Posted Wed Dec 1, 2004, 8:53am Subject: Green Beans for training a new roaster
First of all I want to thank the posters here for all the info on the forum. It is quite helpful and interesting. As I prepare to take the plunge into roasting the advice given here has helped me avoid some significant mistakes.
One of the pieces of advice given a new roaster that struck me is to try various roasts on a single bean and even to take some beans through all the stages of a roast just to experience the full process of roasting.
It sounds like a good idea, but what would be a good bean to try this with? Most people selling roasters will sell a small amount of green beans to go with the new equipment. Often this is several 1/2 LB bags from several regions. You wouldn't learn anything much about any one bean this way and would possibly miss out on some of the basics that would be learned by experimenting.
If one were to chose a bean for this, I presume some of the things you would be looking for would be: 1) Well priced 2) A bean that would show off the flavor of fresh roasted coffee 3) It may also be able to show different (hopefully good) character at different degrees of roast 4) Probably forgiving to endure a certain amount of misuse.
Although I haven't any experience at roasting, I can screen beans by price. Here is a list of beans that passed my first screen (price $4/lb or less for 5 lbs) from some of the online sellers:
From The Coffee Project:
Guatemala- Huehuetenango Colombian Supremo Bucharamonga Especial Sumatra Gayo Organic Tanzania Peaberry Ethiopian Yrgecheffe Indonesian Celebes Kalossi A, Toraja
Bald Mountain:
Colombia Santa Isabella Supremo El Salvador SHG Santa Rita Bourbon Ethiopia Natural Sidamo Ethiopia Washed Yirgacheffe India Royal Mysore Nuggets Extra Bold Mexico Fino Rojas New Guinea A - Organic Nicaragua SHG* Las Illusion Peruvian Norte - Organic Panama Lerida Ruiz Sulawesi Toraja Grade 1 Sumatra Mandheling Grade 1 Tanzania Peaberry Ruvuma Timor Maubesse - Organic
Sweet Marias Mexico SHG EP Chiapas- Jaltenango Guatemala Huehuetenango -Huixoc 6468 Honduras Organic Marcala Mexico SHG EP Chiapas- Jaltenango Mexico Oaxaca Cafe Pluma Hidalgo Panama ------- - La Berlina Estate Brazil Cerrado -Patrocinio Natural Brazil Fazenda Ipanema "Dulce" Colombian Huila "Mercedes Supremo" Colombian Nariņo del Abuelo Ethiopian Organic Sidamo Uganda Organic Bugisu "Sipi Falls" Papua New Guinea -Kimel Plantation Sulawesi Toraja - Grade 1 (Celebes) Sumatra Mandheling Grade One - Lot 6854
"One night, Kaldi's goats failed to come home, and in the morning he found them dancing with abandon and glee near a shiny, dark-leafed shrub with red berries. Kaldi sampled some of the berries and soon he too was dancing in the field alongside his goats." http://www.greencoffeebuyingclub.com
DEchelbarger Senior Member Joined: 12 Feb 2004 Posts: 416 Location: Negaunee, MI Expertise: I live coffee
Espresso: Solis SL-70 Grinder: Macap M 4, Rocky,... Vac Pot: Bodum Santos, Nicro Drip: pour over, Chemex, FR Press,... Roaster: RK Drum, I-roast, manual...
Posted Wed Dec 1, 2004, 9:13am Subject: Re: Green Beans for training a new roaster
Let me suggest: Papua New Guinea -Kimel Plantation from Sweet Maria's. This bean can be roasted a variety of ways and you will taste the difference from City to Full City ++. Let me also suggest that I love Sweet Maria's because their descriptions and roasting suggestions are spot on. You'll save time on money following Tom's super advice.
Posted Wed Dec 1, 2004, 9:19am Subject: Re: Green Beans for training a new roaster
DEchelbarger Said:
Let me suggest: Papua New Guinea -Kimel Plantation from Sweet Maria's. This bean can be roasted a variety of ways and you will taste the difference from City to Full City ++. Let me also suggest that I love Sweet Maria's because their descriptions and roasting suggestions are spot on. You'll save time on money following Tom's super advice.
Posted Wed Dec 1, 2004, 10:03am Subject: Re: Green Beans for training a new roaster
I would even consider getting 20 lbs. One of the most important things to do early in roasting is to control the number of variables you are dealing with, so you can get a better handle on what is going on. After my sampler pack I got 5 lbs but it seemed to go pretty fast. Then when I went back to order more of the same, all the other coffees were singing their siren song and I filled my shopping cart with all sorts of beans.
As far as the bean, as long as it is a high-quality bean and is not that unusual, it should be OK. My third bag was Kenyan peaberry and this coffee roasted very differently and was not a good choice. Get a good wet-process, non-aged, not peaberry, not too acidic coffee. The Papua New Guinea coffee will be good b/c its a bit of a hybrid of Central American and Indonesian coffees so will give you a more central perspective.
poison Senior Member Joined: 11 Aug 2004 Posts: 1,074 Location: www.westcoastroasting.com Expertise: I live coffee
Espresso: Silvia? Nah, teh PuLs3R!!! Grinder: Maestro Plus, Super J deal Drip: Cone filter Roaster: RK drum
Posted Wed Dec 1, 2004, 11:07am Subject: Re: Green Beans for training a new roaster
I roasted my first 3 roasts on my RK roaster yesterday! Woohoo!@!!
I ordered 15lb of Nicaragua Maragogype from here: www.coffeebeancorral.com . When I ordered it it had been reduced to $2.80lb or so, yet is a very good coffee. I wanted something cheaper so I'm not trashing good expensive coffee, but something good enough that I can taste when I'm doing things right.
As a matter of fact, my first roast of 1.5lb was WAY off and I tossed it, but the second was better; the third was very good, well under control, and just to the start of second crack. I have roasting experience. If you don't I would imagine it will take 4-5 roasts to get to where you're not ruining it.
SM's is great, but they don't offer anything for medium prices. I would buy your first 20lb through the coffeebeancorral (look for their discounted beans), get the hang of it, then go SM's. Get at least 20lb, maybe even 30, of the same bean so you can try various roast profiles and compare.
Though if you are only roasting 4oz per roast, 10lb will suffice. Anyway, get at least enough for 20-30 roasts on the same bean.
Harder, high grown beans, like Guatemala, are easier to roast. Yemen is one of the hardest, along with Malabar Monsoon. Stay away!
Nate
PS I just brewed up my nicaragua as drip. It is very good! I was wondering if it would be good, as it was discounted and such, but it is excellent. :-)
Posted Sat Dec 4, 2004, 9:13am Subject: Re: Green Beans for training a new roaster
I have asked for a roaster for Christmas, but I just noticed we have a stovetop popcorn popper we haven't been using. I plan to give things a try using it on the side burner on my outdoor grill. I don't know if it is stainless (I don't remember spending much - so it's probably aluminum), but it has metal gears and looks just like the one on Sweet Maria's.
I ordered 5 lbs PNG from CoffeeMaria's as well as 1 lb roasted to full city (for comparison). I also ordered a pound of full city Mysore Nuggets to be sent to a friend who is recovering from double hernia surgery (he will appreciate the joke and likes coffee).
I will have to get a thermometer, but I may be up and roasting soon. It may even make the decision on a roaster easier for me. If there is a coffee I like that may not be good for roasting in the Z&D (the present front runner). Also it can do some larger roasts if I am going to do some 1/2 to 1 lb batches
"One night, Kaldi's goats failed to come home, and in the morning he found them dancing with abandon and glee near a shiny, dark-leafed shrub with red berries. Kaldi sampled some of the berries and soon he too was dancing in the field alongside his goats." http://www.greencoffeebuyingclub.com
DEchelbarger Senior Member Joined: 12 Feb 2004 Posts: 416 Location: Negaunee, MI Expertise: I live coffee
Espresso: Solis SL-70 Grinder: Macap M 4, Rocky,... Vac Pot: Bodum Santos, Nicro Drip: pour over, Chemex, FR Press,... Roaster: RK Drum, I-roast, manual...
Posted Sat Dec 4, 2004, 11:13am Subject: Re: Green Beans for training a new roaster
Pyment, good for you.
If you have stainless you don't have to worry about melting the pot -- Stainless is the way to go, bottom on the aluminum is pretty thin. Also don't worry about getting too high of an initial heat. All temps will be relative to your roaster, so I'd do a chart and keep track of your temp ramp each minute of the roast.
For instance on my steel popper I usually start with 170 degrees for a 150 gram roast, about 260 for 400 grams. The temp will drop and then build. Aim for a first crack at about 10 minutes, although 13 works well too. Good luck, and have fun. It is a great adventure. There are many ways to get to the Promised Land.
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