Coffee Roasting with a Behmor 1600

[Mick]

I've started this thread so that users of the Behmor 1600 and 1600+ coffee roasters can share their knowledge and experiences in one place.

I'll attach the factory PDF manuals for any who do not have them.

Mick

.

 

[bberg100]

Great! I've been eyeing one of these,gonna be watching.

 

[linty1]

This is a great idea, a one stop shop for questions... I've been noticing as I age things, I don't "get" things as I once did... I apologize ahead of time for my incessant questions. It's weird, in my head I'm shouting to myself, you SHOULD understand this... but... it just doesn't.. make sense?

 

[linty1]

I did find these a "cheat sheet" from Sweet Maria's that might be helpful:
Behmor Manual Mode Cheat Sheet

 

[TexLaw]

My 1600+ came in this afternoon, so I had to get right to roasting and seeing what this thing can do. I did two roasts with 1/4 pound of Colombian Suprema, one with P1 and the other with P2. For both, I preheated for 1:30 and hit C at the beginning of first crack. This is what I got:

The coffee on the right is the Panama Bambita Estate I picked up a couple of days ago from Java Pura, a local roaster near our home. I wanted some manner of comparison.

These two roasts are the sum total of my roasting experience, but I have to say that I am pretty dadgum happy with how they went. It was fairly easy to set up and use the roaster, and hearing 1C wasn't a problem. The Rosetta Stone timer is pretty slick, and I anticipate using that as a good benchmark timer. Hit C and then cut it off short for a lighter roast or extend it a bit for a darker one. I tend to enjoy something closer to a Full City or Light Vienna roast and even a French roast (like I'm enjoying this very moment), but roasting gives me a very nice opportunity to get reacquainted with City/City+ roasts like I got today. I just might even have to play around with a light roast.

 

[FarmerTan]

@Mick : you're killing me here. Like the War Department will ever approve this expenditure.....

 

[FarmerTan]

But.... have any of youse guys ever tried roasting on the stovetop with a whirly pop pop corn maker?

 

[Hoka Hey]

My 1600+ came in this afternoon, so I had to get right to roasting and seeing what this thing can do. I did two roasts with 1/4 pound of Colombian Suprema, one with P1 and the other with P2. For both, I preheated for 1:30 and hit C at the beginning of first crack. This is what I got:

View attachment 885839

The coffee on the right is the Panama Bambita Estate I picked up a couple of days ago from Java Pura, a local roaster near our home. I wanted some manner of comparison.

These two roasts are the sum total of my roasting experience, but I have to say that I am pretty dadgum happy with how they went. It was fairly easy to set up and use the roaster, and hearing 1C wasn't a problem. The Rosetta Stone timer is pretty slick, and I anticipate using that as a good benchmark timer. Hit C and then cut it off short for a lighter roast or extend it a bit for a darker one. I tend to enjoy something closer to a Full City or Light Vienna roast and even a French roast (like I'm enjoying this very moment), but roasting gives me a very nice opportunity to get reacquainted with City/City+ roasts like I got today. I just might even have to play around with a light roast.

Very cool! You’ll need to let us know how you like it.

 

[Mick]

My 1600+ came in this afternoon, so I had to get right to roasting and seeing what this thing can do. I did two roasts with 1/4 pound of Colombian Suprema, one with P1 and the other with P2. For both, I preheated for 1:30 and hit C at the beginning of first crack. This is what I got:

View attachment 885839

The coffee on the right is the Panama Bambita Estate I picked up a couple of days ago from Java Pura, a local roaster near our home. I wanted some manner of comparison.

These two roasts are the sum total of my roasting experience, but I have to say that I am pretty dadgum happy with how they went. It was fairly easy to set up and use the roaster, and hearing 1C wasn't a problem. The Rosetta Stone timer is pretty slick, and I anticipate using that as a good benchmark timer. Hit C and then cut it off short for a lighter roast or extend it a bit for a darker one. I tend to enjoy something closer to a Full City or Light Vienna roast and even a French roast (like I'm enjoying this very moment), but roasting gives me a very nice opportunity to get reacquainted with City/City+ roasts like I got today. I just might even have to play around with a light roast.

Rosetta stone setting is what I use on the 1600+ I have.

I like my coffee roasted lighter, not dark burned beans.

Keep us up on your roasts

 

[Mick]

But.... have any of youse guys ever tried roasting on the stovetop with a whirly pop pop corn maker?

I've had a whirly pop in my hands on a number of occasions at the thrift stores but SWMBO always stops things with her question "will you really use it". The answer is always.... well if I didn't have a roaster I would. SO..... it stays on the shelf.

You "can" roast coffee on the stovetop but you are limited with how much you can roast.. You can get good (surprisingly) good coffee roasting this way.

It is a good way to get started. Start with a pan and spoon. If you have a direct read thermometer you can get very good and very consistent

 

[FarmerTan]

I've had a whirly pop in my hands on a number of occasions at the thrift stores but SWMBO always stops things with her question "will you really use it". The answer is always.... well if I didn't have a roaster I would. SO..... it stays on the shelf.

You "can" roast coffee on the stovetop but you are limited with how much you can roast.. You can get good (surprisingly) good coffee roasting this way.

It is a good way to get started.

I've read about it, need to get another one. I'm thinking it would taste funny the next time I made popcorn, lol.

 

[Mick]

I've read about it, need to get another one. I'm thinking it would taste funny the next time I made popcorn, lol.

Yea.... don't use it for anything other than coffee.

You don't want stinky coffee.

 

[TexLaw]

Very cool! You’ll need to let us know how you like it.

My first impressions are positive. Considering that I had never seen one of these things in action and had never roasted a single bean in my life before this afternoon, I found it rather easy to understand and use. That is in no small part because the manual is among the best I've ever read.

It's easy to see and smell the beans. In fact, I got so wrapped up in doing so that I nearly missed the safety turn-off.

For being able to roast a full pound, it's remarkably compact. It's bigger than my large toaster oven, but not by a whole lot. I was only roasting a 1/4 pound and staying away from a dark roast, but there was NO smoke. I did both roasts inside and under the vent hood over our range, but I never needed to turn on the hood. Mrs. TL's only comment was that the kitchen smelled great.

 

[TexLaw]

Yea.... don't use it for anything other than coffee.

You don't want stinky coffee.

If you already have butter and salt in that Whirly Pop, you're on your way to Ethiopian coffee.

 

[Mick]

See if your local roasting house will sell you green coffee. The one near me will and for half of the price they sell roasted at.

That way you can buy a pound of roasted to use as a comparison to what you get out of the same coffee

 

[FarmerTan]

See if your local roasting house will sell you green coffee. The one near me will and for half of the price they sell roasted at.

That way you can buy a pound of roasted to use as a comparison to what you get out of the same coffee

Excellent idea.

 

[TexLaw]

They do sell their green coffee, but it's $10/lb. Still, it may be worth the occasional expense for the education.

 

[FarmerTan]

If you already have butter and salt in that Whirly Pop, you're on your way to Ethiopian coffee.

That actually sounds good, in a weird way.

 

[Mick]

They do sell their green coffee, but it's $10/lb. Still, it may be worth the occasional expense for the education.

Talk to them. Most artisan roasters will be supportive of people who are interested in roasting coffee

They may not be able to give you any suggestions for your Behmor but more general help.

 

[TexLaw]

They are good people who enjoy talking, and we are good customers (and will remain such). I would enjoy a bit of shop talk with them.