Posted Thu Jun 27, 2002, 6:55pm Subject: 2nd Crack
I'm using a FR+ and have been roasting for about a month. I'm wondering how long the active 2nd crack stage generally lasts. Is it typically the same for different types of beans or does bean density, moisture content affect it?
deCadmus Senior Member Joined: 19 Dec 2001 Posts: 41 Location: Vermont Expertise: I live coffee
Espresso: in flux Grinder: in flux Vac Pot: eSantos Drip: Bunn, Melitta, Zoji Roaster: HotTop
Posted Fri Jun 28, 2002, 2:53pm Subject: Re: 2nd Crack
steven Said:
I'm using a FR+ and have been roasting for about a month. I'm wondering how long the active 2nd crack stage generally lasts. Is it typically the same for different types of beans or does bean density, moisture content affect it?
Origin, and all that it implies ["hard" or "soft" beans, wet or dry processing, etc.] as well as how the coffee has been stored, *and* the ambient effects of temperature, and humidity while roasting would all appear to play into a complex equation of when 2nd might start, and how long it may last.
I have to admit, I don't have a lot of experience at the further reaches of 2nd, and what experience I do have was largely by way of accident... There are very few coffees that I willingly take deep into second. Celebes, ocassionally. Kenya, when roasting for a European friend who misses the je nais se quois de Paris. Other than that, most of my roasts play out at the brink of second... not the end.
jim_schulman Senior Member Joined: 19 Dec 2001 Posts: 3,772 Location: Chicago Expertise: I live coffee
Posted Fri Jun 28, 2002, 7:47pm Subject: Re: 2nd Crack
steven Said:
I'm using a FR+ and have been roasting for about a month. I'm wondering how long the active 2nd crack stage generally lasts. Is it typically the same for different types of beans or does bean density, moisture content affect it?
FWIW, I've taken Malabar Gold blend and some Uganda Budadiri a ways through the second. On my FR+, I get a few odd snaps, about five to fifteen seconds later the second crack starts rolling, hits its peak in another 10, and starts dying down after that. I went maybe 5 seconds into the dying down part -- a dark Vienna roast.
BTW, I didn't like either's taste at that point. The roast flavors I like (chocolate and Monsoon funk) apparently come from the 1st to 2nd light caramelization (Maillard) phase, rather than the deep caramelization/charring that occurs after the 2nd crack starts rolling.
Posted Fri Jun 28, 2002, 7:57pm Subject: Re: 2nd Crack
another_jim Said:
On my FR+, I get a few odd snaps, about five to fifteen seconds later the second crack starts rolling, hits its peak in another 10, and starts dying down after that.
Hmmm... Tonight on my Poppery I, I got a few sporadic snaps, then a cluster of snaps that lasted until I shut it down about 2 minutes later... This was about 14 minutes into the roast. I wonder why it's so different... The weather was weird (15C and 85% humidity), which I bet was why it lasted so long. On cold days, I think I'll load a bit more into the hopper to quicken the roast...
Dana Leighton - Espresso hack and CoffeeGeek moderator
jim_schulman Senior Member Joined: 19 Dec 2001 Posts: 3,772 Location: Chicago Expertise: I live coffee
Posted Fri Jun 28, 2002, 8:57pm Subject: Re: 2nd Crack
dana_leighton Said:
Hmmm... Tonight on my Poppery I, I got a few sporadic snaps, then a cluster of snaps that lasted until I shut it down about 2 minutes later... This was about 14 minutes into the roast. I wonder why it's so different... The weather was weird (15C and 85% humidity), which I bet was why it lasted so long. On cold days, I think I'll load a bit more into the hopper to quicken the roast...
Strange. It may be your roast stalled (hit thermal equilibrium) just at the second crack temperature (440F?).
There was a thread on the SM homeroast list yesterday about the Diedrich's roaster seminar. Steve Diedrich told the newbie commercial roasters there to let the roast "coast" to it's endpoint, so stalling out at the roast's end may be a good thing. How did the coffee taste?
Steve Diedrich told the newbie commercial roasters there to let the roast "coast" to it's endpoint, so stalling out at the roast's end may be a good thing. How did the coffee taste?
I think he's right. It tasted pretty darn good. smooth, with a touch of brightness, and a nice finish. I mixed it up 2:1 with Brazil Santos, and it made a nice combination.
Now to get some of that Harrar JJ Bean says they're getting...
Dana Leighton - Espresso hack and CoffeeGeek moderator
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