Any home roasters?

[Old Hippie]

I had read about the need to remove the chaff and for cooling after roasting.

Roasting in a fluidized-bed roaster completely goes around this. The chaff just blows off and I capture it in another container for disposal. Quenching the roast with cold air is as easy as either using a fan with the coffee in a strainer, or if the roaster is so equipped, turning off the heat and letting it purge.

The next roaster I'm building will have independently adjustable heat and airflow.

O.H.

 

[Geordon]

Roasting in a fluidized-bed roaster completely goes around this. The chaff just blows off and I capture it in another container for disposal. Quenching the roast with cold air is as easy as either using a fan with the coffee in a strainer, or if the roaster is so equipped, turning off the heat and letting it purge.

The next roaster I'm building will have independently adjustable heat and airflow.

O.H.

When we win the lottery, I'm getting a real roaster like the one you're describing. And a small farmstead, with a small flock of chickens for eggs, some raised beds for growing veg and herbs, and...

The dreams that we use to pass the time...

 

[Herrenberg]

Beans that have started to shed oil have been roasted too far IMO.

Generally one should be reducing heat as the roast goes along. I always reduce heat and increase airflow at the end of the drying phase (when beans are yellow, no longer green). I always increase airflow to max when first crack starts. Sometimes I also reduce heat when first crack is rolling, mostly for coffees with delicate flavors to preserve, especially Ethiopian, but also some Rwanda coffees and Yemen coffees and most Geshas. Not Kenya coffee, though. Those beans are tough.

 

[Geordon]

I just finished my first attempt at roasting some beans in cast iron. Over all, I'm going to say that it was a good adequate first attempt. Some of the beans are obviously under-roasted, some are pretty much burnt. Then again, I was outside, on a camp stove, and probably had too many beans in the batch.

To those who warned me about the smoke, THANK YOU. If I had tried to do that inside, I would have had to live in the garage from now on. I'm not quite sure what I expected it to smell like, but it sure didn't smell like fresh coffee. that winnowing tray that I got is smaller than I think I need. I kind of made a mess with beans flying everywhere as I was doing the deed.

 

[ruckin]

I would have to ask my dad how deep his beans are in the dutch oven but I would guess that he only has enough to cover the bottom or maybe two "layers" worth. He also stirs/mixes the entire time.

 

[Geordon]

At least I measured the amount that I put in (215 grams) so that I could have some sort of reference point. Next time, I think I'm going to go down by about ⅓ of the beans.

 

[McBlade]

It's may not necessarily be a bad thing to have a "bell curve" of slightly differently roasted beans. Most will be in the middle. Maybe a small number of under/over roasted beans at the extremes will actually add some extra notes to the final flavour.

 

[Merle]

Does anyone drive an Ikawa? I'm thinking more about the sample roaster over the home version. I'm expecting they're including adjustable heat input and airflow in the software along with the input thermocouple. Those and access to the roaster's roast database sounds useful. My objective would be to work smaller test batches with curves that could be upscaled to an Aillio or larger. Their ad copy is enticing.

 

[Merle]

So the HotTop is getting a good work out. I've just received some new S.O.'s for playing with. Ethiopians are such tasty beans with lots of things to attempt to gain just by keeping tabs on time after F.C. I ended up ordering the home Ikawa. They say that you have control over the roast, just not quite the depth of data from the system the much more expensive commercial version offers. I'll see the roaster sometime mid-February. If I can get enough definition to translate it over to an Aillio drum - at 50 grams each test - the savings in trying to tune up a kilogram roast should come quite nicely. Of course, if I'm doing a lot of 'tests,' that's many cuppings, a stack of pour-overs, or lots of two espresso shots to go through; all before lighting up any drum. (Even if it's the HotTop and 1/2 lb. roasts.)

 

[StillShaving]

Sounds like an interesting future project @Merle. Though I could not imagine roasting everyday with a small capacity roaster such as the home Ikawa. I really like the design and capacity of the Aillio Bullet, but I am concerned about the price and long term maintenance and support. I look forward to hearing about your future roasting, whether that is using the HotTop or one of these other roasters.

 

[Old Hippie]

that winnowing tray that I got is smaller than I think I need.

I picked up a nice large colander/strainer made out of stainless mesh. Rarely lose a bean.

O.H.

 

[Merle]

Sounds like an interesting future project @Merle. Though I could not imagine roasting every day with a small capacity roaster such as the home Ikawa. I really like the design and capacity of the Aillio Bullet, but I am concerned about the price and long term maintenance and support. I look forward to hearing about your future roasting, whether that is using the HotTop or one of these other roasters.

@StillShaving the real idea with the Ikawa is to learn subtlety through Malliard - beans dried and proteins/sugars compounding - and that what comes after the first crack - the further caramelization of what sugars are present or destroyed, or pushing past Vienna. I've heard many other hobbyists become happy with a basic curve they like. That it is one they can develop for other beans be it a difference between high mountain or low land, Ethiopian or Brazilian, and so on. I'd like to see if I come to believe the same thing or discover there is room for wide differences in drop temperature, the rate of rise, time through yellow to the first crack, dependencies of type, density, loss of moisture while in caramelizing, and so forth.

I also need time with eyes on the bean stocks to become more familiar with their nominal conditions at delivery. A vendor can say one is this, another is that. I want to know what I'm looking at and become an informed buyer. Not that I'll be going in-country, just there are many different kinds of folk in the world and I want to know the signs.

So, at 50 grams per roast and changing only one thing at a time, even though I might work at it through a few hours per day, I should see some form of progress in my knowledge base without having to expense and use 250 or 800 grams of green coffee per roast (or more!) on larger equipment. Yet, when I do start believing I know a thing or two, I could even go up to a 2 or 5 kg roaster and take the data forward, apply it, and see what comes. I'm told by those who use the Ikawa fluid bed design that it is scalable to drums. I'll either see it or learn why/why not.

If you've done your research on the small machines, and it sounds like you've given it at least a start, I'd be interested in what you might suggest I consider in the 1 kg scale equipment. I'm open at the moment and realize - without a significant upgrade to my current HotTop - I need to invest in a new system that is more data accessible, has a built-in level of computer-controlled roast reproduction, or can be driven by a computer using one of the roasting softwares available.

 

[ruckin]

@Merle if you are interested in the reactions in the roast and developing profiles I would suggest you look at (if you have not already) books by Scott Rao's book "The Coffee Roaster's Companion" and/or Rob Hoos's "Modulating the Flavor Profile of Coffee". Many consider those as must reads if you are roasting for a living.

Scott also has a newer book "Coffee Roasting Made Simple" but I don't know anything about it yet.. Both Scott and Rob offer courses and seminars in addition to their books but I don't have any experience with those either.

 

[Merle]

@Merle if you are interested in the reactions in the roast and developing profiles I would suggest you look at (if you have not already) books by Scott Rao's book "The Coffee Roaster's Companion" and/or Rob Hoos's "Modulating the Flavor Profile of Coffee". Many consider those as must reads if you are roasting for a living.

Scott also has a newer book "Coffee Roasting Made Simple" but I don't know anything about it yet.. Both Scott and Rob offer courses and seminars in addition to their books but I don't have any experience with those either.

I don't know why I have such an aversion to spending 45 $ for each of those books by Mr. Rao. It's not like He doesn't deserve the accolades He's earned. And the depth of information should be just phenomenal!

It just - kinda reminds me of my purchase of the "Espresso Coffee Professional Techniques" by David Schomer. Big buy-in (I got it for 40$), exceptional information for the Professional Barrista or their management. (Or competitors in the Barrista Championships.) It's been on my library shelf for 8 years now. (In fact, I just picked it out and maybe it's time to re-read it?) I do remember I thought well of Kenneth Davids' "Home Coffee Roasting" (Again, time to review? ) * Heh, and ECPT is worth more today on the resale market than I paid for it! Maybe? *

I guess I just wish I could go down to the local library and pick it up off the shelf - then decide if I need to own the documents?

Thank you for your recommendations. It's given me a gate, a challenge to my approach. A new opportunity to see if I'm willing to walk through that door. I have been soaking up - from places all over the web - discussions about Mr. Rao's and Mr. Hoos's information. The benefit there is seeing how their work resonates or bounces off other people's experiences. But you do bring up the fact I should see it and experience it for myself.

 

[Geordon]

I don't know why I have such an aversion to spending 45 $ for each of those books by Mr. Rao. It's not like He doesn't deserve the accolades He's earned. And the depth of information should be just phenomenal!

[...]

I guess I just wish I could go down to the local library and pick it up off the shelf - then decide if I need to own the documents?

Couldn't you see if your local library could get it on interlibrary loan and take a look before shelling out for your own copy of the text? I've done that with more than a few things lately (mostly fiction, but not all) and it's given me the opportunity to both pull the trigger and dodge a bullet, if you get my meaning.

 

[Merle]

Couldn't you see if your local library could get it on interlibrary loan and take a look before shelling out for your own copy of the text? I've done that with more than a few things lately (mostly fiction, but not all) and it's given me the opportunity to both pull the trigger and dodge a bullet, if you get my meaning.

>> Completely! <<
and after that, the worst that can happen is I'll give my books to the library and they can either put them on the shelves for the trades/employment inclined - or - sell at the next "Friends of the Library" sale for damn cheap! /sighs

Thanks!

 

[ruckin]

I agree the prices on these books is on the steep side. Another long shot is to start haunting second hand book stores. My wife and I seem to read and acquire more than our fair share of books.

 

[Geordon]

I agree the prices on these books is on the steep side. Another long shot is to start haunting second hand book stores. My wife and I seem to read and acquire more than our fair share of books.

Books are a bigger addiction thank shaving accoutrements. What's worse is that my whole family (me, wife, our three children) have the bookworm problem. We are also BIG info-junkies and when we start digging into something that we find interesting, w dig deep...

 

[Mick]

Books are a bigger addiction thank shaving accoutrements. What's worse is that my whole family (me, wife, our three children) have the bookworm problem. We are also BIG info-junkies and when we start digging into something that we find interesting, w dig deep...

We have a dedicated library and many free range book shelves throughout our home. SWMBO guesstimates 10k hardbound 3k paperback.

 

[Geordon]

Ok, you have me beat by a long shot. How do you keep track of what you have?