Finally did it...

[TimmyBoston]

After months and years of delay, I have purchased a home roaster.

Today I ordered the Nesco from Sweet Marias with 8 pounds of coffee.

http://www.sweetmarias.com/sweetmarias/coffee-roasters/air-roasters/nesco.html


Now for the do's and don't's. I have no idea what I'm doing. So any advice you have I would greatly appreciate. Thanks!

 

[Gruder]

Nice score, Tim. I'll be anxiously following your progress as I contemplate such an acquisition myself (it's all Scotto's fault!).

 

[SiBurning]

Not much you can do with it. Wash the parts: top, glass thing, rubber pieces, metal filter, and the cap inside the glass thing. The top's gonna need an awful long time to dry--I help it along with a towel. Fill to the top line for 20 minutes, to the bottom for longer/darker roasts. Press and go. If it doesn't start, pull off the jar, rotate the bottom, make sure there's nothing underneath, put it back... if all else fails, hit the top--it's kind of flimsy and doesn't always sit right.

Then roast and report.

 

[ouch]

Calling Dr. Howard, Dr. Scotto, Dr. Howard.

 

[Jim]

Good luck Tim!

 

[netsurfr]

Nice score! Keep us posted on your roastings.

 

[HeartsKing]

Check out Coffeegeek.com, Homebarista.com, and GreenCoffeeBuyingClub.com. I frequent GCBC quite a bit, I've got the same user name there as here. Can't help you with your specific machine, but will be glad to answer any general roasting questions you may have of me. I roast with a West Bend Poppery I (split-wired: adjustable booster on the fan and a variac on the heater).

 

[Thebigspendur]

Just watch it like a hawk. As with most roasters you don't set it on and walk away to return when it's done.

 

[Rughi]

Just watch it like a hawk. As with most roasters you don't set it on and walk away to return when it's done.

Well...
You probably don't do that twice.

Actually, I did that the last time I used my first $10 air popper, and the last time I used my second air popper, and the last time I used my third air popper. I think it was protecting my investment of real money when I got my Fresh Roast that reformed me, not any real wisdom.

Good luck with the Nesco, I'll be interested to hear about your experiences with it. I had considered that one for its worm drive mixing system, except that the SM review made it sound like I might not have the option of darker roasts.

Roger

 

[TimmyBoston]

I roasted a batch last night. It's an incredibly easy machine to work. I did a city roast on some Guataemala Fraijanes and I brewed it today in my cheap drip machine. It was very good. Much better than any of the coffee I can buy here in Indy. It was still somewhat heavy on the acid though.

 

[Rughi]

...It was still somewhat heavy on the acid though...

Beans from the Americas are often more acidic ("bright") and lighter bodied than Indonesian and some African varieties. Sweet Marias gives a handy scale and verbage to describe this. My starting point in buying high quality beans was using varieties that weren't as acidic.

If you don't want so much acidity, it's still easy to blend in any high-acid varieties you have on hand little by little over time with more balanced or lower acidity types.

Just a note, the lighter roasts and bean varieties that SM and some members here rate most highly will yield the higher acidity you find.

 

[SiBurning]

Nice!

I just recently got the same machine, and am still working through those 8 pounds of coffee. While I prefer American coffees roasted on the light side, I'm finding some very nice surprises in there, but I won't spill the beans and spoil your fun. One thing I enjoy is trying different roasts on different beans--or the same beans. Gotta start keeping better notes to know which I prefer which way.

Enjoy. Let us know about your progress and discoveries.

 

[Bertilak]

Calling Dr. Howard, Dr. Scotto, Dr. Howard.

Here they are! About to fix Tim's roaster.