITE B)
ORANGE CA, 92867

______________________________________________________

Submission Deadline: July 15th

All we need is 3 - 4 oz of your roast

July 24th @ 11 AM, we will host a FREE public cupping feat: our Top 10 coffees

Winner will be announced by 12 PM on July 24th

About us:

We're a small company out of beautiful Southern California. What we lack in size, we make up for in service. Our mission is to provide large and small roasters with exceptional coffees, economical prices, and excellent customer service. Our dedication to quality and service is fueled by our commitment to our customers, a fervent caffeine addiction, and ongoing research. We proudly perform extensive research on every batch of coffee beans so that every import is filled with the best coffee beans in the world.

Contact us by email: [email protected]
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Well I had that customer who wanted something darker so here it goes - the darkest roast I've ever made. Smoke billowed out of the roaster door when i dropped these and they are soooo shiny. I'm curious if she is going to like these or not.

I feel like I've sinned against these wonderful Colombian beans.

View attachment 733423

Ouch, you made those beans cry Uncle.
 
I started to write the bag label : "Burned as dark as the devil's heart, this coffee has notes of ash and burn - also known as ashburn. Subtle sweetness comes from the sugar you undoubtedly have to pour in by the ounce to turn this normally beautiful coffee into something halfway palatable."

After I roasted that dark dark roast I repented for my sins by roasting an Ethiopian to 13 percent development. All is right in the world again!
 
Well I had that customer who wanted something darker so here it goes - the darkest roast I've ever made. Smoke billowed out of the roaster door when i dropped these and they are soooo shiny. I'm curious if she is going to like these or not.

I feel like I've sinned against these wonderful Colombian beans.

View attachment 733423
I have a customer that insists on this type of bean. I give her what she wants... I don't get it, but its her coffee... Keep us posted.
 
Next time someone wants a "super dark" roast, or "Italian roast," or whatever it's called, use some "seasoning greens," coffee meant for breaking in a new roaster. By the time you get it to such a high roast level, it won't matter that the beans were a blend of whatever the green coffee seller had left over.
 
Next time someone wants a "super dark" roast, or "Italian roast," or whatever it's called, use some "seasoning greens," coffee meant for breaking in a new roaster. By the time you get it to such a high roast level, it won't matter that the beans were a blend of whatever the green coffee seller had left over.
where can I find it? I'm in Phoenix
 
Next time someone wants a "super dark" roast, or "Italian roast," or whatever it's called, use some "seasoning greens," coffee meant for breaking in a new roaster. By the time you get it to such a high roast level, it won't matter that the beans were a blend of whatever the green coffee seller had left over.
Based on that link those might be good beans to “flavor” coffee with given the cost. I’ll definitely keep this in mind if and when I upgrade from my Behmor roaster.
 
Alright HBT, I tried the charcoal beans this morning. Below is my review.

These beans were rested 6 days before grinding/brewing. I poured them into the grinder and they were so shiny and oily, you could have mistaken them for coffee aged within a slab of uncooked bacon. The grinder chewed through them promptly and easily given how soft they must be at this roast level. I put them in the Behmor brewer and did the typical brew at 202 F with a 1:30 bloom (if I remember right...it's just my default).

As the coffee brewed, the cats were stirring as though a storm was coming. They knew something wasn't right. A scent filled the air - reminiscent of a morning in Naples, Italy from the charcoal coffee brewing, stale beer littering the kitchen, a random pizza crust on the floor, and the occasional whiff of a refreshing lemon left over from my wife's late night beverage.

The coffee was ready. I poured a mug's worth - the rich, dark flavors so strong they filled my nostrils even as I was exhaling. The Behmor dripped a few extra drops out of the filter basket as though to say, "Flee from me, evil coffee!"

I sat at my desk chair, opened my favorite hockey forum, and took my first sip. It tasted like....all other dark roast coffee. Surprise surprise, it all tastes the damn same. This is why we use cheap ass beans for this charcoal ****.

So that's that. Oh, and yesterday I went to drop off more coffee at the place where the uber-dark roast lover works, and her co-worker told me that the dark-roast customer "Loved this new coffee" so that's that - if she wants more coffee, I'll be getting $3 Colombian or Brazilian beans and roasting them to the 3rd crack.
 
Mine arrived today and I just roasted my first batch. I see some similarities in our graphs...

How did this roast cup out for you? I roasted my 3rd & 4th batch of it this weekend so Ive been drinking it for a while now. I find the acidity to be on the higher end. I haven't gone above +10* after 1C but a solid 15% development on quick roast is just starting to tame this bean.
 
How did this roast cup out for you? I roasted my 3rd & 4th batch of it this weekend so Ive been drinking it for a while now. I find the acidity to be on the higher end. I haven't gone above +10* after 1C but a solid 15% development on quick roast is just starting to tame this bean.
Not very well, unfortunately. It had some underdeveloped flavors going on, which surprised me based on how it roasted. Haven’t tried a second batch yet, might give it a shot in the next day or two.
 
Not very well, unfortunately. It had some underdeveloped flavors going on

dang. are you considering a totally different profile or just making minor tweaks?

Id like to try stretching out the time to 1C with the goal of getting the overall roast time above 10 minutes. Im happy with what Ive been drinking so far but it's always fun to try something new.
 
dang. are you considering a totally different profile or just making minor tweaks?

Id like to try stretching out the time to 1C with the goal of getting the overall roast time above 10 minutes. Im happy with what Ive been drinking so far but it's always fun to try something new.

Are you finding longer roast times turning out better beans? I still roast with a heat gun, but might experiment on the timing a bit (holding the gun a little farther away from the beans to slow it down some). Right now, I'm getting to the start of 1C at around 5:00-5:30 elapsed. Second crack (if I were to go that far) is usually about 3-4 minutes later. I usually stop roasting around 7-8 minutes and cool the beans with a downdraft box. I'm wondering if I'm roasting too fast. OTOH, I don't want to drag out the roast too much, for fear of getting a "baked" effect.
 
dang. are you considering a totally different profile or just making minor tweaks?

Id like to try stretching out the time to 1C with the goal of getting the overall roast time above 10 minutes. Im happy with what Ive been drinking so far but it's always fun to try something new.
Getting ready to roast another batch right now. Plan to tweak things, I think pulling the heat back a little more early is what I'm going to try. I have 10 pounds of these beans, I'm sure I'll get them right.

It's also a bit unfair, the other coffee I have on hand right now is Ethiopia Sidama Keramo Niguse Gemeda, an exceptional crown jewel coffee (and from the same farmer who won the Ethiopia Cup of Excellence). The other coffee I have is from Aida Batlle and is similarly fantastic.

I think I need to do a little browsing at Klatch tonight before their 20% off sale runs out. I need to have more than a couple of coffees on hand. :)
 
Are you finding longer roast times turning out better beans?..... Right now, I'm getting to the start of 1C at around 5:00-5:30 elapsed.

Shorter roast times have given me the best results but I usually roast dry process Ethiopians. This particular Kenyan though is looking like it could handle some more time to caramelize the sugars.
Have you been roasting any Kenyans in your HG/BM?
 
Well, This is different, but I don't know that it's better. More time in the roaster though, so that might help.

Next time I think I won't turn up the fan as much before 1c.

Also, this coffee smells funky immediately after roasting. I thought I might be crazy after the first batch, but again with this one, I thought it smelled a bit like tuna. That's not really a flavor I look for in coffee. It didn't smell or taste like that when brewed, and I've smelled some off stuff with coffee immediately after roasting before, so I'm not worried and I don't think that it's necessarily a bad sign from the coffee.

Kenya Kiambu Fram 7-5.png

305F0D73-028B-4B97-B34B-06CB2B51426F.jpeg
 
@TallDan
I was trolling around the usual coffee sources & wanted to hear your (and others) thoughts on this roast profile for a Kenyan Crown Jewel.

Their gas drum roast(IR-5) had an overall time of 9:22 with about 15% development time after 1C. 16% loss & a +20* gain after 1C. In my experience this would have a greater roasty taste than I prefer although their notes boast all the things one would like to see. If you click on their Quest M3 profile It is much closer to what my profiles usually look like.

@MaxStout - I was reminded of your question about the shorter roasts & that you're air roasting when I saw their Ikawa (small air roaster) profile. They hit the coffee with three different profiles & it was interesting to read how each one cupped. If you check it out Id like to hear your thoughts.
 
Heads up - SM's posted 4 new Ethiopians today. All 90+, all washed. I grabbed a couple.. been a while since I ordered a washed Ethiopian & Ive always enjoyed a floral Yrg.
 
@TallDan
I was trolling around the usual coffee sources & wanted to hear your (and others) thoughts on this roast profile for a Kenyan Crown Jewel.

Their gas drum roast(IR-5) had an overall time of 9:22 with about 15% development time after 1C. 16% loss & a +20* gain after 1C. In my experience this would have a greater roasty taste than I prefer although their notes boast all the things one would like to see. If you click on their Quest M3 profile It is much closer to what my profiles usually look like.

@MaxStout - I was reminded of your question about the shorter roasts & that you're air roasting when I saw their Ikawa (small air roaster) profile. They hit the coffee with three different profiles & it was interesting to read how each one cupped. If you check it out Id like to hear your thoughts.
That profile just doesn't add up to me. I'm probably just blinded by my only real experience being on my roaster, because I don't think I could do a profile quite like that. Seems like a fast roast with a lot of weight loss, but not that high of a drop temp. With their batch size, I would have expected that roast to be a mess.

I'm also afraid that I need to try something very different with this Kenyan, roasted again today:

Kenya Kiambu Fram Farm AB 21-07-14_2046.png

I was feeling good about it right up until 1c was underway. Smells better than the last batch, but still not really great.
 
I put this in line fan on 90lbs ago, and added a white aquarium filter to prevent gunk from getting into the fan. If anyone is curious what comes out of the roaster after 90lbs of beans, take a look. I actually started wearing a mask when I roast (the cigar smoking habit isn't as unhealthy though, right? Right?!)

20210722_121218.jpg


20210722_121225.jpg
 
I put this in line fan on 90lbs ago, and added a white aquarium filter to prevent gunk from getting into the fan. If anyone is curious what comes out of the roaster after 90lbs of beans, take a look. I actually started wearing a mask when I roast (the cigar smoking habit isn't as unhealthy though, right? Right?!)

View attachment 736423

View attachment 736424

Filter some hot water through that and see what you get. ;)

Seriously, I should start using a mask when roasting, especially on days when I can't have the garage doors open. Those pics make a good cautionary point.
 
I put this in line fan on 90lbs ago, and added a white aquarium filter to prevent gunk from getting into the fan. If anyone is curious what comes out of the roaster after 90lbs of beans, take a look. I actually started wearing a mask when I roast (the cigar smoking habit isn't as unhealthy though, right? Right?!)

View attachment 736423

View attachment 736424

Any issues with airflow with the filter? I know the Bullet will discharge chaff from the front if exhaust airflow is restricted (e.g. the filter basket is clogged). I have the same fan inline on the exhaust on my Bullet but a charcoal filter on the exit from the fan outside the house.
 
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