Ever taken in an Ethiopian Coffee Ceremony, a restaurant in town offers one on their menu.
dave
Coffee Roasting with a Behmor 1600
- Thread starter Mick
- Start date
Ever taken in an Ethiopian Coffee Ceremony, a restaurant in town offers one on their menu.
dave
I haven't. We have a lot of Ethiopians in town and a couple good restaurants nearby I'll look into it.
I cupped the roasts from YESTERDAY. Knowing full well that it probably is too early to really get a good impression, I couldn't help myself but get a little anxious. Both came out pretty good! I'll be quite happy to finish off these batches (and already roasted another, see below). I brewed each in the French press, 12:1 water to coffee ratio, 200F water (temp from the kettle), 30 second stir, and a 5 minute steep. Both were a bit sharp and rough around the edges, as one might expect from beans that were about 18-20 hours out of the roaster, but that wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. In fact, I rather enjoyed both.
What did surprise me was how different they were. Both had prominent molasses/brown sugar and dark chocolate notes and some degree of nuttiness and a bit of dried date or prune. However, the nuttiness in the P2 roasted batch was much more prominent than that of the P1 batch, and the P2 batch was much livelier. I don't think I could call the P1 batch "dull" or "flat," but it was far duller and flatter than the P2 batch--all flavors seemed a bit more muted than in the P1 batch. As I mentioned, both were good. However, while the P1 batch elicited a "hey, not bad," the P2 batch actually got a "whoa!"
I was so impressed with the P2 that I attempted a repeat to see how consistent the two batches are. If I think about it in the morning, I'll cup that batch so that circumstances would be the same as today while giving the other batches more rest to degas properly and get a decent shot at cupping. After that, I think I might dig into another bean and leave the last 1/4 of Colombian Supremo to come back to.
What did surprise me was how different they were. Both had prominent molasses/brown sugar and dark chocolate notes and some degree of nuttiness and a bit of dried date or prune. However, the nuttiness in the P2 roasted batch was much more prominent than that of the P1 batch, and the P2 batch was much livelier. I don't think I could call the P1 batch "dull" or "flat," but it was far duller and flatter than the P2 batch--all flavors seemed a bit more muted than in the P1 batch. As I mentioned, both were good. However, while the P1 batch elicited a "hey, not bad," the P2 batch actually got a "whoa!"
I was so impressed with the P2 that I attempted a repeat to see how consistent the two batches are. If I think about it in the morning, I'll cup that batch so that circumstances would be the same as today while giving the other batches more rest to degas properly and get a decent shot at cupping. After that, I think I might dig into another bean and leave the last 1/4 of Colombian Supremo to come back to.
- Thread starter
- #24
Oh boy.....
Go to your library and have them get you Scott Rio's book "Coffee roasters companion"
Have fun
Go to your library and have them get you Scott Rio's book "Coffee roasters companion"
Have fun
You enabler you! I...must...resist....Oh boy.....
Go to your library and have them get you Scott Rio's book "Coffee roasters companion"
Have fun
Oh boy.....
Go to your library and have them get you Scott Rio's book "Coffee roasters companion"
Have fun
I've already been eyeing that book and have been looking at Scott Rao's blog and other stuff.
- Thread starter
- #27
If they don't have a copy in the library system they can get it for you through interlibrary loan from another system
I've been using my Behmor for a couple years.
It makes metric tons of smoke before & during the cooling phase so I roast in the garage. Door closed for roasting so I can hear the beans, door open for the cooling phase, because it looks like a housefire.
I weigh one pound of green beans, hit P5, then start.
Sometimes mine will cycle into cooling phase prematurely so that's when I hit it with Simple Green; cleaning restores function.
I babysit it so I don't miss the safety shut-off override (need to hit start button after 10 minutes every time).
I hover the temp shooting for no higher than 315 ish by cycling from P5 to P4 or P3, then back up again. I find it needs to be close to 290+ for the most part once it reaches temp but I've also seen it shut down above 320 so I want to avoid that. I've seen as high as 330 but it's not necessary to achieve that temp, so I avoid it.
I hit the C button well into 1st crack, 30 -60 seconds after it's really going along. Wait for the full crack song, don't get tricked by a couple early pops.
I almost always add at least 60 seconds to the standard program with the + button.
When I'm in the C phase I increase drum speed using the D button.
I let the process continue about 30 seconds into the 2nd crack before I hit the cooling button. I'm not sure what the technical roast level is, but the beans are roasted (I HATE grassy underroasted beans) but rarely are the beans oily. They are not over done using this method.
When I roast a pound of decaf for SWMBO, I mix Columbian with Guatemalan or a similar blend which is reliably tasty. I go a few degrees cooler (closer to 305 max) and I go no less than 30 sec into 2nd crack because the decaf prefers a deeper roast.
Good beans make great coffee. I've had better coffee with plantation beans. Less luck with FTO which makes for blander coffee. Best I ever had was Iskandar Triple Pick from Sweet Marias. It was only available for a short time and it was without equal.
I started out with popcorn roasters and burned up half dozen over maybe ten years. It makes for great coffee too. The Behmor produces coffee faster for me. I was spending far too much time roasting popcorn coffee. I'm happy with the Behmor. Worth it. Good support too. I was no longer able to find the right popcorn roaster at thrift stores, which also ate up some time. Happy I went with the Behmor.
It makes metric tons of smoke before & during the cooling phase so I roast in the garage. Door closed for roasting so I can hear the beans, door open for the cooling phase, because it looks like a housefire.
I weigh one pound of green beans, hit P5, then start.
Sometimes mine will cycle into cooling phase prematurely so that's when I hit it with Simple Green; cleaning restores function.
I babysit it so I don't miss the safety shut-off override (need to hit start button after 10 minutes every time).
I hover the temp shooting for no higher than 315 ish by cycling from P5 to P4 or P3, then back up again. I find it needs to be close to 290+ for the most part once it reaches temp but I've also seen it shut down above 320 so I want to avoid that. I've seen as high as 330 but it's not necessary to achieve that temp, so I avoid it.
I hit the C button well into 1st crack, 30 -60 seconds after it's really going along. Wait for the full crack song, don't get tricked by a couple early pops.
I almost always add at least 60 seconds to the standard program with the + button.
When I'm in the C phase I increase drum speed using the D button.
I let the process continue about 30 seconds into the 2nd crack before I hit the cooling button. I'm not sure what the technical roast level is, but the beans are roasted (I HATE grassy underroasted beans) but rarely are the beans oily. They are not over done using this method.
When I roast a pound of decaf for SWMBO, I mix Columbian with Guatemalan or a similar blend which is reliably tasty. I go a few degrees cooler (closer to 305 max) and I go no less than 30 sec into 2nd crack because the decaf prefers a deeper roast.
Good beans make great coffee. I've had better coffee with plantation beans. Less luck with FTO which makes for blander coffee. Best I ever had was Iskandar Triple Pick from Sweet Marias. It was only available for a short time and it was without equal.
I started out with popcorn roasters and burned up half dozen over maybe ten years. It makes for great coffee too. The Behmor produces coffee faster for me. I was spending far too much time roasting popcorn coffee. I'm happy with the Behmor. Worth it. Good support too. I was no longer able to find the right popcorn roaster at thrift stores, which also ate up some time. Happy I went with the Behmor.
I continue to mess around with the 1600+ and have done five other roasts, a couple still on the P2 auto profile (with the Rosetta Stone function) and a few to mess around with the automatic. I've dipped into the La Minita beans, as well. Two of those were just earlier today, so I haven't even tried those to see how they've turned out. Everything still is a 1/4 pound roast, as I'm still getting the feel for the machine and roasting in general. I've started brewing some samples with the moka pot and espresso maker to see how they compare with the French press.
In other words, I've been having fun and can see myself getting . I'll report more when I have a little more time, but suffice it to say that I've enjoyed the results of all the roasts (so far), but none of them are quite where I want them. Hey, getting there is at least half the fun!
@Mick (or anyone else), when do you hit C for the Rosetta Stone function? Right as first crack begins or later on into first crack (e.g., once it really gets going)?
In other words, I've been having fun and can see myself getting . I'll report more when I have a little more time, but suffice it to say that I've enjoyed the results of all the roasts (so far), but none of them are quite where I want them. Hey, getting there is at least half the fun!
@Mick (or anyone else), when do you hit C for the Rosetta Stone function? Right as first crack begins or later on into first crack (e.g., once it really gets going)?
- Thread starter
- #30
For me Rosetta is within the first 30 seconds after 1st crack
Then I will manually stop the roast before it is where I want it.
You have to anticipate what you want, stop early and wait for the roast to continue to where you want it.
This is the most difficult for me. it's like roasting blind folded and hoping you get what you are after.
Then I will manually stop the roast before it is where I want it.
You have to anticipate what you want, stop early and wait for the roast to continue to where you want it.
This is the most difficult for me. it's like roasting blind folded and hoping you get what you are after.
I've been on the road a bunch this month, so I haven't been roasting much. I did manage to squeeze in a roast on the 19th, where I pretty much followed Behmor's "pro tip" advice:
--1/4# of La Minita
--Preheated for 90 seconds, stopped, and restarted on manual on the 1/2# setting
--P5 until 15 seconds after first crack
--power down to P3 and speed up drum (D)
--Cool as soon as I hear the first sounds of second crack
I waited a couple of days to try it, and it was pretty good out of the Moka pot (Hario mini set to moka grind). It was good enough to enjoy the cup and to give me some confidence that I might be Today, the espresso machine ran dry of the Panama we had from Java Pura, so put a couple of handfuls of this batch into the hopper and was very pleasantly surprised. I was greeted with a lovely, rich, dark cocoa right up front. The finish was mostly ripe dark fruit--sort of a blackberry/black currant. The middle was a lemony transition between the two. A prominent but not unlpleasant perceived acidity came on right up front and tapered off gently in the finish. The aroma had elements of cinnamon and vanilla. Mouthfeel was quite pleasant, with a moderate body that finished with a very mild, cleansing astringency.
I went ahead and put the rest of the batch into the hopper to finish off over the next day or two. This isn't my favorite cup, but I surely wouldn't protest if I were sentenced to drink it for the rest of my life. The perceived acidity is a bit high for our household's taste, but I can work with that (hopefully0. I might drop to P3 a few seconds earlier. I don't want to mess things up too much, though. Even Mrs. TL liked this batch.
In fact, I think I might fire up another roast right now.
--1/4# of La Minita
--Preheated for 90 seconds, stopped, and restarted on manual on the 1/2# setting
--P5 until 15 seconds after first crack
--power down to P3 and speed up drum (D)
--Cool as soon as I hear the first sounds of second crack
I waited a couple of days to try it, and it was pretty good out of the Moka pot (Hario mini set to moka grind). It was good enough to enjoy the cup and to give me some confidence that I might be Today, the espresso machine ran dry of the Panama we had from Java Pura, so put a couple of handfuls of this batch into the hopper and was very pleasantly surprised. I was greeted with a lovely, rich, dark cocoa right up front. The finish was mostly ripe dark fruit--sort of a blackberry/black currant. The middle was a lemony transition between the two. A prominent but not unlpleasant perceived acidity came on right up front and tapered off gently in the finish. The aroma had elements of cinnamon and vanilla. Mouthfeel was quite pleasant, with a moderate body that finished with a very mild, cleansing astringency.
I went ahead and put the rest of the batch into the hopper to finish off over the next day or two. This isn't my favorite cup, but I surely wouldn't protest if I were sentenced to drink it for the rest of my life. The perceived acidity is a bit high for our household's taste, but I can work with that (hopefully0. I might drop to P3 a few seconds earlier. I don't want to mess things up too much, though. Even Mrs. TL liked this batch.
In fact, I think I might fire up another roast right now.
- Thread starter
- #33
Here is a YouTube video of an interview with Joe Behm the prez, and designer of the 1600+ talking about how he uses his 1600 roaster.
Short but interesting.
Short but interesting.
Nice clip, @Mick . They include a similar tip in the Behmor materials, although they say to add about 10-15 seconds. Adding 30-45 seconds sounds a lot better for my hosehold's palate, as that gets a good deal more development time and closer to second crack.
I've been having a bit of fun trying to get just to second crack, so I haven't been using the C button--just a hair trigger on "cool" after dropping to P3 and speeding up the drum.
I've been having a bit of fun trying to get just to second crack, so I haven't been using the C button--just a hair trigger on "cool" after dropping to P3 and speeding up the drum.
- Thread starter
- #35
My first roast back into the Behmor was too dark for my taste.
Blending it with other light roasts made it very pleasant.
Hopefully I will be back in the saddle with the next roast.
Blending it with other light roasts made it very pleasant.
Hopefully I will be back in the saddle with the next roast.
Interesting video with Mr Behm. I have seen this tip many times about roasting less than a pound at a time, but I never have a problem getting a full 16 oz's roasted. I preheat for 1:45, add the beans, hit 1#> P5>start.
I cycle mine several times from P1 thru P5 at various stages just to make sure it's at full glow and also force it into "blower mode" to prevent overheat. Sometimes I add time to get to 1C. I'll hit the C button about 30 sec into 1c just to keep track of where I am in the roast. Then I hit = time to max it out. About 30 sec into 2C I hit cool. Sometimes around 1C I hit D for faster drum speed.
I monitor the temp and don't like to see too much above 305f. If it creeps higher I'll cycle it from P1 then back up. Often times P4 will hold that temp for me.
I cycle mine several times from P1 thru P5 at various stages just to make sure it's at full glow and also force it into "blower mode" to prevent overheat. Sometimes I add time to get to 1C. I'll hit the C button about 30 sec into 1c just to keep track of where I am in the roast. Then I hit = time to max it out. About 30 sec into 2C I hit cool. Sometimes around 1C I hit D for faster drum speed.
I monitor the temp and don't like to see too much above 305f. If it creeps higher I'll cycle it from P1 then back up. Often times P4 will hold that temp for me.
The couple or few times I've tried to do something that complex, I've not been pleased with the results. One of those batches got one taste-test, followed by another to confirm that it truly was awful, before being relegated to trash can ballast.
For the hard, Central American beans I've roasted, I've roasted from 8-12 ounces at a time on the 1# setting. Preheat for that 90 seconds or so, insert the drum, just hit 1 and start and then P5. I'll leave it just like that until the first pop of 1C, and then I'll hit D to speed up the drum. When 1C starts to get rolling, 15-20 seconds or so later, I shift down to P3, and then hit cool at the first sounds of 2C. Those batches have rocked.
I saw a note somewhere in the ether that Burundi beans oven like a slower roast, so I varied the above protocol by shifting down to P4 about 90 seconds into the roast but going from there. The results of that roast was so good that I ordered more beans.
For the hard, Central American beans I've roasted, I've roasted from 8-12 ounces at a time on the 1# setting. Preheat for that 90 seconds or so, insert the drum, just hit 1 and start and then P5. I'll leave it just like that until the first pop of 1C, and then I'll hit D to speed up the drum. When 1C starts to get rolling, 15-20 seconds or so later, I shift down to P3, and then hit cool at the first sounds of 2C. Those batches have rocked.
I saw a note somewhere in the ether that Burundi beans oven like a slower roast, so I varied the above protocol by shifting down to P4 about 90 seconds into the roast but going from there. The results of that roast was so good that I ordered more beans.
I work from home, so my shaving schedule is somewhat erratic. I sometimes shave in the morning, sometime after my workout, sometimes not at all. Coffee, however, always finds a spot at or near the top of the morning agenda!
I've enjoyed using my 1600 for the last few years and have knocked out about 100 roasts on it. Today, just finally got a 1600+ upgrade panel delivered and installed.
Looking forward to relearning the machine in manual mode!!
Looking forward to relearning the machine in manual mode!!
