So, I finally caved in and bought a roaster (Behmor). Just roasted the first 0.5 lb batch last night and will be brewing it tomorrow. I can't wait to see how it tastes. I think I roasted it darker than I wanted to, but it should be OK. It just started 2nd crack when I hit the cool button.
The bad news... My wife still complains that the house smells aweful. It should dissipate over time (I hope).
It will ,if you can open the windows for awhile it helps...Ive been roasting on the patio without a drop cord and have had great roasts. Its a way to avoid smell and not set off alarms.
macdad Said:
So, I finally caved in and bought a roaster (Behmor). Just roasted the first 0.5 lb batch last night and will be brewing it tomorrow. I can't wait to see how it tastes. I think I roasted it darker than I wanted to, but it should be OK. It just started 2nd crack when I hit the cool button.
The bad news... My wife still complains that the house smells aweful. It should dissipate over time (I hope).
roach56 Senior Member Joined: 17 Jun 2010 Posts: 120 Location: USA Expertise: I love coffee
Posted Sat Feb 16, 2013, 6:01am Subject: Re: Totally geeked! Roasting Coffee!
Congrats on your new roaster. I've had my Behmor a little over a week. My first roast was darker than I wanted also but I'm starting to get more consistent roast now. I had a costa rican bean that went into 2nd crack on me and by opening the door while hitting cool , I managed to salvage it. Let us know how your roast tastes after 3-4 days. What type bean was it? I found with the Behmor the roasts need a little longer rest than my air roasts.
macdad Junior Member Joined: 14 Feb 2013 Posts: 12 Location: OH, USA Expertise: Just starting
Posted Sun Feb 17, 2013, 4:28pm Subject: Re: Totally geeked! Roasting Coffee!
The coffee I received with the roaster was some Brazilian Bob-o-Link. There is a local shop here that roasts coffee, and I really enjoyed the Bob-o-link, so that is what I got.
The first batch was definitely over roasted. After 2 days it tastes a little flat to me (I have no knowledge of cupping or the appropriate terms). I also taste more of the roast flavor and very little bean flavor. I originally roasted 1/2 lb of coffee on P2 C. I think part of the problem is that it stepped down to the lower temp just as the coffee started 1st crack and I think it stalled a bit. Just guessing though.
I roasted another batch today near a window in the kitchen. Definitely less smell in the house (wife is happy :) ) I did another 1/2 lb but set it to 1 lb P2 A. However, I think the results would have been the same if I had just run the P1 profile. This time, there was only about 20-30 seconds between 1st and 2nd crack. I really wanted to stop before 2nd crack, but I ended up stopping right at 2nd crack. The good news is that, although color wise it appears to be the same as the first roast, the smell is much better. I don't get the scorched smell that the first batch had. We shall see in a couple days!
On a side note, I am using the Roasterthing program. My wife really gets a kick out of me sitting in front of a roaster and logging things on the computer at the same time. She tells me I am a true GEEK :)
My Wife wrote me off along time ago. I'm still learning this roaster myself so maybe a more experienced user will chime in. The roaster will continue to roast after you hit the cool button so it's a challenge timing between 1c and 2c and ending the roast, for me anyway. I'm used to dumping into my homemade cooler for instant cooling. Let us know how the roast came out.
...Let us know how your roast tastes after 3-4 days. What type bean was it? I found with the Behmor the roasts need a little longer rest than my air roasts.
I am also finding that the roasts taste much better after 3 days. The second roast, after 2 days, was almost sour tasting. I thought I ruined another one, but, on day 3, it wasn't sour at all. It just tasted like a nice dark roast. Still too dark for my tastes, but not bad by any means.
Today I did a 3rd 1/2# roast. I stopped it at about 1 min 40 seconds after the start of 1C. It is definitely lighter. Probably City to City+ if I were to guess. I will wait 3 days before I even think of brewing this roast. This is definitely a hobby that tries ones patience.
I think I will try the P3 profile on the next roast. Supposedly, that is better for Brazilian beans, so I am interested to see what the difference in flavor will be.
I've been using P3 for some african beans. I just used P2 for the first time yesterday on some Quat beans. I let first crack finish completely, then hit cool and it was approx. 1:30 from the beginning of first crack. I ended up with a city-city+. I brewed some this morning because I was out of roasted beans, wasn't bad and should be great in a couple days. Were you using another roasting method prior to the Behmor?
The Behmor smoke suppression works okay, but it definitely doesn't do much to curb the smell. As for taking the beans too far, my best advice is to take thorough notes, since it's easier to be systematic with the Behmor than with an air popper. Some beans will roast exactly how you predict, but others will roast way faster (or slower) due to varying bean densities, origins, etc. Taking clear notes is the best way (along with practice) to achieve consistency.
...Some beans will roast exactly how you predict, but others will roast way faster (or slower) due to varying bean densities, origins, etc. Taking clear notes is the best way (along with practice) to achieve consistency.
I have been taking good notes. I am noticing, at least with this batch of beans, that they are fairly consistent roast to roast. The times of 1C are very close, as long as I keep the weight the same and use the same profile. I certainly see the value in keeping both roasting and tasting notes.
roach56 Said:
I've been using P3 for some african beans. I just used P2 for the first time yesterday on some Quat beans. I let first crack finish completely, then hit cool and it was approx. 1:30 from the beginning of first crack. I ended up with a city-city+. I brewed some this morning because I was out of roasted beans, wasn't bad and should be great in a couple days. Were you using another roasting method prior to the Behmor?
Yeah, I will definitely use P3 for the next roast and compare the flavors. I read somewhere else on this forum that someone would use p3 on the 1 lb setting. They would take something like 6-8 minutes off the time before they started the roast. Then, after starting the roast, they would add the time back. That way, they would get the ramp up temp and still have plenty of power and time to finish the roast. I think I will try that next.
A couple years ago, I did some roasting with a Bread Machine and Heat Gun. There were just too many variables in that method for me. I couldn't get a consistent even roast. I have wanted a Behmor for a while. Just had to wait until I had the excess cash to justify the purchase :)
the method of using a 1lb roast setting for a lesser amount works well. I do all my roast with the 1lb but roast anywhere between 8-10 oz. gives you more time at the end of your roast just incase your not at the level you want. example 10oz african using p3 1lb setting I will reduce the time to 14;00 before pressing start. It will stay within drying fazes correctly.I use the same method with some harder beans also on p3 to give the bean a longer drying faze but will reduce time after pressing start, that way last stage will be a prolonged 100% power. same as ajusting your roast for a p2. start with a p1 roast and mark time of 1c next roast use p2 and ajust your time so power drop happens same time your 1c happened on p1 this way you increase the time you stay in 1c and time between 1c and 2c when the bean will develop it's flavor. after you practice a while it becomes 2nd nature how to predict the roast. I have also found if you can cool the beans quicker you develop more sweetness in the bean. I use a fan,after pressing cool I wait 2min open door and place a little fan blowing on the beans. you still have to let the behmor run thru the cooling faze though. always remember to take notes or roastlogs as to settings times of 1c and 2c and flavor profile of your roast. you will be surprised how just a little ajustment will change a taste profile. I run 2 behmors with my setup right now but always looking of ways to expand and learn more. hope you enjoy your jorney as much as I have mine.
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