# Behmor roaster at Has Bean



## BlackCatCoffee

Noticed these are going to be stocked again. I was always curious about them before I started roasting professionally.

Anyone going to order!

Any thoughts from users of the older model?

https://www.hasbean.co.uk/products/behmor-2020sr


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## MildredM

BlackCatCoffee said:


> Noticed these are going to be stocked again. I was always curious about them before I started roasting professionally.
> 
> Anyone going to order!
> 
> Any thoughts from users of the older model?
> 
> https://www.hasbean.co.uk/products/behmor-2020sr


 Crikey! I had one a few years ago and really enjoyed using it. I'm not saying it was the best roaster out there, but it was good for dipping a toe into home roasting without spending a huge load of money. I had to turn off anything drawing a lot of power round the cottage, and I seem to recall I preheated it for a short spell. It's a while ago now though


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## Johnwx

Hi I still have mine in my shed I purchased it after the Gene I had became hard work with its small batch size. Found the best batch size for the behmor to be about 350g to roast just start if 2nd crack at 20 mins just as times out.
Good consistent roaster and us still working 13 years later. But is in retirment now as I have moved on.
Never regretted my purchase.
Great value for the money. Mine was an early model so not much manual control

Sent from my CLT-L09 using Tapatalk


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## tonerei

Is this better or similar to Genecafe? Looks interesting. The advantage of saving one roast cycle with every 1KG bag is enticing. But it looks from a quick internet browse to take longer than the Gene.


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## Johnwx

I found it better Thane the gene. I believe the newer Behmor are more controlerable than the older model. Having had both the Behmor wins hands down for me.
I now have a Hottop connected to laptop to allow me more control of all variables and can control via Artisan software on laptop. The down side is the batch of 250g max but roasted to 2nd crack in 14 mins approx. Depends on how much you want to play with roasting profiles.

Sent from my CLT-L09 using Tapatalk


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## Johnwx

tonerei said:


> Is this better or similar to Genecafe? Looks interesting. The advantage of saving one roast cycle with every 1KG bag is enticing. But it looks from a quick internet browse to take longer than the Gene.


Also depends on how far you roast your coffee the Behmor isn't recommended for heavily roasted coffee well into 2nd crack.

I suggest talking to Hasbean they are very helpful and sold the originals 13 years ago.

Sent from my CLT-L09 using Tapatalk


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## tonerei

Thanks John, I watched a few videos on youtube and a few users who have had or have both (genecafe) tend to favour the Behmor. I rand it briefly by Cash control and immediate conclusion is not required 🙂 as I have one already.

I think for the moment I am going to stick with the Genecafe but learnt a bit today about taking the beans out a few minutes after 1st crack which I can't hear 🤒 and not to put the beans through the cooling process. This advice was given for both machines. I have always had a tendency to overdo the beans and they would then continue to cook during cooling. Will try out this method and see does it improve my roasts. One of the guys had set up a woodwork extractor to help cool the beans quickly. Basically put them in a collander and place the suction hose under it. Seemed to work quickly. Will go through the cool down of the machine though with no beans in the chamber.


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## Johnwx

tonerei said:


> Thanks John, I watched a few videos on youtube and a few users who have had or have both (genecafe) tend to favour the Behmor. I rand it briefly by Cash control and immediate conclusion is not required  as I have one already.
> I think for the moment I am going to stick with the Genecafe but learnt a bit today about taking the beans out a few minutes after 1st crack which I can't hear  and not to put the beans through the cooling process. This advice was given for both machines. I have always had a tendency to overdo the beans and they would then continue to cook during cooling. Will try out this method and see does it improve my roasts. One of the guys had set up a woodwork extractor to help cool the beans quickly. Basically put them in a collander and place the suction hose under it. Seemed to work quickly. Will go through the cool down of the machine though with no beans in the chamber.


I have always used external cooling.
Collinder in a bucket with a hole in the side for a vacuum hose. Cooks the bins in no time just have a set of bug gloves!

Sent from my CLT-L09 using Tapatalk


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## jules1

I've been using a 1600 for about a decade now, usually 2 consecutive, different 150g single origin roasts per fortnight and really enjoy it. I like the built in manual controls to change heat settings on the fly as the roast progresses, though the built in profiles are a good start.

I see the new one has an audible warning which would have saved a few roasts from getting terminated too soon, invariably along with a few profanities.

Before the Behmor I roasted in the oven, in a pan on the stove, in a tin can over charcoal with a friend who worked out in Ethiopia and came back with all the kit for the original ceremony, with a few different hot air popcorn roasters.

I usually stock up annually on 10+kg of all the organic fairtrade greens Coffee Plant have in stock at the time, so every fortnight is like a new tour of the sweet shop. Adds much pleasure and interest to this coffee hobby. Highly recommended.


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## Inspector

Has anyone tried new behmor?


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## MediumRoastSteam

I also wonder whether they are sensitive to electricity fluctuations like the Gene. I never got on with the Gene 240V heating element.


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## Inspector

Not much info about new roaster. Few videos on youtube thats all.


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## MediumRoastSteam

I've been looking at this roaster over the weekend and seems quite nice. There are a few videos from Sweet Maria, very informative. Has anyone used the new version currently at HasBean?


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## 28653

Hi, yes - got mine from HasBean just in time for Christmas. Fast shipping from them, well packaged. Follow up questions promptly answered, as well as by Behmor tech support. I probably watched all YouTube videos on the Behmor prior my purchase, and even then had to read the manual a few times...it could do with some editing tbh. You can download it from Behmor as well. There's a few more videos of the new model out now , apart from Sweet Maria's , HasBean and Roast Rebels did one recently. I'm quite impressed by the roasts so far, done a few cautious 100gr tests initially, now doing 250gr roasts to have my weekly 400gr supply ready after degassing. Varieties used so far were Santos, Honduras, Guatemala honey, Costa Rica, Rwandan peaberry. Roast levels from light, just past 1C to well into 2C ( with one batch of Costa Rican beans). That's due a tasting in a few days time, fairly oily now, but not more than some dark roasted beans I had from a Bristol roaster I've been buying from for years. A taste relevation for me has been the Guatemala honey process beans, even as an espresso, fruity flavours and wonderful mild aromas when cooling. Very different to my usual range. Back to the Behmor, I really like it and get on with it, though my only comparisons are popcorn popper and a heatgun method. I'm using the manual settings, and use reduced power functions during 1C, and experiment with higher drum speed as well. Beware, if taking the drum out for external faster cooling, which I do, you might get much more fumes in your environment then you bargained for, also roast dependent. I'm roasting in my garden cabin, window and door open at the right time. There will be lot's of individual ways how one will use it I'm sure, and I'm still at an early stage with it. But I haven't set fire to it, and so far the roasts have all been drinkable and better. The roasts are very even, and I will experiment at some point with a 400 -450gr load as well. 1C is quite audible, 2C as well once you know what to listen out for. I keep my roast time sheets with internal temps each minute, so I can anticipate the cracks with repeat roasts better, and have a reference of my 1C to 2C timing as well. I run a stopwatch on my phone for that, as the Behmor has a countdown time display. All in all an interesting hours time to spend with all preps etc for a weeks coffee supply. Happy roasting to all.


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## MediumRoastSteam

@SteveBRS - thank you for the detailed reply, appreciate it. 
you mention a Bristol roaster - Wogan by any chance? If so, how do you compare your roasts to theirs? Is the roaster sensitive to fluctuations in electricity?do you have it set to 220,230 or 240? Thanks!


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## 28653

I set it to 230V and my cabin has its own main power supply. I haven't noticed any power fluctuations, but obviously don't use any machinery whilst roasting. In manual roast P5 mode (100%) the temp at the wall thermostat (button B) has gone to about 155C (that's 311F, a bit less then US users report as the cut off temp) and the quartz elements oscillate a bit. And yes, it's Wogan Roasters in Bristol. I had great service and beans from them for many years, at excellent prices, and will continue to visit them. I'd be hard pressed to compare my small scale roasts with their products, but at the moment I'm drinking and enjoying my own roasts. As I said the roasts appear very even, not scorched (a 450gr roast might be different). My main enjoyment from roasting is, I hope, the opportunity to try different roast styles and origins, as well as having several small batches available at the same time. Normally I buy kg bags, and that limits my choice to 2 varieties, with vac storing, freezing etc. I put a few of my roasts out in the photo, clockwise from top left, % is weight after roasting: Honduras SHG 85%, Guatemala honey 77% (darker than my other Guatemalas), Costa Rica SHB 84%, Costa Rica 77%. The last is quite oily now, more than I'd normally buy, but hey, it's a journey. And a Guatemala shot to keep me going this morning ... ☕


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## MediumRoastSteam

@SteveBRS - They look great! How does the taste compare to the beans you buy from Wogan - i.e.: your roast vs their roast?


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## Beeroclock

I used to buy from Wogan's quite a lot - primarily because they were quite cheap, but always found the majority of their offerings a little disappointing - I think they are a more "old school" type of roaster. Before I disappeared down the rabbit hole, I favoured Extract and Clifton, there are a whole heap of others now too including FCP and Triple Co Roast...

Cheers Phil


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## MediumRoastSteam

Beeroclock said:


> I used to buy from Wogan's quite a lot - primarily because they were quite cheap, but always found the majority of their offerings a little disappointing - I think they are a more "old school" type of roaster. Before I disappeared down the rabbit hole, I favoured Extract and Clifton, there are a whole heap of others now too including FCP and Triple Co Roast...
> 
> Cheers Phil


 Same here. Back in 2012 that was one of my go-to roasters. Their coffee were great value for money, and the quality wasn't bad - very old school though. Since then I got into speciality roasters etc, and I haven't ordered from them in a long while. Around that time, they also put their prices up dramatically, one of the reasons why I started looking elsewhere.

Anyway - WAY off topic. Let's hear about the Behmor. I'm curious to know how @SteveBRS compares his roasts against Wogan's. When I roasted with the Gene, I never ever managed to get close to Rave's or Coffee Compass or Bella Barista's own roasts even though I used the same greens.


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## 28653

It's early days for my roasting, so far they are ok to good for me. I doubt I will be competing with Wogan or any other roasters. It's an interesting journey to learn more about coffee and the process.


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## MediumRoastSteam

SteveBRS said:


> It's early days for my roasting, so far they are ok to good for me. I doubt I will be competing with Wogan or any other roasters. It's an interesting journey to learn more about coffee and the process.


 Thank you. Those pictures of the roasts you did look great. I wish I could smell or taste them through the screen! 🙂

I would be interested in your journey as you go along, including how reproducible those roasts are. There's a thread here called "Today's Roast" with people's experiences on their roasts, which might help you. I have to say, I'm really interested in the Behmor, it looks like a great option at an affordable price. Keep us posted! 🙂


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## PottyMouthedBuddhist

MediumRoastSteam said:


> Same here. Back in 2012 that was one of my go-to roasters. Their coffee were great value for money, and the quality wasn't bad - very old school though. Since then I got into speciality roasters etc, and I haven't ordered from them in a long while. Around that time, they also put their prices up dramatically, one of the reasons why I started looking elsewhere.
> 
> Anyway - WAY off topic. Let's hear about the Behmor. I'm curious to know how @SteveBRS compares his roasts against Wogan's. When I roasted with the Gene, I never ever managed to get close to Rave's or Coffee Compass or Bella Barista's own roasts even though I used the same greens.


 I'm interested in this too. I'm on the excruciatingly loooong waiting list to upgrade my Gene for a Cormorant, and I half thought this Behmor might be an interim step, but I don't know if it will fare much better than my dimmer modded Gene. With my Gene I generally use pretty much the same profile for every roast and just give it more or less time after 1C depending on how dark I want it roasted.

I'm now watching loads of Youtube videos on how to do it properly and cursing my luck that I missed out on Beeroclock's Cormorant when he sold it


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## Rickv

PottyMouthedBuddhist said:


> I'm interested in this too. I'm on the excruciatingly loooong waiting list to upgrade my Gene for a Cormorant, and I half thought this Behmor might be an interim step, but I don't know if it will fare much better than my dimmer modded Gene. With my Gene I generally use pretty much the same profile for every roast and just give it more or less time after 1C depending on how dark I want it roasted.
> I'm now watching loads of Youtube videos on how to do it properly and cursing my luck that I missed out on Beeroclock's Cormorant when he sold it


So will the gene be going to sale soon?


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## PottyMouthedBuddhist

Rickv said:


> So will the gene be going to sale soon?


 It will be when I finally get the Cormorant, but when I ordered it the waiting list was July 2021, and I've since heard someone else say it's October, so it's not going to be soon by my own definition.

If you're looking for one they come up on here reasonably regularly I think.


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## Rickv

PottyMouthedBuddhist said:


> It will be when I finally get the Cormorant, but when I ordered it the waiting list was July 2021, and I've since heard someone else say it's October, so it's not going to be soon by my own definition.
> If you're looking for one they come up on here reasonably regularly I think.


Thanks. Really liking the sound of the Behmor but if a gene comes up at the right price I'll probably get it to learn on. I'll keep my eyes peeled. Hopefully they get yours built sooner than October.


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## MediumRoastSteam

PottyMouthedBuddhist said:


> upgrade my Gene for a Cormorant, and I half thought this Behmor might be an interim step


 I'm not sure if it would, to be honest. But then again, I haven't seen this the Behmor. Personally, I'd stick with the Gene, buy the Cormorant and then sell the Gene. Otherwise you'll just waste money.


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## PottyMouthedBuddhist

MediumRoastSteam said:


> I'm not sure if it would, to be honest. But then again, I haven't seen this the Behmor. Personally, I'd stick with the Gene, buy the Cormorant and then sell the Gene. Otherwise you'll just waste money.


 Yes the Cormorant is definitely where I want to end up because I want the control but I also would prefer to roast on gas than electric. As you say, I don't think the cost of the Behmor for a few months would be justified. I can't wait to roast 500g at a time though - I generally stick to 200g roasts in the Gene but in our house we will go through three times that in a week.


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## MediumRoastSteam

PottyMouthedBuddhist said:


> to roast on gas than electric.


 I agree. I think this is such a better way, as then you are in full control, and not dependent on mains electricity and having to deal with fluctuations.


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## NJcoffee

Just done the first couple of roasts on a new behmor and it's looking pretty good - nice and even! First time roasting beans at all though and yet to taste.

Does anyone who has been using one have some 'must do' tips? Have you found it's generally better doing external cooling?


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## jules1

Hi NJ, great you've taken the plunge to home roast. You'll quickly learn a lot about different beans and appreciate what an amazing job skilled professional roasters do, day in and day out.

I have been using a Behmor 1600 for a number of years. About every 10 days I'll do 2-3 consecutive roasts of 150 - 200g of different beans. I buy all the organic fair trade varieties from Coffee Plant https://coffee.uk.com, so currently have green beans from about 10 countries.

This is how I manually roast having shut the kitchen door to keep the smoke detector on the stairs happy: I pre-heat before the first roast by pressing 100g and Start, letting it run 90 seconds before turning off and loading beans into the drum.
Then restart the same way and press '5' to take manual control.
With about 2 minutes left on the clock when the override warning kicks in, I press Start again and subsequently add time by pressing 'C' when I need to. Having started by specifying a notional 100g, this resets the timer each time to 1'40", (which is the programme's guess at when the cooling should kick in after first 'C'rack). I usually hit 'D' at this point to increase drum speed too.

I watch the colour, smell the aroma and listen to the roast all of which determine at what point I vary the heat setting, aiming to coast into first crack already reduced to '3' or '4'.

I aim to keep the temperature ('A' button) rising steadily but slowly enough to allow sugars to do their thing. Generally I go just into first crack before pressing the Cool button.
I then do a manual cooling which is faster than leaving it to the Behmor. I have a vacuum cleaner on hand, crack open the door with nozzle and suck top and bottom before taking out the chaff tray. I continue vacuuming out hot air until 'A' reaches 140C at which point I can swiftly remove the still turning drum and dump the contents onto a large granite slab counter by a window.

I refill the drum with the next roast and replace it in the still cooling Behmor and close the door, allowing it to finish the cooling cycle and at the same time starting to dry the next batch. When the cooling cycle finishes, I press 100 Start and repeat the process.

Before putting away, I wipe the Behmor with a damp cloth and polish off with a microfibre towel.

Hope that is of benefit!


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## 28653

Hi Jules, nice explanation of your method, especially the 'early' lowering of temp prior 1C. That's something I'm getting the hang of it just now. It's all about the anticipation what the roaster and temps will do in the next 30 seconds or so.


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## 28653

Beeroclock said:


> I used to buy from Wogan's quite a lot - primarily because they were quite cheap, but always found the majority of their offerings a little disappointing - I think they are a more "old school" type of roaster. Before I disappeared down the rabbit hole, I favoured Extract and Clifton, there are a whole heap of others now too including FCP and Triple Co Roast...
> 
> Cheers Phil


 Yes, lots of roasters to try and explore. I've always meant to sample more around Bristol, and hope to do exactly that with my new roasting interest kindled by the Behmor.
And greetings to Corsham !
Steve


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## jules1

Error... I meant I hit cool just into SECOND crack, not first! But yes, essentially I go for a fast, hot ramp up of the temperature to 30s or so before first crack, take some power off, coast it through first crack but keep temperature climbing steadily just into second crack.


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## MediumRoastSteam

I have took the plunge on the Behmor! Happy to be joining the club!


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## Marocchino

MediumRoastSteam said:


> I have took the plunge on the Behmor! Happy to be joining the club!


 Will be interesting to hear your roasting journey - a rabbit hole I've been dancing around for a while, but starting from ZERO experience seems a little daunting for the moment. Have fun.


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## MediumRoastSteam

Marocchino said:


> Will be interesting to hear your roasting journey - a rabbit hole I've been dancing around for a while, but starting from ZERO experience seems a little daunting for the moment. Have fun.


 I hope it's not the same experience I had with the Gene Cafe! No doubt the "Today's Roast" thread will become active again 🙂


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## Marocchino

Something else to watch out for. Thanks.


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## Achrys

MediumRoastSteam said:


> I have took the plunge on the Behmor! Happy to be joining the club!


 Nice one!


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## WestlandWessex

MediumRoastSteam said:


> I hope it's not the same experience I had with the Gene Cafe! No doubt the "Today's Roast" thread will become active again 🙂


 Hi there,

How's things going with the new Behmor ? Is it something that you would recommend having been a GC user 😊

Many thanks in advance.


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## MediumRoastSteam

WestlandWessex said:


> Hi there,
> 
> How's things going with the new Behmor ? Is it something that you would recommend having been a GC user 😊
> 
> Many thanks in advance.


 Hello. Unfortunately appears that I have got a lemon. 😔 I've been working with HasBean and Behmor, but the weekend got in the way. Hopefully I'll get this sorted out soon.


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## WestlandWessex

MediumRoastSteam said:


> Hello. Unfortunately appears that I have got a lemon. 😔 I've been working with HasBean and Behmor, but the weekend got in the way. Hopefully I'll get this sorted out soon.


 Oh no, sorry to hear that 😞 .. I await with baited breath and anticipation, although doesn't sound a very good start 🤷‍♂️😊


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## Rob1

I thought you were building your own air roaster?


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## MediumRoastSteam

Rob1 said:


> I thought you were building your own air roaster?


 I started, got the parts... Tried a few things... But found meddling with the circuit of the hot air gun a bit intimidating, as I don't understand how it works. I might give that another go sometime.

@Rob1 - I did say that on that thread 🙂

https://www.coffeeforums.co.uk/topic/57925-tin-can-air-roaster/?do=embed&comment=822050&embedComment=822050&embedDo=findComment


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## MediumRoastSteam

WestlandWessex said:


> Oh no, sorry to hear that 😞 .. I await with baited breath and anticipation, although doesn't sound a very good start 🤷‍♂️😊


 Just to put some closure on this one. Looks like lucky me, got a lemon, which I understand it happens. This is just how things are these days with mass produced goods. Fantastic service from Hasbean though. I reported the issue to Behmor, who, sadly, didn't acknowledge the issue, stating it was "just fine", when obviously it wasn't. Once I reported to Hasbean and summarised the outcome, without hesitation I was offered a refund or replacement, which I opted for the former.

So, for me, back to square one.

Needless to say, thank you all for helping me out on this one and confirm things. 👍


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## WestlandWessex

MediumRoastSteam said:


> Just to put some closure on this one. Looks like lucky me, got a lemon, which I understand it happens. This is just how things are these days with mass produced goods. Fantastic service from Hasbean though. I reported the issue to Behmor, who, sadly, didn't acknowledge the issue, stating it was "just fine", when obviously it wasn't. Once I reported to Hasbean and summarised the outcome, without hesitation I was offered a refund or replacement, which I opted for the former.
> 
> So, for me, back to square one.
> 
> Needless to say, thank you all for helping me out on this one and confirm things. 👍


 Glad you got a good outcome and Hasbean stepped up to the plate, thanks for the update 👍


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## PACMAN

Why did you go for the refund over the replacement? Why not get a replacement which will hopefully work as advertised?


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## MediumRoastSteam

PACMAN said:


> Why did you go for the refund over the replacement? Why not get a replacement which will hopefully work as advertised?


 Great question. Let's just say it was due to timing. The weekend got in the way, which gave me time to reflect about things and look around for alternatives (not necessarily on the same price bracket, mind - I do think the Behmor is excellent value for money based on what I've researched and owners feedback). So I decided to give it some time until I make my mind up again, whether with a Behmor or something else. Should this have happened mid week, I would have most likely had a replacement.


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## Doram

Got excited by this:



MediumRoastSteam said:


> I have took the plunge on the Behmor! Happy to be joining the club!


 Then disappointed by this:



MediumRoastSteam said:


> I was offered a refund or replacement, which I opted for the former.


 Was looking forward to hear of your fantastic experience with the B compared to the GC.

Where is the sad face when you need it?


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