I rasted my first coffee on Saturday. It took about 10min. I stopped the roast just a minute after the "second crack". Then I cooled the beans and let them rest about 24hrs in an open container. The finished beans were dark brown, with a slight oily surface. I just ground the beans today and french pressed the coffee. I am really impressed with the flavor. No bitterness and the coffee taste so fresh. I would like to get a little lighter roast. Would slowing down the roasting time help? It seemed like the second crack the beans were allready at about 435 degrees. I have heard of people adding an extension cord to the hot air poppers to add some restistance. Has anyone tried that?
First roast in the Poppery II, mmmmmm!
- Thread starter Dougger
- Start date
Don't slow it down, you'll just bake the beans that way which is not tasty. If you want to roast lighter just pull them right at second crack or possibly before. I've actually pulled beans soon after first crack with pretty good (if very light) results.
Also, don't try to increase resistance or anything like that. You're likely to either blow a fuse or mess up your appliance that way.
Also, don't try to increase resistance or anything like that. You're likely to either blow a fuse or mess up your appliance that way.
- Thread starter
- #3
Thanks, I thought you had to wait till after the Second Crack to end the roast.
You don't have to. You can also slow down the roast.
"Baking" occurs when the temperature ramp is stalled, not slowed.
The best roasts that I got with my poppery II (now being used for its designed purpose) was outdoors while it was snowing. This noticeably slowed the roast.
I'd say that you roasted yours pretty dark.
Give the extension cord a try. It may or may not have a big impact. Don't use a good one.
I just won a Poppery II on ebaY today, so I'm stoked to be climbing on the home roasting bandwagon finally! Any tips? If it helps, as far a SO coffee goes, my wife and I have found that we enjoy Colombian and Costa Rican coffees. We brew both espresso and French Press primarily.
I agree with Jasonian that it sounds like you have a pretty dark roast. If you like it that dark it's cool but you are probably losing most of the origin flavor of the bean and only getting the roast flavor. I stop my roasts anywhere between just after first the crack has finished to about 20 secs into second crack. Here's a link to a pictorial guide of the roasting process.
http://www.sweetmarias.com/roasting-VisualGuideV2.php
Experiment to find what you like and enjoy the journey.
http://www.sweetmarias.com/roasting-VisualGuideV2.php
Experiment to find what you like and enjoy the journey.
Yes.
Burn the crap out of your first batch, paying close attention so as not to allow it to catch fire.
Why?: You get a feel for the entire roasting process, what happens, when, and how it happens before going for a semi-specific profile.
Also, have fun.
My 8lb sampler from SM's arrived yesterday and I did my first roast with some beans from Costa Rica. I don't recall the specific name, but I really excited to brew it! They're degassing right now and it's killing me.
Some of my most successful roasts have been when I had a very slow and gentle ramp up to first crack. I have been told starches bond with sugars between 340 and 375 and bonds with proteins above 375- so a good long soak in the lower temps makes for a sweeter cup.
Enjoy!
Enjoy!
Lynchmeister,
Really, it's ok to grind and brew right after you roast. I often do that and think the flavor is great. No sense in abusing yourself. True, more complex flavors will develop as the beans rest. Some beans need a longer rest than others for their full flavor profile to develop.
Take a look at Sweetmarias web site, especially the FAQ's.
I have been home roasting for about 10 years and it is one of my favorite hobbies.
Neither the Queen of England nor the President of the United States can get a fresher cup of coffee than me.
Don't be afraid to experiment with the roast levels, roast methods, bean grinding and brewing techniques. You may want to keep some notes
Good luck with your journey.
Gary
Really, it's ok to grind and brew right after you roast. I often do that and think the flavor is great. No sense in abusing yourself. True, more complex flavors will develop as the beans rest. Some beans need a longer rest than others for their full flavor profile to develop.
Take a look at Sweetmarias web site, especially the FAQ's.
I have been home roasting for about 10 years and it is one of my favorite hobbies.
Neither the Queen of England nor the President of the United States can get a fresher cup of coffee than me.
Don't be afraid to experiment with the roast levels, roast methods, bean grinding and brewing techniques. You may want to keep some notes
Good luck with your journey.
Gary
Lynchmeister,
Really, it's ok to grind and brew right after you roast. I often do that and think the flavor is great. No sense in abusing yourself. True, more complex flavors will develop as the beans rest. Some beans need a longer rest than others for their full flavor profile to develop.
Take a look at Sweetmarias web site, especially the FAQ's.
I have been home roasting for about 10 years and it is one of my favorite hobbies.
Neither the Queen of England nor the President of the United States can get a fresher cup of coffee than me.
Don't be afraid to experiment with the roast levels, roast methods, bean grinding and brewing techniques. You may want to keep some notes
Good luck with your journey.
Gary
Gary,
Thanks for the comments. I'm happy to hear that I'm not bound to a rigid degassing period and can brew at any time. As far as experimenting with all of the bagillion variables between beans, roasts, brew methods, etc.,...I think notes will be a good idea.
You can also separate the fan and the heating element to different switches. I have mine set up so the heating element is on a regular rocker switch and the fan is on a dimmer switch so I can manipulate the roast with the fan. Full blast on the fan will slow down the rise in temp a bit. You can also put the heating element on a dimmer switch, but those were going to be more than $50 for the switch, a bit too much for me.
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