Introduction and cry for help!

[Anne Kania]

Hello! I've had my Behmor drum roaster for about a month and boy, it's not for the faint-hearted! I'm going backwards and forwards between roasts that are too dark and ones that are too light, without any apparent rhyme or reason. The Behmor setting I got closest with, for SM's Monkey blend espresso, is 1# P4D-- as per the book, which took me just into second crack - the coffee was slightly on the bitter side but drinkable. For my next roast I tried 1# P4D--- but this time it went into the last minute before it reached first crack. I ended up pressing "+++" to keep it going but it ended up too light in color. The initial start time was 23 mins, minus 20 / 30 secs. The room temperature was the same for both roasts. There were no extra appliances running at the time. Can anyone please help me with an explanation and advice? Thank you! I'm not ready to give up yet!!!

[Anne Kania]

Hi Guys!
I think might have found my answer reading some of your excellent posts - my roasting room is probably too cold! I don't have an extraction fan so I've been keeping the outside door open and roasting at really cold (Montana) temperatures. I'm going to try a re-roast for now (I hate wasting all this coffee!!), and next time will bring the roaster into the kitchen, put it on the stove and use the down-draft fan.
Happy days,
Anne

[yakster]

If your still running out of time you might try less beans (10 - 13.5 oz) on the same 1# settings.

-Chris

[howseth]

I try to keep my room roast temperature consistant (within a few degrees): I have found small differences to be noticable in roast times. a cold room - longer times. You may try to use less beans than a pound - as suggested. (I always do - and I still use 1 lb setting.) You may also try using P3 setting, or even P1 setting to shorten your roast time. Sweet Marias thinks you should start off using P1 with a Behmor - much shorter roast times.

Howard

[Anne Kania]

Hi Chris and Howard, Thanks for your suggestions. I re-roasted the beans on p4D last night until they started cracking, and they turned out great! Room temperature was about 67F. Now to replicate that with green beans! I'll let you know how I get on.
Anne

[Sweet Maria's]

I can't say enough to a good strong light in front of the roaster, and a clear viewing glass. It's a bit tough in such cold weather, but if you can quickly open the door and find a tool, even a long screwdriver, to quickly slide out the chaff collector by the handle, view the roast, push it back and close the door quickly... it really helps to make those fine-tuned decisions as the coffee nears the end of the roast. -Tom

[Anne Kania]

Well, I did some more browsing, decided to roast another batch this afternoon, and followed (I think it was lguitar's) method: do 337 gms (measured exactly!) at 1# P4D and open the door after 1c. I left it open till the cracking stopped, closed it, then as soon as 2c started, hit cool and opened the door again . That was the first time I could definitely tell it was 2c and not just the last of 1c. I should really wait to do this post till I've cupped it......

I have tried P1 before and it all went a bit too fast and there was a lot of smoke. I wimped out. I feel I'm just about to get the hang of P4 - if this roast is not an improvement I'll move to a different profile.

Thanks for your support! It's given me a big lift.

Anne

[yakster]

Anne,

Don't give up on your beans until you've let them rest a while. I'll drink my coffees roasted for drip the next day after a roast, but they don't really hit their stride for at least three days, and this varies depending on the bean. Espresso roasts often need more rest... I just tried Workshop #8 last Saturday and I found it thin of body, but citrusy and enjoyable on Wednesday with four days rest, and when I went back to it today after seven days rest I found that it has good body and has improved since Wednesday. I'm still working on dialing in the right temperature for the espresso pull, it was a little lacking in the chocolaty bass notes I was hoping to find in there, but next time I'll try lowering the temp.

One easy fix for the mechanical problems of unrested coffee (overactive blooming where the CO2 forcefully outgasses when the water hits the ground coffee for drip or espresso) is to grind the coffee 15 - 25 minutes before use, but this just helps outgass the CO2 and does not help with the flavor development that takes place as the beans age. I do us this trick, though, because I don't always roast far enough ahead to have three-day-rested beans available, but if it's a really nice bean that I don't have that much of, I'll rest it before using so that I don't drink it all up before it's hit its stride.

-Chris

[Anne Kania]

Hi Chris,
I've been really quick to give up on my beans and throw them away if the first cup tastes bitter or sour. That's what happened to my Tessitura and the Wow! Bukan Main that came in the espresso sampler (what a waste). I only ever drink espresso. When I buy roasted beans from a local roaster they always smell wonderful straight after roasting so I thought that was the standard. I'm learning heaps....even that there's a place for drip coffee!!! (Why else would you have all these wonderful beans??).

I cupped yesterday's roast this morning and it was much better that the others, though it doesn't have much aroma - yet. I will keep it to one side for a couple of days while I use the previous batch.

Cheers,
Anne

[yakster]

Anne,

I had some roasts that were so light and grassy out of the roaster that I thought I under roasted them. I was planning on putting them through the roaster again and watching carefully to finish them, but as I was trying them each day I didn't have enough left to bother.. and by the third or fourth day they started tasting good.

-Chris