# Todays Roast



## iroko

Roasted 250g Columbia Suarez in Gene Cafe

I hit 1st crack @ 13.5 mins, held onto 240 then dropped to 235, not sure when 2nd crack started

and total roast time was 18mins with slight breeze coming in through window.

I'm pleased with the results, I normally end up going darker than this, but this is what I'm aiming for.


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## ronsil

Out of curiosity did you find these beans nicer in the L1 or FF?

I used to end up at 235C/238C (exhaust temp) on the Gene.

13.5 mins to 1st seems a bit long to me. With the Gene usually came to 1st around 11.5 mins. However if it tasted good thats great.


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## iroko

Sadly the FF no longer works, the beans are de gasing, I wont start this roast till the w/end, but previous roasts have tasted good.

If I'm honest most of the time I don't really know when 1st crack starts, I often don't hear it at the start, but checking my records with this bean It's

about the same time.

I hardly ever hear 2nd crack start, I go by the colour of the bean.

At 11.5 mins my gene just getting to 230, was this about the same with yours, did you pre heat before roasting, would this be worth doing.


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## ronsil

I did keep most of my roasts at 225 grams & I have a regular line voltage of 248/249v.

I also struggled with the noise stopping me hearing the cracks easily but I overcame this with a mechanic's stethoscope.

As I have said before the Gene temps are taken from the exhaust & are not too reliable when talking about bean mass temp. My roasts always finished circa indicated 234/238C.

Not sure the effect of pre-heating. Some years ago DaveUK came up with some Gene Mods using a 230v element which I believe worked very well.

I gave up the Gene for a Behmor because I needed more repeatability. In reality the Behmor didn't help me much.


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## iroko

I've no idea what my line voltage is, I might give the stethoscope a try, thanks.


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## iroko

Here's my Roast of the same bean on Sunday,I didn't here 1st or 2nd crack this time,

looking forward to trying It at the w/end.


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## CoffeeDiva

How are you finding these in comparison to beans already roasted from the roasters?


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## GS11

Beans looking very nice iroko.

I fancy a go at roasting one day, especially after seeing the demonstration at Bella Barista (forum day)


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## iroko

CoffeeDiva said:


> How are you finding these in comparison to beans already roasted from the roasters?


The only beans I've had from roaster's are some Londinium beans which were very tasty, and some rave beans from Glenn from the forum day,

these were roasted very light which wasn't to my taste.

Before I started roasting I used to buy supermarket beans.









I'm more than happy with my roasts most of the time, I've only had to bin a few batches.


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## ronsil

I think it would be nice to continue this Thread "Todays Roast"

People can talk about their efforts of the day. Albeit roasting results or a new bean discussion or a new roaster.

Today I've been roasting Monsooned Malabar. Something I've done many times. I have been targeting a rather darker roast & extending the flavour profile.

The Roast Logger program which I have used for a long time both previously to record & now to control my roasts, has had an upgrade & now showing the various stages beans go through to develop. It now also shows a 'Rate of Rise' line on the Chart. This tool is used extensively in the USA, I am now learning how it can benefit my roasting procedures.

View attachment 4091


The lighter lines show my previous roast of MM. The heavier line is todays roast. I wanted a darker result but still extracting the fuller flavour I know MM is capable of acheiving


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## The Systemic Kid

Good idea Ron.


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## iroko

Is it a hottop your using, how does it compare to the gene cafe?


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## DavidBondy

ronsil said:


> I also struggled with the noise stopping me hearing the cracks easily but I overcame this with a mechanic's stethoscope.


I am also struggling with my (new) GeneCafe! Without wanting a rude answer, where do you stick your stethoscope and what does it look like?

Thanks,

David


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## ronsil

When I had a Gene I used a Mechanics Stethoscope available from Amazon. Do an Amazon search & you will see them with pictures.

I listened at the chaff exhaust area & held the instrument about 1 inch from the surface. Take care!!! things can get hot


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## ronsil

iroko said:


> Is it a hottop your using, how does it compare to the gene cafe?


I have 2 HTs & have converted both to full computer control. If you search back in the Home Roasters Forum between Jan 2012 & Oct 2012 everything is documented with pictures. Prior to doing this I used the same Roast Logger Program to keep records of every roast I did. I used a HT -P2 initially but always regretted I didn't go for the 'B'. It gives much more control.

I produced some very nice results with the Gene but it was never easy. If you roast a lot you need repeatability & the Gene could never give me that. Daveuk on here, years ago came up with a mod to regulate the heat output. I never did the mod but apparently it worked very well.


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## ronsil

Todays roast was Columbia Villa Esperanza (greens from Rave).

Its normally sold roasted for brewed. Today however I took it beyond the normal as I wanted to try it as espresso.

18grams in 26 grams out at 93C for 28 seconds incl 3 secs pre-infusion. Ground quite finely. I found it great as espresso but it excelled with milk as a cappa. One of the best SOs I've roasted & used. Todays semi skimmed milk, Cravendale, was also very good. I deep froze the empty motta jug to slow down the speed of the 4 hole La Spaz wand.

Here's the roast profile. Note how close todays is compared to the previous one. It was,of course, the roast of 4 days ago that I used today.

View attachment 4236


Sorry for the slightly blurred chart. The Forum always seems to deliver a blurred chart exported as a .jpeg. No problems with the pictures also .jpeg.


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## iroko

Does the computer program tell you when 1st + 2nd crack starts and ends or do you still have to listen yourself ?

Thanks for the chart.


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## ronsil

You tap the space bar at each event. First crack start - first crack end - second crack start - roast end. Apart from this the computer controls all the fan actions & the heater to maintain the same temperatures & actions as you have scripted before starting. At the roast end it is saved & next time you roast the same beans you load the template & the computer makes the HT perform exactly as before.


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## ronsil

Today's roast was Papua New Guinea Sigri AA. I usually roast these beans as part of a blend. Today I wanted it as a SO for espresso.

Here's the details:>

View attachment 4298
View attachment 4299
View attachment 4302


I'll let these rest until next weekend.

Got the new DSOL Beans coming Monday so plenty coffee for the next two weeks.

Post your Roasting efforts on here to compare notes (profiles)


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## iroko

They look good, nice set up.


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## iroko

Roasted yesterday 250g Ethiopia Yirgacheffe, I've not roasted this bean before so I'm looking foward to the w/end to give It a try.

I didn't here 1st crack but 2nd crack started at 14 min 30sec. I ended roast at 16 min 30 sec.


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## ronsil

Those beans look good from the colour. You may want to let them rest a little longer 7-10 days after roast.

Yirg is a rich bean with a grapefruit (citron) twist. Excels as brewed but makes a reasonable espresso


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## iroko

Tried the Ethiopa Yirgacheffe today, tasted great in a flat white, very different from the beans I normally roast, Columbia Suarez or Brazilian Bourbon.

These are the first of the bb bulk buy I've roasted so I've got lots more different beans to try.


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## GS11

iroko said:


> Tried the Ethiopa Yirgacheffe today, tasted great in a flat white, very different from the beans I normally roast, Columbia Suarez or Brazilian Bourbon.
> 
> These are the first of the bb bulk buy I've roasted so I've got lots more different beans to try.


Looking good iroko. Not knowing much about roast timings is the Yirgacheffe considered a medium roast?


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## Geordie Boy

I normally take it to a medium roast, though I normally just drink it brewed


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## jakeapeters

That roast looks awesome iroko! I've got a Gene but I've never managed a decent roast of anything Ethiopian. Actually, I haven't managed a decent roast of any African beans at all - they always come out really unevenly roasted and chaffy.

Is there a specific roast profile you use? Any tips would be awesome!


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## danman2k

hi

im a roaster for a living, and those are pretty impressive results, considering you cant hear any cracking, the cracking for me is a big part of my roasting and i take alot of my cues form that, i had a customer who could not get a great tsting roast from the genie, i wish then i could have forwarded this then, well done


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## danman2k

i would only suggest that you roast in farenheight, i find it a more accurate measure than celcius, just my opinion of course.


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## ronsil

jakeapeters said:


> I've got a Gene but I've never managed a decent roast of anything Ethiopian. Actually, I haven't managed a decent roast of any African beans at all - they always come out really unevenly roasted and chaffy.!


Have you tried reducing the quantities to say 225 grams. Can make for a much more even roast


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## ronsil

danman2k said:


> i would only suggest that you roast in farenheight,


Why? ...... Surely its a question of what you are used to. Nothing wrong with Celcius.


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## danman2k

its like measuring only inches when mm is more accurate, but i dont think its available on the genie anyway.


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## danman2k

jakeapeters said:


> That roast looks awesome iroko! I've got a Gene but I've never managed a decent roast of anything Ethiopian. Actually, I haven't managed a decent roast of any African beans at all - they always come out really unevenly roasted and chaffy.
> 
> Is there a specific roast profile you use? Any tips would be awesome!


for ethiopian mocha, or any soft bean, try less heat and a softer, slower profile.


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## danman2k

if you pre heat the roaster, try not heating it up as much too, or the heat of the chamber walls can burn the beans in the beginning


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## ronsil

danman2k said:


> its like measuring only inches when mm is more accurate, but i dont think its available on the genie anyway.


I don't follow that reasoning.

The Geniecafe can be run in either F or C. It's an easy operators change to work in either mode.


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## danman2k

its more accurate



ronsil said:


> I don't follow that reasoning.
> 
> The Geniecafe can be run in either F or C. It's an easy operators change to work in either mode.


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## Geordie Boy

Surely the accuracy is the same but displaying in F just gives slightly better resolution. Does this improve the stability of the temp controller when holding a set temperature though?


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## ronsil

In F or C the inner works & firmware are exactly the same. Weather running in F or C the stability is identical. Look up Genecafe on the old 'Coffeetime' Wicki. (Google it)There is masses written about it including the mods that can be carried out.

Whilst you are in the Wicki check out the old roasting logs circa 2008+. Many of us including some members on here contributed to these logs & they cover roasting profiles for dozens of beans.

Just remember that a major change took place for the Genecafe in the UK market in March 2007. Anything pre-dating this may not be completely reliable.

Whatever its still a great value for money machine & capable of very good results.


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## danman2k

Geordie Boy said:


> Surely the accuracy is the same but displaying in F just gives slightly better resolution. Does this improve the stability of the temp controller when holding a set temperature though?


you have a much more in depth profile, the c profiles i find are much more shallow, maybe later on today i will take a pic of the same roast in c and f, you will see that any changes are more pronounced in f than c.

you only have 230 digits in c, but 460 in f, so you have twice as much information.

of course you guys are used to roasting in c, and i would not suggest that you are wrong, as your roasting very good indeed, but only that i find you have more information with f, and any changes in heat or air will be more pronounced in the f profile, thus, enabling you to smooth out the profile even more, quick changes in heat and air are bad for taste, and in c, these up and downs are not as visible due to the shallow profile.


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## Geordie Boy

danman2k said:


> you only have 230 digits in c, but 460 in f, so you have twice as much information.


Yes your resolution has doubled on the screen however I doubt the Gene measures better than +/- 4 deg C. Remember that the temp sensor produces an output in Volts and the unit just calculates a temperature from it, be it in either C or F. Ultimately it's the accuracy of this measurement that limits the system.

Don't get mixed up between accuracy and resolution


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## ronsil

Geordie Boy said:


> Don't get mixed up between accuracy and resolution


That's exactly correct IMHO. Also remember that the temps are read from the exhaust gases & are only relevant to previous roasts on the same machine. Ideally you need to measure the bean temp but unless you are an engineer not easy to do on a gene.


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## danman2k

Geordie Boy said:


> Yes your resolution has doubled on the screen however I doubt the Gene measures better than +/- 4 deg C. Remember that the temp sensor produces an output in Volts and the unit just calculates a temperature from it, be it in either C or F. Ultimately it's the accuracy of this measurement that limits the system.
> 
> Don't get mixed up between accuracy and resolution


the gene is 4c out + or -???, or even 7-8f plus or minus??. do you know how big a difference that is??. that is nearly the diff betwen a light and medium roast lol. i now have a gene at home, will play with it tonight.


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## Geordie Boy

The temp error will more affect the time it takes for the roast to complete (if you base completion on when you hear the cracks, colour, smell, etc). With the same bean, volume roasted, environment conditions and warm-up, it's not unusual for me to have upto 2 mins difference between roasts going to the same level


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## iroko

GS11 said:


> Looking good iroko. Not knowing much about roast timings is the Yirgacheffe considered a medium roast?


In the bb guide for the gene it's down as medium to dark.


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## iroko

jakeapeters said:


> That roast looks awesome iroko! I've got a Gene but I've never managed a decent roast of anything Ethiopian. Actually, I haven't managed a decent roast of any African beans at all - they always come out really unevenly roasted and chaffy.
> 
> Is there a specific roast profile you use? Any tips would be awesome!


As I've said before I hardly ever hear 1st or 2nd crack so I go by the colour of the beans and make sure I hit the cooling button before they go too dark.

These were the most chaffy beans I've roasted.

I normally go up to 240 or there abouts and then drop down to 235 nearer the end of the roast.


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## GS11

iroko said:


> As I've said before I hardly ever hear 1st or 2nd crack so I go by the colour of the beans and make sure I hit the cooling button before they go too dark.
> 
> These were the most chaffy beans I've roasted.
> 
> I normally go up to 240 or there abouts and then drop down to 235 nearer the end of the roast.


Hi pete

Do you cool off the beans in the colander and if so when do you transfer to the colander?


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## iroko

AS soon as the roast is complete I dump the beans in the colander then go outside and tip the beans between 2 colanders to cool beans

and separate the chaff.


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## danman2k

would hoovering through that help the cooling lol, pulling the room air through the coffee, just a thought.



iroko said:


> AS soon as the roast is complete I dump the beans in the colander then go outside and tip the beans between 2 colanders to cool beans
> 
> and separate the chaff.


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## Geordie Boy

I do a similar thing but put a pan splash guard on top of the colander and blast the beans with a hairdryer on cool setting, I find it more effective at cooling than just transferring beans between collanders


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## iroko

I'll give those a try next time.


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## danman2k

im not sure how hot the beans come out of the genie, but do you keep the beans moving until warm enough to touch?, i have a genie here now but aint had a chance to play with it yet.


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## ronsil

If you allow the Gene to complete its cooling cycle the beans come out fairly cool. It really takes too long so many people stop the Machine at 100C & cool outside the drum. However always remember to put the drum back & allow the Gene to complete its built-in cooling cycle with the drum connected.


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## Geordie Boy

I do an emergency stop and dump the beans so the Gene does none of the bean cooling (remember to put the empty chamber back in the Gene and then set it through a cooling cycle to help the electronics). I keep cooling externally until they're warm to touch (I'd say around 40 degC)


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## danman2k

cheers guys, thanks. dont want to burn my house down lol. its sitting there in front of me, just a bit hesitant to fire it up, and i dont have to energy at the moment either lol. so am gonna wait until i got a couple of hours to give it proper attention.

i got access to most coffee, so will go with an ethiopian sidamo first, its a soft bean as i said before(im sure you know this), then i can start with very slow roasting first, and speed up with every roast, and see what kind of ranges the genie has.

it a 250g roaster, but i saw you say use 225, is that because it take to long to roast on maximum heat with 250g?. or just yougot good profile from that bean?, thanks.


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## ronsil

Going with 225C tends to give a more even roast on some beans. Its trial & error to see what works best for you.


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## GS11

ronsil said:


> If you allow the Gene to complete its cooling cycle the beans come out fairly cool. It really takes too long so many people stop the Machine at 100C & cool outside the drum. However always remember to put the drum back & allow the Gene to complete its built-in cooling cycle with the drum connected.


When using the genie too cool to 100c (as opposed to an E-dump), I expect you have to allow for coasting due to the beans still cooking until temps reduce enough.

i.e. stopping the roast X amount of time before the desired bean colour is achieved.


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## ronsil

GS11 said:


> i.e. stopping the roast X amount of time before the desired bean colour is achieved.


One would normally allow for coasting and that comes with experience.

Do remember the final colour is not the sole criteria for good roasts. Drop in time, drying time,time between first crack end & second start even smell all play their part in developing bean flavour.


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## GS11

ronsil said:


> One would normally allow for coasting and that comes with experience.
> 
> Do remember the final colour is not the sole criteria for good roasts. Drop in time, drying time,time between first crack end & second start even smell all play their part in developing bean flavour.


Thanks Ronsil for highlighting this. Loving all these variables









Early stages for me and so far enjoy the whole roasting process and am surprised with the results. Trying to keep this from getting too technical and using time, temperatures and senses.

I've been following BB guides profiles but will likely include a machine warm up stage and bean drying stage.


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## GS11

Roasted 450g of Rave Rwanda in 2 batches today = 370g roasted beans









Voltage was good throughout roast averaging 237-239v.....though I was surprised too see a drop to 232v when I switched the kettle on during the warm up stage= Made sure all appliances off when I started roasting, once finished me tea note:kitchen has been re-wired and has it's own ring main.

Beans went in at approx 100c warm up and genie set to 242c

First crack at roughly 11 min and kept at this for a minute then dropped too 238c

Possibly had 2nd crack at approx 14mins

E-dumped roast at 15min and transferred too cooling pans.

Overall happy with the results though would like too have finished the roast just after 2nd crack i.e.14.15 to achieve a slightly lighter roast. All good experience for my next roasts.


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## iroko

They look great to me, hope they taste good too.

What are you using to test line voltage, I've no idea what mine is.


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## GS11

iroko said:


> They look great to me, hope they taste good too.
> 
> What are you using to test line voltage, I've no idea what mine is.


Thanks Pete, tried the rewandan (2 days rested) today in a V60 and was really nice:good:

I'm using a multi-meter plugged into live and neutral of neighboring socket to record voltage.

Worth checking Gene voltage as it can have quite an affect on roast times i.e.










Therefore be careful using other peoples roast timings, unless you are comparing similar voltage. I'm now recording voltage in my own roast logs (another variable







)


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## ronsil

A very safe way for continuous check on line voltage is a 'Plug-in Power & Energy Monitor'

View attachment 5209


They are available from Maplins at -£20.

Can also be found on Ebay


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## GS11

ronsil said:


> A very safe way for continuous check on line voltage is a 'Plug-in Power & Energy Monitor'
> 
> They are available from Maplins at -£20.
> 
> Can also be found on Ebay


Thanks Ron. Safer then messing around with a multimeter.

Will it record average volts over a run?


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## ronsil

Much safer!. We'd hate to lose you.

By itself it doesn't do averages but hey an average for repeatability would not be as useful as recording the voltage at each stage of the roast so that adjustments can be made.


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## iroko

ronsil said:


> A very safe way for continuous check on line voltage is a 'Plug-in Power & Energy Monitor'
> 
> View attachment 5209
> 
> 
> They are available from Maplins at -£20.
> 
> Can also be found on Ebay


Thanks for this, a trip to maplins this week.


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## ronsil

Sorry but I have just found a spare 'Plug-in Power & Energy Monitor'

I had purchased 3 but only ever need 2.

Have just put it up on the 'For Sale'forum


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## GS11

Ok this is the first of the BB December bulk buy beans (kindly split with sofmonk)

Monsooned Malabar AA

Used a simple profile from dfk41 to roast 250g beans

Preheat gene to 100c > insert beans >and then 226c until finish.

My ambient = temp 18c / Voltage average 241v throughout roast

First crack around 12min > E-dumped at 14.10 (dfk41 suggested 14.26) but this time spreading the beans across a large roasting tray > putting gene on cooling cycle > transfer to colanders.

Very little chaff with this bean. Roast went really well and never felt out of control. Pretty much spot on with the degree of roast I was aiming for:good:..... Looking forward too these in about 3 days rest.

  

Note: now using a halogen light for better indoor viewing of roast progress.


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## iroko

They look very nice, what beans did you use.


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## GS11

iroko said:


> They look very nice, what beans did you use.


Thanks Pete

Monsooned Malabar AA

have you decided what you are roasting next?


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## ronsil

Monsooned Malabar eh. - I usually roast them considerably darker than that but its just to my taste.

Very interested to hear your tasting notes on them like that.

Would say you probably need to leave them a week to fully develop.

If its for espresso MM makes a good base for a blend


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## iroko

Roasted Papua New Guinea Sigria

250g taken to 240, I didn't hear 1st crack but clearly heard 2nd crack at 14 mins 45 secs.

I finished roast at 17 mins but should have finished at 16.30.

voltage was between 234.4 - 237

I seem to still have some chaff in between the crack in the middle of the bean, I've not had this before, never used this bean before so I dont

know if this is normal.


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## GS11

ronsil said:


> Monsooned Malabar eh. - I usually roast them considerably darker than that but its just to my taste.
> 
> Very interested to hear your tasting notes on them like that.
> 
> Would say you probably need to leave them a week to fully develop.
> 
> If its for espresso MM makes a good base for a blend


Cheers Ron will update once rested. I really enjoyed MM previously in the aeropress and was aiming for a roast which will work well brewed as well as espresso. May try a darker version just past 2nd crack when I'm roasting MM again:good:


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## GS11

iroko said:


> Roasted Papua New Guinea Sigria
> 
> 250g taken to 240, I didn't hear 1st crack but clearly heard 2nd crack at 14 mins 45 secs.
> 
> I finished roast at 17 mins but should have finished at 16.30.
> 
> voltage was between 234.4 - 237
> 
> I seem to still have some chaff in between the crack in the middle of the bean, I've not had this before, never used this bean before so I dont
> 
> know if this is normal.


Congrats Pete roast is looking good:good:Would you describe finished beans as dark roast ? Suggest the chaff is normal for the bean. Note your homes voltage level is quite lower than mine.... means longer roast times and shows how useful it is too monitor voltage.


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## iroko

I'd say It's a dark roast, I try not to go any darker than this.

Beans were roasted late afternoon, I'm keeping an eye on my voltage to see If there's a better time to roast, currently reading around 240.


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## GS11

iroko said:


> I'd say It's a dark roast, I try not to go any darker than this.
> 
> Beans were roasted late afternoon, *I'm keeping an eye on my voltage to see If there's a better time to roast, currently reading around 240*.


Can be quite a few factors which will effect your voltage i.e peak times /commercial industrial useage/ energy supplier (I noticed turning on a kettle made a noticeable decrease!)

I live near a town centre and had much better voltage this Sunday afternoon then my last roast on a weekday morning.

........can all effect repeatability if relying on previous roast times..


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## ronsil

You could roast between 2.00 AM & 4.00 AM


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## GS11

ronsil said:


> You could roast between 2.00 AM & 4.00 AM


...unless you live next door to this guy


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## iroko

ronsil said:


> You could roast between 2.00 AM & 4.00 AM


I have thought about getting up early to roast, but I think I'll just stick to the lower voltage.


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## iroko

Up date on last w/ends roast of papua new guinea beans, made some nice flatties over the w/end but nothing special, this is probably my least

favourite bean of the bb bulk buy so far, but I've still got lots of different beans to try.


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## ronsil

Last Wednesday's roast to be exact.

Thought I'd try a pre-roast blend of Papua New Guinea (two thirds) with Monsooned Malabar (one third).

Stopped it 25 seconds after 2nd crack started.

View attachment 5405
View attachment 5406


We had visitors for dinner over the weekend & in response to my Wife's request (more like pleading) for something with full flavour but not too strong we served this Blend mostly as long espresso (lungo) with warm milk on the side.

Not something I would drink everyday but it went down well with our Guests.


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## froggystyle

So have left my beans to settle for a week.

Here is the first,

View attachment 5410


And second roast

View attachment 5411


To be honest they both taste the same, not much difference.

The bean is Brazil Daterra Bourbon Yellow.

I think i need to go longer on the roast as to me they taste a little boring and not really strong enough!


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## ronsil

In general 'Brazils' don't like to go too dark. Anytime after 1st but well before 2nd. seems to be the norm.

To develop taste perhaps consider the length of drying time &/or extend the time between end of 1st & stopping the roast.


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## GS11

ronsil said:


> Monsooned Malabar eh. - I usually roast them considerably darker than that but its just to my taste.
> 
> *Very interested to hear your tasting notes on them like that. *
> 
> Would say you probably need to leave them a week to fully develop.
> 
> If its for espresso MM makes a good base for a blend


My photo may be a little on the light side but I would suggest this beans are roasted medium to dark medium.

Really enjoying this roast so far brewed via aeropress

Was already a MM fan mind









Almonds/ Nougat/ some Chocolate/ Great body very little acidity

Now at 10 day post roast and look forward too trying this in espresso based milk via Brewtus. (just finishing off some Rewanda first)


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## GS11

ronsil said:


> In general 'Brazils' don't like to go too dark. Anytime after 1st but well before 2nd. seems to be the norm.
> 
> To develop taste perhaps consider the length of drying time &/or extend the time between end of 1st & stopping the roast.


Saw roasting advice from Sweet Maria on a Brazil Yellow Bourbon suggesting roast to:

"City+ to Full City+ is recommended; very versatile"

Be interesting if froggy has similar results if he likes a darker roast.

I'm looking next to roast some Honduras SHG Beans this weekend from BB... Still doing a bit of research though likely following a profile off zoho (submitted by dfk41 and ronsil







)


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## froggystyle

well i had another crack at the bean last night, did the warm up and let it roast at about 230 for 18 mins..

Couldnt get it to go much darker, but i shall let it rest for a few days and then brew, fingers crossed it has a bit more flavour this time.

Next up is my rave beans!


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## GS11

froggystyle said:


> well i had another crack at the bean last night, did the warm up and let it roast at about 230 for 18 mins..
> 
> Couldnt get it to go much darker, but i shall let it rest for a few days and then brew, fingers crossed it has a bit more flavour this time.
> 
> Next up is my rave beans!


You must like your roasts much darker then me..... I've not roasted beyond 15.30 Would be interested to know how quick your genie takes to get to 250c from a cold start.[my gene = 7min]

Which rave greens do you have froggy? I have roasted their current Peru and Rewanda with good results. Particularly enjoyed the boldness of the Peru and would like to order extra at some stage.


----------



## froggystyle

picked up the rwanda gisuma red bourban and sumatra jagong village to roast!


----------



## GS11

Iv'e worked out that I need too roast 500g of green beans every 2 weeks to meet my existing consumption levels. Sunday afternoons seem to provide the most stable voltages for the area where I live.

Monsoon Malabar roasted last time has been excellent both brewed v60/aeropress and via brewtus for milk based drinks. Here's todays effort..

  

Its Honduras SHG which was part of The BB december bulk buy. I used the zoho roasting log to find a decent roasting profile nice too see dfk41 and ronsil profiles on there.....thanks guys:good:

Roast went very well medium/dark, though am still having issues with hearing 1st crack. Profile was very simple>

Pre-heat gene to 200deg then cool down to 100deg>

236deg for 15.30mins >

E-dump >

Voltage was 240/241 throughout

Edump is getting smoother/ quicker spilling beans onto a roasting tray > continuing gene cooling cycle > colanders garden.

Still issues hearing first crack but I keep a sample of the grade of roast I am aiming for direct comparison. 1200 lumen halogen assist well in this respect. Look forward to testing this brewed in 2-3 days.


----------



## froggystyle

So i tried my last roast today, the extra few minutes on the beans made all the difference, brewed with 45g in 750ml in my French press, coffee was nice and strong with a clean taste, took some beans to brother in law for him to try and he seemed happy with them. Good result!


----------



## DavidBondy

GS11: what is that over the Gene's exhaust? I have a four metre corrugated metal tube which I chuck out of the kitchen window. Is it some kind of filter?

David


----------



## GS11

DavidBondy said:


> GS11: what is that over the Gene's exhaust? I have a four metre corrugated metal tube which I chuck out of the kitchen window. Is it some kind of filter?
> 
> David


Hi David

It's an 80mm-100mm galv adaptor to connect to my 100mm alu ducting (which goes out window)

http://coffeetime.wikidot.com/gene-cafe-duct-reducer-for-large-chaff-collector


----------



## DavidBondy

Ahh! OK. My aluminium foil ducting is a good push fit without an adapter.


----------



## froggystyle

I went for the 80mm foil ducting also, not used it yet though... Not sure it will be up to the job though as i am sure its only rated to 170c


----------



## DavidBondy

Not sure what temperature mine is rated for. It gets way too hot to touch but hasn't melted or shown any adverse effects even when roasting at 245deg!


----------



## iroko

GS11 said:


> Iv'e worked out that I need too roast 500g of green beans every 2 weeks to meet my existing consumption levels. Sunday afternoons seem to provide the most stable voltages for the area where I live.
> 
> Monsoon Malabar roasted last time has been excellent both brewed v60/aeropress and via brewtus for milk based drinks. Here's todays effort..
> 
> 
> 
> Its Honduras SHG which was part of The BB december bulk buy. I used the zoho roasting log to find a decent roasting profile nice too see dfk41 and ronsil profiles on there.....thanks guys:good:
> 
> Roast went very well medium/dark, though am still having issues with hearing 1st crack. Profile was very simple>
> 
> Pre-heat gene to 200deg then cool down to 100deg>
> 
> 236deg for 15.30mins >
> 
> E-dump >
> 
> Voltage was 240/241 throughout
> 
> Edump is getting smoother/ quicker spilling beans onto a roasting tray > continuing gene cooling cycle > colanders garden.
> 
> Still issues hearing first crack but I keep a sample of the grade of roast I am aiming for direct comparison. 1200 lumen halogen assist well in this respect. Look forward to testing this brewed in 2-3 days.


Roast looking good, did you hear 2nd crack ?

Great lamp, might have to get one, better than my torch.


----------



## iroko

froggystyle said:


> So i tried my last roast today, the extra few minutes on the beans made all the difference, brewed with 45g in 750ml in my French press, coffee was nice and strong with a clean taste, took some beans to brother in law for him to try and he seemed happy with them. Good result!


Good to hear you've done a roast your happy with.


----------



## GS11

iroko said:


> Roast looking good, did you hear 2nd crack ?
> 
> Great lamp, might have to get one, better than my torch.


Hi Pete, I'm still having issues hearing 1st crack but saw some signs....... pretty sure killed the roast before 2nd.

That lamp if you are interested is a Lloytron Modus Hobby Lamp though think paid nearer £20 at the time.

Makes a big difference seeing what you are doing and handy for lots of other tasks indoors:good:


----------



## froggystyle

Ok, so i had a crack at the Rwanda bean last night, didnt really turn out as i had hoped!

You can see the beans are quite uneven in colour, plus lots of chaff still left on them.

I warmed it up to 200, then stopped, chucked in beans and cranked it up to 230c

Left this to run till first crack then dropped to 220c till completion.

Total roast time was 15 minutes.

I had some of Raves already roasted rwanda beans to compare and the difference is quite large!

Stumped!

View attachment 5474


----------



## GS11

Hi FroggyI roasted same bean recently and got good even results without chaff.

See post #58 on this thread.

Where did you get profile from? Your temps seem much lower.

Suggest you leave 3 days and see how they develop.

Are you aware what your mains voltage is during roast?


----------



## GS11

froggystyle said:


> Couldn't find a profile so i kind of winged it...


Oh dear. I try and research as much as possible about a bean.......in the end used a profile off coffeetime roasting log for a rewanda bean.



froggystyle said:


> Need to get a voltage meter at the end of the month as spent a fair bit this month on coffee stuff...
> 
> Noted your profile was at a higher temp, may try that one later or tomorrow night and see how it turns out.


The gene is very voltage sensitive hence an energy monitor will assist,

Also genes can differ in performance from one to another. Mine compares well to dfk41's going by the roasting log data.

btw my gene empty takes 7min from a cold start to hit 250c (test used at homeroasters.org)


----------



## froggystyle

Hmm, just done another roast but used your profile GS,

Warmed up to 100c, drop beans in.

242c till first crack.

Hit 242c at 10 mins.

First crack at 10 mins.

Drop to 238c at 11 mins.

Left till 13 mins when beans started to get dark then dumped and cooled outside.

What i find strange is the different shades of beans in this roast at the end as the 2nd pic shows, not many of them as most of the roast appears the same, but a few odd beans!

View attachment 5475


View attachment 5476


----------



## GS11

Looking better Froggy....no chaff this time.

Are you happier with the result?

Different coloured beans possibly due to the quality of the greens?


----------



## froggystyle

Yeah much happier with the end result, give it till the weekend then try them both..

I love the unknown end result part of it, problem is wasting beans!!


----------



## GS11

Good news Froggy:good:

Post up how you get on with them.

I'm looking forward to trying the Honduras SHG later this week.


----------



## froggystyle

Thinking of roasting some Jagong village tonight, anyone had a crack at these yet?


----------



## froggystyle

Sat sipping on my rwanda roast now, lovely!!

Glad i didnt go any darker, its just right i think.


----------



## GS11

froggystyle said:


> Sat sipping on my rwanda roast now, lovely!!
> 
> Glad i didnt go any darker, its just right i think.


Which roast froggy 1st or 2nd?.....or have you blended together


----------



## froggystyle

Second mate, not feeling brave enough for the first just yet!


----------



## GS11

iroko said:


> Up date on last w/ends roast of papua new guinea beans, made some nice flatties over the w/end but nothing special, this is probably my least
> 
> favourite bean of the bb bulk buy so far, but I've still got lots of different beans to try.


Hi Pete did your PNG beans develop any better with more rest?

I'm almost finished with the Monsooned Malabar roasted 26/1 and have got to say the most enjoyable bean from day 3 onwards brewed and loving this bean as flat white..... look forward to roasting some more.

The Honduras SHG roasted 9/2 is steadily improving but I think will get better after a full 2 weeks rest.

Getting great chocolate smell from the packet now with cherry/ almond notes from it brewed.

Surprising how different beans develop over resting time.


----------



## iroko

Hi Graham, the beans were much better after more rest, the next time I roast these I'll wait for 2 weeks before using them.


----------



## froggystyle

froggystyle said:


> Hmm, just done another roast but used your profile GS,
> 
> Warmed up to 100c, drop beans in.
> 
> 242c till first crack.
> 
> Hit 242c at 10 mins.
> 
> First crack at 10 mins.
> 
> Drop to 238c at 11 mins.
> 
> Left till 13 mins when beans started to get dark then dumped and cooled outside.
> 
> What i find strange is the different shades of beans in this roast at the end as the 2nd pic shows, not many of them as most of the roast appears the same, but a few odd beans!
> 
> View attachment 5475
> 
> 
> View attachment 5476


Have let this rest till today, been supping on it black this morning, brewed in my V60.

Its a little sweet, spicy and not the strongest of beans, but i quite like it.

Got 400g to get through now!

Thinking of picking up some Indian robusta on my order from rave next week, might mix this with a brazilian and my Jagong, try to get a nice fruity strong blend with a kick!


----------



## GS11

I'm now on my 10th roast with the whole procedure improving each time.

Partly due to increasing experience with the Gene and and gaining control over some of the variables. Ambient temps/ voltage/ lighting conditions etc.

Heres roast no 10...

*Nicaragua El Buey Micro Lot SHG (Bella Barista)*

*
*

  

  

These green beans looked and smelled better/ fresher then the previous beans I roasted -(Honduras). Which was also SHG (Strictly High Grown ie above 2000ft)

Set these off on a lower temp of 233 with a drop to 230 after 1C total roast time was 15m. Finished by cooling with an E-dump.

  

I've achieved a medium dark roast and these beans already smell nice ....will try them in 3 days time brewed.

Once again coffeetime wiki shared roast logs assisted with ball park figures

The roast logs are a great resource though some care is required with roast times as some genes are less/ more poweful and home voltages can vary. The gene's great advantage is that you can view progress though I still struggle to hear 1c.


----------



## Daren

They look good enough to drink g-man! I might bring a spare empty bag with me when I see you


----------



## GS11

Daren said:


> They look good enough to drink g-man! I might bring a spare empty bag with me when I see you


Cheers Daz we will have to hook up soon.

Yep bring a spare bag...you are welcome to some


----------



## froggystyle

I always thought i heard first crack till Friday. Did a warm up to 230 and heard the noise i presumed was 1st crack but the drum was empty, must be the drum expanding...

When i run the roast i paid more attention after the 8 minute mark and at about 10 minutes heard a very quite popping noise, so i guess this was first crack.

Bit cheesed off as my notes i have took over the last 9 or so roasts will be no good now!


----------



## froggystyle

First batch of Jagong village from Rave roasted Friday night.

View attachment 5635


These beans turned very quickly, roasted at 240 for 8 mins then dropped to 235 for another 7 minutes.

And after resting, sampling time!

View attachment 5636


Really nice flavour to these beans, may brew another cup right now!


----------



## GS11

Looking good Froggystyle...... bubbling away nicely in the v60. I'm guessing you were aiming for a dark roast from the pic/.

I also like to try my roasted beans around 3 days....I think they go well brewed at that stage of resting, though I preferresting longer for when I put them through the Brewtus for milk based espresso drinks.


----------



## froggystyle

Was actually aiming for a lighter roast but the beans were very uneven till the last minute or two. Might see if i can get a lighter roast next time. They do taste yummy though, best batch yet.

I only have the French press and V60 so not sure what they are like through a machine. Really hoping to pick up a gaggia this month...

Also been talking to my dad about knocking up a cooling tray with a desk fan under it to cool them quicker, watch this space!


----------



## iroko

Many a time I've been aiming for a lighter roast, only to get caught out right at the end, great they taste good.


----------



## iroko

GS11 said:


> I'm now on my 10th roast with the whole procedure improving each time.
> 
> Partly due to increasing experience with the Gene and and gaining control over some of the variables. Ambient temps/ voltage/ lighting conditions etc.
> 
> Heres roast no 10...
> 
> *Nicaragua El Buey Micro Lot SHG (Bella Barista)*
> 
> *
> *
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> These green beans looked and smelled better/ fresher then the previous beans I roasted -(Honduras). Which was also SHG (Strictly High Grown ie above 2000ft)
> 
> Set these off on a lower temp of 233 with a drop to 230 after 1C total roast time was 15m. Finished by cooling with an E-dump.
> 
> 
> 
> I've achieved a medium dark roast and these beans already smell nice ....will try them in 3 days time brewed.
> 
> Once again coffeetime wiki shared roast logs assisted with ball park figures
> 
> The roast logs are a great resource though some care is required with roast times as some genes are less/ more poweful and home voltages can vary. The gene's great advantage is that you can view progress though I still struggle to hear 1c.


They look really nice.

I seem to have one of those less powerful gene's, so I tend not to follow any roast logs, I just go with the flow and adjust as I go along.


----------



## ronsil

iroko said:


> I seem to have one of those less powerful gene's, so I tend not to follow any roast logs, I just go with the flow and adjust as I go along.


Out of curiosity do you have a 240v or a 230v element fitted.?

Up to 2007 they all came with 230v elements & there are still one or two knocking about now. Without a mod they do perform differently to the current 240v. If yours is a 230v dfk41 (David) can tell you a lot about the mod he did on his.


----------



## iroko

The label on the back say's 240v with date of Nov 22/10, and I purchased machine from BB in april 11, so It should be 240v.

I recently disassembled the machine to see If the mesh and fan were clogged up with dust, but It was very clean inside.

On the label inside It has got 230v written on It ?, is this normal, has any one else taken their's apart and noticed this.


----------



## iroko

Roasted 250g Columbia Suarez today

Pre heated gene to 100 instead of going from cold

I didn't hear 1st crack but 2nd started at about 14.5 mins at 241 and was rolling at about 15 mins

Ended roast at 16 mins

Voltage was between 233.1 to 237.9, I also noticed voltage was better a bit later on so next time I'll roast a bit later.


----------



## GS11

iroko said:


> The label on the back say's 240v with date of Nov 22/10, and I purchased machine from BB in april 11, so It should be 240v.
> 
> I recently disassembled the machine to see If the mesh and fan were clogged up with dust, but It was very clean inside.
> 
> On the label inside It has got 230v written on It ?, is this normal, has any one else taken their's apart and noticed this.


Believe 230v label on the board is correct but will check mine also. Were you able to see what the heater element was rated at? I think it is also possible to ascertain voltage of the element by measuring resistance with a multimeter.



iroko said:


> Roasted 250g Columbia Suarez today
> 
> Pre heated gene to 100 instead of going from cold
> 
> I didn't hear 1st crack but 2nd started at about 14.5 mins at 241 and was rolling at about 15 mins
> 
> Ended roast at 16 mins
> 
> Voltage was between 233.1 to 237.9, I also noticed voltage was better a bit later on so next time I'll roast a bit later.


Whatever your voltages are Pete the end result is looking very good


----------



## iroko

Thanks Graham,I didn't think of looking at the element but looking at photo you can just make out element is 240v.

I really like these beans, I've only got enough for one more roast







, but plenty of new beans to go through.


----------



## GS11

Roasted 2 x 250g batches this afternoon

*Costa Rica Tarrazu SHB* (bella barista)

  

Voltages were way down today around about 235v..... I get 240v plus on Sundays. I put this down to living close to a town centre.

Usual 100c pre-heat chamber but experimented with a lower 225c roast temp producing a longer roast time of 16min

Was aiming for a medium to dark medium roast this time round.

  

Lot's of chaff with these beans during the roast and remaining chaff came away nicely using the colanders.

  

Look forward to trying brewed via V60 in 3 days time.


----------



## ronsil

Beans look nice & even.

Bit light for me (espresso) but probably excellent for brewed.


----------



## GS11

ronsil said:


> Beans look nice & even.
> 
> Bit light for me (espresso) but probably excellent for brewed.


Thanks Ron. I drink more brewed than espresso and like to aim roast wise to acommodate the two.

I see that Tarrazu will also work well Full City and look forward to try out a darker roast with some of the remaining beans in the future.


----------



## iroko

Nice roast, also probably a bit light for me as well, interested to see what the future darker roast will be like.


----------



## GS11

iroko said:


> Nice roast, also probably a bit light for me as well, interested to see what the future darker roast will be like.


Cheers Pete

I might have a go with a darker roast for espresso this coming Sunday

...How is the Suarez developing?


----------



## iroko

Started using It Saturday, grinder to fine, tamp to hard and a very long pour but teamed with some full fat Jersey milk It was delicious, very dark

chocolate taste. Eased up the grinder and tamp and a lovely smooth chocolaty taste, I really like this bean.


----------



## froggystyle

Nice even roast that, have to agree looks a little light.

Will be interesting to know how they taste when rested.

I havent roasted for a while now due to not having time, but might fire up the roaster tonight as i have run out of my Jagong village.


----------



## ronsil

Its best to try & look ahead a bit if you possibly can to avoid using too soon after roasting.

Saves a lot of disappointment.


----------



## froggystyle

ronsil said:


> Its best to try & look ahead a bit if you possibly can to avoid using too soon after roasting.
> 
> Saves a lot of disappointment.


Thats the hard bit i find, i am itching to slurp them after two days....


----------



## froggystyle

So just knocked out another Jagong village, really not happy with the final outcome, the colour difference between the beans is massive, some are looking nice and dark, some are looking not even light roast!

Hard to see maybe with the photo as its a phone camera!

Lets see what they taste like in a few days...

View attachment 5844


----------



## coffeechap

that doesnt look good man


----------



## ronsil

You will not like the taste of those methinks. They have the appearance of too many beans roasting at one time.

Did you increase the amount on what you normally do?


----------



## froggystyle

Thinking about it i may have done 250g in that one, last time i did 230g... Bugger!


----------



## froggystyle

More beans for the bag, the bag that will be used for dialing in a grinder, if i ever get one!


----------



## squirge

2nd attempt with Whirley Pop. About 400g, slow c. 19 mins and fairly cool. Not very even, but drinkable I hope.


----------



## froggystyle

Looks a little uneven, but let us know how they taste in a few days!


----------



## GS11

Monday's medium roasted Costa Rica Tarrazu is working really well as a brewed coffee via v60 and Aeropress....Clean bright acidity, sweet toffee apple with a light /medium body...... I really like this coffee in the morning.

Thought I would aim for a darker roasted coffee for my espresso machine today and went for *Guatamala Huehuetenango SHB* from my supplies (which seem to be stacking up in the hallway







)

  

  

This is 250g with roast temp of 236c which i knocked back to 228c after 1st crack. Roast time 16 minutes (Voltage good at 238-9v throughout). Roast seems to be a bit uneven with what I think appears to be singeing present on some of the beans. Though not a roast for the bin, certainly room for improvement for the remaining greens.

I'm thinking my Gene gets up to roast temperature really quickly (6mins) and perhaps a longer drying time at lower temp may be the way ahead?


----------



## Daren

Graham - they look great. I'm going to rename you the roast King of Chelmsford. Your hallway was reminiscent of one of those hoarder programs you see on tv where people can't move around their houses from collecting stuff







(ok - a bit of an exaggeration, but if I come back in 6 months.....?)


----------



## GS11

Daren said:


> Graham - they look great. I'm going to rename you the roast King of Chelmsford. Your hallway was reminiscent of one of those hoarder programs you see on tv where people can't move around their houses from collecting stuff
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> (ok - a bit of an exaggeration, but if I come back in 6 months.....?)


Cheers Daz time for a hallway spring clean soon









...did you get a chance to try out the Nicaragua El Buey from the other week?


----------



## Daren

Absolutely love them - currently using them in my Aeropress at work. Really smooth clean cup. Yummy.

I've got some beans for you as a then you. I'll pop them around this week if you are about.


----------



## ronsil

Good idea to try and extend the drying time but also maybe increase your starting weight a tad.


----------



## GS11

ronsil said:


> Good idea to try and extend the drying time but also maybe increase your starting weight a tad.


Thanks Ron. The only issue with increasing the start weight is the effect it will have on remaining quantity of beans i.e. 250g works well with the 1kg lots from BB. Would like to keep at 250g if possible and play with temp/time profile.

I am experimenting with lots of different beans and this in itself provides an interesting variable to overcome. Keeping roast logs are invaluable in this respect


----------



## ronsil

Absolutely see your point using 250s otherwise easy to end up with a melange of unusable beans.

Do some temp adjustments & see what you get.


----------



## iroko

GS11 said:


> Monday's medium roasted Costa Rica Tarrazu is working really well as a brewed coffee via v60 and Aeropress....Clean bright acidity, sweet toffee apple with a light /medium body...... I really like this coffee in the morning.
> 
> Thought I would aim for a darker roasted coffee for my espresso machine today and went for *Guatamala Huehuetenango SHB* from my supplies (which seem to be stacking up in the hallway
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> )
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> This is 250g with roast temp of 236c which i knocked back to 228c after 1st crack. Roast time 16 minutes (Voltage good at 238-9v throughout). Roast seems to be a bit uneven with what I think appears to be singeing present on some of the beans. Though not a roast for the bin, certainly room for improvement for the remaining greens.
> 
> I'm thinking my Gene gets up to roast temperature really quickly (6mins) and perhaps a longer drying time at lower temp may be the way ahead?


I've had a few roasts with a bit of singeing, not quite as much as this but they always tasted ok.

We need to sort out a meet so I can get my half of the bb bulk buy out of your way.


----------



## GS11

iroko said:


> I've had a few roasts with a bit of singeing, not quite as much as this but they always tasted ok.
> 
> We need to sort out a meet so I can get my half of the bb bulk buy out of your way.


Cheers pete, I'm sure they will be drinkable. Just need to cut back on the temps next time.

Will drop you a pm regards meeting up re greens


----------



## DavecUK

GS11 said:


> Monday's medium roasted Costa Rica Tarrazu is working really well as a brewed coffee via v60 and Aeropress....Clean bright acidity, sweet toffee apple with a light /medium body...... I really like this coffee in the morning.
> 
> Thought I would aim for a darker roasted coffee for my espresso machine today and went for *Guatamala Huehuetenango SHB* from my supplies (which seem to be stacking up in the hallway
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> )
> 
> I'm thinking my Gene gets up to roast temperature really quickly (6mins) and perhaps a longer drying time at lower temp may be the way ahead?


The roast looks a little problematic here, I'm guessing that the gene is coming up to temperature 9or tempes near your preset temp) really quite fast, then the element is switching on/off a lot, (or your even getting overheat element switching, if it's chaffy?). The element switching full on/full off, will act to reduce the overall heat input accounting for the 16m roast, but the full on full off nature, still won't prevent the steep temperature gradient across the roasting chamber, from quite an early point in the reast. Hence the singing and unevenness.

I'm going to assume you have not modified your Gene, so it's going to be difficult to change the way this roasts by controlling element power. You need to try and slow the initial ramp, so that the element is on all the time, but not as hot...this you can't really do by setting a lower temp initially and then raising it, because you will have an overly long roast. Increasing the charge to 300g, will probably make the problem worse, because that restricts airflow, so even steeper chamber gradient and more element switching.

So to try and get a decent roast from that coffee:

1. While its still cold, roast it at night in an unheated workshop/garage

2. Roast it when voltage is lower if you can

3. Do the gene mod, if you got really good voltage, just do the stage 1 mod and add a switch for passthru (otherwise you loose around 70W) and leave the 240V element.

Dave


----------



## GS11

Many thanks Dave will take a good look at the stage 1 dimmer mod

http://coffeetime.wikidot.com/gene-cafe-dimmer-control-modification


----------



## froggystyle

Intersting posts!

Been thinking back to my last roast, i weighed 250g and followed the profile i noted from the last roast of the bean, i didnt write down the start weight though, but thinking back i am now sure i used 250g both times.

I did nothg different apart from drop it a little earlier to try and get slightly lighter roast.

After reading Daves post, it kind of makes sense that the last roast i did was when the weather was colder, last friday was quite mild and the house was nice and warm as the heating was on.

Think i may have to look at the dimmer mod also!


----------



## froggystyle

froggystyle said:


> So just knocked out another Jagong village, really not happy with the final outcome, the colour difference between the beans is massive, some are looking nice and dark, some are looking not even light roast!
> 
> Hard to see maybe with the photo as its a phone camera!
> 
> Lets see what they taste like in a few days...
> 
> View attachment 5844


Tried these last night, didnt even finish the pour over, i could tell from the smell they were not good...

Hate wasting beans!


----------



## GS11

^^^ Froggy.... You seem to be having similar issues to me. Certain beans and darker roasts seem to have this affect.

Pete ( Iroko) seems to get good even results with darker roasts which I think are a due to having lower home voltages.....which I know are somewhat lower than mine.

Ultimately the Dimmer mod looks like the way forward to improve roast quality and control the variables of voltage & ambient temps.

Before I head down this route I'm going to try the following which is completely opposite to my current roasting method.

1. No warm up ( gene's already getting up to temps to quickly)

2. Roast when volts are lower. I read somewhere about long extension leads lowering voltage ..... Would this assist?

3 Roasting outside is also an option albeit I chose the gene for it's ability to be used indoors.

4 Monitor and record temps more closely during the roast.


----------



## froggystyle

I checked my mad scribblings this morning, i actually roasted it slightly different to the last time

Think i may try them again but with the exact profile as my good roast.

One think i did notice as you have mentioned above, the warm up time was a lot less due to the weather.


----------



## DavidBondy

Today's roast of 250g of Old Brown Java.


Started the Gene at 220deg / 20min.

Held at 220deg for one min.

Increase to 230deg.

Held at 230deg for one min.

Increase to 245deg and wait until it looks right.

Started a quick cool at 16min (i.e. -4min).


It may be too dark for some but in 8-10 days it'll be perfect for my tastes!










David


----------



## froggystyle

Woah they look dark!

Dont think i dare take any beans that dark, although tempted now as i like a nice dark roast!


----------



## ronsil

DavidBondy said:


> Today's roast of 250g of Old Brown Java. It may be too dark for some but in 8-10 days it'll be perfect for my tastes!


Now thats how I enjoy my Beans. They look great.

MM taken to this high roast & left long enough to rest come into their own at this level of roast.


----------



## DavidBondy

Ron, I could not agree more. It just needs (a) courage and (b) experience to know just how dark to push them!

David


----------



## GS11

DavidBondy said:


> Today's roast of 250g of Old Brown Java.
> 
> 
> Started the Gene at 220deg / 20min.
> 
> Held at 220deg for one min.
> 
> Increase to 230deg.
> 
> Held at 230deg for one min.
> 
> Increase to 245deg and wait until it looks right.
> 
> Started a quick cool at 16min (i.e. -4min).
> 
> 
> It may be too dark for some but in 8-10 days it'll be perfect for my tastes!
> 
> David


Nice beans ......Looking very good quality David.

What was your ambient temp and voltage during roast?

Do you pre-warm chamber?

Cheers


----------



## DavidBondy

I didn't check either the ambient temperature or the voltage - I've got a voltage meter I bought from Glenn but forgot to use it!

The Gene lives in a warm cupboard and I do not generally pre-warm it.

I kind of break all the "rules" and do most of it by the un-calibrated Mk 1 human eyeball.

I've been roasting so long it just seems to work without being too scientific!

David


----------



## iroko

DavidBondy said:


> Today's roast of 250g of Old Brown Java.
> 
> 
> Started the Gene at 220deg / 20min.
> 
> Held at 220deg for one min.
> 
> Increase to 230deg.
> 
> Held at 230deg for one min.
> 
> Increase to 245deg and wait until it looks right.
> 
> Started a quick cool at 16min (i.e. -4min).
> 
> 
> It may be too dark for some but in 8-10 days it'll be perfect for my tastes!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> David


They look nice and dark, I used to roast as dark as this but tend to roast a bit lighter now.

Like you I tend to roast by eye and trust my judgement of when to start cooling, seems to work for me.


----------



## froggystyle

Just finished another batch of the Jagong village, followed the first roast exactly, apart from the end, took it another two minutes to darken it more (Inspired by Davids beans)

Nice even colouring, no chaff left.

Fingers crossed they taste as good as the first roast, just a little darker!

Photo does not really show them in a good light, must get my camera out!

View attachment 5907


----------



## DavidBondy

Totally agree iroko. No substitute for experience!! DB


----------



## DavidBondy

froggystyle said:


> Just finished another batch of the Jagong village, followed the first roast exactly, apart from the end, took it another two minutes to darken it more (Inspired by Davids beans)
> 
> View attachment 5907


Looking good. Glad you're giving them just a little more time. I really think a darker roast brings out the best when used for espresso.

It does seem that darker roasts tend to more evenness of colour.

Enjoy!!!


----------



## iroko

froggystyle said:


> Just finished another batch of the Jagong village, followed the first roast exactly, apart from the end, took it another two minutes to darken it more (Inspired by Davids beans)
> 
> Nice even colouring, no chaff left.
> 
> Fingers crossed they taste as good as the first roast, just a little darker!
> 
> Photo does not really show them in a good light, must get my camera out!
> 
> View attachment 5907


 Hope you enjoy these, looking nice and dark.


----------



## froggystyle

Sitting on my hands for three days now!!

Bit of an issue now though, got 200g left of this bean as Rave's bags are 950g and done 3 x 250g roasts.

How should i go about roasting only 200g, lower the heat? lower the time?


----------



## DavecUK

Do you guys ever get together to roast?

Also, here is a thought. See if you find some sample colours, perhaps off a paint/woodstain chart. Or perhaps someones got a really good printer (home/work and can print a selection of shades of brown and name each shade. People send a self addressed envelope with stamp to one address and they get distributed. Then when you talk about how dark the roast is, you can refer to a shade number and you will all be looking at the same thing.

http://www.sweetmarias.com/roasting-COLORTILES-SM.jpg


----------



## GS11

froggystyle said:


> Sitting on my hands for three days now!!
> 
> Bit of an issue now though, got 200g left of this bean as Rave's bags are 950g and done 3 x 250g roasts.
> 
> How should i go about roasting only 200g, lower the heat? lower the time?


Froggy you may need to allow a longer roast time for the 200g

When I was roasting Rave's quantity I simply divided the 950g by 4


----------



## GS11

DavecUK said:


> Do you guys ever get together to roast?


Claudette had a roasting demo with the gene at last years BB forum meet.

Have since popped round Pete's (Iroko) too see him roast some yirgacheffe ..... Which turned out very nice


----------



## froggystyle

GS11 said:


> Froggy you may need to allow a longer roast time for the 200g
> 
> When I was roasting Rave's quantity I simply divided the 950g by 4


Yeah kind of realised half way through my 3rd roast of said bean!

Will keep the same temp and see how it develops!


----------



## ronsil

DavecUK said:


> here is a thought. See if you find some sample colours, perhaps off a paint/woodstain chart, perhaps someones got a really good printer (home/work and can print them. All the shades of brown and name each shade. Then when you talk about how dark the roast is, you can refer to a shade number and you will all be looking at the same thing.


Thats a very useful idea Dave, thank you.

Some tme ago I put up some sample colours in the Roasting Aids thread. Here they are again:

View attachment 5926


View attachment 5927


I have printed & laminated these small tiles & they can be related to the Colour Chart on Sweet Marias website.

I used to find them very useful when I first got into computer roasting with my Hottops.

I'd be very happy to print out some sheets which you could then cut up into tiles & laminate them.

Express your interest & over the next month I could do some printing & post out to you.

Can't promise sooner as I will be rather busy bedding-in my new EK43.


----------



## oop north

I have just been thinking I need to get more organised with my roasting - had the gene 10 months now (got through about 18kg). Started by being somewhat random (not keeping notes and just working my way through a BB bulk buy - later topped up by two more!): just judge by watching how the colour develops: although there is a bit of a tendency to get it wrong a fair amount of time, overall the exercise is worthwhile (better than I can buy from the supermarket even if being on here i have learned that the proper roasters can do better than me!).

But i also need to learn more about what I am trying to achieve. Have quite enjoyed being random so far, but trying to take some notes (despite that being a very tedious thing to do). Did some Nicaraguan 3 weeks ago that was underdone (though the colour looked quite nice - medium rather than light - similar to the bottom picture above) but yesterday's Costa Rican is looking more promising...


----------



## froggystyle

I knocked up some basic word docs, they have the following options to fill in when roasting,

Bean Name

Date

Pre Heat temp

Pre Heat time

Start temp

Start time (On Genie)

1st temp adjustment time and temp

2nd temp adjustment time and temp

3rd temp adjustment time and temp

4th temp adjustment time and temp

1st crack

2nd crack

dump time

visual comments

I find just totting these down whilst the roast is underway is no issue, once i build a good pile of them i shall look to transfer to an excel sheet so i can run reports or cross reference key parts.

Random is fun, till you end up with more bad beans than good beans


----------



## froggystyle

Just chucked my last 210g of the jagong through, decided to follow the same profile as before and see what happens. End result was pretty much same as last time, nice dark even roast!

Gotta admit that these jagong beans have been my favourite so far out of my three greens i bought.

Next up will be the indian bean rave have..


----------



## DavecUK

Well unless your all doing this, here is a little tip that will instantly improve your roasting with respect to ending the roast at the desired colour level.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Silverline-Tools-459873-Hanging-Light/dp/B002QS0SLA/ref=sr_1_4?s=diy&ie=UTF8&qid=1395360005&sr=1-4&keywords=halogen+lamp

Get something like the lamp in the link above from your local DIY.

1. It must be halogen NOT LED

2. It must be 100 -150W (preferably 150W)

3. You must use it all the time when roasting, whether its dark or bright sunshine.

Halogen is relatively white with a high CRI (Colour Rendering Index), it needs to be really bright, because you want to overpower all other sources of light. This then gives you the same reference light to judge your roasts by in all conditions. All commercial roasters do this. The lamp should shine directly onto the roasting chamber, or tryer area. You only need to switch it on during the last minute or so of the roast.


----------



## froggystyle

Another item on my long list Dave ?


----------



## froggystyle

Drinking the last Jagong this morning, took this one 2 minutes further than previous roast to 16 minutes.

Nice dark oily beans, rich flavour, but to be honest i think i preferred the other roast at 14 minutes, more flavour to it, this one tastes a little to rich.

Now waiting for the indian peddabayallu green beans to arrive, plus i got some roasted ones and a bag of roasted fudge!


----------



## oop north

Just ordered a halogen light - thanks for the link Dave


----------



## oop north

Last week's Costa Rican roast made a passable drink with milk through Mr Boots' Londinium yesterday - for some reason not as good as Londinium beans(!) but still very drinkable


----------



## iroko

Not roasted today but last thursday when I went to GS11 to pick up some green beans and check out the Brewtus.

After a tasty cappa on the Brewtus we did a couple of roasts on the gene.

I haven't got the stats of the roasts, but we experimented a bit.

Columbia Suarez on the left and Guatamala Huehuetenango shb on the right.

Looking foward to trying these in about a weeks time.


----------



## froggystyle

Left one looks a nice even roast!

Need to fire up mine this week and have a crack at the Indian peddabayallu i picked up from Rave!


----------



## GS11

iroko said:


> Not roasted today but last thursday when I went to GS11 to pick up some green beans and check out the Brewtus.
> 
> After a tasty cappa on the Brewtus we did a couple of roasts on the gene.
> 
> I haven't got the stats of the roasts, but we experimented a bit.
> 
> Columbia Suarez on the left and Guatamala Huehuetenango shb on the right.
> 
> Looking foward to trying these in about a weeks time.


Cheers Pete







stats on the evening were...

Indoors ambient 18c

Voltage 238v

We incorporated a drying phase of 150c held for 5 mins.

>245c until 1st crack and drop to 230c until end of roast

Genie cool down until 160c then E-dump (seems to give a better finish)

Still getting some cycling at upper temps but lifting the lid improved this. Will try lower volts on my next roast to slow rate of rise.

Slight scorching still evident on the huehue on some of the smaller beans but not on the suarez....maybe a bean issue?.

Hearing 1st crack indoors on the gene is still a hurdle ....though next am going to experiment with some listening equipment I have access too.


----------



## froggystyle

GS11 said:


> Still getting some cycling at upper temps but lifting the lid improved this. Will try lower volts on my next roast to slow rate of rise.
> 
> Hearing 1st crack indoors on the gene is still a hurdle ....though next am going to experiment with some listening equipment I have access too.


When you say lifting the lid, do you mean the little plastic cover over the drum??

I nabbed a stethoscope out of my sample box today, i buy medical products at work! Gonna give this a go on my next roast!


----------



## iroko

The cover over the drum was lifted, to try and loose some heat.

I've tried a stethoscope, but It amplifies all the back ground noise as well, so I still found It hard to hear any of the cracks.


----------



## froggystyle

Plan to roast some Indian peddabayallu tonight, not roasted for a while as been busy with the classic!

Anyone got any tips for Indian beans?

Cheers


----------



## froggystyle

Just finished the Indian bean.

Warmed the beast up to 100 today as its a little warmer at the minute and house was toasty!

Dropped 250g in.

Set temp 235 and hit this in 10 mins

Dropped to 230 at 12 mins

E Stop beans at 14 mins and took outside for a cooling.

Nice even roast, didnt take it dark, but a little over medium roast i would say.

The camera on my phone is so bad as they look really dark in this one, but they are a little lighter.

Bagged the beans straight up and will be posting them tomorrow to a forum member who kindly sent me some baskets to play with.

View attachment 6144


----------



## Jason1wood

Ooo that'll be me then.


----------



## froggystyle

It will be mate, if you send me your address....


----------



## iroko

Roasted Kenya Elephant sat afternoon, voltage was good 239.1 - 240.6

I think 1st crack was about 12min 25 secs, but not sure, I didn't hear 2nd crak

Temp was 235 dropping to 230 near end of roast

Roast time 16 mins, mild temp with no draught coming through window.


----------



## ronsil

Interested to hear what they taste like when they are ready.

Possibly the photo but they look a little 'bitty'. Were the beans like that as greens?

Never know they might taste excellent. Keep us informed.


----------



## DavecUK

ronsil said:


> Interested to hear what they taste like when they are ready.
> 
> Possibly the photo but they look a little 'bitty'. Were the beans like that as greens?
> 
> Never know they might taste excellent. Keep us informed.


 Ron do you mean the photo of the Kenya Elephant roasted coffee from Iroko, if you do, they're OK, meant to look like that and it looks as if it was a nice roast, should taste good.


----------



## GS11

iroko said:


> Roasted Kenya Elephant sat afternoon, voltage was good 239.1 - 240.6
> 
> I think 1st crack was about 12min 25 secs, but not sure, I didn't hear 2nd crak
> 
> Temp was 235 dropping to 230 near end of roast
> 
> Roast time 16 mins, mild temp with no draught coming through window.


Very nice colour Pete.

Notice some of the beans seem not whole i.e. they look like shells (excuse my terminology)

I get this on some of my roasts...is it to do with the roasting process or type/quality of bean?


----------



## GS11

Just did a quick roast today of 250g Monsooned Malabar - Medium Roast For Brewed.










Followed my previous profile which I got off the Wikidot RoastLogs

Ambient 19c Volts 238-9v

Pre-warmed to 200c > beans in @100c >226c untill finish

1st crack was really noticeable @ 11.20

Pulled roast 30secs later than my previous roast @14.40 > E-Dump

Looking forward to trying these on Tuesday in the Aeropress


----------



## iroko

ronsil said:


> Interested to hear what they taste like when they are ready.
> 
> Possibly the photo but they look a little 'bitty'. Were the beans like that as greens?
> 
> Never know they might taste excellent. Keep us informed.


I thought they looked a bit funny, I hope they taste good.


----------



## iroko

DavecUK said:


> Ron do you mean the photo of the Kenya Elephant roasted coffee from Iroko, if you do, they're OK, meant to look like that and it looks as if it was a nice roast, should taste good.


Thanks, I'm glad that's what they should look like.

I'll update on taste next week.


----------



## iroko

GS11 said:


> Very nice colour Pete.
> 
> Notice some of the beans seem not whole i.e. they look like shells (excuse my terminology)
> 
> I get this on some of my roasts...is it to do with the roasting process or type/quality of bean?


Not had this before, DavecUK say's ok.


----------



## iroko

GS11 said:


> Just did a quick roast today of 250g Monsooned Malabar - Medium Roast For Brewed.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Followed my previous profile which I got off the Wikidot RoastLogs
> 
> Ambient 19c Volts 238-9v
> 
> Pre-warmed to 200c > beans in @100c >226c untill finish
> 
> 1st crack was really noticeable @ 11.20
> 
> Pulled roast 30secs later than my previous roast @14.40 > E-Dump
> 
> Looking forward to trying these on Tuesday in the Aeropress


Don't drink to much Graham.


----------



## GS11

iroko said:


> Don't drink to much Graham.


My favourite bean and yep only one cup for me









This stuff works great in aeropress really foams up when you are brewing it. Loads of body well balanced/ low acidity.


----------



## froggystyle

GS11 said:


> Just did a quick roast today of 250g Monsooned Malabar - Medium Roast For Brewed.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Followed my previous profile which I got off the Wikidot RoastLogs
> 
> Ambient 19c Volts 238-9v
> 
> Pre-warmed to 200c > beans in @100c >226c untill finish
> 
> 1st crack was really noticeable @ 11.20
> 
> Pulled roast 30secs later than my previous roast @14.40 > E-Dump
> 
> Looking forward to trying these on Tuesday in the Aeropress


Thats a nice looking roast!


----------



## froggystyle

Where did you get your green MM from GS11?


----------



## froggystyle

iroko said:


> Roasted Kenya Elephant sat afternoon, voltage was good 239.1 - 240.6
> 
> I think 1st crack was about 12min 25 secs, but not sure, I didn't hear 2nd crak
> 
> Temp was 235 dropping to 230 near end of roast
> 
> Roast time 16 mins, mild temp with no draught coming through window.


Have you had a cheeky sample of these yet iroko?


----------



## GS11

froggystyle said:


> Where did you get your green MM from GS11?


Hi Froggy

Monsooned Malabar AA. They were part of the December BB bulk buy.

Lovely quality beans. I would like to buy some more at some stage......though have 13kg of various green in stock at the moment.

They are my favourite bean of all that I have roasted so far.


----------



## froggystyle

Thanks GS11, missed out on that bulk buy!

Think i might take a punt on the ones i found on Ebay, price looks good!


----------



## ronsil

Rave have got some green MM at £9.95 for nearly a kilo.

I've always found these to be nice whole green beans. No bits or sub standard.

Take care on ebay, some ebay beans can be rough.


----------



## DavecUK

froggystyle said:


> Thanks GS11, missed out on that bulk buy!
> 
> Think i might take a punt on the ones i found on Ebay, price looks good!


Im actually doing another large bulk buy for Bella Barista at the moment, there is AA grade Monsooned Malabar available, so am going to add it into the bulk buy.So don't buy too much before then...bulk buy availability would probably be a few weeks, unless I also choose a coffee that they need to wait to become available (I sometimes have to do that or you can't get the good stuff, because it gets hoovered up so fast).


----------



## froggystyle

Will deffo go for the bulk buy this time..


----------



## GS11

Hi froggy. Green MM will not look the same as the other beans you have roasted so far. It's a large pale yellow bean - will post a pic up later


----------



## DavecUK

GS11 said:


> Hi froggy. Green MM will not look the same as the other beans you have roasted so far. It's a large pale yellow bean - will post a pic up later


it's also very bulky for weight, so 2kg looks like 2.6kg.....and it's fragile....so you need lower temperatures and lower charge...e.g. a Gene CBR-101 can take around 275g max, with MM, you would charge abou 25% say 200g.


----------



## GS11

DavecUK said:


> it's also very bulky for weight, so 2kg looks like 2.6kg.....and it's fragile....so you need lower temperatures and lower charge...e.g. a Gene CBR-101 can take around 275g max, with MM, you would charge abou 25% say 200g.


I'm not sure how I got away with 250g in the genie!....came out well but I know I was over the limit. MM must be quite forgiving in this respect.

Here's the pic of the BB Monsooned Malabar AA greens










MM is on the right against Honduras shb for comparison


----------



## DavecUK

GS11 said:


> I'm not sure how I got away with 250g in the genie!....came out well but I know I was over the limit. MM must be quite forgiving in this respect.


Unfortunately it's not...it would have really filled that roasting chamber and you get quite a steep temperature gradient forming also the Gene would have in all probability started the old "element switching". It's forgiving in terms of it should roast really even and with no scorching or Divots. I would be surprised if it didn't have some scorching which affects taste. I know it was probably a while ago, but try 225g and see how you get on and how it tastes....difficult to compare unless the coffees are side by side. Just thought some more, the gene is meant to be able to take 300g, even though we all put 250 or 275g in it...so you may have just got away with it at 250g, easier next time though to do 225g.

In the CBR -1200 I only charge with 750g to roast it....if you're roasting OBJ, the same sort of thing would apply...although it doesn't seem to expand as much.

Note to self: get 4 kg of OBJ on monday


----------



## GS11

DavecUK said:


> Unfortunately it's not...it would have really filled that roasting chamber and you get quite a steep temperature gradient forming also the Gene would have in all probability started the old "element switching". It's forgiving in terms of it should roast really even and with no scorching or Divots. I would be surprised if it didn't have some scorching which affects taste. I know it was probably a while ago, but try 225g and see how you get on and how it tastes....difficult to compare unless the coffees are side by side. Just thought some more, the gene is meant to be able to take 300g, even though we all put 250 or 275g in it...so you may have just got away with it at 250g, easier next time though to do 225g.
> 
> In the CBR -1200 I only charge with 750g to roast it....if you're roasting OBJ, the same sort of thing would apply...although it doesn't seem to expand as much.
> 
> Note to self: get 4 kg of OBJ on monday


Hi Davec posted up my 250g MM roast last sunday

http://coffeeforums.co.uk/showthread.php?11791-Todays-Roast&p=159634#post159634

You were right about the cycling...

will try 225g next time.

Not tried obj yet....guess I've got that experience too look forward too


----------



## iroko

Started using these Friday, shot ran too fast but had a nice cappa.

I had more time today to set the grinder up and had a couple of fantastic cappa's, very smooth, with a quality milk chocolate taste.

I'm really liking these.


----------



## DavecUK

iroko said:


> Started using these Friday, shot ran too fast but had a nice cappa.
> 
> I had more time today to set the grinder up and had a couple of fantastic cappa's, very smooth, with a quality milk chocolate taste.
> 
> I'm really liking these.


It can be good in milk, but you have to definitely reduce the amount of mil you would normally use....and as you noticed, you rally have to grind a lot finer with MM. In the vesuvius with a long Infusion you have to grind really really fine. I think it can get to the point where it's too fine and I would use a different pressure profile for MM to avoid that extreeme finness of grind.

Which leads on to an interesting point....as some coffees have quite different grind levels for the same extraction time under constant pressure..should I be using the pressure profiles on the Vesuvius to equalise this more, so that rather than changing grind, I change profile, for a particular coffees. I don't know the answer to this. It would seem to be another area I need to explore?


----------



## froggystyle

I run my last roast yesterday, 3 days into rest, not good! Ran very fast 11 secs, so will leave another 4 days and test again.


----------



## iroko

Good things come to those that wait.


----------



## froggystyle

Got no more beans though....


----------



## GS11

Roasted a 260g El Buey batch producing 230g of medium roast for v60/aeropress.

El Buey

I've used a 5min 160c drying phase > 236c to 1st crack > reduce to 230c

Total roast time = 14m50s > E-dump.

Also experimented with dropping the voltage of the gene to reduce cycling/scorching. Used a 10m long extension cable.... this dropped volts from 241v to 236v.










They've turned out ok, though feel still room for improvement

I'll try these brewed after a couple of days rest:coffee:


----------



## ronsil

GS11 said:


> Used a 10m long extension cable.... this dropped volts from 241v to 236v.


Now that's a simple way of doing it. Very interesting.

Beans look OK


----------



## GS11

ronsil said:


> Now that's a simple way of doing it. Very interesting.
> 
> Beans look OK


Thanks Ron

I did read somewhere about avoiding the use of extension leads with roasters due to reduction in voltage over a given length of cable. Thought I would use this info to my advantage and a 10m cable seemed to do the job.


----------



## DavecUK

GS11 said:


> Roasted a 260g El Buey batch producing 230g of medium roast for v60/aeropress.
> 
> El Buey
> 
> I've used a 5min 160c drying phase > 236c to 1st crack > reduce to 230c
> 
> Total roast time = 14m50s > E-dump.
> 
> Also experimented with dropping the voltage of the gene to reduce cycling/scorching. Used a 10m long extension cable.... this dropped volts from 241v to 236v.
> 
> They've turned out ok, though feel still room for improvement
> 
> I'll try these brewed after a couple of days rest:coffee:


The only problem with the extension cable is the drop in voltage also affects the motor speed, so it's a little self defeating and can increase the temperature gradient in the roaster.

Something else to consider...a lot of people try to go too fast in a Gene without realising there is very little thermal mass in the roaster itself, so when putting the beans in you can pretty much discount the 1st minute as the beans start to come up to temp. When you drop at say 150 -170 or whatever in a big drum roaster, there's massive thermal mass and the beans come up to temp very fast. You could try no drying phase, push the beans along to 1st, then drop from 236C...because the beans will not have lost as much moisture, they will get some protection from scorching and you can drop the temperature slightly earlier and more progressively during the 1st crack. if you dry for like 5m, which is quite a long time...the beans are extra fragile at 1st crack...which is your highest temperature and where the temp gradient in the chamber gets really steep.

the other thing to do is the gene mod, but you might well have to change to a 230V element to get the best success and use a power meter. to not go above 1200W, unless it's really cold ambient temps. This way you can really control all aspects of the roast including ramp time. The dimmer I used is good, but recentlyI got one of these from e-bay...which could be even better.,

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1800W-230V-Lamp-TRIAC-dimmer-module-/271300014834?pt=UK_BOI_Electrical_Components_Supplies_ET&hash=item3f2abdb2f2

or you can get this

http://www.maplin.co.uk/p/kemo-ac-power-control-module-4000va-n85ql

If you want something super nice.


----------



## GS11

Once again thanks DaveC for the advice.

I will roll up the extension lead and put it back in the shed.

Ultimately the dimmer mod is the way forward but I will give your alternative roast profile a try and remove the drying phase.

I normally pre-heat the chamber to 200c and drop to 100c before beans in but I take it there would be no reason to pre-heat in this respect. Just beans in from cold start?

Cheers


----------



## DavecUK

GS11 said:


> Once again thanks DaveC for the advice.
> 
> I will roll up the extension lead and put it back in the shed.
> 
> Ultimately the dimmer mod is the way forward but I will give your alternative roast profile a try and remove the drying phase.
> 
> I normally pre-heat the chamber to 200c and drop to 100c before beans in but I take it there would be no reason to pre-heat in this respect. Just beans in from cold start?
> 
> Cheers


Yes, just from a cold start....and as for the mod, you will wish you had done it years ago once you do it.


----------



## cracked_bean

DavecUK said:


> ...the other thing to do is the gene mod, but you might well have to change to a 230V element to get the best success and use a power meter...


What reason is there to change to the 230V element? My roaster will be arriving end of this week with some MM greens so I am looking forward to trying them!


----------



## ronsil

Would like to keep this thread to illustrate & discuss current home roasts.

Please start another thread if you want to talk about machinery


----------



## iroko

GS11 said:


> Roasted a 260g El Buey batch producing 230g of medium roast for v60/aeropress.
> 
> El Buey
> 
> I've used a 5min 160c drying phase > 236c to 1st crack > reduce to 230c
> 
> Total roast time = 14m50s > E-dump.
> 
> Also experimented with dropping the voltage of the gene to reduce cycling/scorching. Used a 10m long extension cable.... this dropped volts from 241v to 236v.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> They've turned out ok, though feel still room for improvement
> 
> I'll try these brewed after a couple of days rest:coffee:


Hope they taste good.


----------



## froggystyle

GS11 said:


> Just did a quick roast today of 250g Monsooned Malabar - Medium Roast For Brewed.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Followed my previous profile which I got off the Wikidot RoastLogs
> 
> Ambient 19c Volts 238-9v
> 
> Pre-warmed to 200c > beans in @100c >226c untill finish
> 
> 1st crack was really noticeable @ 11.20
> 
> Pulled roast 30secs later than my previous roast @14.40 > E-Dump
> 
> Looking forward to trying these on Tuesday in the Aeropress


How did these Taste GS? Did you use any in espresso?

Have a kg from rave, so may pinch your profile if they were ok.

Dave


----------



## froggystyle

Just roasted a batch of MM, wow!

The size of the beans was impressive, then the colours in the drum amazed me, then the smoke started, and first crack was defiantly heard at 11 minutes, knocked it off at 13 mins, nice and dark!


----------



## GS11

froggystyle said:


> How did these Taste GS? Did you use any in espresso?
> 
> Have a kg from rave, so may pinch your profile if they were ok.
> 
> Dave


Hi Froggy Very nice thanks though mine are more medium roasted for brewed...I know others on here prefer them much darker (mahogany) roasted. They are great in espresso.



froggystyle said:


> Just roasted a batch of MM, wow!
> 
> The size of the beans was impressive, then the colours in the drum amazed me, then the smoke started, and first crack was defiantly heard at 11 minutes, knocked it off at 13 mins, nice and dark!


Out of all the different beans I have tried so far in the gene, the MM have given best results.

Just remember when you come to using them first time they are *very* static when grinding (add a couple of drops of water first) also you will need a finer grind for these beans compared to your usual beans.

Enjoy


----------



## froggystyle

Cheers for the tips!

Sitting on my hands now!


----------



## GS11

iroko said:


> Hope they taste good.


Hi Pete, brother popped round and I got him to roast some beans for me........ using DaveC's recommendations.

No extension lead..... though my volts were way down anyway due to time of day 234v!

No pre-warm

No drying phase

All this meant longer curve to get up to temps. I set temp to 240c and the gene did not quite reach this temp= no cycling. I reduced temp to 230c @ 45sec after 1C total roast time 14.50

They came out much better looking and smelling then the previous batch though feel had these running a little too long after 1C before turning down temps (may have missed start of 1C) still room for improvement.

Also I'm going to take Davec's recent advice and stop E-dumping which will mean ending the roast earlier to allow for coasting.


----------



## iroko

GS11 said:


> Hi Pete, brother popped round and I got him to roast some beans for me........ using DaveC's recommendations.
> 
> No extension lead..... though my volts were way down anyway due to time of day 234v!
> 
> No pre-warm
> 
> No drying phase
> 
> All this meant longer curve to get up to temps. I set temp to 240c and the gene did not quite reach this temp= no cycling. I reduced temp to 230c @ 45sec after 1C total roast time 14.50
> 
> They came out much better looking and smelling then the previous batch though feel had these running a little too long after 1C before turning down temps (may have missed start of 1C) still room for improvement.
> 
> Also I'm going to take Davec's recent advice and stop E-dumping which will mean ending the roast earlier to allow for coasting.


That looks a much more even roast, very nice.


----------



## iroko

froggystyle said:


> Just roasted a batch of MM, wow!
> 
> The size of the beans was impressive, then the colours in the drum amazed me, then the smoke started, and first crack was defiantly heard at 11 minutes, knocked it off at 13 mins, nice and dark!


Sounds like your happy with these.


----------



## iroko

Roasted Costa Rica shb Tarrazu today.

Temp set to 240 which was reached at about 13 mins

I didn't hear 1st crack, 2nd crack stated at about 14.30

Dropped temp to 235 and finished roast at 18.30 mins

Voltage was between 236.7/239.4


----------



## GS11

iroko said:


> Roasted Costa Rica shb Tarrazu today.
> 
> Temp set to 240 which was reached at about 13 mins
> 
> I didn't hear 1st crack, 2nd crack stated at about 14.30
> 
> Dropped temp to 235 and finished roast at 18.30 mins
> 
> Voltage was between 236.7/239.4


Congrats Pete. I really like that bean and looks like you really nailed that roast:good:

Did you finish with a genie cool?


----------



## iroko

First time I've roasted these, so looking forward to the weekend to try.

I think I dropped the temp to soon as It went to 18.30 mins, but It's looking good to me.

I finished with gene cool down.


----------



## ronsil

That's absolutely looking good.

Voltage varies so much in different areas as well as time of day.

You say 236- 239v at the time of roast.

My home voltage rarely falls below 245v


----------



## iroko

I seem to have my best voltage on sat afternoon, It seems more stable, hovering around the 240 mark.

I don't think mine ever goes near 245v.


----------



## hullcity

Decided on a blend to use up some odds and sods.

Batch was 250g, comprising 100g Tarrazu, 100g El Salv Coop El Progreso, 25g Tanzania Mringa, and 25g Sumatra Lintong.

Roasted at 235C in the Gene (230V), voltage was around 238V, no preheat. Dropped down to 230C 1 min after the start of first crack and hit cooling about 20 sec into 2nd crack (thought I'd go a bit darker today







). Cooled in the drum. Roast looks Full City+ to me with a bit of a sheen on the beans, weight loss was 19%.

I rarely roast blends so it'll be interesting to see how this tastes.


----------



## hullcity

And here's the chart for the latest roast.


----------



## froggystyle

Any logic in the blend, or was it just a case of what you had to hand?


----------



## hullcity

froggystyle said:


> Any logic in the blend, or was it just a case of what you had to hand?


Well, I wasn't too impressed with the Tanzania nor the Sumatra as SOs, so I thought I'd use them at 10%, plus I have very little Sumatran left. The other two are now almost finished.

Still got quite a bit of the Tanzania Mringa left, anyone have any tips on roasting this in the Gene?


----------



## froggystyle

Just done a roast of Jagong village, did the non pre heat with cool down cycle instead of e-dumping

Not chuffed with the results, cant upload photos as my phone is away for repair, but its scorched.

I did think about hitting the cooling cycle a a little earlier but the beans had a lot of chaff on them so thought i would let it run a little more.

Really have a lot to learn about roasting


----------



## ronsil

froggystyle said:


> Really have a lot to learn about roasting


Don't we all!

I've been at it for many years & every batch of same 'greens' bought from different suppliers means a different profile.


----------



## froggystyle

Funny thing is, i got the same bean from Rave, but as soon as i opened the bag it looked really chaffy!

think i might try another roast tomorrow but with the pre heat, e-dump and same profile as last time i roasted them, just to see if there is a difference.


----------



## Going banana's

ive roasted raves jagong a few times recently, i didnt get scorching just the usual mottling of Indonesian beans.


----------



## Soll

My second ever roast with Jagong, decided to go up one from my first roast to 5 on the Hottop but I assumed it would go a little darker then eject but they were looking a bit scorched with no ejection in sight so I released them to cool off! What do you guys think, are they over roasted? They smell very strong, I'll give them until Friday and give them a taste.


----------



## Going banana's

they do look quite oily (vienna roast maybe), but they might be all right as jagong does a good dark roast but ive only ever taken it to about 20-30 sec in to second crack for my dark roast and it tasted like i wouldnt want much more.

i really like the taste of the bean so i only go to city+ for most of my roasts with it.


----------



## DavecUK

Soll said:


> My second ever roast with Jagong, decided to go up one from my first roast to 5 on the Hottop but I assumed it would go a little darker then eject but they were looking a bit scorched with no ejection in sight so I released them to cool off! What do you guys think, are they over roasted? They smell very strong, I'll give them until Friday and give them a taste.


Those are for the bin.

http://coffeetime.wikidot.com/the-problem-with-forums-part2


----------



## Soll

DavecUK said:


> Those are for the bin.
> 
> http://coffeetime.wikidot.com/the-problem-with-forums-part2


Thanks for the link DaveUK! A very humorous read and very typical of what I've been going through as a home roaster at the moment but you know what ? My first roast was bloody excellent compared with my last one and the flavour kept on improving as the week went on, but for reference I want to pull a shot on the scorched beans just so I know what that colour will taste like. I have resting at the moment from Coffee Compass Sweet Bourbon Espresso blend, but also the same blend but in green form just so I know what colour to aim for.


----------



## ronsil

> What do you guys think, are they over roasted? They smell very strong, I'll give them until Friday and give them a taste.


They really in all honesty should be binned:exit:

Years ago I have been known to roast like that & endured Davec's humour. He used to put my name in flames!

Very worth another try. Give them a go but slow things down a bit


----------



## Spazbarista

Soll said:


> My second ever roast with Jagong, decided to go up one from my first roast to 5 on the Hottop but I assumed it would go a little darker then eject but they were looking a bit scorched with no ejection in sight so I released them to cool off! What do you guys think, are they over roasted? They smell very strong, I'll give them until Friday and give them a taste.


OK so you've over roasted a batch...now just an underroast to do and you are a certified Master Roaster









They are over roasted but don't bin them, they'll make excellent 'continental' roast filter coffee. They are still just about brown rather than black

To be honest you closest you want to oil is the vaguest of matt sheen.


----------



## Mouse

I tried my second roast of some Costa Rica Tarrazu San Rafael this afternoon (2 lots of 260g)

No pre-heat - I then had the power averaging about 1170w with intermittent dips/highs up to first crack.

The temp was maintained at a steady 234/235 during/after first crack using the dimmer. I'm still struggling to hear it if I'm honest, but the extra smoke definitely is an easier indication to go off anyway.

I went off sight after first crack and the roast ran for 15mins 30 seconds (slightly less than last time Dave) - Turned off/cooled down within chamber.









I'm having to resist the temptation to keep roasting after each batch though...


----------



## DavecUK

Mouse said:


> I tried my second roast of some Costa Rica Tarrazu San Rafael this afternoon (2 lots of 260g)
> 
> No pre-heat - I then had the power averaging about 1170w with intermittent dips/highs up to first crack.
> 
> The temp was maintained at a steady 134/135 during/after first crack using the dimmer. I'm still struggling to hear it if I'm honest, but the extra smoke definitely is an easier indication to go off anyway.
> 
> I went off sight after first crack and the roast ran for 15mins 30 seconds (slightly less than last time Dave) - Turned off/cooled down within chamber.
> 
> View attachment 6924
> 
> 
> I'm having to resist the temptation to keep roasting after each batch though...


Looking good...and why resist the temptation to keep roasting. You should easily get through the beans, even faster than usual if their nice. The gene can handle quite a few back to back roasts, I used to do up to 3, but I know people who do 5 on an unmodded gene. Certainly 2 batches should always be done, because once your in "the zone" so to spea, always best to do another batch.

As summer comes and it gets much warmer...then you will probably find you need even less power...to keep the same roast times, I think sometimes I was down to 1150 or even 1140 when it's really hot..


----------



## Mouse

Cheers Dave - To be honest, I felt like I could do with coming down slightly with the power today.

I'm roasting in the kitchen so the ambient temp must be up a bit from when I was with you in your garage.

I did a couple of 260g roasts today, but I've still got a few bought beans left over so I'm trying to run everything down. I can see it being a bit of an art making sure that your use ties in with what's coming up ready to use..


----------



## oop north

Did some monsoon malabar today - 4x250g. Feel like my roasts are getting a bit better, though I overdid the first lot

enjoying drinking Brazilian Santana (roast two weeks ago) with toffee flavours and Guatemalan huehuehuenangan (or something like that) roast a week ago

tying in new roast plus four days to just running out of the last lot is jolly tricky! Currently trying to have a bit too much in hand to see if that works better. Using a lot more since I got the LI


----------



## hullcity

Tried some Mexican SHG Reserva Terruno Nayarita (part of the BB bulk buy) in the Gene today. Previously with a 250g batch I had problems with element switching as these beans are very chaffy, so I went for 220g which worked out ok.

Heated to 235C, 1st crack was at 12:20 and I dropped the temp to 230C at 13:20. I was aiming to hit cooling at the start of 2nd crack, but I didn't hear it and finished the roast at 18:30 as the beans were looking pretty dark. Cooled in the drum.

Beans look full city+ to me, weight loss was 19%.

I think I may try at 240C dropping to 235 next time to speed the roast along a bit.


----------



## froggystyle

hullcity said:


> Tried some Mexican SHG Reserva Terruno Nayarita (part of the BB bulk buy) in the Gene today. Previously with a 250g batch I had problems with element switching as these beans are very chaffy, so I went for 220g which worked out ok.
> 
> Heated to 235C, 1st crack was at 12:20 and I dropped the temp to 230C at 13:20. I was aiming to hit cooling at the start of 2nd crack, but I didn't hear it and finished the roast at 18:30 as the beans were looking pretty dark. Cooled in the drum.
> 
> Beans look full city+ to me, weight loss was 19%.
> 
> I think I may try at 240C dropping to 235 next time to speed the roast along a bit.


They dont look dark, they look just right to me!


----------



## froggystyle

Soll said:


> My second ever roast with Jagong, decided to go up one from my first roast to 5 on the Hottop but I assumed it would go a little darker then eject but they were looking a bit scorched with no ejection in sight so I released them to cool off! What do you guys think, are they over roasted? They smell very strong, I'll give them until Friday and give them a taste.


I would love to be there when you try them Soll!


----------



## hullcity

froggystyle said:


> They dont look dark, they look just right to me!


Thanks Froggy, but I think the photo is a bit flattering. I normally try to aim for 4 min max between start of 1st crack and the end of the roast, so 6 min is a bit too long I feel. But then again, what matters is in the cup and I hope to get a pleasant surprise ?


----------



## Spazbarista

Hard to tell from the photo but I'd say a fraction too dark.


----------



## Soll

froggystyle said:


> I would love to be there when you try them Soll!


I get the impression it's not going to taste nice, oh well in the bin it goes then


----------



## Geordie Boy

Shiny beans do look great in photos though


----------



## froggystyle

Soll said:


> I get the impression it's not going to taste nice, oh well in the bin it goes then


Give me a go.... You never know!


----------



## Mouse

froggystyle said:


> Give me a go.... You never know!


Bit forward that mate


----------



## froggystyle

lol bloody fingers type too fast!

Give it a go!


----------



## GS11

Soll said:


>


Good try Sol

CC gave me 4kg of beans just like those.

I used them for seasoning the SJ

We referred to them as Dave's specials at the time


----------



## GS11

Mouse said:


> I tried my second roast of some Costa Rica Tarrazu San Rafael this afternoon (2 lots of 260g)
> 
> No pre-heat - I then had the power averaging about 1170w with intermittent dips/highs up to first crack.
> 
> The temp was maintained at a steady 134/135 during/after first crack using the dimmer. I'm still struggling to hear it if I'm honest, but the extra smoke definitely is an easier indication to go off anyway.
> 
> I went off sight after first crack and the roast ran for 15mins 30 seconds (slightly less than last time Dave) - Turned off/cooled down within chamber.
> 
> View attachment 6924
> 
> 
> I'm having to resist the temptation to keep roasting after each batch though...


I roasted of the tarrazu 250g batch this evening voltage was lowish @ 236v

No pre-heat just set the gene to 240 with the cover off. FC quite obvious @ 12.15 showing @ 238c (Gene did not make 240 which is good i.e. no cycling)

Dropped temp slightly after 30seconds after FC to 235c

Genie Cool at 15min

Quite happy...less scorching. i think the lower voltage and genie cool help.

Btw these are a medium to dark medium roast for brewed


----------



## Soll

GS11 said:


> Good try Sol
> 
> CC gave me 4kg of beans just like those.
> 
> I used them for seasoning the SJ
> 
> We referred to them as Dave's specials at the time












This was my first roast ever with the Hottop, not bad at all I think!


----------



## froggystyle

First time summer roasting for me.

Have noticed already on my last couple of roasts that the warmer weather is screwing up my roast logs from earlier in the year.

Would it be right in thinking you need to lower the temp or the time, or both?

Also when i roast late in the day i usually get the sun blasing through the kitchen window right on the gene, so this must come into play also!


----------



## iroko

hullcity said:


> Decided on a blend to use up some odds and sods.
> 
> Batch was 250g, comprising 100g Tarrazu, 100g El Salv Coop El Progreso, 25g Tanzania Mringa, and 25g Sumatra Lintong.
> 
> Roasted at 235C in the Gene (230V), voltage was around 238V, no preheat. Dropped down to 230C 1 min after the start of first crack and hit cooling about 20 sec into 2nd crack (thought I'd go a bit darker today
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ). Cooled in the drum. Roast looks Full City+ to me with a bit of a sheen on the beans, weight loss was 19%.
> 
> I rarely roast blends so it'll be interesting to see how this tastes.


They look good for a mix of beans, I'll give some of my left overs a try soon and see how It goes.


----------



## iroko

Soll said:


> My second ever roast with Jagong, decided to go up one from my first roast to 5 on the Hottop but I assumed it would go a little darker then eject but they were looking a bit scorched with no ejection in sight so I released them to cool off! What do you guys think, are they over roasted? They smell very strong, I'll give them until Friday and give them a taste.


I've had a few batches like that, I tried to drink them but they went in the bin.


----------



## iroko

Mouse said:


> I tried my second roast of some Costa Rica Tarrazu San Rafael this afternoon (2 lots of 260g)
> 
> No pre-heat - I then had the power averaging about 1170w with intermittent dips/highs up to first crack.
> 
> The temp was maintained at a steady 134/135 during/after first crack using the dimmer. I'm still struggling to hear it if I'm honest, but the extra smoke definitely is an easier indication to go off anyway.
> 
> I went off sight after first crack and the roast ran for 15mins 30 seconds (slightly less than last time Dave) - Turned off/cooled down within chamber.
> 
> View attachment 6924
> 
> 
> I'm having to resist the temptation to keep roasting after each batch though...


They look very good.


----------



## iroko

froggystyle said:


> First time summer roasting for me.
> 
> Have noticed already on my last couple of roasts that the warmer weather is screwing up my roast logs from earlier in the year.
> 
> Would it be right in thinking you need to lower the temp or the time, or both?
> 
> Also when i roast late in the day i usually get the sun blasing through the kitchen window right on the gene, so this must come into play also!


I just go with the flow, If I need to change from a previous roast log Its no problem.

I normally find roasts are quicker in the summer.


----------



## GS11

Roasted 250g Tarrazu yesterday

No pre-heat > set GC to 240c > FC @ 12.15 ( reached 237c) > drop to 235 @ 12.45 > finish with genie cool @ 15min

Voltage was low @ 236v

Turned out ok. These are medium to dark medium for brewed. Finish weight 210g

Will stick with genie cool from now on instead of E-dump.

Photo shot under a halogen light.

Look forward to these from tomorrow.....really nice in AP last time:good:


----------



## hullcity

froggystyle said:


> First time summer roasting for me.
> 
> Have noticed already on my last couple of roasts that the warmer weather is screwing up my roast logs from earlier in the year.
> 
> Would it be right in thinking you need to lower the temp or the time, or both?
> 
> Also when i roast late in the day i usually get the sun blasing through the kitchen window right on the gene, so this must come into play also!


Do you check your line voltage before you start a roast? I ask because the only time I've noticed a difference between summer and winter roasting was when the voltage was way down. Since then I've only roasted when the voltage was at its "normal" level and my roasts appear pretty consistent, summer or winter. My kitchen faces north so I don't have any solar problems however!


----------



## hullcity

GS11 said:


> Roasted 250g Tarrazu yesterday
> 
> No pre-heat > set GC to 240c > FC @ 12.15 ( reached 237c) > drop to 235 @ 12.45 > finish with genie cool @ 15min
> 
> Voltage was low @ 236v
> 
> Turned out ok. These are medium to dark medium for brewed. Finish weight 210g
> 
> Will stick with genie cool from now on instead of E-dump.
> 
> Photo shot under a halogen light.
> 
> Look forward to these from tomorrow.....really nice in AP last time:good:


Looking good GS. Have you tried the Tarrazu as a SO in espresso? And if so at what roast level? I ask because I was a little disappointed with my attempts, the result tasted ok but only ok and had little body.


----------



## GS11

hullcity said:


> Looking good GS. Have you tried the Tarrazu as a SO in espresso? And if so at what roast level? I ask because I was a little disappointed with my attempts, the result tasted ok but only ok and had little body.


Can't remember! My previous roasting notes say good with AP/ v60. Unfortunately I'm off espresso at the moment.

Pete (Iroko) will be able to comment on tarrazu as espresso. He's recently roasted some in the GC (and roasted before)


----------



## iroko

GS11 said:


> Can't remember! My previous roasting notes say good with AP/ v60. Unfortunately I'm off espresso at the moment.
> 
> Pete (Iroko) will be able to comment on tarrazu as espresso. He's recently roasted some in the GC (and roasted before)


Started my tarrazu on sat, but I've had a stinking cold so my taste was a bit off, but I knew It was to my liking.

Tried today and I'm really liking this bean, It's a dark roast and drunk as cappas.

I've not tried as espresso as I normally drink with milk.


----------



## iroko

GS11 said:


> Roasted 250g Tarrazu yesterday
> 
> No pre-heat > set GC to 240c > FC @ 12.15 ( reached 237c) > drop to 235 @ 12.45 > finish with genie cool @ 15min
> 
> Voltage was low @ 236v
> 
> Turned out ok. These are medium to dark medium for brewed. Finish weight 210g
> 
> Will stick with genie cool from now on instead of E-dump.
> 
> Photo shot under a halogen light.
> 
> Look forward to these from tomorrow.....really nice in AP last time:good:


Looking good, enjoy.


----------



## hullcity

iroko said:


> Tried today and I'm really liking this bean, It's a dark roast and drunk as cappas.
> 
> I've not tried as espresso as I normally drink with milk.


Funny you say that as I also like it in a cappa, just not so much as a straight espresso.


----------



## froggystyle

hullcity said:


> Do you check your line voltage before you start a roast? I ask because the only time I've noticed a difference between summer and winter roasting was when the voltage was way down. Since then I've only roasted when the voltage was at its "normal" level and my roasts appear pretty consistent, summer or winter. My kitchen faces north so I don't have any solar problems however!


I do not have a plug in voltage tester yet, only one with probes and the thought of sticking probes in a plug doesnt seem the best idea!

Will pick on up and try to see what i am getting.

Keep thinking about the dimmer mod, but the fact the machine is only 4 months old is a concern.


----------



## froggystyle

Roasted another batch of Monsooned Malibar last night, no warm up, set to 235, hit first crack at 11 mins, lowered to 230 till end at 14 minutes.

Still cant do photos, but roast was a tiny bit uneven, but a nice colour, medium roast, will do another tonight but take it another minute to see if i can darken slighty and get more even colouring!

Had them this morning in my french press, not bad but nothing really jumping out so will try again tomorrow.


----------



## Peelie72

Just roasted a pound of single estate, monsooned Indian peaberry from Pampadampara of north Kerela using my Behmor.

This is a full-seized soup dish, giving you some idea of large batch size, about 375g post-roast.

21 minutes, P3 heat profile.


----------



## hullcity

Latest roast is 225g Brazil Daterra Santa Colomba (BB bulk buy). I thought these might be pretty chaffy and so only went with 225g, but this wasn't the case so I'll go with 250g next time.

Set temp for 230C in the gene, yellow was at 7:30 and tan at 8:30. First crack was barely audible at 13:45, i held the temp at 230 and hit cooling at 17:45, cooling in the drum. Roast looks a bit uneven, full city, with a weight loss of 15%. These beans smell great just after roasting, just like a snickers bar!

The blend I roasted just over a week ago tastes great in a cappa, even the missus commented positively without any prompting (and she's picky). Not bad also as espresso/macchiato, nice and full bodied with a hint of coconut coming through (from the Sumatran lintong I think). Quite chuffed as I wasn't expecting much.


----------



## GS11

hullcity said:


> Latest roast is 225g Brazil Daterra Santa Colomba (BB bulk buy). I thought these might be pretty chaffy and so only went with 225g, but this wasn't the case so I'll go with 250g next time.
> 
> Set temp for 230C in the gene, yellow was at 7:30 and tan at 8:30. First crack was barely audible at 13:45, i held the temp at 230 and hit cooling at 17:45, cooling in the drum. Roast looks a bit uneven, full city, with a weight loss of 15%. These beans smell great just after roasting, just like a snickers bar!
> 
> The blend I roasted just over a week ago tastes great in a cappa, even the missus commented positively without any prompting (and she's picky). Not bad also as espresso/macchiato, nice and full bodied with a hint of coconut coming through (from the Sumatran lintong I think). Quite chuffed as I wasn't expecting much.


Yes HC a little uneven but good to hear they smell nice already:good: Can you recall what line voltage you had during the session?.

I'm looking to roast the Daterra next (but not for another 10days) Will use a 250g batch size.

Encouraging to hear about your pre-blended roast...will have to give pre-blend a try with any odd amonts of green I have left over.

Cheers:coffee:


----------



## hullcity

GS11 said:


> Yes HC a little uneven but good to hear they smell nice already:good: Can you recall what line voltage you had during the session?.
> 
> I'm looking to roast the Daterra next (but not for another 10days) Will use a 250g batch size.
> 
> Encouraging to hear about your pre-blended roast...will have to give pre-blend a try with any odd amonts of green I have left over.
> 
> Cheers:coffee:


Oops, forgot to state the volts. I had 238V steady throughout the roast (230V Gene). I think I'll try my next batch at 235C instead of 230. Good luck with yours.


----------



## iroko

The Daterra's sound good, It'll be a while before I roast mine from the BB bulk buy.


----------



## froggystyle

Just roasted my last 250g of Jagong village, again got very crap results (In my eyes) had to take them further than i would like to lift the chaff,

230 start temp, no warm up.

Hit 230 at 9 mins.

Hit first crack at 10 mins.

Drop to 225 at 9 mins 30 secs.

Hit cooling cycle at 18 mins.

E dumped as getting very dark on some beans.

Overall the beans came out very uneven, not sure if i am doing something wrong but the last batch i had of these were a lot better.

View attachment 7131


----------



## DavecUK

froggystyle said:


> Just roasted my last 250g of Jagong village, again got very crap results (In my eyes) had to take them further than i would like to lift the chaff,
> 
> 230 start temp, no warm up.
> 
> Hit 230 at 9 mins.
> 
> Hit first crack at 10 mins.
> 
> Drop to 225 at 9 mins 30 secs.


I would think things started going wrong at this point. 230 is on the lowish side, but all Genes are different and I don't know what model, heating element, voltage etc.. However dropping to 225 may nt have helped, perhaps just try sticking with it at 230 if you ever get more.

Dave


----------



## froggystyle

Held it at 230 last time Dave, same result!

New gene, purchased from BB in Feb, no mods, really need to pick up voltage thing to check that!

I had some before and roasted them slightly higher at 240 lowering to 235, only reason for lower temps this time was the thought that ambient temp was higher.


----------



## iroko

froggystyle said:


> Just roasted my last 250g of Jagong village, again got very crap results (In my eyes) had to take them further than i would like to lift the chaff,
> 
> 230 start temp, no warm up.
> 
> Hit 230 at 9 mins.
> 
> Hit first crack at 10 mins.
> 
> Drop to 225 at 9 mins 30 secs.
> 
> Hit cooling cycle at 18 mins.
> 
> E dumped as getting very dark on some beans.
> 
> Overall the beans came out very uneven, not sure if i am doing something wrong but the last batch i had of these were a lot better.
> 
> View attachment 7131


Good to see a pick, they do look a bit uneven, hope they taste ok.


----------



## DavecUK

iroko said:


> Good to see a pick, they do look a bit uneven, hope they taste ok.


Some beans can look uneven after roasting, it's just the way some coffees are...as you say, it could taste fine. I don't think its a BB bulk buy is it...I don't remember that one?


----------



## froggystyle

They are Rave beans.


----------



## froggystyle

Just done my last batch of Monsooned Malabar.

Started at 240c, no pre heat.

Hit first crack at 10.30 mins.

Tried something a little different this time, after first crack, slowly dropped the temp down to 220c, not in big steps just little ones to stop the heater ramping up to much.

Hit the cooling cycle when i felt they were almost ready and then let finish off whilst cooling.

View attachment 7217


A tad uneven i feel, but will let rest and see what they taste like, not been impressed with these beans so far, have ordered more, but on the advice of boots, will be blending with a Brazilian bourbon next week.


----------



## Mouse

They look LOADS better than the last lot Froggy


----------



## GS11

froggystyle said:


> Just done my last batch of Monsooned Malabar.
> 
> Started at 240c, no pre heat.
> 
> Hit first crack at 10.30 mins.
> 
> *Tried something a little different this time, after first crack, slowly dropped the temp down to 220c, not in big steps just little ones to stop the heater ramping up to much.*
> 
> *
> *
> 
> Hit the cooling cycle when i felt they were almost ready and then let finish off whilst cooling.
> 
> View attachment 7217
> 
> 
> A tad uneven i feel, but will let rest and see what they taste like, not been impressed with these beans so far, have ordered more, but on the advice of boots, will be blending with a Brazilian bourbon next week.


Looking good foggy.....even your photo's are getting better









I have read on another roasting forum about achieving good results by gradually lowering temps after 1C to prevent ramping.....will factor this in to my next roast.

Cheers


----------



## froggystyle

Thanks GS, Got the wife a camera for Xmas and only just sorted it to upload to the PC over WiFi, so better photos than the phone!

Good to know other people have tried that method, i just sat watching it at first crack thinking it could do with finishing but not at full heat, so figured dropping the temp just enough each time to stop the heater kicking in to much, seemed to work but i shall reserve judgement till i taste in a day or two.

I do love these beans for the look of them and the size, just the taste in the cup doesn't really do much for me, espresso and press!


----------



## DavecUK

froggystyle said:


> Thanks GS, Got the wife a camera for Xmas and only just sorted it to upload to the PC over WiFi, so better photos than the phone!
> 
> Good to know other people have tried that method, i just sat watching it at first crack thinking it could do with finishing but not at full heat, so figured dropping the temp just enough each time to stop the heater kicking in to much, seemed to work but i shall reserve judgement till i taste in a day or two.
> 
> I do love these beans for the look of them and the size, just the taste in the cup doesn't really do much for me, espresso and press!


MM is an acquired taste for many people. It can work as espresso, but rarely is it roasted right to do so....even when your trying hard. It definitely doesn't work in milk at all. As a brewed coffee it can lack depth. However, where I think it can really shine is as a component of a blend. Normally max around 1/3 MM. This way it adds something unique. I know people love the whole single origin thing and I do enjoy the differences between one bean and another myself. This doesn't make blends somehow inferior. The main point of being absolutely familiar with all the single origins is to be absolutely clear on what beans will work well together, so any blend adds to the experience.

OBJ, MM can be "interesting" drunk as a single origin, but that's probably not where they can be most useful....adding flavour notes to a blend is. OBJ can add liquorice, spice leather to a blend, but many people won't find it nice as a single origin....OBJ is absolutely terrible in milk drinks and again you would keep the proportion in a blend down to 20-30%. When I do the Bulk buys I always have blending in mind, the only exception is the last batch where I didn't include a Brazilian, becuase the only good ones available were the penta packed Daterras and of course Brazilians are a great base for any blend.


----------



## ronsil

GS11 said:


> I have read on another roasting forum about achieving good results by gradually lowering temps after 1C to prevent ramping.....will factor this in to my next roast.Cheers


Its always a good target to try & extend the time from end of 1C to beginning of 2C.

Thats the beauty of the Hottops with DataLogger & Arduino control. You can program that gap on the computer before you start to roast.

BTW Those Beans are looking very good


----------



## DavecUK

Peruvian Chanchamayo, from my reserve: Roasted on 19/5, just opened today....stunning, sweetness, creamy body, milk chocolate...lovely. A bit of a charffy coffee, but well worth the trouble, must not be roasted too dark. Unfortunately this is the last of it, no more left to roast.







When a coffee seems to drink itself, you know it's a goodun.


----------



## GS11

DavecUK said:


> Peruvian Chanchamayo, from my reserve: Roasted on 19/5, just opened today....stunning, sweetness, creamy body, milk chocolate...lovely. A bit of a charffy coffee, but well worth the trouble, must not be roasted too dark. Unfortunately this is the last of it, no more left to roast.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> When a coffee seems to drink itself, you know it's a goodun.
> 
> View attachment 7244


Those beans look very well roasted Dave:good:


----------



## ronsil

I reckon he might know his stuff. - Bean at it a good few years now:exit:


----------



## GS11

Roasted 250g Brazil Daterra today first time with these beans. Note : these were from the BB february bulk buy i.e. *not* the superior penta packed variety.

No pre-heat > set GC to 240C (reached 240c @11.40 with lid off) > FC @ 12.10 > drop to 228 @ 12.45 > finish with full genie cool @ 15min 30s

To avoid ramping I *gradually* decreased temps after 1C until end of roast which seemed to work quite well.

Voltage was around 237v roasting indoors ambient 21c

Happy with these . Medium/ dark for brewed. Finish weight 215g

Photo shot under a halogen light.

Look forward to these from Thursday in V60


----------



## The Systemic Kid

Just started doing some test roasts with the Quest roaster.

This roast of 300grms Tanzanian incorporated the 'heat gun' technique which is nothing short of hilarious. Involves using a heat gun to blast extra hot air after the drying phase up to 1st crack in order to impart some brightness into the bean taste. Took the beans just into second crack to see what it sounded like - more muffled that 1st crack. Great thing about the Quest - you can hear 1st and 2nd crack really easily.

Total roast time was 19mins with beans dropped at 217c

View attachment 7282


----------



## ronsil

Great to see you in this area Patrick.

At last we're going to see something coming off the Quest.

Looks a good roast but is there a danger of the heat gun causing some singeing on the beans..


----------



## The Systemic Kid

ronsil said:


> Great to see you in this area Patrick.
> 
> At last we're going to see something coming off the Quest.
> 
> Looks a good roast but is there a danger of the heat gun causing some singeing on the beans..


Trying to dig out more info on this technique. The gun I use has a digital readout - used it on 400c directed into the bean tester to ramp up the bean temp to 185-190c. Guess the proof will be in the tasting.

The Quest is completely manual which I like - will hook it up to Artisan at some point when I've got some roasts I'm happy with so I can replicate them. There's so much conflicting advice out there regarding the best way to run the thing, I got utterly bamboozled which is why I put off firing it up for so long.


----------



## DavecUK

With the quest you're probably going to get better results at around 250g, also the roast time seemed really long even for 300g. If it's your first roast I find you really need to warm the little quest up for at least 10 minutes, at about 600w power once you reach 200C. I've also never needed to use a heat gun.

I don't bother with the drying phase, because the ramp up is slow enough to not really need one....well I've tried it of course, but not found it make much difference.


----------



## Mouse

DavecUK said:


> Peruvian Chanchamayo, from my reserve: Roasted on 19/5, just opened today....stunning, sweetness, creamy body, milk chocolate...lovely. A bit of a charffy coffee, but well worth the trouble, must not be roasted too dark. Unfortunately this is the last of it, no more left to roast.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> When a coffee seems to drink itself, you know it's a goodun.
> 
> View attachment 7244


They look lovely Dave - Yum


----------



## DavecUK

Mouse said:


> They look lovely Dave - Yum


The are actually so good, I may well keep the last 500g bag for me, as one of my roast sharers is in Hong Kong this week (who I was saving it for), so I'll just roast something else up for him. It is absolutely fantastic.....I'm gonna have a search around, but I'm pretty sure that's all I had.. Will definitely put it back on the bulk buy list if it comes up again. ahh god, I'm drinking it right now as an americano...it really just drinks itself!

rarely do I get a coffee I try and use sparingly!


----------



## iroko

GS11 said:


> Roasted 250g Brazil Daterra today first time with these beans. Note : these were from the BB february bulk buy i.e. *not* the superior penta packed variety.
> 
> No pre-heat > set GC to 240C (reached 240c @11.40 with lid off) > FC @ 12.10 > drop to 228 @ 12.45 > finish with full genie cool @ 15min 30s
> 
> To avoid ramping I *gradually* decreased temps after 1C until end of roast which seemed to work quite well.
> 
> Voltage was around 237v roasting indoors ambient 21c
> 
> Happy with these . Medium/ dark for brewed. Finish weight 215g
> 
> Photo shot under a halogen light.
> 
> Look forward to these from Thursday in V60


Looking good, I'll try my Daterra's soon.


----------



## iroko

already posted.


----------



## iroko

The Systemic Kid said:


> Just started doing some test roasts with the Quest roaster.
> 
> This roast of 300grms Tanzanian incorporated the 'heat gun' technique which is nothing short of hilarious. Involves using a heat gun to blast extra hot air after the drying phase up to 1st crack in order to impart some brightness into the bean taste. Took the beans just into second crack to see what it sounded like - more muffled that 1st crack. Great thing about the Quest - you can hear 1st and 2nd crack really easily.
> 
> Total roast time was 19mins with beans dropped at 217c
> 
> View attachment 7282


Is this the 1st time you've used the quest ? looks good.


----------



## The Systemic Kid

Done around 15 roasts so far using old beans to get the hang of it and get some experience.


----------



## froggystyle

Brazilian Fazenda Pantano Bourban.

230g in

230 degrees

dropped to 225 at 11 mins

cooling cycle at 15 minutes.

View attachment 7320


Gonna mix these with some MM.


----------



## froggystyle

This one not so good!

This is what happens when you answer the phone whilst roasting and forget!









Monsooned Malibar.

Will bag em up and give them a go in a few days, may blend or may just use for pour over!


----------



## ronsil

froggystyle said:


> .... whilst roasting and forget!


froggy - those are dangerous words.

I'm sure you are aware but be very, very careful. Roasting can be an easy fire hazard

However the MM could be a good blender.


----------



## froggystyle

I hear you Ron, rookie mistake!

I did leave the dog watching, but she got distracted by a fly.

The real danger is how fast they turn, and could potentially catch fire, something to remember.

Will try a small percentage with the Brazil beans to see what they are like, hate throwing away beans!


----------



## iroko

Probably best to bin the 2nd batch, you don't wont to ruin the 1st batch with the 2nd.


----------



## froggystyle

Ill blend a small qty and see first...


----------



## iroko

Roasted Nicaragua shg

Didn't hear 1st c, maybe heard 2nd

Taken to 240 and held there till end of roast at 17 mins

250g in, 203.7 out.


----------



## GS11

^^^ looking well nice Pete


----------



## ronsil

They're looking very promising. Nicely roasted hope the taste is good.


----------



## froggystyle

Nice colour to those bad boys!


----------



## froggystyle

Ethiopian Sidamo

250g in

Set to 240c

First crack about 10 minutes

Second crack at 12 minutes

Cooling cycle at 14 minutes

Dumped at 16 minutes.


----------



## froggystyle

Guatemalan Huehuetenanio

230g in

Set to 240c

First crack at 9.30 minutes

Second crack at 11.30 minutes

Cooling cycle at 12 minutes

Another minute i think would have been best looking at them.


----------



## froggystyle

Getting a lot of uneven and singed beans at the minute...

I have ordered a voltage thing today so will check what i am getting around the time i roast, but i think i may have to look at the dimmer mod soon.


----------



## GS11

> ]Getting a lot of uneven and singed beans at the minute[/b]...
> 
> I have ordered a voltage thing today so will check what i am getting around the time i roast, but i think i may have to look at the dimmer mod soon.


I'm also having a similar issue with the last few roasts they could all be better with evidence of being uneven/ slight scorching

Iroko is getting very good results with his gene without the dimmer mod and maybe *one area where different genie owners vary from one to another is how the machine exhausts.*.....maybe my 4m long flue is having a negative effect.

I'm reading that there is a correlation between exhaust and heat. Some commercial roasters have a damper built into the exhaust so that you can control at what limit the exhaust gases exit.

For my next roasts I'm going outside and will to do away with my long flue. As a further option I also have the original small chaff collector which is far more restrictive than the large version.

Be interesting to see if there are any improvements.


----------



## froggystyle

I use the same kind of exhaust, but mine lays flat out the window as the window opens from the top so the gap at the bottom is quite large, i know when the wind is blowing i get a draft through the window on to the Gene.

The problem i have is that i have no other space in my kitchen to roast away from the window, and i have to have the window open to exhaust the smoke, if not the fire alarms go off!

I think i may knock up a wooden case that the gene can sit in protecting the rear from the open window....

I would prefer not to do the dimmer mod as this will cancel out the warranty i guess?

I just want nice even roasts...


----------



## froggystyle

Has anyone run a gene off a long extension?

I have a shed that just sits full of rubbish, ideal to roast in, but would mean running an extension about 12 meters up the garden!


----------



## GS11

froggystyle said:


> Has anyone run a gene off a long extension?
> 
> I have a shed that just sits full of rubbish, ideal to roast in, but would mean running an extension about 12 meters up the garden!


An extension lead will lower your voltage and subsequently performance.

You can experiment with your energy monitor when you get it to see what effect it will have.


----------



## froggystyle

Sounds like a plan....


----------



## hullcity

froggystyle said:


> Has anyone run a gene off a long extension?
> 
> I have a shed that just sits full of rubbish, ideal to roast in, but would mean running an extension about 12 meters up the garden!


I believe that will affect the fan as well as the heating element, so probably not a good idea (?).


----------



## Mouse

Don't answer the phone in your shed Froggy


----------



## froggystyle

hahaha brilliant!

Wish my shed was that big though!


----------



## hullcity

GS11 said:


> I'm also having a similar issue with the last few roasts they could all be better with evidence of being uneven/ slight scorching
> 
> Iroko is getting very good results with his gene without the dimmer mod and maybe *one area where different genie owners vary from one to another is how the machine exhausts.*.....maybe my 4m long flue is having a negative effect.
> 
> I'm reading that there is a correlation between exhaust and heat. Some commercial roasters have a damper built into the exhaust so that you can control at what limit the exhaust gases exit.
> 
> For my next roasts I'm going outside and will to do away with my long flue. As a further option I also have the original small chaff collector which is far more restrictive than the large version.
> 
> Be interesting to see if there are any improvements.


I have the large chaff collector with no ducting attached, I put the gene on top of the cooker and let the overhead hood deal with the smoke. But I'm also seeing more uneven roasts the past few sessions. My line voltage is consistently higher now we're well into spring, around 245 instead of 238V, so maybe that is having some influence on the unevenness?


----------



## ronsil

froggystyle said:


> Has anyone run a gene off a long extension?I have a shed that just sits full of rubbish, ideal to roast in, but would mean running an extension about 12 meters up the garden!


Not a good idea - I had an extension to my shed but the voltage dropped a lot.

Best to get an electrician to run from the consumer unit, safer as well.


----------



## DavecUK

froggystyle said:


> I would prefer not to do the dimmer mod as this will cancel out the warranty i guess?
> 
> I just want nice even roasts...


Who said....check with BB, I don't think it does, unless it's due specifically to damage you cause.


----------



## hullcity

froggystyle said:


> Guatemalan Huehuetenanio
> 
> 230g in
> 
> Set to 240c
> 
> First crack at 9.30 minutes
> 
> Second crack at 11.30 minutes
> 
> Cooling cycle at 12 minutes
> 
> Another minute i think would have been best looking at them.


Second crack only 2 min after first seems a bit quick to me when heating at 240C? Also I would have thought the beans would be pretty shiny. Same goes for the sidamo.


----------



## DavecUK

As summer comes, those without the mod will find it more and more difficult to roast. Remember though, the full strength of the mode is when you replace with a 230V heating element....allowing roasting in ALL conditions of temperature and voltage. unless you are sure you will always have 238V in a warm environment (e.g. indoors). Get the 230V element and pop that in, use thermal sealant as well (obtainable from car spares shops, comma red gasket thingy good to 350C)


----------



## froggystyle

ronsil said:


> Not a good idea - I had an extension to my shed but the voltage dropped a lot.
> 
> Best to get an electrician to run from the consumer unit, safer as well.


Rented house, so not sure that would be possible, to many walls in the way!


----------



## froggystyle

DavecUK said:


> Who said....check with BB, I don't think it does, unless it's due specifically to damage you cause.


I would have thought changing the machine in anyway would void a warranty!

If i go the open day tomorrow i will ask.


----------



## froggystyle

hullcity said:


> Second crack only 2 min after first seems a bit quick to me when heating at 240C? Also I would have thought the beans would be pretty shiny. Same goes for the sidamo.


I did think it was a bit to short a gap also, will run some more through tonight and see what happens.


----------



## froggystyle

DavecUK said:


> As summer comes, those without the mod will find it more and more difficult to roast. Remember though, the full strength of the mode is when you replace with a 230V heating element....allowing roasting in ALL conditions of temperature and voltage. unless you are sure you will always have 238V in a warm environment (e.g. indoors). Get the 230V element and pop that in, use thermal sealant as well (obtainable from car spares shops, comma red gasket thingy good to 350C)


Wish i had known this before i picked up the 240v one.

Now out of stock at BB.

http://www.bellabarista.co.uk/genecafe-230v-heater-box-cra97-003a.html


----------



## DavecUK

froggystyle said:


> Wish i had known this before i picked up the 240v one.
> 
> Now out of stock at BB.
> 
> http://www.bellabarista.co.uk/genecafe-230v-heater-box-cra97-003a.html


mouse has got one....he might sell it to you....probably not, but you can ask.


----------



## Mouse

LOL - The 'probably not' part of Daves sentence is critical to how this discussion pans out









Sorry Froggy.. I feel like a right tight [email protected] But I went for Daves as I wanted the spare 230v included.. Just in case this one goes pop..

I can do you a great price on another 240v though.. Erm.. I don't suppose that will help cushion the blow though!


----------



## DavecUK

Mouse said:


> LOL - The 'probably not' part of Dave's sentence is critical to how this discussion pans out
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Sorry Froggy.. I feel like a right tight [email protected] But I went for Daves as I wanted the spare 230v included.. Just in case this one goes pop..
> 
> I can do you a great price on another 240v though.. Erm.. I don't suppose that will help cushion the blow though!


Can't blame you, I wouldn't sell it either. As you say if it does go pop (unlikely, but you never know), you would probably have to wait 6 weeks or more for them to come into stock with the next shipment. The other thing froggy could try is ringing Bella Barista, they might actually have one....also it would prompt them to order a few. The heating elements for the UK and Europe Voltages are extremely robust (since I got involved many years ago) and they probably don't sell many at all. So unless they get reminded, it's probably not on automatic reorder.

I presume your having absolutely no problem with the warmer weather, because you simply drop the power to keep exactly on the profile you want?


----------



## froggystyle

No problem Mouse, will mail BB to see when they are going to be back in stock.


----------



## Mouse

DavecUK said:


> I presume your having absolutely no problem with the warmer weather, because you simply drop the power to keep exactly on the profile you want?


Up to now, I've been OK

I'd like to say that it's because I've fine tuned my roast profile with the help of a very complicated coffee based algorithm (I doubt any of you would understand.. No offence..)

But... Yes.. I just dropped the power slightly and it seems to have done the trick


----------



## froggystyle

Mouse said:


> I'd like to say that it's because I've fine tuned my roast profile with the help of a very complicated coffee based algorithm (I doubt any of you would understand.. No offence..)


Do share?

13 char


----------



## Mouse

Mouse said:


> But... Yes.. I just dropped the power slightly and it seems to have done the trick


I did Froggy


----------



## froggystyle

Ahhh i see.

Maybe ill just turn the oven, kettle, iron and washing machine on when roasting!


----------



## Mouse

Throw some ironing at Mrs Froggy!

"I'm off down the shed to put a roast on - I expect me grundies pressed by the time I'm back! And... I'll know if you're slacking as I'll be keeping a check on the voltage whilst I'm gone"


----------



## Mouse

froggystyle said:


> No problem Mouse, will mail BB to see when they are going to be back in stock.


Did you go today? It looks like the 230v are in stock again on the website


----------



## froggystyle

Yep, went along and had a play with the beast, DaveC did a few roasts and told us a few things, learnt a few things also.

The biggest thing was releasing how much of a different machine the 1200 is to the 101, roasts were coming out lovely and even, and how easy it is to pre heat, dump beans in, roast, dumps beans out and dump another batch in, very smooth!

Heres me trying to look like i know what im doing...


----------



## Mouse

Its a beast isn't it!

Good to put a (side of a) face to a name


----------



## froggystyle

What have i done!!

Took the wife yesterday and thought she would be bored, turns out she loved it.

Got home last night and she insisted on firing up the gene and having a go, did two roasts, one turned out better than mine!


----------



## The Systemic Kid

Now you're wife is on board, how are you going to turn this to strategic advantage?


----------



## ronsil

Is the BIG Gene on the horizon.....?


----------



## DavecUK

ronsil said:


> Is the BIG Gene on the horizon.....?


Omigod, at least there's no pictures of me, forgetting to suck my gut in.....Rodney didn't even think about trying to suggest they Video it....he knows what my response would be.

I'd like to say my skill and experience made it look easy.....well I'm going to pretend it does, but the reality is with a very very tiny amount of practice (and my userguide/book) anyone can produce a very decent roast from it. Also, because I have recently been exposed to the prices of online coffee (cos I have not bought on-line for years). I still maintain that if someone has the space and the consumption potential....it's a viable home roaster. Parts are inexpensive, there is no long warm up/cool down and it's not maintenance needy.

People would save around £500 -£600 per annum on 1kg per week personal consumption, share sell a few roasts with friends Even selling 1kg per week at a tiny, tiny margin, to help pay for roaster makes £250 per annum. in 5 years roaster is paid for (at pre-order prices). In 5 years roaster used for that low level use will be worth more than it originally cost. Cost of 5 years of fantastic coffee....almost totally free as the money back from the roaster and any additional profits over 1kg per week sold, pay for your personal coffee!

Sadly I suspect not many of these will come up used and if they do, they won't be cheap.


----------



## Soll

Getting more consistent with the roast now, no more oily beans!


----------



## ronsil

Soll, they are looking very good!

I bet they'll taste nice.


----------



## Sofmonk

Looking very good Soll, nice even roast. What beans are they?


----------



## Soll

ronsil said:


> Soll, they are looking very good!
> 
> I bet they'll taste nice.


I think so to ronsil, the last batch I did was just starting to turn oily but these ones I think are spot on! I'll give these a week's rest and try them out.


----------



## Soll

Sofmonk said:


> Looking very good Soll, nice even roast. What beans are they?


They're from CoffeeCompass, Bourbon espresso blend


----------



## DavecUK

Soll said:


> Getting more consistent with the roast now, no more oily beans!


Lookin very nice that roast Soll


----------



## Soll

DavecUK said:


> Lookin very nice that roast Soll


Thanks Dave, coming from you (Roaster Guru) thats a compliment. I've decided to roast my beans in the early hours before everybody's up, that way I know the voltage in my home will stay consistent and keeping a note of roast profile's also helps. Are there any APPS with coffee roasting in mind ?


----------



## DavecUK

Soll said:


> Thanks Dave, coming from you (Roaster Guru) thats a compliment. I've decided to roast my beans in the early hours before everybody's up, that way I know the voltage in my home will stay consistent and keeping a note of roast profile's also helps. Are there any APPS with coffee roasting in mind ?


I am afraid I only use the Mark 1 human brain.


----------



## Mouse

Nice one Soll - They look amazing!

You must be chuffed to bits!


----------



## ronsil

Soll said:


> Are there any APPS with coffee roasting in mind ?


If I remember correctly you have Spazbarister, nee Expobaristers Hottop. That Machine is an analogue model so it will not work with any sort of computer control.

However a very useful mod is to insert a probe into the bean mass through the bean chute cover. Its fairly simple to do & with the aid of a Multimeter (Victor 86B) you would be able to read out onto a computer screen the progress of the roast. You can keep the charts produced & can use them as a basis for repeat roasts. The meter comes from the far east but only costs circa £35. I have a very good friend, known as Green Bean on another Forum who has written some wonderful programs for assisting Hottop Owners. Look him up on TMC & read whats available in the RoastLogger section.

About a year ago I wrote a lot about my conversions here on this Forum. I used the probe method through the chute for a long time before I totally converted.

Taking your readings from the beans is far more accurate than from the built-in control panel.









The red line is the reading produced. The other line is a reading taken via a webcam from the control panel. Not really necessary initially.


----------



## Geordie Boy

froggystyle said:


> What have i done!!
> 
> Took the wife yesterday and thought she would be bored, turns out she loved it.
> 
> Got home last night and she insisted on firing up the gene and having a go, did two roasts, one turned out better than mine!


I noticed your wife jumped at the chance to use the hair straighteners to seal those bags...she couldn't volunteer fast enough


----------



## Soll

ronsil said:


> If I remember correctly you have Spazbarister, nee Expobaristers Hottop. That Machine is an analogue model so it will not work with any sort of computer control.
> 
> However a very useful mod is to insert a probe into the bean mass through the bean chute cover. Its fairly simple to do & with the aid of a Multimeter (Victor 86B) you would be able to read out onto a computer screen the progress of the roast. You can keep the charts produced & can use them as a basis for repeat roasts. The meter comes from the far east but only costs circa £35. I have a very good friend, known as Green Bean on another Forum who has written some wonderful programs for assisting Hottop Owners. Look him up on TMC & read whats available in the RoastLogger section.
> 
> About a year ago I wrote a lot about my conversions here on this Forum. I used the probe method through the chute for a long time before I totally converted.
> 
> Taking your readings from the beans is far more accurate than from the built-in control panel.
> 
> View attachment 7371
> 
> 
> The red line is the reading produced. The other line is a reading taken via a webcam from the control panel. Not really necessary initially.


Thanks Ronsil I may consider the mod at a later date but for now I'll keep playing it by ear's and eyes.


----------



## Mouse

froggystyle said:


> What have i done!!
> 
> Took the wife yesterday and thought she would be bored, turns out she loved it.
> 
> Got home last night and she insisted on firing up the gene and having a go, did two roasts, one turned out better than mine!


LOL - Get her on here mate!

(goes off to edit post about suggesting Mrs F does some extra ironing to bring down voltages...)

I think that's great, my wife is the same when it comes to new things - Always positive


----------



## froggystyle

ronsil said:


> Is the BIG Gene on the horizon.....?


Hell yes, the session made me want one even more so, not for 2 years though i am afraid!


----------



## froggystyle

Mouse said:


> LOL - Get her on here mate!
> 
> (goes off to edit post about suggesting Mrs F does some extra ironing to bring down voltages...)
> 
> I think that's great, my wife is the same when it comes to new things - Always positive


No chance, its my space, nice and quite away from family stuff!


----------



## froggystyle

Geordie Boy said:


> I noticed your wife jumped at the chance to use the hair straighteners to seal those bags...she couldn't volunteer fast enough


I know, funny thing is she doesn't own a set at home!

Was good to meet you Saturday!


----------



## iroko

Those beans look fantastic Soll.


----------



## DavecUK

Mouse said:


> I think that's great, my wife is the same when it comes to new things - Always positive


But now she has had you for a while....is she still positive?


----------



## Mouse

LOL - Just...


----------



## froggystyle

Been firing the roasts off the last couple of days, determined to get some good even roasts, failed on every one!

Have tried all sorts of different things, temps, weights, holding the roast at 200 for a couple of minutes and i just cant to get them even..

Driving me nuts, anyone else having the same issue with the gene?

Its gotta be the time of the year because before it warmed up i could get most even, i cant even get the MM even and that was a piece of piss a few weeks ago..


----------



## DavecUK

froggystyle said:


> Been firing the roasts off the last couple of days, determined to get some good even roasts, failed on every one!
> 
> Have tried all sorts of different things, temps, weights, holding the roast at 200 for a couple of minutes and i just cant to get them even..
> 
> Driving me nuts, anyone else having the same issue with the gene?
> 
> Its gotta be the time of the year because before it warmed up i could get most even, i cant even get the MM even and that was a piece of piss a few weeks ago..


It is the warmer weather, trouble is lowering the voltage to the beast using an extension cord doesn't work, because the motor simply runs slower. You have to mod it I am afraid. Mouse will no doubt support what I am saying, because by now he is only using 1140 to 1150W for his roasting and having no problems......also he can lower the power right down to around 800 ish or whatever when he reaches the target temp, avoiding those temperature spikes.

If your voltage is good you could mod with the existing 240V element, but you will lose 20 or 30W in the dimmer circuit...not a problem in this weather, but in winter it will stop you roasting....so you will also need to add a direct switch, so that you can take the dimmer out of circuit, and not loose that power in winter.


----------



## Mouse

I did a couple of roasts last weekend and I was around 1150/1160 - I was more than happy with the results.

I've just received my Bella Barista bulk buy greens so I'll be trying some of those over the coming weeks - I could do with a few pointers on those at some point Dave.

Froggy, I've got a spare plug in voltage meter here - If it's any use to you, sort out the postage and it's yours.


----------



## hullcity

froggystyle said:


> Been firing the roasts off the last couple of days, determined to get some good even roasts, failed on every one!
> 
> Have tried all sorts of different things, temps, weights, holding the roast at 200 for a couple of minutes and i just cant to get them even..
> 
> Driving me nuts, anyone else having the same issue with the gene?
> 
> Its gotta be the time of the year because before it warmed up i could get most even, i cant even get the MM even and that was a piece of piss a few weeks ago..


I hear you Froggy. Same here with the past few roasts, though I did one last Sat at lunchtime as my line voltage was back at around 235V (recently it's been nearer 245) and that seemed to turn out more even.

For now I'm going to target these lower voltage periods for roasting but I plan to do the dimmer mod sometime next month when I have a bit more time.


----------



## froggystyle

Thanks both, i think the MOD is the next logical step, i need to read up a bit on the wiki and be sure i can do it.

Thanks for offer Mouse, i have ordered a voltage meter, just waiting for the slow boat to arrive!


----------



## Mouse

froggystyle said:


> Thanks for offer Mouse, i have ordered a voltage meter, just waiting for the slow boat to arrive!


No worries - I hope it doesn't take too long!


----------



## Mouse

Double post... Can't delete..


----------



## froggystyle

Me too Moose!


----------



## froggystyle

Davecuk

Just to check on the mods for the gene, do i need to change the heater for a 230v before i do the dimmer?


----------



## DavecUK

froggystyle said:


> Davecuk
> 
> Just to check on the mods for the gene, do i need to change the heater for a 230v before i do the dimmer?


ideally, as your going to have the Gene open, you might as well change the heater box at the same time.

I used the comma stuff below, worked fantastically well to seal the heater box. I think it's a good idea to reseal it as it stops any possibility of heat leakage.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/COMMA-RED-JOINTING-COMPOUND-RTV-SILICONE-85G-TUBE-/290639354698


----------



## froggystyle

Nice one, the mod looks easy actually, only two wires to change, thought it was more than that.


----------



## froggystyle

DavecUK said:


> Omigod, at least there's no pictures of me, forgetting to suck my gut in.....


Sorry, just going through my phone and found this one....


----------



## DavecUK

froggystyle said:


> Nice one, the mod looks easy actually, only two wires to change, thought it was more than that.


it's why BB don't invalidate the warranty if you do it.


----------



## GS11

GS11 said:


> I'm also having a similar issue with the last few roasts they could all be better with evidence of being uneven/ slight scorching
> 
> Iroko is getting very good results with his gene without the dimmer mod and maybe *one area where different genie owners vary from one to another is how the machine exhausts.*.....maybe my 4m long flue is having a negative effect.
> 
> I'm reading that there is a correlation between exhaust and heat. Some commercial roasters have a damper built into the exhaust so that you can control at what limit the exhaust gases exit.
> 
> For my next roasts I'm going outside and will to do away with my long flue. As a further option I also have the original small chaff collector which is far more restrictive than the large version.
> 
> Be interesting to see if there are any improvements.


**Update**



*
* I tried the small chaff collector this evening with the gene outside in the garage for the first time










And was rewarded with a much improved roast as a result. Gene was not noticeably ramping this time ....Beans much more uniform in colour and no scorching. Temps and voltage were same as indoors 19c and 237-8v










These are Tarrazu dark medium roasted for pour over. Gene set to 240c then dropped slowly to 230c after 1C, Total roast time was 15min followed

by a full genie cool.

I will carry out some more roasts with the small chaff collector to confirm my thinking: that my indoor 4 metre long 100mm flue is affecting my roasts.

In the meantime these should be good to go Sunday for V60:coffee:


----------



## froggystyle

Interesting, so you think the vent is letting in cold air?


----------



## GS11

froggystyle said:


> Interesting, so you think the vent is letting in cold air?


I can't really confirm without further testing but my thought is that my indoor flue set-up i.e. large chaff collector / 4m long 100mm flue is *too large / over efficient * for the gene and having a negative effect.


----------



## froggystyle

I see, will be interested in your findings.

I could try mine outside, but i would have to use an extension cable which kind of defeats the object!


----------



## GS11

froggystyle said:


> I see, will be interested in your findings.
> 
> I could try mine outside, but i would have to use an extension cable which kind of defeats the object!


It's more about restricting (damping) the exhaust flow i.e the rate which exhaust can flow from the gene. If my thinking is right I may be able to adapt my large chaff collector/ indoor flue with an inline damper of sorts.

For example of restricting exhaust flow, look how restrictive the small chaff collector is compared to yours.


----------



## DavecUK

GS11 said:


> I can't really confirm without further testing but my thought is that my indoor flue set-up i.e. large chaff collector / 4m long 100mm flue is *too large / over efficient * for the gene and having a negative effect.


Your flue in the kitchen is too long and it's having a negative effect, but it's the opposite one to what you believe and is almost certainly slowing the airflow. The small chaff collector is not more restrictive than the large, in fact, it might be slightly less restrictive!



> I'm reading that there is a correlation between exhaust and heat. Some commercial roasters have a damper built into the exhaust so that you can control at what limit the exhaust gases exit.


On the 25kg probat I roasted on there was an airflow control, this can affect a little the speed of the roast, it does this by changing the balance of heating from the drum to hot air plus drum. The higher the airflow, the more hot air heating takes place. this can increase the speed of roasting. on most commercial roasters this is the case. unfortunately, there are undesribale results with using the air damper outside a very small margin, so it's not terribly useful as a means of roaster control. on the big 1960s probat it was left at 3 (if I remember correctly). The gene doesn't work the same way as these drum roasters.


----------



## froggystyle

Would it help in anyway to shift the hot air coming out the exhuast quicker, so having say a fan inside the ducting pushing air away from the gene?


----------



## DavecUK

froggystyle said:


> Would it help in anyway to shift the hot air coming out the exhuast quicker, so having say a fan inside the ducting pushing air away from the gene?


It would certainly change the roaster dynamics, it might, but you wouldn't really have much control. it's far simpler/better to do the dimmer mod. oh and probably stop using that very very long exhaust flue.


----------



## froggystyle

Difficult to do when you have no other place to roast..


----------



## DavecUK

froggystyle said:


> Difficult to do when you have no other place to roast..


Could you mount the roaster on a little cart and place it near the window when you want to roast. There looks to be some space to the right of the coffee machine. Then rais the lower sash and put a shorter vent out there?


----------



## froggystyle

Errr that's not my photo, GS11's


----------



## GS11

DavecUK said:


> Could you mount the roaster on a little cart and place it near the window when you want to roast. There looks to be some space to the right of the coffee machine. Then rais the lower sash and put a shorter vent out there?


Thanks Dave. Now the Brewtus is going I will be able to get the gene right next to the window and use the lower sash with a short flue.

Iroko gets great results with a smaller diameter short flue which is what got me thinking.


----------



## hullcity

Hi folks,

Just roasted a blend of Daterra Santa Columba (150g) with MM (75g) in the gene.

Set temp to 235C which was hit after about 9 min. First crack was pretty quiet, starting at 11:30, at which point I started dropping the set temp by 1 deg every 30 sec until 230C. Hit cooling at first crack +3:30 and cooled in the drum.

Line voltage started at 235V but unfortunately went up to just over 240 a few mins into the roast







. Some of the Daterra beans look a touch scorched. Weight loss was 15%. Will give these a good week to rest. My first go with MM so looking forward to trying them out.


----------



## DavecUK

froggystyle said:


> Errr that's not my photo, GS11's


I'll get my hat...........


----------



## ronsil

Roasted yesterday actually. I'm stuck with using the Gaggia Classic for the next few weeks so decided to roast some Columbian Villa Esperanza which has been in my stash for some time & probably coming to the end of its 'good' life. I setup to extend the gap between end of 1st to beginning 2nd to nearly 3 minutes. Here are the Beans roasted darker, of course.









....and this is the roasting log.









Will try them next weekend

I never seem to be able to upload my logs sharply. I always turn them into jpg or png but the quality goes on uploading. No problems with the pics


----------



## 4085

Ron, can you try .pdf as that ought to sharpen it up, or .tiff


----------



## GS11

Those big Columbian beans are looking very nicely roasted ronsil

Congrats


----------



## froggystyle

Anyone roasting!!?

All very quite on here.

Just fired off 5 roasts on the gene, back to back.









Some very interesting roasting tonight.

Ramped the gene up to 250c (max) and let it run till i felt it was ready to hit cooling cycle, dont get me wrong, i had to take all into dark land, but the results were a lot better with regards to even colour, the brazilian bean i roasted looked great!

Done some blending also with different beans, now gotta sit and wait, i may let these go 10 days minimum to see what develops!


----------



## ronsil

Keep at it froggy - I'm always surprised to discover how many home roasters we have on here who do not post.

I'm sure your output is well read.


----------



## Mrboots2u

I enjoy reading it even tho I don't roast


----------



## hullcity

Looking forward to hear about the results of your blending experiments Froggy


----------



## GS11

froggystyle said:


> Anyone roasting!!?
> 
> All very quite on here.
> 
> Just fired off 5 roasts on the gene, back to back.
> 
> Some very interesting roasting tonight.
> 
> Ramped the gene up to 250c (max) and let it run till i felt it was ready to hit cooling cycle, dont get me wrong, i had to take all into dark land, but the results were a lot better with regards to even colour, the brazilian bean i roasted looked great!
> 
> Done some blending also with different beans, now gotta sit and wait, i may let these go 10 days minimum to see what develops!


Good to see you have been busy foggy. Unfortunate cannot quite read your labels what were they all?

I've already finished the Tarrazu as my neighbours were keen to try....gave them half of my last batch.

Roasted some Honduras SHG in the garage earlier in the week .....Let these rest 3 days and producing the most fantastic V60 brew:good:










Took them up to 1C at 238c and dropped back after 1min to a gradual 230c finishing with a genie cool at 15.30

Not as even a roast as the Tarrazu though still amazing in the cup...may give these a bit more heat next time.


----------



## froggystyle

GS11 said:


> Good to see you have been busy foggy. Unfortunate cannot quite read your labels what were they all?


They were,

Guatemalan Huehuetenango

250g in

245c till second crack at 12 minutes

Cooling cycle

217g out

Ethoopian Sidamo

250g in

245c

first crack at 10.30 mins

cooling cycle at about 11 mins

223g out

Brazil fazenda pantano estate

250g in

245c

cooling cycle at 10.40 mins

Brazil & Guatemalan 50/50 blendd

250g in

250c till cooling cycle at 11 minutes

215g out

Monsooned Malibar 150g & Ethiopian 100g blend

250c till cooling cycle at 10.30 mins.


----------



## GS11

froggystyle said:


> Guatemalan Huehuetenango
> 
> 250g in
> 
> 245c till second crack at 12 minutes
> 
> Cooling cycle
> 
> 217g out


How did your huehue turn out foggy?, My previous roasts with this bean were very uneven albeit at lower temp.


----------



## froggystyle

Not as uneven as my last roast, but i had to take a little further than i wanted. My last batch of the are terrible, cant get a shot out of them at all, they even clog the grinder...


----------



## DavidBondy

250g Old Brown Java. Gene Cafe set at 237C for 15min. No pre-heat, GC with large chaff collector vented out of window on 3m pipe.

View attachment 7627


Slightly glossy, much more even than the light in the photograph would lead you to believe!


----------



## DavecUK

removed due to errors in quoted post


----------



## ronsil

Now I like 'em like that. That's the only way I'll drink OBJ.


----------



## DavidBondy

DavecUK said:


> Need to be gentle with the OBJ, much lower temps needed.....possibly one for the bin.


Couldn't disagree more Dave! The fact that the GC was set at 237C (my original post had a typo at 247C - I have corrected that!) doesn't mean that it actually reached that temperature. OBJ has been my bean of choice for probably twenty years and I have roasted it in a large variety of roasters. That is what works for me and what I like in the cup! I seem to recall that a number of folks set their roasters as 237C for OBJ .... at least looking at the database of roasts!

David


----------



## DavecUK

DavidBondy said:


> Couldn't disagree more Dave! The fact that the GC was set at 237C (my original post had a typo at 247C - I have corrected that!) doesn't mean that it actually reached that temperature. OBJ has been my bean of choice for probably twenty years and I have roasted it in a large variety of roasters. That is what works for me and what I like in the cup! I seem to recall that a number of folks set their roasters as 237C for OBJ .... at least looking at the database of roasts!
> 
> David


I only went by your original post of 247C I shall remove my comment, if you like them that way and have done for 20 years, keep doing what you like..


----------



## hullcity

hullcity said:


> Hi folks,
> 
> Just roasted a blend of Daterra Santa Columba (150g) with MM (75g) in the gene.
> 
> Set temp to 235C which was hit after about 9 min. First crack was pretty quiet, starting at 11:30, at which point I started dropping the set temp by 1 deg every 30 sec until 230C. Hit cooling at first crack +3:30 and cooled in the drum.
> 
> Line voltage started at 235V but unfortunately went up to just over 240 a few mins into the roast
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> . Some of the Daterra beans look a touch scorched. Weight loss was 15%. Will give these a good week to rest. My first go with MM so looking forward to trying them out.


A quick update on this after almost 2 weeks resting. Loving this in cappas, really smooth but more oomph than just the Daterra alone. As espresso, lovely smell and smooth mouthfeel, lacking a touch of fruit acidity and not quite enough body for my liking. I'll try adding a Central or an African into the mix.

Off on hols tomorrow so will be away from roasting the next few weeks. Plan on modding the gene on my return









Happy roasting folks.


----------



## froggystyle

froggystyle said:


> Not as uneven as my last roast, but i had to take a little further than i wanted. My last batch of the are terrible, cant get a shot out of them at all, they even clog the grinder...


I hate these beans, really i do...

i know i have a crappy grinder, but i cant get them fine enough to brew espresso at all, i can get every other bean fine enough to choke the classic no problem but this little s*it, driving me nuts.

Reckon the only method these are good for me are pour over or press.

Tough little sods also!

Tonight i shall try another roast.


----------



## coffeechap

froggystyle said:


> I hate these beans, really i do...
> 
> i know i have a crappy grinder, but i cant get them fine enough to brew espresso at all, i can get every other bean fine enough to choke the classic no problem but this little s*it, driving me nuts.
> 
> Reckon the only method these are good for me are pour over or press.
> 
> Tough little sods also!
> 
> Tonight i shall try another roast.


You could get a better grinder


----------



## froggystyle

Trust me CC, if i had the cash i would!


----------



## coffeechap

A Brasilia rr45 went on eBay for 45 quid yesterday


----------



## froggystyle

Ahh nuts.....


----------



## froggystyle

So just tried the Ethiopian beans, same as the others, cant get fine enough for espresso in my grinder.

Looks like i have lots of beans to use in my v60... oh hang on cant use that either because the filters i bought are wrong, coffee is doing my head in at the minute..


----------



## GS11

Brazil pulped natural 16 up fine cup santana estate (BB december bulk buy)

I have a kilo of this to roast and haven't seen much mention of it?

Any tips on profile for roasting this with the gene

Cheers:coffee:


----------



## Soll

coffeechap said:


> A Brasilia rr45 went on eBay for 45 quid yesterday


Hmmm! Who bought that I wonder?


----------



## GS11

GS11 said:


> Brazil pulped natural 16 up fine cup santana estate (BB december bulk buy)
> 
> I have a kilo of this to roast and haven't seen much mention of it?
> 
> Any tips on profile for roasting this with the gene
> 
> Cheers:coffee:


I found some favourable reviews on this bean http://growerscup.com/brazil-santana/

Had an early morning roasting session today. Used a davecuk roasting log profile for a Daterra which correct me if I'm wrong is also a Brazilian *pulped natural*










One issue was volts quite low at 233v. Dialed in a temp of 235c which was achieved @ a slow 12min with FC around 13.30 dropped slowly to 225c ending [email protected] 15.50 with a genie cool. 250g in 210g out.

It's good fun roasting outdoors on a sunny morning and the small chaff collector produces lots of sweet smoke off these beans

They seem fairly even and nicely finished. I'm looking forward to brewing these for V60 in 48hours


----------



## 4085

Does anyone use a roast log sheet to record temp at set times etc etc?

http://coffeetime.wikidot.com/local--files/online-roastlog-application/roastlogprintout2.pdf

It might be a bit nerdy for some, but I found this form in the early days, really useful and will probably start off using it again. Especially as you build up knowledge of bean varieties


----------



## froggystyle

I tend to have a peek and see if the beans i am roasting have been keyed into the sheet.

I don't enter anything, although i guess we all should start, build it up and make is useful!


----------



## 4085

By building up your own data, especially the voltage fluctuations depending on when you roast (which is missing from that form I see) you soon see what allownaces you need to make in winter versus summer, like pre heating


----------



## froggystyle

I do log my roasts, have done so from day one, but i should really transfer to that sheet and share.


----------



## The Systemic Kid

Found the roast log sheet on the database really useful for keeping track when I had the Gene. When I've finally mastered the Quest.....??, going to log roasts on Artisan roast software - well, that's the theory.


----------



## ronsil

I suppose you fancy using Artisan as opposed to the home grown RoastLogger because its better suited to the Quest.


----------



## The Systemic Kid

ronsil said:


> I suppose you fancy using Artisan as opposed to the home grown RoastLogger because its better suited to the Quest.


Not really Ron - Roastlogger was my first choice but, no matter what I tried, I couldn't get it uploaded on to my laptop and running which is why I installed Aristan.

If you've got any suggestions regarding Roastlogger would appreciate them.


----------



## ronsil

Only suggestion & you've probably done it already is to ensure you are running the very latest version of Java.

Tom (Greenbean) on the RoastLogger website is the author & very approachable for information on the RL installation. A message to him might give you the answer. He would also confirm if the Program will work with the Quest.


----------



## froggystyle

The Systemic Kid said:


> Not really Ron - Roastlogger was my first choice but, no matter what I tried, I couldn't get it uploaded on to my laptop and running which is why I installed Aristan.
> 
> If you've got any suggestions regarding Roastlogger would appreciate them.


Do you mean installing the software on your laptop?


----------



## ronsil

Sorry froggy neither of these programs will work with a Gene.

When I had a Gene the only way I found to keep a progressive chart of a roast was to manually add the shown temp every 30 seconds.


----------



## froggystyle

No its cool Ron, was just wondering what problems TSK was having with the software?


----------



## johnealey

Evening all

Been using the (printed)roast log for every roast so far and have been using the column to the left of the minutes column to record the wattage being consumed ( voltage showing plug I have not, Belkin eco plug showing wattage in use / cost over 30 days etc I do) which could be used for voltage, even if only on the paper version? If ever get round to ordering a plug through Voltage showing plug will revert to measuring voltages.

Have the best intentions of uploading the info for the 33 roasts done since got gene last week of may (we drink a LOT of coffee....) and have even been taking pictures of roasts too recently but alway seem to be on wrong device for uploading etc, one day....

Like the form though and has helped to replicate a few roasts now (and show me where i may have gone wrong)

John


----------



## froggystyle

33 roasts in 4 weeks... How much do you have left and how many drinkers?


----------



## johnealey

roasted and waiting: 6 x approx 210g vented bags ( black sealers from BB) with 2 just opened after 8 days resting Monsoon malabar and a Daterra bourbon collection with tail ends of a Nicaraguan buey and a couldn't wait so opened daterra full bloom roasted on the 17th which have been Aeropressing (is very nice). Will have to wait for a couple of days for the next Full bloom before can try as an espresso / cappa.

As to the others drunk mostly by self and wife with the odd visitor with 4 lots given to family.

p.s make that 34 as roasted another full bloom between last post and this one









Now, if can only work out why I don't sleep so much.....

John


----------



## 4085

Well, having bought a Gene again, the third one I have owned, I found time to have my first roast attempt in a year or so. BB gave me a bag of MM along with the 12.1 kg of Sweet Blue I bought, and pre lever, this always used to be my favourite bean. I know Ron and Davec always were at odds over this bean. Dave roasted from memory, at 226 for 14.26 which produced about a medium roast, whereas Ron used to go hotter and longer (perhaps Ron can post his thoughts on this bean in a Gene!).

I decided to go with the Dave route

2 min 126

4 min 167

6 min 191

8 min 206

10 min 220

it reached temp at 10.50. very pronounced and long first crack at 11.30 lasting more than 60 seconds. I never hear second! at 12.00 i turned it up to 232 and killed it at 14.20. this is the result, and although not as dark as I currently drink, it is just a starting point!


----------



## froggystyle

That looks a mighty fine roast!


----------



## ronsil

That's a great start David. All the years messing with Dave's excellent mods seems to have paid off. It's given you a deeper knowledge & extra confidence.

You're dead right. The only thing Dave & I have never agreed on is how dark to take MM.

You've said yourself mind you are now used to it being darker. Coffee Compass roast dark & you've been enjoying those.

Other than what I put up on the Coffeetime data sheets years ago, I really cannot remember the Gene temps I worked too.

After I computerised the Hottops I did a massive clearout of everything Genecafe & Behmor as I needed very clear thinking on what I needed to do. Well worth the effort & I've never looked back.

Dave will probably come on here soon & flame me again for burning good beans as he says but as always I stick with my guns producing dark shiny lovely MM.


----------



## Mouse

If this was darts - That roast would be considered a 'good marker' I reckon









David - Have you modded the Gene yet?


----------



## 4085

Mouse, not yet. I am going to get the bits together and will do it when my pal can come round to help me. I am going to do another batch tomorrow and try to go hotter and longer to get it a bit darker.


----------



## 4085

Well, I roasted MM again. This time the voltage was slightly down, hovering around the 238 mark. The set temp was 238 this time as opposed to 226 and the mark to aim for was around 14.30. This is what happened.........

  

compared to the day before


----------



## ronsil

David now you're getting into my Country.

I bet I know which tastes the best, after suitable resting.


----------



## GS11

Looking good Dave. MM produces great results with the gene.

I enjoy MM on it's own brewed and aim for a medium roast level as per your first roast.

May try it a little darker next time.


----------



## Soll

I like the look of yesterday's roast David, today's roast reminds me of my darker side attempt which I have to say, didn't taste very nice and was subsequently binned !


----------



## froggystyle

dfk41 said:


> Well, I roasted MM again. This time the voltage was slightly down, hovering around the 238 mark. The set temp was 238 this time as opposed to 226 and the mark to aim for was around 14.30. This is what happened.........
> 
> 
> 
> compared to the day before


Catch you out those little buggers do, i still have some of my over roasted MM batch, cant drink them anymore, taste very errr burnt!


----------



## 4085

Not needing to supply all the beans I drink at the moment, means I can play around. The downside to the Gene is when you go for a darker roast, killing it at the right moment

we have an old saying, when you are brown your done, when your black your buggered.....referring of course to cooking!

I do not want to break into the Daterras I have until I know the Veloce is about due. I am not going to buy the BB bulk buys as good a value as they are as I want to stick with one or two beans I like. I need to source some OBJ next!


----------



## froggystyle

The open day at BB with the 1200 really opened my eyes to how good a machine it was!

The twin heaters and cooling dump are such a jump up from the 101, goes without saying you pay for that, but the end results were so much better than its little brother.

2 years and counting!


----------



## johnealey

1st roast of your MM looks very nice and how i have tried to aim mine for (having also achieved your second roast on more than occasion..). Found the darker more shiny bean just amplifies the MM spicyness but not neccessarily in a good way when drunk on its own especially in a cappa.

Be interested to see how you get on with the Sweet blue as would have gone for this over the full bloom had BB sold out.

Did a MM yesterday evening set temp for 220c

2 min = 147

4 min= 183

6 min=206

8 min= 217

10 min= 219 held at 220c for 1min increase to 230

1st [email protected] 11m 35s

12 min= 226

stopped at 13m 20sec showing an output temp of 225

Just slightly darker than your 1st lot (med to m/d) and now playing the waiting game although squeezing the bag to vent, can smell spicy sweet chocolate.

View attachment 7871


First attempt at actually uploading a pic.

John


----------



## johnealey

Also did a Has Bean El Salvador Finca La Fany yesterday evening which has to have been the chaffiest coffee roasted to date,so much so that output vent in roasting chamber was blocked enough for the beans to darken alarmingly fast, catching me out a bit. Got these as a green in my mug 12 week subscription for added variety (!).

Set temp for 220 (1335w showing as drawn, am yet to buy volt reading plug)(start time 20:40pm)

2min 160 (1332w)

4min 195 (1327w)

6min 211 (1323w)

@7min hit 220 and held for 2 min

8min 218 (1326w)

@9min increase to 230

10min 228 (1326w)

12min 226 (1325w)

1st crack @12m04s 30 secs then drop to 224

stopped at 13m47s very inconsistent

View attachment 7872


( shadow in the forground am realising may be my large bonce, must remember to move..)

John


----------



## froggystyle

No mods on the gene i guess?


----------



## johnealey

None so far and from reading sense this is the next inevitable step.

Did wonder at the time of purchase why there was the option of the 230v being available for the UK, all became very clear after found the forum, post purchase of a 240v.

Have noticed a difference in the last couple of weeks and if could be bothered to drive 16 miles to Stratford Upon Avon Maplins would probably aim not to roast when voltage is higher.

Do roast indoors under the extractor hood which does a good job of extracting but being high volume of air movement also higer volume which precludes roasting in the dead of night ( when remarkably, due to possible overdose of caffeine, see earlier posts, am still awake)

John


----------



## 4085

I bought a 240 volt roaster. I normally check the voltage before I roast but usually during the afternoons it is avoid 238 to 242 which is absolutely fine. If the voltage drops below 237 i do not bother and just wait a bit. At those levels, a 230 v element would soon wear out. So, the stage 2 mod can be done without the stage one.


----------



## johnealey

Hi Dave

realise this is a noob ish question but, having found an article somewhere re stage 1 and stage 2 mods am blowed if can now re find them. Would someone be kind enought to post a link or point me in the right direction ( stage 2: dimmer?)

Thanks in advance

John


----------



## Mouse

here you go Johnhttp://coffeetime.wikidot.com/gene-cafe-dimmer-control-mod-stage-1

http://coffeetime.wikidot.com/gene-cafe-dimmer-control-mod-stage-1

http://coffeetimex.wikidot.com/gene-cafe-dimmer-control-mod-stage-2


----------



## Hoffmonkey

Pros and cons of buying the 230v vs the 240v GenCafe 101 from BellaBarista?


----------



## Mouse

See the above links regarding the mods Hoff - 230v heater is more suited if you want to try this.

DavecUK is the person that designed the mod and wrote the Wiki


----------



## Hoffmonkey

Thanks Mouse. Still trying to get my head around whether the 230v or 240v is better off the bat.


----------



## johnealey

Mouse said:


> here you go Johnhttp://coffeetime.wikidot.com/gene-cafe-dimmer-control-mod-stage-1
> 
> http://coffeetimex.wikidot.com/gene-cafe-dimmer-control-mod-stage-2


Thanks Mouse, appreciated. Now building a shopping list.

John


----------



## Mouse

you can (as far as I know..) go with the 240v but with the 230v you get full control in all conditions. The voltage would have to be below 228V before direct was required. With a dimmer on the 240v you'll lose about 30-50W, so in low voltage with a 240V heating element, you might have problems in low voltages...you also cant "over boost" the gene slightly in cold weather.

Dave will be able to advise better, maybe drop him a PM


----------



## Geordie Boy

johnealey said:


> Got these as a green in my mug 12 week subscription for added variety (!).


How do you get on with the green IMM subscription in general? I'm guessing it helps having the IMM videos to help describe what the coffee should taste like, but do you get close given you only really have 1 shot at roasting them?


----------



## johnealey

Geordie Boy said:


> How do you get on with the green IMM subscription in general? I'm guessing it helps having the IMM videos to help describe what the coffee should taste like, but do you get close given you only really have 1 shot at roasting them?


Given the only real indicator as to roast level is in the cupping notes on the website (the roast description on the packet normally gets cut off) would say that get close to but probably nowhere near the consistency that they would do with the roasted bean, as you quite correctly state only get one shot. Having said that have not had a "duffer" yet, all being drinkable and I guess is just a way of trying lots of different coffees without too much thought / trying types would not ordinarily go for ( the recent ethiosar being a case in point which turned out to be very nice). There may yet be one that having tried it go onto buy more but 9 weeks in not been tempted so far.

Would I do it again as a green subscription? tricky and got about 3 more before have to make that decision firm but probably not. This is not Has Beans issue and will be the same for any subscription service, a proportion of the cost is the postage which was one of the reasons for getting away from small batch ordering. I had previously ordered a vast amount of coffee over a 2 year period from Has Bean and apart from roasting lighter than my own personal taste always provided a drinkable cup.

Another issue probably harder for me to digest is that a 12 week subscription nets me approximately 3 kilos of coffee for just less than 2/3rd of the price of a 12 kilo Daterra pentapack or about 5 to 6 kilos of other beans (everyone has a favourite and a bit like Dfk, the bulk element is allowing me to at least find something i like the taste of, roast profile / taste wise, to then improve on)

If I ever get tempted back to having a bought roast bean in the house then could be tempted but as this is a slightly higher price still, would require thought. We have gone completely cold turkey or even "green" turkey in that not only is there zero instant coffee but also nothing that I have not roasted ( or burnt/ singed / underdone !) which is either extremely courageous or foolhardy but does focus the mind somewhat, being a couple of triple shots away from a meltdown









Hope of help

John


----------



## iroko

El Salvador shg Cerro De Ataco

Voltage was low when roasting 235.7-237

taken up to 240

Didn't hear 1st crack

Dropped to 235 at 2nd crack which was about 13.52 min

Hit cool down at 17 mins, which I think was a bit too long

Not very happy with the result, next time I do this bean I'll only go to 235 to see If It roasts better.


----------



## 4085

iroko, I have always found that the gene is poor if the voltage dips below 237 during the roast. i generally just wait until it recovers a bit. If this is a constant problem, then you could pop a 230 volt element in and then do the stage 2 mod everyone talks about.


----------



## iroko

Voltage was at 240+ before I started roasting and sat in the 236 range while roasting, I normally have better voltage in the afternoon but I roasted these

in the morning, I'll stick with roasting later in the day now.


----------



## froggystyle

Columbian Suarez!

Took to 237, first crack at about 10 mins, cooling cycle at 11.30 mins, dump 1 minute after.

Didn't want a dark roast, although the photo makes them look darker due to crap lighting in my kitchen.









3 days and these are bound for V60!


----------



## Mouse

They don't look dark in the photo Froggy - Let us know how they taste









I need to get a roast on over the next couple of days - I'm running a little low..


----------



## 4085

Froggy, did they reach first before the Gene had come to temp as 10 minutes seems very early for first to me, especially at that temp.


----------



## froggystyle

Yup, not by much as they were still cracking when i dumped.

See how they taste, may fire off another batch tonight.


----------



## 4085

Froggy, that seems terribly fast. I do not know what other Gene owners think. Are you dosing at 225 gms or the full 250?


----------



## froggystyle

250g

13 genes.


----------



## froggystyle

Also noted when roasting that the chaff was lifting off nicely at about 7-8 minutes which is a first for me.


----------



## iroko

That is quick,on my last roast my gene had only hit 225 at 11mins, with 250g.


----------



## froggystyle

Gonna fire another off soon, will see how this one compares and make more notes


----------



## froggystyle

Roast done.

Same bean, Colombian Suarez.

250g in, no warm up.

Temp set at 237c, hit this at 10 mins

First crack 11 mins

Cooling cycle at 13.30 mins

E dump at 14.30 mins

Voltage was steady at 244 volts throughout.









Nice and even and slightly darker than the last one so i can compare!


----------



## iroko

They look nicer than the 1st roast, let us know how the two compare taste wise.


----------



## froggystyle

The wife has been drinking the first roast in pour over this week, she says they are nice but will reserve judgement till tomorrow when i sample them.


----------



## 4085

Any thoughts on this? I roasted some Malabar and it has rested a week. Looked ok as a roast (this is my first one after a good break) but when I poured the shot, from about 15 gms in 30 seconds I was about 26 out, but it was a lot of crema and very little liquid. I pulled another but this time into an espresso cup and I thought to myself, this will never ft in there. The shot just did not seem right and I cannot remember what MM should taste like!


----------



## froggystyle

I didn't get on with MM on its own, didn't really taste of much. From memory i think the crema was very large but it did settle.


----------



## johnealey

My last batch was almost over crema'd and found I had to both grind a little finer than I would have thought & leave it a bit longer before the next attempt, to stop gassing. Had the same lot @ 14 days from roast and quite a bit calmer (although still manic compared to others) with a spicy tang to it. If they are from the same batch at BB they do seem to be more spice than chocolate.

Tried some post roast mixed in with a Daterra Bourbon at 70/30 (30 %MM) ratio and seemed to improve both ending up with sweet spicy chocolate. Tried it at 50/50 but was at best "odd", if that makes sense, almost a clash of two parts. Might be interesting added to the sweet blue though.

John


----------



## 4085

Thanks jon. I am going to crack open the Daterra Sweet Blue soon enough. What would anyone say should be the starting point with these? I was thinking about 234 for 14 minutes, then looking at it and deciding whether to go lower or higher to finish them off


----------



## GS11

dfk41 said:


> Thanks jon. I am going to crack open the Daterra Sweet Blue soon enough. What would anyone say should be the starting point with these? I was thinking about 234 for 14 minutes, then looking at it and deciding whether to go lower or higher to finish them off


Sounds good Dave I went [email protected] 235c for BB's standard Daterra (not the fancy penta pack variety mind)

Really enjoyed these though would probably aim for 15min next time.

http://coffeeforums.co.uk/showthread.php?11791-Todays-Roast&p=187842#post187842


----------



## froggystyle

Dump at 14 or cooling cycle at 14?


----------



## Mrboots2u

GS11 said:


> Sounds good Dave I went [email protected] 235c for BB's standard Daterra (not the fancy penta pack variety mind)
> 
> Really enjoyed these though would probably aim for 15min next time.
> 
> http://coffeeforums.co.uk/showthread.php?11791-Todays-Roast&p=187842#post187842


Bump got modded


----------



## 4085

I prefer not to dump as I am sure (but no engineering knowledge) that it must do no good turning the machine off. I always use one of the two cooling cycles it has!


----------



## The Systemic Kid

Think DaveC has covered this advising not to use the emergency stop to dump beans.


----------



## froggystyle

Indeed he has, but sometimes i do dump, only because i feel the beans are right and dont want them roasting anymore.

Generally its on the first batch of a new bean that i am unsure about.


----------



## Hoffmonkey

My first ever roast attempt today in an unmodified popcorn popper from Lidl (1200w). Done on the decking in my back garden, 70g (ish) in, 60g (ish) out, I think first crack started about 4 mins and then second crack at about 6min 30sec but I was so excited I forgot to check the timer.

So no clue what the temperature was, not even sure if I'd got to second crack properly! I had another go with 80g and can only remember that I dumped them into a colander at 7mins!


----------



## Hoffmonkey

Bugger, picture is upside down!


----------



## Mouse

For a first attempt.. In a popcorn popper.. I reckon you've done a pretty good job there Hoff!


----------



## Mouse

froggystyle said:


> Roast done.
> 
> Same bean, Colombian Suarez.
> 
> 250g in, no warm up.
> 
> Temp set at 237c, hit this at 10 mins
> 
> First crack 11 mins
> 
> Cooling cycle at 13.30 mins
> 
> E dump at 14.30 mins
> 
> Voltage was steady at 244 volts throughout.
> 
> View attachment 7905
> 
> 
> Nice and even and slightly darker than the last one so i can compare!


They look better than the last pic Froggy


----------



## froggystyle

Interesting Hoff!

Wonder what the normal timing is for 1st and 2nd crack in a popcorn maker?

They look ok i think, maybe a little singed.


----------



## Hoffmonkey

froggystyle said:


> Interesting Hoff!
> 
> Wonder what the normal timing is for 1st and 2nd crack in a popcorn maker?
> 
> They look ok i think, maybe a little singed.


Yeah I think first crack can be expected around 4mins and second crack some time after 6 mins. http://coffeegeek.com/guides/popperroasting

So if my results are looking singed, maybe I needed another 10g in the popper and if that doesn't work, try to reduce the voltage a bit more - I'll have to daisy chain another extension lead on! Thanks for the feedback froggy!

They've been resting for 12 odd hours now so I might have a try with them ground through my porlex and brewed in my aeropress.

Out of interest, if my main criteria for home roasting was minimising financial outlay, which supplier would you recommend for green bean purchases?

Cheers

Hoff


----------



## froggystyle

Where do get your roasted beans from at the minute?


----------



## Hoffmonkey

froggystyle said:


> Where do get your roasted beans from at the minute?


I went on the extract training day and blagged 400g from them - I am trying to work out what the cheapest way of having freshly roasted, appropriately rested beans without fear of them going stale - best way I can think to do that is source cheap green beans and roast small batches as I need them. I fully foresee a gencafe purchase if the numbers make sense!

I've looked at Bella Barista, Rave, Coffee Compass. With cost in mind, I don't see how I might be able to get cheaper than some already roasted Rave blends, co bought with a mate to get the free delivery for £25. Their green bean cost minus 20% volume out, not even taking into consideration messed up roasts makes it seem almost impossible to justify roasting myself. I did enjoy doing it though!


----------



## froggystyle

Where do you live?


----------



## Hoffmonkey

froggystyle said:


> Where do you live?


Portishead, just south of Bristol


----------



## froggystyle

http://www.realcoffee.co.uk/shop/green-beans/

http://www.wogancoffee.co.uk/

http://rocketcoffee.co.uk/

All near Bristol, ring them and see if you can pop along and buy a kg or 2.

Or spend £25 from rave and get free postage, you could get 3kg of greens and these would keep for a good time stored correctly.


----------



## 4085

I roasted two more lots this morning of MM, with the intention of giving them to Charlie. SO, I roasted back to back, one lighter one darker. Firstly, what a difference being heated up makes. The second roast was 2 minutes ahead of the first all the time. I took a short video of first crack as it is clearly audible, even above the sound of the Gene. I always watch my roasts and I am glad I did, as I noticed a small stone and Charlie would not have been happy!


----------



## froggystyle

I have done 5 roasts back to back, your right the 2nd roasts a lot better.


----------



## Hoffmonkey

Tried my first attempt in aeropress this morning. Poured probably somewhat too hot water on it. Came out bitter, but I think that may be down to my level of roast... Will have a go as an espresso in a couple of days. I don't think I'm a natural!


----------



## Hoffmonkey

dfk41 said:


> I roasted two more lots this morning of MM, with the intention of giving them to Charlie. SO, I roasted back to back, one lighter one darker. Firstly, what a difference being heated up makes. The second roast was 2 minutes ahead of the first all the time. I took a short video of first crack as it is clearly audible, even above the sound of the Gene. I always watch my roasts and I am glad I did, as I noticed a small stone and Charlie would not have been happy!


Damn you, seeing that short vid makes me want a GenCafé right now!!!


----------



## Soll

Just out of the roaster I have Kenya AA Blue mountain from BB bulk buy


----------



## ronsil

You're mentioning the problem areas I encountered with the Gene.

Nearly always it required 'seat of pants' control to consistently repeat a profile. I'm talking here the temperature 'rate of rise', drying time & gap between end of 1st crack & beginning of 2nd.

All these areas make a considerable difference to taste.

That becomes available with the out of the box Hottop 'B' but like the standard Gene it requires constant attention & adjustment.

On my weekly roasting days on 1 HT I usually do 6 x 250 grams roasts with a 35 minute cool down period between.

That's was very draining in concentration to get it right each time.

RoastLogger & the Arduino Boards changed everything. My laptop controls & adjusts the Hottop giving almost identical results for each roast of the same bean. Script what you want to happen onto the laptop in advance & store the scripts for repeated use. You have the ability to make change as the roast progresses to take into account ambient temp & differences in the Beans themselves from one purchased batch to another.

It has been a big step forward in Home Roasting. That does not mean to say I'd turn my nose up at the big new Gene If it was within my available budget.


----------



## froggystyle

Hoffmonkey said:


> Tried my first attempt in aeropress this morning. Poured probably somewhat too hot water on it. Came out bitter, but I think that may be down to my level of roast... Will have a go as an espresso in a couple of days. I don't think I'm a natural!


Do you have a french press? Will be an easier way to decide if the roast went well.


----------



## GS11

Soll said:


> Just out of the roaster I have Kenya AA Blue mountain from BB bulk buy


Looking very nice Soll


----------



## GS11

First attempt with geisha struggled to find a recent profile for the gene but with help from coffeetime roasting logs selected a start temp of 230c. Finished the roast at 15m30 with a full genie cool.

Very chaffy bean, turned out ok though I feel room for improvement (some singeing) *would be interested if other gene users have a good profile for this bean.*










These smelt quite pepper/earthy! after 24hours but fortunately after 4 days development aroma improved greatly producing an interesting v60 brew. Somewhat different to my south american roasts, the geisha = a sweet citrus honey kick with a malty finish. Very drinkable.


----------



## Soll

Nice roast GS11! Have you tried the bean as espresso yet? Or only as V60 brew. I want an alternative to Strega and thinking of either Areopress or V60, any difference in taste between them?


----------



## 4085

Soll, I have dabbled a very small amount with brewed. I tried the V60, but for me, it was a pain to make a drink. The I bought a Clever coffee dripper and it is the simplest thing in the world to use with absolutely none of the faff associated with other methods!


----------



## GS11

Soll said:


> Nice roast GS11! Have you tried the bean as espresso yet? Or only as V60 brew. I want an alternative to Strega and thinking of either Areopress or V60, any difference in taste between them?


Hi Soll I'm off espresso so can't comment. I've use both v60 and aeropress. I like aeropress for work as it's quick / clean and easy and produces great results. I use the V60 with pouring kettle at home as I have more time for this method.

The V60 gives a better brewing experience imo. Puts you in direct contact with the brewing process whereas the aeropress brew is locked away in the chamber. Love the V60 for it's simplicity.

That said with the geisha I have the better cup so far via the aeropress/ zass.


----------



## Soll

I've seen the Areopress on EBay sell for around £20, what about a V60 and pouring kettle obviously would be more than the AP


----------



## coffeechap

soll if you want an aeropress i have a spare one going you can have for £15


----------



## Daren

coffeechap said:


> soll if you want an aeropress i have a spare one going you can have for £15


Dave - if Soll doesn't want it and it's got all the bits then I'll have this of you


----------



## urbanbumpkin

Daren you beat me to it


----------



## coffeechap

only bit that it wont come with is the funnel as it is on my ek43


----------



## Daren

coffeechap said:


> only bit that it wont come with is the funnel as it is on my ek43


That's fine with me (I've got the funnel from my other one.... on my Mythos as a hopper)


----------



## Daren

urbanbumpkin said:


> Daren you beat me to it


Snooze ya looze









Sorry Clive


----------



## Soll

coffeechap said:


> soll if you want an aeropress i have a spare one going you can have for £15


Cheers Dave, I'll take it! I don't mind picking up at the forum day? Or would you prefer to post


----------



## urbanbumpkin

Excellent Sol an absolute bargain. Might be a trip down to Argos for me an Daren £27.99


----------



## Soll

urbanbumpkin said:


> Excellent Sol an absolute bargain. Might be a trip down to Argos for me an Daren £27.99


I'm sure I've seen it on EBay for around £20


----------



## coffeechap

rave sell them for less than £27


----------



## urbanbumpkin

coffeechap said:


> rave sell them for less than £27


Might pick one up next time I get some beans if the postage is included.


----------



## ronsil

Please get back onto the 'Todays Roast' track.

Plenty place for discussion in the Coffee Lounge .....Thanks


----------



## coffeechap

you know when you've been modded!! apologies ron


----------



## Soll

I think it was me that started it about alternative brewing







Sorry guy's!


----------



## coffeechap

why has the brownbear link been modded?


----------



## ronsil

As soon as I spotted the thread had gone off track I asked folk to keep it on Todays Roast.

The modded post came in after that request.

The Home Roasters section took a long time to become really active & one of the most important threads is talking about & illustrating current roasting. This thread is now well supported & makes a great point of reference for Roasters.

It would be a shame to see it being diluted.


----------



## Mouse

First roast of My Bella Barista group buy Monsoon Malabar today..

I was aiming for a milk chocolate colour as a first roast. I haven't tried this bean before so I'll see how I find it lighter, then go darker next time for a comparison. After reading a few suggested profiles - I went for a target temp of 227 and was looking at a roast length of around 14-14:30 mins

Voltage around 244v at the start of the roast

used the dimmer to maintain the roast around 1140/1150w up to target temp of 227. Then dropped down to 900'ish w to maintain temp at 227

1st crack 11-11:30 mins

2nd crack (LOUD) started 13:30... Although this may have still been first?? But it definitely kicked off inside the chamber around now!

Stopped the roast at 14mins 10sec and let the Gene run through the cooling cycle

250g In 211g out

I did 2 back to back roasts using the same profile with identical results. I'm really happy with how they've come out as the resulting colour is what I was aiming for.


----------



## iroko

Result with the milk chocolate colour.


----------



## iroko

El Salvador shg Cerro De Ataco

After last weeks bad roast, tried this weekend, not very good, I've done another roast this afternoon.

Voltage much better, 238.1-240.1

Roast taken up to 235

Didn't hear 1st crack

2nd crack at 13.30 ish

temp dropped to 230

Ended roast at 16mins with cool down.

  

Look foward to trying this next w/end.

Last weeks roast will now be used for iced coffee, not to bad.


----------



## ronsil

Those latest roast are looking very good & even. Look forward to hearing how they taste.


----------



## 4085

Mouse, that MM looks about the same as my first attempt (in a long time that is). I went 226 for 14.30 but my voltage was not as good as yours. I found after resting for a week that they needed longer as they were very lively. I will be trying them again tomorrow. The second roast I did I went a lot darker (see a few pages earlier in this thread). I have drunk those over 2 days and found them best with about 4 ounces of milk.


----------



## iroko

Soll said:


> Just out of the roaster I have Kenya AA Blue mountain from BB bulk buy


Hey Soll, very nice roast with the Hottop.


----------



## iroko

These smelt quite pepper/earthy! after 24hours but fortunately after 4 days development aroma improved greatly producing an interesting v60 brew. Somewhat different to my south american roasts, the geisha = a sweet citrus honey kick with a malty finish. Very drinkable.

Sounds like a tasty drink.


----------



## froggystyle

Mouse;193007
[ATTACH=CONFIG said:


> 7977[/ATTACH]
> 
> Nice looking MM Moose, i ound those beans very forgiving in the roaster, i think its very difficult to get those wrong.
> 
> I fired off three roasts today, well actually wife did one.
> 
> First up was the sumatra mandheling.
> 
> Green beans looked very poor
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The end results didnt look much better!
> 
> 238c for 13.30 minutes
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Very chaffy still, uneven, singing and just crap in my eyes, really not into the sumatra beans!
> 
> Next up was the wife with columbian suarez
> 
> 238c till cooling cycle at 13.30 minutes, i would have dropped a minute earlier, but the roast looks nice, just a little darker.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Then last was a little blend, not gonna say what these are as i will be sending them out to MWJB in return for the grinder he sent me, i want him to blind test them!


----------



## Mouse

iroko said:


> Result with the milk chocolate colour.


Thanks Iroko - Your roast this afternoon looks great.

Good idea on the Iced coffee as well


----------



## Mouse

dfk41 said:


> Mouse, that MM looks about the same as my first attempt (in a long time that is). I went 226 for 14.30 but my voltage was not as good as yours. I found after resting for a week that they needed longer as they were very lively. I will be trying them again tomorrow. The second roast I did I went a lot darker (see a few pages earlier in this thread). I have drunk those over 2 days and found them best with about 4 ounces of milk.


I'm looking forward to trying these as opinions seem quite divided on what level of roast works best - I'll definitely try going darker next time for a comparison


----------



## Mouse

Froggy - I haven't seen any sumatra mandheling greens before, do they always look that rank??

It looks like wifey has got the hang of this roasting lark quickly


----------



## froggystyle

No idea moose, first time i have roasted them, dont think i shall buy any more.


----------



## froggystyle

So just fired off another batch of the mandheling, on some advice from Brooke at Rave i went a little lower temp at 235c and took them further, about 15 minutes before cooling cycle.

Lowered the weight to 230g also.

Didn't notice first crack.

Bit better looking, plus the shade i like on a bean!


----------



## ronsil

Interested to know how they taste after a few days


----------



## froggystyle

So nobody roasting anymore?


----------



## ronsil

Never a week passes without!

However will not be roasting very much over the next month.

Got a new stash of beans arriving from US first week September.

With holidays etc I think home roasting in the UK does go a little quiet during Jul/Aug


----------



## froggystyle

What beans from US Ron?


----------



## ronsil

Not finalised as yet. Will make final choice during August. Possibly thinking around something different & more expensive like CoE Beans to make up my 20lbs parcel. Looking to stretch the new Vesuvius during the winter months.


----------



## froggystyle

How does the £/kg work out with shipping?


----------



## 4085

Well, I have tried the two roasts I did on the Daterras Sweet Blue. The first one was a lighter roast whuch after 8 days rest, was ok, but not fantastic. The second, I took lonegr and hotter so it produced a darker roasts. This is definitely the right area for this bean. it truly is sweet as espresso and cuts across milk well, so I will concentrate on the darker roasts with it now to see just how good we can get it!


----------



## Mouse

froggystyle said:


> So nobody roasting anymore?


Pregnant wife here (after YEARS of IVF so fingers crossed...) so our consumption is down at the moment.

Plus, as I'm getting used to different beans I'm tending to do a few batches of the same bean at the same time so I've not got much to update with.


----------



## ronsil

The beans themselves are usually cheaper if you can stick to either a 10lb or 20lb parcels.

Ten years ago there were real economies to be made when buying from US but nowadays postal costs have zoomed up to equal the actual price of the coffee & there is no real saving on UK prices. If you don't stay with the parcels on offer it works out more expensive than here for the same greens.

Holland also used to be a source of cheaper green beans but prices from there with the shipping are now the same or more expensive than the UK.


----------



## 4085

Ron, do they really offer things you cannot get here?


----------



## ronsil

Sweet Marias greens offer some different varieties not easily available in the UK. Always their greens are very fresh. Probably due to turnover.

Kona coffee from Hawaii is another not easily found here & very often when it is its dry & oldish.

In my early roasting days I only ever purchased from SM. Their Liquid Amber Espresso 5 bean Blend was something else.

I used to alternate them with 2 lbs packets of very fresh green Kona from Smiths Farms. Postage costs has killed all that now.


----------



## iroko

Update from last weeks el salvador roast.

I've really struggled to get a good extraction from this roast, first try yesterday took about 3 mins for the lever to go through It's travel, I had to turn

the HG one about a 1/4 of a turn rather than the 1 or 2 steps I normally do between different beans, but still could not get a good shot.

Today I swapped out the vst for the stock basket, took a guess on the grinder setting and had some great cappas with a lovely taste of toffee.

I'm going to try the vst with my macap grinder in the week to see what happens, If no better I'll stick with the stock basket for the rest of the roast


----------



## froggystyle

Mouse said:


> Pregnant wife here (after YEARS of IVF so fingers crossed...) so our consumption is down at the moment.
> 
> Plus, as I'm getting used to different beans I'm tending to do a few batches of the same bean at the same time so I've not got much to update with.


nice one moose!


----------



## Mouse

Cheers Froggy


----------



## hullcity

Morning All,

Back from my hols and good to see some fine roasts posted, hope they tasted as good as they look.

First up, BB El Salv Cerro de Ataco. My first go with this bean so tried 250g at 235C. Voltage was at 241. Beans very chaffy, I got a bit of element-switching at 220C/8 min. First crack very clear at 11:50, beans got dark pretty quickly so I hit stop 3 min later and cooled in the drum. Total roast time was 14:46, weight loss was 18%.

Will sample these in about a week. Next time will try at 230C and aim for 4 mins after start of first crack.


----------



## hullcity

Next up, a blend. 50% Brazil Daterra Santa Columba, 25% Mexico Nayarita, 25% MM. Total mix 250g, roasted at 230C. Voltage was 240.

Very quiet first crack at 12:18, I hit stop 3:40 later and cooled in the drum. Total roast time 16 min, weight loss was 16%. I want to try and let these rest for 2 weeks, but may have a sneaky peak after a week







.


----------



## The Systemic Kid

Is your blend roasted together or blended post roast?


----------



## hullcity

The Systemic Kid said:


> Is your blend roasted together or blended post roast?


It's roasted together. I know probably not the best way to go, but I'd eventually like to settle on a blend that I can roast in one or at most in two. Just piddling about really


----------



## ronsil

hullcity said:


> It's roasted together. I know probably not the best way to go,


No but it can be. You can often find anything up to 3-4 beans that actually improve by pre-roast blending.

The flavours intermingle better & make for a smoother cup than blending them post-roast


----------



## froggystyle

130g mandheling

100g MM

234c till finish at 14 mins.

Voltage nice and steady at 247.









Why choose these beans you ask??

Its all i had left in the bean cupboard!


----------



## iroko

Hope they taste good.


----------



## iroko

hullcity said:


> Morning All,
> 
> Back from my hols and good to see some fine roasts posted, hope they tasted as good as they look.
> 
> First up, BB El Salv Cerro de Ataco. My first go with this bean so tried 250g at 235C. Voltage was at 241. Beans very chaffy, I got a bit of element-switching at 220C/8 min. First crack very clear at 11:50, beans got dark pretty quickly so I hit stop 3 min later and cooled in the drum. Total roast time was 14:46, weight loss was 18%.
> 
> Will sample these in about a week. Next time will try at 230C and aim for 4 mins after start of first crack.


Recently roasted these, taste nice when I get a good shot.


----------



## froggystyle

ronsil said:


> Interested to know how they taste after a few days


Tried them this morning on pour over, 17g into 250ml water.

Not very nice to be honest, a little sour!

Will keep trying daily!


----------



## The Systemic Kid

Quest is now back in one piece after a strip down clean - love the way it's put together - easy to dismantle. Once the Quest is up to temp, you can back to back roasts as long as you want - no waiting for it to cool down. Roasted approx 1.5kg this afternoon playing around with different settings and taking roasts to first and second crack and beyond - there is one for Monsoon Malabar. Here's a couple of pictures - one on left if Brazilian Daterra Sweet Yellow taken just past first crack to around 212c. One on the right is Malawi Geisha - very chaffy - taken to 210c. First crack happens around 195-196c and is very audible on the Quest.


----------



## froggystyle

Be interested to see how they taste TSK, 210c seems low to me...


----------



## froggystyle

froggystyle said:


> 130g mandheling
> 
> 100g MM
> 
> 234c till finish at 14 mins.
> 
> Voltage nice and steady at 247.
> 
> View attachment 8216
> 
> 
> Why choose these beans you ask??
> 
> Its all i had left in the bean cupboard!


Actually been drinking these over the weekend, thought they were older beans!

Must say they make a great shot with milk, usually pouring 36g from 20g in, nice rich flavour, i feel a little like the rave fudge blend..

had enough to do another two roasts last night but slightly different weights, let the wife do the first, and then i did the second.

Wifey is on the left, mine on the right.










She went 234c till cooling cycle at 14 minutes.

I went 230c till cooling cycle at 13 minutes.

Gonna let them rest and compare.

I think on my next order i will get some Brazil beans to add to these two!


----------



## hullcity

iroko said:


> Recently roasted these, taste nice when I get a good shot.


Just started on the Cerro de Ataco and I concur, these do taste nice. Lovely in cappas, nice warm and chocolatey, and I've just had a straight espresso and was impressed: smooth mouthfeel and nice balance. Could perhaps do with a bit of fruit in there but I think I've over roasted this time, the beans are now showing spots of oil after a week.

Iroko, what temp did you settle on and how far did you take the roast? One thing that surprised me was there seemed to be quite a bit of static when grinding, the grinds flew out everywhere from the mazzer doser, something I haven't seen before. But I did just give the mazzer a good clean so perhaps that's got something to do with it(?).


----------



## DavecUK

hullcity said:


> Just started on the Cerro de Ataco and I concur, these do taste nice. Lovely in cappas, nice warm and chocolatey, and I've just had a straight espresso and was impressed: smooth mouthfeel and nice balance. Could perhaps do with a bit of fruit in there but I think I've over roasted this time, the beans are now showing spots of oil after a week.
> 
> Iroko, what temp did you settle on and how far did you take the roast? One thing that surprised me was there seemed to be quite a bit of static when grinding, the grinds flew out everywhere from the mazzer doser, something I haven't seen before. But I did just give the mazzer a good clean so perhaps that's got something to do with it(?).


It is a staticy bean and does require a finish grinde. Blend it with a Pulped Natural processed Brazilian 50/50 for really excellent results.

Dave


----------



## hullcity

DavecUK said:


> It is a staticy bean and does require a finish grinde. Blend it with a Pulped Natural processed Brazilian 50/50 for really excellent results.
> 
> Dave


Thanks Dave.

So how would this go with the Daterra sweet blue? I've got some coming over in 3 weeks time, so might hold on with the Cerro de Ataco until then. Or would that be a waste of the sweet blue?


----------



## DavecUK

hullcity said:


> Thanks Dave.
> 
> So how would this go with the Daterra sweet blue? I've got some coming over in 3 weeks time, so might hold on with the Cerro de Ataco until then. Or would that be a waste of the sweet blue?


It would go real well.


----------



## iroko

hullcity said:


> Just started on the Cerro de Ataco and I concur, these do taste nice. Lovely in cappas, nice warm and chocolatey, and I've just had a straight espresso and was impressed: smooth mouthfeel and nice balance. Could perhaps do with a bit of fruit in there but I think I've over roasted this time, the beans are now showing spots of oil after a week.
> 
> Iroko, what temp did you settle on and how far did you take the roast? One thing that surprised me was there seemed to be quite a bit of static when grinding, the grinds flew out everywhere from the mazzer doser, something I haven't seen before. But I did just give the mazzer a good clean so perhaps that's got something to do with it(?).


I took roast to 235, and dropped to 230 at about 13.30 mins, start of 2nd crack I think.

Finished roast with cool down at 16 mins.

I've struggled to set up grinder for this bean, and have gone back to stock basket from vst.


----------



## hullcity

First roast with the modded gene. Batch was 250g Brazilian from the Bahia region. Never roasted these before. My aim was to hit 230C and hold there to full city. No preheat and cooling in the drum. Used the dimmer right from the start, set at 1150-1160W, about 80% of full power. Voltage was 238V.

Unsurprisingly, the temp ramp was slower than what I normally see with brazilians roasted in the unmodded gene. Yellow was at 7:30 and tan at 8:30. Just before hitting 230C, I dropped the power down to 900W, but this wasn't enough to maintain temp (which dropped). So I increased power again until 230C was reached then dropped power to 1000W then 950W, which seemed to do the job of keeping the temp stable. Hit cooling at first crack+4 min. Weight loss was 17%.

In the chart, the green line is the gene temp and the blue line the power setting. Next time I'll try the ramp at a higher power, probably 1250W, to speed the roast along a bit.


----------



## DavecUK

Hullcity, have you got a 230V heating element? I see from your signature you have but thought id better check.

If so I am suprised you needed 1250W in this weather. Are you sure the Gene isn't "element switching"


----------



## hullcity

DavecUK said:


> Hullcity, have you got a 230V heating element? I see from your signature you have but thought id better check.
> 
> If so I am suprised you needed 1250W in this weather. Are you sure the Gene isn't "element switching"


Yup, it's the 230V heater. And no element-switching on this last roast, I'm certain of that as I've had that before with very chaffy beans. By the way, only 24C over here, not massively hot.


----------



## DavecUK

hullcity said:


> Yup, it's the 230V heater. And no element-switching on this last roast, I'm certain of that as I've had that before with very chaffy beans. By the way, only 24C over here, not massively hot.


At 24C ambient, you will never require 1250W, trust me on this.....way too much. Thats the sort of power I might use at 5C in winter.


----------



## hullcity

DavecUK said:


> At 24C ambient, you will never require 1250W, trust me on this.....way too much. Thats the sort of power I might use at 5C in winter.


Hmmm.... I was wondering if my power meter plug thingy is inaccurate but a 25W bulb gives a reading of 28W and a 2kW fan heater on full whack gave a touch over 2kW. My gene (without the mod) with no beans loaded was using between 1375 and 1390W on heating to 240C. Is this normal?

And just to clarify, the last roast was done at 1150W, I was just thinking of doing the next roast at 1250W.


----------



## DavecUK

hullcity said:


> Hmmm.... I was wondering if my power meter plug thingy is inaccurate but a 25W bulb gives a reading of 28W and a 2kW fan heater on full whack gave a touch over 2kW. My gene (without the mod) with no beans loaded was using between 1375 and 1390W on heating to 240C. Is this normal?
> 
> And just to clarify, the last roast was done at 1150W, I was just thinking of doing the next roast at 1250W.


For an unmodded gene with a 230V element, yeah I would think depending on the Voltage at the time, it could easily draw 1390W, it's why when a certain vendor sold the 230V ones many many years ago, he had so many problems with them. The Gene would get very hot and of course roast badly, fail often and element switch like mad. The Vendor at the time seemed to think it was a bad product, rather than the fact they had asked for the wrong rating of heating element.

For your second point, theere is a huge difference between 1150 and 1250W. So perhaps just try 20 or 30W more. certainly in summer keep just below 1200W. it might well be that your ramp is fine, but you're cutting power too early on in the roast...those old green beans are only gonna heat up so fast early on.


----------



## hullcity

Thanks for your help Davec. I'll try just a touch more power next time and work on what power I need to keep the temp stable.


----------



## iroko

Roasted Guatemala shb genuine huehuetenango

Voltage dropped to 235.5 at start of roast but soon picked up to 238.2-239.9

1st crack at 12.20 I think

2nd crack at 13.40 going into very loud rolling crack

Temp showing 240, dropped to 235 at 2nd crack

Roast finished 16.30


----------



## hullcity

Another 250g batch of Brazilian from the Bahia region. This time I set the dimmer at 1180W right from the off, targeting a gene temp of 230C, at which point I dropped the power down to 1000 and jiggled with it to try and maintain 230C for the rest of the roast. Hit cooling at 17:48, about 3 min after the start of 1st crack. Beans look full city and weight loss was 17%.

The chart shows this roast (solid lines) and the previous roast (dotted lines), which was done at 1150W. Not much difference between the ramps in temp, first crack started at pretty much the same time, but I stopped this new roast about 1 min earlier (beans look the same between roasts).

Now to wait and see how they taste before proceeding further


----------



## iroko

Looking good.


----------



## froggystyle

Had some beans left over so decided to chuck them all in last..

100g of MM

100g of Mandheling

30g of Indian Robusta

Took to 235 for 13.30 mins, then cooling cycle.

A little dark really, but we shall see what develops!

Edit, Just looking at the photo and they seem really dark, must dump the phone camera as it doesn't really show them in the real light!


----------



## ronsil

Interested to know. Did you hear distinct cracks or did they run into each other?


----------



## froggystyle

Yeah kind of hard to hear the cracks due to three beans, i heard the MM 1st as its the loudest!


----------



## hullcity

froggystyle said:


> Had some beans left over so decided to chuck them all in last..
> 
> 100g of MM
> 
> 100g of Mandheling
> 
> 30g of Indian Robusta
> 
> Took to 235 for 13.30 mins, then cooling cycle.


It'll be interesting to see how your blend turns out Froggy. Did you roast for espresso?


----------



## hullcity

hullcity said:


> Next up, a blend. 50% Brazil Daterra Santa Columba, 25% Mexico Nayarita, 25% MM. Total mix 250g, roasted at 230C. Voltage was 240.


Talking of blends, I've been sampling these after a couple of weeks rest. Nice aroma and body in espresso, a bit more fruit than just the Daterra alone, but also something a bit strange that I was not entirely convinced by. Perhaps the MM, not sure. Cuts through milk well but that strange taste was still there.


----------



## froggystyle

hullcity said:


> It'll be interesting to see how your blend turns out Froggy. Did you roast for espresso?


Yep this is for espresso.


----------



## froggystyle

hullcity said:


> Talking of blends, I've been sampling these after a couple of weeks rest. Nice aroma and body in espresso, a bit more fruit than just the Daterra alone, but also something a bit strange that I was not entirely convinced by. Perhaps the MM, not sure. Cuts through milk well but that strange taste was still there.


Try the MM with just the brazil or just the mexican.


----------



## froggystyle

Purchased another bag of Sumatra Mandheling from rave, had a bit of nightmare with these beans last time but decided i should give them another go.

Set gene to 230c and let carry on till i hit cooling cycle at 13.30 mins.

Not to shabby looking, just a little chaffy still, plus a few of the little popcorn type yellow beans..


----------



## hullcity

Looking good Froggy. Are you going to try them in espresso? Don't know if they're comparable, but I did some Sumatra lintong a few months back and found that they needed a good couple of weeks rest before they started to shine. Coconut and fruit according to my notes, went well with a Brazil for a bounty bar experience!


----------



## froggystyle

These will be for the V60 at work.


----------



## hullcity

Tried the Mexican terruno Nayarita on its own. 200g batch as these are chaffy and I got element-switching with 250g. Went for 1180W power on the dimmer to a target temp of 235C, then lowered power to keep temp steady until 1 min after the start of first crack. Then I reduced the power further to drop the temp to 230C (ended up going a bit lower but I'm still getting the hang of the dimmer) and held it there to the end of the roast, aiming for full city. Weight loss was 18%.

And here's the chart. Green solid line is the gene temp of today's roast, dotted is an old roast of the same beans done on the gene pre-mod.


----------



## froggystyle

froggystyle said:


> Had some beans left over so decided to chuck them all in last..
> 
> 100g of MM
> 
> 100g of Mandheling
> 
> 30g of Indian Robusta
> 
> Took to 235 for 13.30 mins, then cooling cycle.
> 
> A little dark really, but we shall see what develops!
> 
> Edit, Just looking at the photo and they seem really dark, must dump the phone camera as it doesn't really show them in the real light!


Ran out of beans today, so though what the hell, lets chuck these in the grinder and do a shot and see what comes out...

Also first run on the naked PF i purchased, the shot run almost bang on with regards to watching the PF, a little to fast so will wind in the next shot, but lovely colour to it as it poured, took it about 30g from 16g as got distracted with the naked flow....

First impressions was that it tasted rich, you could pick up the Robusta in it, but not massively, but a nice mouthful and rich fudgy/choccy taste... Tempted now to stick these back in the cupboard and let them settle for a few more days!

But then i have no beans


----------



## hullcity

Oooooo. Fancy a cup of that myself


----------



## froggystyle

Yeah, pulled another shot this morning and it didnt taste as nice, i guess with doing blends of 3 beans, then chucking them all in your hopper you get a different portion of each bean with each shot... This mornings seemed to have a lot more robusta in it..


----------



## johnealey

2 roasts today both Rave greens and both using BB guide gentle rise slow muted finish profile (230 hold2m increase to 240 till 1st crack hold 15 sec then drop 5C from max). unmodified 240v gene (not skill just time holding me back from doing dimmer mod

Cuban Serrano Superior,1st crack 11m09s, 2nd crack 13m35s hit cool at 13m50. 245v averaging 1349w thoughout final temp 228:

View attachment 8511


next up and a bit of an experiment Indian Robusta Cherry AB.

1st crack 13m01s, 2nd crack 16m50s std cool at 17m13s. 242v averaging 1315w througout final temp 229c:

View attachment 8512


Prefer a slightly darker bean so in the right area.

Will be using the robusta to blend but also tempted to try a shot to see if can get close to a "deathwish" type of brew ( I know...but like to experiment)

John


----------



## froggystyle

Your linkys no worky!

Dont drink the Robusta on its own, blend it with something in small qtys!


----------



## ronsil

The Indian Robusta in an Italian Style blend works well.

On its own 'mmmmmm.


----------



## johnealey

froggystyle said:


> Your linkys no worky!
> 
> Dont drink the Robusta on its own, blend it with something in small qtys!


Used the simple upload and when first uploaded photo's showed within the thread and now as a link? When I click on them they open in a new window, so not sure what going on here as used same method as have done in the past, any pointers gratefully received?

As to drinking the robusta on its own, only semi serious as would expect this to be rather bitter but would be curious to see how much robusta you could blend with something sweet (daterra full bloom) as a flat white starting with a higher robusta than daterra for those work days that require a higher caffeine dose...hmmm









John


----------



## froggystyle

I did three bean roast (see my post a few back) only added 30g but you can really taste it, its like a burnt strong coffee i find, not gear.. Keep it low and it will add the kick you wantt!


----------



## johnealey

Was a very odd roast in terms of both smell, which i still cannot place, not the normal damp hot straw / grass but also the amount of chaff both during roast and whilst passing from colander to colander, was everywhere!

Will take the advice and start low, building up gently; was given some Deathwish a couple of christmas's back that cost my daughter a small fortune to buy / ship which was literally an eye opener being not overly bitter, definately dark and chock full of Caffeine being mostly if not all robusta (certainly better than diet Mountain Dew)

John


----------



## hullcity

Quick update on the Brazil Bahia roasts I did recently. These were my first roasts with the modded gene, one done at 1150W and the other at 1180W.

Must say that I was not expecting much from this bean but I've been pleasantly surprised. The 1150W roast was well-balanced, smooth and nutty with just a touch of fruit coming through, much more to it than I'm used to in a Brazil. The 1180 roast is still early days as I've only just sampled it, but I found it a bit flat.

Think I'll stick with the lower power for the next roasts.


----------



## iroko

Update on Guatemala shb genuine huehuetenango roast,

After the problems with my previous roast in getting a consistent shot; Im now back with the vst basket and redialled grinder back to old settings

and things are back to normal.

I'm enjoying this bean, back to consistent shots with smooth chocolate notes.


----------



## froggystyle

My roaster is just going through a cooling cycle with this bean in.

Results are looking nice!


----------



## hullcity

Another blend today to use up some beans: 200g Daterra Santa Columba with 50g Sumatra lintong.

Target temp was 230C using 1150W. I reduced power to 1000-1050W once 230C was hit. Took quite some time to hit first crack (16 min), which was very quiet, just a few pops really, kept temp at 230C and hit cooling 3 min later. Beans a touch lighter than my usual full city, weight loss was 17%.

My line voltage at the start of roasting was 244V but had dropped to 234V by the end! Thankfully the dimmer mod takes that variable out of the equation ?


----------



## iroko

froggystyle said:


> My roaster is just going through a cooling cycle with this bean in.
> 
> Results are looking nice!


Let us know what they taste like.


----------



## froggystyle

Couple of roasts tonight.

First up was 110g of Columbian suarez with 120g of huehuetenango (love that name) Took it to 14 minutes.










The next up was 10g Indian Robusta, 90g MM, 130g Brazilian Sitio.

Took this roast a little lighter at 13.5 minutes, looks mighty fine i reckon!


----------



## Soll

That looks a fine roast there Froggy! Do you normally roast your blends separately, have you tried blending them first as green beans and then roast ?


----------



## froggystyle

All roasted at the same time Soll!


----------



## iroko

At some point I'll have to try some blending.


----------



## iroko

Nicaragua shg

1st crack @12.15

2nd crack @13.55

Roaster never went past 238 due to draft coming through window, so I didn't drop temp after 2nd crack

Voltage 237.2 - 238.7

Finished roast at 16 mins


----------



## hullcity

Two more 250g roasts of Brazil Bahia, first done just over a week ago and the other done yesterday. Both at 230C using 1150W, first stopped at 3:50 min after start of first crack, second at 3:00 min. Chart has the first batch with the dotted line.

Sampled the first today and happy to report a full-bodied tasty espresso, better than the previous attempt roasted at 1180W which I found a bit flat.


----------



## The Systemic Kid

Cranked up the Quest this afternoon. Externally insulated with ceramic fibre and the outside of the drum has been painted with high temp matt black paint. In my roasts so far, struggled to get to 150c in the times other Quest roasters quote - around 4 -5mins so wondered if the mods would make a difference. I'm fortunate that voltage in my area never drops below 249 volts. Also experimented with a fast ramp from 150-180c using full fan and 1000watts as opposed to a more gentle ramp using 800watts and less fan. Roasted two lots of Geisha - 150grm loads back to back. This is where the Quest is great - you can load the next batch whilst cooling the previous. For the fast ramp Geisha (top left) roast dump temp of 210c was reached in 10min 15sec with first crack occurring at 195c. For the slower ramp Geisha (top right) - hit 210c in 12min 30sec with first crack occurring at 196c. Will be interesting to see if there is a difference in the cup. The last roast was Sumatra White Aceh - slow ramp taken to 220c in 11min 30secs. First crack occurred at 204c.


----------



## froggystyle

Third roast looks cracking!!


----------



## The Systemic Kid

Thanks Froggy - looking forward to trying it. The Geisha always comes out slightly wrinkly but tastes great.


----------



## Mrboots2u

The Systemic Kid said:


> Thanks Froggy - looking forward to trying it. The Geisha always comes out slightly wrinkly but tastes great.


When do I get to taste some then ....


----------



## The Systemic Kid

When I'm confident they'll meet your stringent taste test


----------



## iroko

Great to see some from the Quest.


----------



## hullcity

Next up a bit of African, 200g of Malawi Mizuku. Set temp to 230C and power at 1120W. Hit 1st crack at 15:45, kept temp steady at 230C and stopped 3 min later. Roast looks between city+ and FC, with 16% weight loss. Got my Daterra sweet blue the other day so will try that next. Any tips on how to get the best out of them would be much appreciated


----------



## froggystyle

The Systemic Kid said:


> The last roast was Sumatra White Aceh
> 
> View attachment 8719


Where did you pick these beans up from TSK?


----------



## Spazbarista

Rave had white Aceh a year or so ago.


----------



## ronsil

Spazbarista said:


> Rave had white Aceh a year or so ago.


Indeed, as did Bella Barista available in their 'Bulk Buy' some years back.

Nice bean in a blend


----------



## iroko

Going through my Nicaragua roast, 5 days after roast tasted a bit thin and no body,

but after 8 days tasting much better, not so dissapointed now.


----------



## hullcity

hullcity said:


> Next up a bit of African, 200g of Malawi Mizuku. Set temp to 230C and power at 1120W. Hit 1st crack at 15:45, kept temp steady at 230C and stopped 3 min later. Roast looks between city+ and FC, with 16% weight loss.


Been drinking these the past couple of days, now at 7 days rest. Not very impressed, too thin and sour as espresso, a bit roasty, and very acid for my taste (even after adding a tsp of sugar). The sourness comes through a cappa making it taste like the milk is going off! Will try blending it with some Brazilian but I'm wondering if this bean just isn't suitable for espresso, at least not with the way I've roasted it


----------



## mathof

I've just finished my fourth ever roast. I set my Gene Café for 235, and put 250g of Old Brown Java in the chamber. First crack came at about 12mins, when the temperature had only reached 225. Another 90 seconds took it to the colour I was looking for, medium dark. Did it all happen too quickly? Here's a photo of the finished beans:


----------



## mathof

I just weighed the finished beans: 236g. That means they lost only 9.4% of their weight, and I think it's supposed to be twice that. But if I had left the beans to roast longer they would have become darker. Perhaps these beans must be roasted dark?


----------



## ronsil

OBJ needs to be roasted much darker than your pic.

Have been around for many years & they are always roasted dark & shiny.

They're a lovely bean if you like dark roasts


----------



## The Systemic Kid

mathof said:


> I just weighed the finished beans: 236g. That means they lost only 9.4% of their weight, and I think it's supposed to be twice that. But if I had left the beans to roast longer they would have become darker. Perhaps these beans must be roasted dark?


Try cupping them - that will reveal if you've roasted them properly.


----------



## mathof

But I don't like dark roasts, so I guess I bought the wrong bean!



ronsil said:


> OBJ needs to be roasted much darker than your pic.
> 
> Have been around for many years & they are always roasted dark & shiny.
> 
> They're a lovely bean if you like dark roasts


----------



## ronsil

Sorry to say I'm afraid you did. OBJ is dark of the old school.

As a suggestion try some Ethiopian Yirgacheffe. Full flavour & quite tolerant in the roasting


----------



## mathof

Thank you for the suggestion. I will.


----------



## iroko

Just roasted Brazil Daterra Bourbon Yellow

Voltage started at 240v but dropped to 236.4 - 237.9 during roast

1st crack @ 10.32

2nd crack @13.27 rolling by 14.10

Roast stopped @ 16 mins, I should have stopped about 20 secs earlier as I was aiming for slightly lighter, but happy with results.


----------



## hullcity

Which temp did you do the roast at Iroko? Your beans look really nice


----------



## iroko

I forgot to put temps in.

I took roast up to 235 and dropped to 230 at 2nd crack.

Its the first time I've roasted these, really pleased but was aiming a bit lighter, but no probs.

Hope they taste as good as they look.









My previous Nicaragua roast got better and better after initial disappointment, Really nice.


----------



## hullcity

Looking forward to hearing how they turn out Iroko. I've been roasting the Daterra Sweet Blue the past couple of weeks but have not got them to my liking yet - not enough choco / nuts coming through. Was thinking of compiling my experience with them into a new post rather than spreading them through Today's Roast.

By the way, how did you improve on the Nicaraguan or was it just a matter of resting them?


----------



## iroko

Look forward to hearing about the sweet blue.

The Nicaraguan got better with longer resting, after 8 days big improvement.


----------



## iroko

Started the Brazil Daterra Bourbon Yellow over the w/end, nice dark chocolate notes with a warming spice after taste.









I'll see how they go with a bit more resting.


----------



## The Systemic Kid

Must crack into my stock. How far did you take the roast?


----------



## iroko

16 mins, It was nice and warm, I was aiming slightly lighter so should have stopped a little bit earlier, but very happy with roast.


----------



## froggystyle

16 mins then cooling cycle? What temp?


----------



## johnealey

Hi Iroko, apologies if already been asked / answered this but is your gene a straight 240v or dimmer modified or 230v / modified etc ? I ask as mine not yet modified but also do not go straight to 235 and maybe this is where am seeing a difference.

Still learning and also accumulating greens. I have a penta of Daterra full bloom that have to take dark to get chocolate using 230h2m increase 240 1c20s drop to 5c less than showing temp for remainder. Did find the penta Daterra Bourbon collection easier as was a small batch of sweet collection when first got the roaster.

Keeping a log of roasts / photos whcih are all sitting on the phone and always a faff to transfer but will get round to posting at some point ( did 5 lots on sunday)

John


----------



## iroko

froggystyle said:


> 16 mins then cooling cycle? What temp?


16 mins with gene cool down, temp 235 dropped to 230 @ 2nd crack.


----------



## iroko

johnealey said:


> Hi Iroko, apologies if already been asked / answered this but is your gene a straight 240v or dimmer modified or 230v / modified etc ? I ask as mine not yet modified but also do not go straight to 235 and maybe this is where am seeing a difference.
> 
> Still learning and also accumulating greens. I have a penta of Daterra full bloom that have to take dark to get chocolate using 230h2m increase 240 1c20s drop to 5c less than showing temp for remainder. Did find the penta Daterra Bourbon collection easier as was a small batch of sweet collection when first got the roaster.
> 
> Keeping a log of roasts / photos whcih are all sitting on the phone and always a faff to transfer but will get round to posting at some point ( did 5 lots on sunday)
> 
> John


Hi, mine is a standard 240v with no mods. It also seems to heat up slower than other gene roasters, I never get close to the 238 @ 11 mins

that is mentioned in the manual, mines normally in the 220's by 11 mins.

I don't really follow any profiles, I normally take roaster up to 235/240 for 1st crack but I don't hear It that often, and drop temp to 235/230 after

2nd crack If I hear It. If I don't hear 2nd I'll drop temp or not depending on colour of bean, when close to desired colour I hit the cool down button.

Sometimes the roast take longer, up to 17/18 mins, very rarely do I stop a roast at 16 mins.

I also suffer from low voltage, I'm lucky If I get a roast staying at 240v, normally drops to 237s during roast.

These beans aren't the penta pack they were from the BB 2013 bulk buy. I need to get through some more beans before I open my pente pack.

I always roast in 250g batches.


----------



## froggystyle

How old is it Iroko, did you buy it second hand?


----------



## iroko

froggystyle said:


> How old is it Iroko, did you buy it second hand?


Bought brand new from BB, 04/11.


----------



## froggystyle

Looks like its time for a new heater element then?


----------



## johnealey

At the moment and until take the plunge and modify ( am just being lazy...) I would be more than happy with Iroko's voltage and element. I seem to suffer the exact opposite being a minimum of 246 and even up to 252 on occasions putting about 1320 to 1400watts into the roaster (measured with a belkin cost / energy monitor) which am guessing is sending the beans darker way quicker. Even resorted to roasting off a wound 30m cable which works after a fashion but not ideal.

Ah well off to buy some modding bits for me I think, the only good news is that i do like a darker roast but with the arrived today BB bulk buy sense a more controlled roast required to get the best out of them ( there's nothing wrong with the darker side of life just sense may be missing some subtleties)

Thanks for the info though as has helped me down the mod route. Got to say your beans always look cracking, have bean envy! 

John


----------



## hullcity

Although I live in France (so 230V) and have the 230V Gene, my line voltage is usually at or just over 240V (except in the depths of winter). Consequently my gene heats up pretty quick, putting 1400W into the element, so similar to what John sees. Now I have the dimmer mod, I have full control over the heating.

e.g. Daterra sweet blue, which I'm playing with at the moment. The chart shows 250g batches done either at 1400W (dotted green line) or at 1200W (solid green line). Once the target temp is hit (230C/235C in these cases), I drop the power to try to keep the temp stable and sometimes reduce it further if I want to drop the temp a bit once first crack has started (blue lines show the changes in power). As you can see, you can change how the gene heats up quite dramatically and how the roast progresses, with the lower power resulting in a first crack over 3 min later compared to full power.

The full power roast turned out a bit uneven, full city, and in espresso was very fruity, a bit sour, with no hint of the choco or nuts you normally expect with a Brazilian. The 1200W roast is a touch darker, perhaps between FC and FC+, but no oils or sheen showing. It's still resting so no taste notes yet, but I'm hoping to get the choco I crave


----------



## iroko

froggystyle said:


> Looks like its time for a new heater element then?


Hi froggystyle,

It's been like this since new and for me It's not a problem as I,m happy most of the time with the roast's I get.

It's done less than 50 roast's so I don't think there's anything wrong with the element. I've seen posts on other forums where some gene's

are slower than other's.


----------



## DavecUK

iroko said:


> Hi froggystyle,
> 
> It's been like this since new and for me It's not a problem as I,m happy most of the time with the roast's I get.
> 
> It's done less than 50 roast's so I don't think there's anything wrong with the element. I've seen posts on other forums where some gene's
> 
> are slower than other's.


Nothing is wrong with the element.

Are you able to add a little more context for me.

1. What's the mains voltage when you roast prior to roasting, during roasting, where it will show a drop measured on the same circuit as the roaster sucks up power

2. Is mains voltage it changing during the roast

3. Are you on an long extension lead

4. Do you monitor your power draw in watts when you roast and during the roast

*5. do you get any "element switching", before the preset temperature is reached*

6. What weight of beans are you putting in

7. Do you have a very long vent hose

*8. Have you taken the chaff collector apart and checked between the two plates with holes for excessive build up of fluff*

The Genes can vary a little, but usually not so much. I have often wondered whether this variance is due to the positioning of the overheat sensor in the heater box (how far in it is), however for this to be causing it, then "element switching" would have to be happening before the preset temperature is reached. The other source of variance is, I suppose the fan, although I have found them to be pretty accurate in their speed control. If it is a little slower than some to roast , you will find it a bonus in the summer and a little harder in the winter. Peversely, if you are getting "element switching" the Gene will actually be affected much less by colder weather than you would think, as it can improve things.

All unmodified genes have a sweet spot, an external temperature at which they roast really well....modification is well worth doing as it removes any sweet spot and gives you total control over the roast. I would strongly recommend you do the full mod including a 230V heater box. They are truly great to use when modified. I have a quest M3 as well and I'll be honest, the gene in many ways was easier....and I've got the older model quest with the thicker drum, not the newer thin drum version.

I am at the moment investigating fully modifying my CBR 1200, with separate power control on each heating element. now I am no longer testing, I am free to modify away.


----------



## iroko

Hi Dave,

1. The voltage is normally 240ish v before roasting, It can drop to 236-239 during roast, I've found Sunday afternoon the best time to roast, voltage

is more stable and stays around 240v, but sometimes It's not possible to roast at this time.

2. The voltage ranges between 236- 240 sometimes higher.

3. no

4. I check monitor during roast.

5. I don't know, I'll check next time I roast.

6. Always 250g

7. Vent hose is about 3ft long, I roast right next to a window, I'll try roasting away from the window and see If that changes anything.

8. the chaff collector is always kept clean.

I'm really happy with the roasts I get, I can't see myself doing the mod anytime soon, I'd probably wait for the element to blow first.

Thanks.


----------



## DavecUK

iroko said:


> I'm really happy with the roasts I get, I can't see myself doing the mod anytime soon, I'd probably wait for the element to blow first.
> 
> Thanks.


Well that's the important thing and you will have a VERY long wait for the element to blow. Very few elements go and usually on abused roasters e.g. I heard of one one roasting 10-15 kg per week and using emergency stop to speed up the roasting, unsurprisingly their elements were only lasting 3 or 4 months. If they had not been using emergency stop, I suspect the elements would have lasted a LOT longer.....I can't say, but I do know how many 1000s of hours they are actually designed to last (oops), when used at their correct voltage.

P.S. If your really happy with the roasts you get now, imagine how happy you would be when their 50% better...the effect of the mod is about that much improvement!


----------



## iroko

I'm sure the element will last as long as the machine with the amount of roasting I do at the moment.

I'll check out the mod again and give It some thought, 50% better, hmmm


----------



## hullcity

Had another go with the El Salvador Cerro de Ataco today, first time for this with the modded gene. Batch was 250g, I aimed for 235C using 1150W.

This bean is very chaffy and pre-mod resulted in element-switching during the heat ramp. This time, no problems







. First crack started at 231C, nice and loud, so I adjusted the power to try and keep the temp steady but it still crept up to 234C. Second crack started 3 min later, a rarity for me as I usually never hear second. Immediately hit stop and let the beans cool in the gene.

Went further than I wanted and a bit too quick at the end, but the beans smell nice







.


----------



## johnealey

Two roasts tonight of the same bean/ 2 different profiles, BB bulk buy Costa Rica Dota micro lot.

1st one trying out "Iroko roast" profile 235C straight in on an unmodded 240v. Voltage 242 to 243 thoughout drawing 1312 to 1240W. 1st crack 14m20s 2nd 17m20 std cooling at 17m30. 250g in 201g out from a cold machine

View attachment 9152


2nd roast straight after so going in just above 65C. gentle rise slow muted finish profile: 230C hold2m increase 240C till 1st crack hold 30sec reduced to 235 for remainder. 1st crack @ 12m37s (hot roaster, so got up there quicker), 2nd crack 15m40s std cool @ 15m44s. 250g in 209g out. med/dark (as was first roast). voltage 245 to 246V drawing 1350 to 1363W throughout. Photos taken under 150W halogen light.

View attachment 9153


Will rest for 7-10 and let you know.

John


----------



## hullcity

After several attempts with the Daterra sweet blue and not getting anything I really liked out them, I hope I've hit upon the winning formula (for me at least). All it took was just letting them go a bit darker, just into the first pops of 2nd crack. Now I get tons of crema, lovely mouthfeel and that balanced dark choco with nuts that I was after all along







.

Just repeated the roast today. 250g batch, heated to 235C with power at 1150W. At 1st crack, which was very quiet, I lowered the power to drop the temp down to 230C. Hit cooling at the start of 2nd crack.

















Hope these taste as good as the last batch!


----------



## johnealey

look really nice, even colour.

Had some daterra sweet collection back in April and these were best darker.

John


----------



## iroko

Some good looking roasts above.









Roasted another batch of Brazil Daterra Bourbon Yellow on Sat, really enjoyed last the last roast.

250g batch taken to 235 and dropped to 230 @ 2nd crack

1st crack @ 11.35

2nd crack @ 13.30

Roast finished @ 16.15 secs

I forgot to check voltage during roast but It was 238.7 at start, I was also listening for element switching, but not really sure what I'm listening for ?

  

Looking forward to next w/end.


----------



## DavecUK

iroko said:


> Some good looking roasts above.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Roasted another batch of Brazil Daterra Bourbon Yellow on Sat, really enjoyed last the last roast.
> 
> 250g batch taken to 235 and dropped to 230 @ 2nd crack
> 
> 1st crack @ 11.35
> 
> 2nd crack @ 13.30
> 
> Roast finished @ 16.15 secs.


Really, they don't look as if they have been nearly 3 minutes into 2nd?


----------



## ronsil

Look a nice colour but I think something is a bit odd.

Two & threequarter minutes past second I would have expected them to be much darker than shown in the pic.


----------



## hullcity

It makes more sense if the second crack at 13:30 was actually the first crack. 11:35 for first just seems too quick for a brazil roasted at 238V on a 240V element. How loud were your cracks Iroko? I find Brazil's very quiet compared to SHG/SHB beans, just a few pops really, difficult to discern against the machine clatter.


----------



## iroko

I nearly always have trouble hearing the cracks above the machine noise, the times I've put is the time I think I hear the cracks start. Perhaps I'm just

hearing general machine noise?


----------



## johnealey

Mine sometimes "creaks" a little as it starts to show 220c on the screen, which can sound like a bit of a crack especially if you have been roasting something like monsooned malabar and then moved to a Brazillian, caught me out more than once. I struggle to hear 2nd on brazillians usually going by smell ( dark choc "smoke") and colour (tends to be m/d to dark), when have heard it someone else described it as static electricity crackle, which is pretty accurate.

John


----------



## hullcity

johnealey said:


> Mine sometimes "creaks" a little as it starts to show 220c on the screen, which can sound like a bit of a crack especially if you have been roasting something like monsooned malabar and then moved to a Brazillian, caught me out more than once. I struggle to hear 2nd on brazillians usually going by smell ( dark choc "smoke") and colour (tends to be m/d to dark), when have heard it someone else described it as static electricity crackle, which is pretty accurate.
> 
> John


+1

Distinct snaps/pops for 1st, a crackle for 2nd. I have the large chaff collector and put my ear over the vent briefly from time to time to pick up the cracks. I think I read somewhere that it's easier to hear with the large collector.


----------



## iroko

I'll listen for creaks at about 220 next roast.

The description of the cracks is what I listen for.


----------



## hullcity

iroko said:


> I'll listen for creaks at about 220 next roast.
> 
> The description of the cracks is what I listen for.


I don't know if this will be of any help, but when I've roasted Brazilians at full power (1400W) the first crack is at 11:30 to 12:00, whereas at 1150W it's at 15:00 to 16:00. That's heating up to 230-235C, then keeping the temp stable.

If you could measure the wattage of your roast you may get a better idea of when to expect first crack.


----------



## hullcity

First up for me today is another 250g batch of daterra sweet blue. Just loving this bean.

This time taken to 230C (instead of 235C) with 1150W power. Hit first crack just shy of 15 min, kept temp stable, then hit cooling at the first pops of second crack, total time was 19:43.

I'd like to push the chocolate with this, so any tips on what to change would be most welcome.


----------



## hullcity

Second up, 250g of MM. Also taken to 230C at 1150W.

First crack was at 12:30, nice and loud, and I kept the temp stable. Got a bit caught out as the end of first ran into the start of second crack at 15:45, at which point I hit the cooling button.

Seemed to go a bit too quick for my liking, the beans have a nice sheen but are uneven and a few show dark divots.









Hopefully these will go well blended with the daterra.


----------



## froggystyle

I found 230g better on the MM, and 2nd comes quick.

I always go nice and gentle with them, and usually get a nice even roast.

Should go well with the brazil though!


----------



## hullcity

Thanks for the tips Froggy. I'll try 230g next time and 1100W power.


----------



## hullcity

Drinking the Daterra mixed with the MM I roasted last week, at 1:1. What a crema bomb! Almost can't get a double to fit into the espresso cup. Liking what the MM brings to the party.

Latest roast is again the Daterra sweet blue, but this time using 1100W instead of 1150W. Batch was 250g heated to 230C, stopped at the start of second crack. The graph shows the ET of the 1100W (solid line) compared to the 1150W (dotted line) roast. Slower increase in temp, delayed first and second cracks, and an almost 2 min longer roast.









Beans look ok, will report back later on how they taste.


----------



## ronsil

That's a great combo you're using & the Beans are looking very good.

Looking forward to hearing how they taste


----------



## GS11

Hi! haven't posted on here for a while. Mainly been roasting outdoors through summer with the gene and the small chaff collector with good results.

With the colder autumn temps etc have now moved the gene back indoors. I was *not* previously getting good results with large chaff collector/3m long flue I had exiting from top of kitchen window.

Having seen Pete's (Iroko) set up noted he was getting much better results with a shorter flue. Flue has now been cut down to approx 1m and exits from bottom of sash window.










All working a treat....good results so far with Brazil Santana estate. These were roasted to 240c and gradually dropped down to 235c 1min after 1C. Total roast time 15m30s


----------



## Daren

Welcome back stranger - great even looking roast there G-man


----------



## hullcity

Quick update on the Daterra I roasted the other week, done at 1100W to 230C: Pretty similar to the roast at 1150W, perhaps a touch smoother and a bit more cocoa rather than dark chocolate, works a treat at 2:1 with MM







.

Today I went back to the Mringa estate from Tanzania. I'd roasted this before a couple of times with the unmodded Gene and I found it too strong as a SO for my taste, very fruity but harsh.

Batch was 250g, target temp was 235C at 1100W. Hit first crack at 15:14, then lowered the power to drop the temp gradually back to 230C. Hit cooling on the first pop of second crack, at 20:40.


----------



## iroko

Roasted on sunday, Costa Rica Tarrazu

Took roaster up to 235 and held for entire roast

I didn't hear 1st or 2nd crack

Voltage was low 235.7- 237.2 but was showing 239 before roasting started

I also checked the wattage which was between 1216- 1207 during roast


----------



## hullcity

iroko said:


> Roasted on sunday, Costa Rica Tarrazu
> 
> Took roaster up to 235 and held for entire roast
> 
> I didn't hear 1st or 2nd crack
> 
> Voltage was low 235.7- 237.2 but was showing 239 before roasting started
> 
> I also checked the wattage which was between 1216- 1207 during roast


So even with your lowish voltage, you had more than enough power at 1200W. I just checked my notes for the BB Tarrazu and found 1st crack to be very quiet at around 11:30 to 12:30 minutes, but that was done in the unmodded gene at 1400W. Judging from your beans, I doubt they got as far as 2nd. Looking nice.


----------



## iroko

Just checked my notes on previous roast of Tarrazu and went to 18.30 mins, I stopped this roast at 17.30.

I've been drinking over the w/end, taste good.


----------



## hullcity

Another 250g batch of Daterra Sweet Blue, done again at 230C with 1100W. This time I went for a gradual increase in temp at first crack to 235C. Hit cooling about 15 sec into second crack, total roast time 21:30.


----------



## DavecUK

hullcity said:


> Another 250g batch of Daterra Sweet Blue, done again at 230C with 1100W. This time I went for a gradual increase in temp at first crack to 235C. Hit cooling about 15 sec into second crack, total roast time 21:30.


A good roast strategy for the pulped natural Daterras, is to try and not roast them for too extended a period and definitely don't take them into second crack (you will destroy a lot of the flavours from the pulped natural process). Take them either just before second, or around 1 min before second. try not to have an extended roast time, even though the Gene does little for the first minute or so 21:30 is too long and will deaden the flavours. At these temps use around 1170 to 1180W (unless it's really cold then 1200 to 1230W), then hold the temp at around 234-235 until end of roast (don't delay on the way). The temp you hold at will depend on your individual Gene and could be from 233-236. You are looking for a roast time around 17m or less, but not much less than 15m. Try and use the lowest temp you can, but high enough to keep within 17m.

Batch size should be 250g..


----------



## hullcity

Thanks for your tips Dave.

I've checked back through my roasts and I have already done something similar to what you propose. Roasted 250g to 235C with 1200W. First crack started at 15 min and finished around 17 min. I let the temp drop slowly down to 230C and pulled the roast at 20 min, before the start of second crack. The beans were a touch uneven but tasted great.

Does first crack at 15 min sound about right to you or is my gene a bit 'slow'?

Anyway, next roast I'll repeat this but keep the temp steady at 235C.


----------



## DavecUK

hullcity said:


> Does first crack at 15 min sound about right to you or is my gene a bit 'slow'?


Seems a bit slow, but did you keep the temp steady at 235-237, or did you hold off for a while, also 235 on one gene might be the same as 237 on another.....if you could get 13 or 14 it would be better. I realise the Gene isn't doing a lot for the 1st minute or so, so 15 is "just" OK.


----------



## hullcity

DavecUK said:


> Seems a bit slow, but did you keep the temp steady at 235-237, or did you hold off for a while


The temp hit 235C just under 2 min before 1st crack started. I dropped the power to keep the temp steady, then dropped it again once 1st crack was underway to get the temp down to 230. Attached is the plot of the gene temps for that roast. Taste was good, dark choco and nuts.









In subsequent roasts I used 1150W or 1100W, with or without a drop in temp from 235 to 230, roasting to the verge or just into 2nd crack. Roast times were around 20 min. Beans were more even and the taste was similar to the above.

The last couple of roasts were done to 230C and had lost a bit of taste.

I even did a full power (1400W) to 230C roast early on. 1st crack was at 11:42 and I pulled the roast at 16:08, before 2nd. This tasted pretty fruity but had no nuts or choco and was not very sweet.

Ideally I'd like a very sweet, chocolatey, nutty with a touch of fruit end result in my espresso, if that is possible!

Thanks again for your help.


----------



## DavecUK

hullcity said:


> The temp hit 235C just under 2 min before 1st crack started. I dropped the power to keep the temp steady, then dropped it again once 1st crack was underway to get the temp down to 230. Attached is the plot of the gene temps for that roast. Taste was good, dark choco and nuts.


Don't drop power during 1st to reduce temp to 230, keep it at the target temperature of 235......dropping the temp during 1st crack is something you never really want to do.


----------



## hullcity

Not today's roast but a couple from 2 weeks ago, which I wanted to taste before posting.

Following on from DaveC's advice, I roasted 250g of Daterra sweet blue to 235C using 1200W, keeping the temp stable once at 235C and finishing within 17 min.









I then did a back-to-back roast with the Daterra, but going to 240C instead of 235C. These chugged along a bit quicker such that I heard the first pops of 2nd crack when I hit cooling at 17 min.









Details with gene temps in the graph, the solid line is the first (235C) roast.









Now I have to say I much prefer the second roast. The espresso has more body and a better mouthfeel, taste is bolder with a nice cocoa edge to the chocolate and a touch sweeter. In contrast I found the first roast a bit flat, though it did have a touch of fruit which came through after adding a little sugar. Cappas were also much better with the second roast (drinking one right now







).

I don't know if it was the higher roast temp or the fact the gene was already warmed up (or both), but the second roast sped along nicely and I think this is reflected in the cup. Although I roast in the kitchen, my gene is stored in the garage which is getting a bit colder now, so perhaps a little preheat/cooling cycle is warranted before roasting?


----------



## iroko

Roasted 2 batches back to back at the w/end, not something I've done before.

1st roast was Ethiopia Yirgacheffe, taken to 235 and held till end of roast

I didn't hear 1st crack, and I think 2nd started about 14.15

Voltage was low at start of roast at 236.7 but picked up to 238.4 for most of roast.

Roast ended at 17 mins, beans are darker than what I was aiming for.

  

2nd roast was Brazil Daterra Bourbon Yellow taken to 235 and held

Not sure on cracks but I think 1st was about 11.50 and 2nd about 13.20

Voltage was low throughout roast at 234.8 - 236

Ended roast at 16 mins and again darker than what I was aiming for.

  

I'm going to try blending 70% Brazil to 30% Ethiopia and see what It's like.


----------



## ronsil

Looking a nice mahogany. Looks initially a bit dark for a Yirg but I frequently take Brazils to that colour for blending.

Look forward to hearing about the taste. Interesting.


----------



## Soll

ronsil said:


> Looking a nice mahogany. Looks initially a bit dark for a Yirg but I frequently take Brazils to that colour for blending.
> 
> Look forward to hearing about the taste. Interesting.


Ronsil do you roast your beans separately and then blend post roast or do you prepare the mix as green beans and roast all together?


----------



## ronsil

Soll said:


> do you roast your beans separately and then blend post roast or do you prepare the mix as green beans and roast all together?


I do both ways. Sometimes there is a flavour improvement if beans are roasted together. Beans for this method must be selected with care.

More usually I post roast blend enabling me to roast each bean at its optimum & easily adjust the ratios.


----------



## iroko

ronsil said:


> Looking a nice mahogany. Looks initially a bit dark for a Yirg but I frequently take Brazils to that colour for blending.
> 
> Look forward to hearing about the taste. Interesting.


Started this Saturday, I did a test blend 70% Brazil 30% Yirg, 1st shot grind was too tight and pour was about 40 secs, but as I didn't have any time

to mess about milk was steamed and drink made.

First sip instantly took me back to childhood eating a caramac bar, very enjoyable.

On sunday with more time and grinder adjusted, again as a milk drink more chocolate than caramel. I dont normally drink espresso but tried with this

mix, not to my taste, the Yirg came through as a after taste.

So I'm happy with my 1st go at blending as long as Its with milk.


----------



## hullcity

More Daterra sweet blue today. 250g heated to 240C at 1200W. Did a 5 min preheat to get the gene warmed up a bit (just put the timer on 5 min, let it heat up and then cool back down to 60C, and added the beans). First crack was at 13:46, kept the temp steady at 240C, then hit cooling at the start of second crack at 17:10.









Then did a back-to-back roast of MM. I followed Froggy's suggestion and roasted 230g to 230C using 1100W. First crack was at 13:42, kept the temp steady, then hit cooling at the start of second crack at 17:22.









Looking forward to blending these together after a weeks rest.


----------



## GS11

Roasted 250g Nicaragua Microlot El Buey this morning. Took them up to 240c with 1C at 12.15 then after 1min slowly back down to 230c finishing at 14.50. 213g finish weight. Volts good at 239










Experimenting to better hear first crack by placing ear against folded tea towel on top cover. Good results so far certainly cuts out much of the mechanical noises.


----------



## hullcity

I always put my ear next to the vent on the chaff collector to hear the cracks, but I don't have any ducting attached. Gets a bit hot on the ear as well! Does the tea towel lead to the drum heating a bit quicker?


----------



## GS11

hullcity said:


> I always put my ear next to the vent on the chaff collector to hear the cracks, but I don't have any ducting attached. Gets a bit hot on the ear as well! Does the tea towel lead to the drum heating a bit quicker?


I'm only placing the towel after the 10min mark but guess it could assist on a cold day.


----------



## johnealey

Might stop a burnt ear as well! Admire the bravery through.

I have tried an empty kitchen roll tube with varying success (read it on here I believe) works well on the brazillians but struggle with central americans (?) so gone back to watching the beans like a hawk and smell / smoke as an indicator, as I too run without a flue and don't fancy the eaue de caffe aroma in hair or a roasted ear 

John


----------



## hullcity

Yeah, the missus always notices the "eau de caffe" hair aroma! I also find the changes in smell are a pretty good guide for the approaching crack once you get to know your bean. Fortunately I appear to have an asbestos nose


----------



## iroko

Papua New Guinea Sigria

This is my roast for Christmas

Taken to 240 and held for roast

Didn't hear any cracks

voltage stable at 237.7 / 238.7 throughout roast

cool down at 17 mins 30 secs


----------



## El Cabron

I'm just sampling my roast from 2 days ago, some monsoon malabar from rave, and some of my selection from merchant coffee, namely brazil ouro verde, ethiopian yirgacheffe, and nicaragua la argentina. I've never seen anything so oily as the monsoon but they look and taste nice, as do the ouro verde. I'm not enjoying the ethiopian as much but it blends well adding 20% of them to the others. My pick of the bunch is nicaragua la argentina, the best single origin i've had in a latte to date and has been part of a lovely blend of 50% nicaragua, 30% monsoon and 20% robusta that's so more-ish and as nice a cappuccino blend as anything i've ever tried


----------



## hullcity

El Cabron said:


> I'm just sampling my roast from 2 days ago, some monsoon malabar from rave, and some of my selection from merchant coffee, namely brazil ouro verde, ethiopian yirgacheffe, and nicaragua la argentina. I've never seen anything so oily as the monsoon but they look and taste nice, as do the ouro verde. I'm not enjoying the ethiopian as much but it blends well adding 20% of them to the others. My pick of the bunch is nicaragua la argentina, the best single origin i've had in a latte to date and has been part of a lovely blend of 50% nicaragua, 30% monsoon and 20% robusta that's so more-ish and as nice a cappuccino blend as anything i've ever tried


Sounds great. Did you roast everything separately or combine before roasting? And how dark did you take the MM, pretty far I imagine if it was really oily. I'm struggling with the MM to get something I like at more than 20% in a blend, higher than that and it's just too funky/bitter/strong for my taste.


----------



## El Cabron

Hiya hullcity, i roasted everything seperately and blended afterwards seeing that it's only my 3rd attempt at roasting my own and i have about 15 different single origins so roasting seperately allows me to try single origins by themselves and also play around with and tweak different blends.

Looking at my roasting notes for the monsooned malabar, i did 225g (because they come from rave in 450g bags, which is a bit tight i think) to split the bag into 2 roasts. I set it at 241° with the 1st crack at 13m 30, held it for 1m and dropped it to 234° until starting cooling at 17m at which point i could hear the 2nd crack going on. I noticed them getting oily before this at around 15-16m and they literally looked like i'd chucked oil in the drum. I decided to finish at 17m but they weren't overly dark to be honest and none of the other beans i did that day, which were all done around those times and temps, did this.

I agree the monsoon is quite strong but it's ok in a milk drink. I also think they're a great bean for people like me who are inexperienced at roasting because for 1 they were pretty much chaff free, and 2, they crack quite loudly and unmistakable really and i don't need the kitchen roll tube to my ear to hear it, so they get you familiar to the sound of the crack.

I think these gene roasters are great and any coffee lover ought to own 1, it's actually something that will pay for itself in a little over 2 years based on my simple calculation of a kilo bag of roasted costing around £20 v green beans at £8 a kilo, that's a saving of about £150 a year. I've saved £20 in a month or so since i had my gene. Plus you get to try more varieties you wouldn't normally try, plus you get the rewarding feeling of producing your own personal coffee or blend


----------



## hullcity

Looking back at my notes I've tended to roast the MM at 230-235C to city+ or full city, so not into 2nd crack (no oils showing). 1st crack around 13-14 min, roast end 17-18 min and cooling in the drum. I'll take it further next time.

By the way, I even find it a bit too strong in cappas!

My MM isn't from Rave so they may be a bit crap compared to what you're roasting.

Oh, and it definitely got better with resting up to 2 weeks, mellowed out a bit.


----------



## hullcity

First roast of the new year, 250g El Salvador Cerro de Ataco. Set heat to 240C at 1200W, aiming to drop to 235C 1 min after the start of 1st crack and stop at the start of 2nd crack.

1st crack was at 13:38 with the temp at 235, and 1 min later was at 236 so I adjusted the power to keep it steady. 1st crack ran into 2nd and i hit cooling at 1st crack +3 min, with the beans already showing some oil. Not really what I wanted, but hopefully not a disaster.


----------



## El Cabron

Well our times and temps are very similar, in fact i could've gone to 18 mins but i didn't want them any oilier. I cool them on the cooling cycle too







maybe the batches vary by supplier or that initial 241° start makes a difference, it'd be interesting to know.

Regarding the resting, i find most things good to start after a days rest and the best for my taste after 3-4 days and i do like to taste the variation day by day but we're all different in that respect and each to their own. The guy who i bought my bulk buy from will be getting monsoon green beans in soon so i'll be buying some from him with my next bulk order so i'll be comparing those to this pack i have at the moment


----------



## El Cabron

Doesn't look like a disaster to me, they look like a good roast











hullcity said:


> First roast of the new year, 250g El Salvador Cerro de Ataco. Set heat to 240C at 1200W, aiming to drop to 235C 1 min after the start of 1st crack and stop at the start of 2nd crack.
> 
> 1st crack was at 13:38 with the temp at 235, and 1 min later was at 236 so I adjusted the power to keep it steady. 1st crack ran into 2nd and i hit cooling at 1st crack +3 min, with the beans already showing some oil. Not really what I wanted, but hopefully not a disaster.
> 
> View attachment 11123


----------



## hullcity

El Cabron said:


> Doesn't look like a disaster to me, they look like a good roast


You were right! Really nutty in espresso, a touch bitter for my taste but easily rectified with a little sugar to give an excellent shot. Unfortunately I've not got much of this bean left


----------



## El Cabron

Nice 1 mate







it's surprising the difference a few degrees makes. Thanks for sharing that, it all adds to the experience of roasting.


----------



## hullcity

My first go with a bean from Burundi today, the "fully-washed A" from a BB bulk buy last year. Roasting for espresso (as always), I just went with what has become my bog-standard profile of heating to 240C at 1200W, then keeping the temp steady and hitting cooling at the first pops of 2nd crack.

Batch was 250g. 1st crack was nice and loud, starting at 12:46 and ending at 14:36. Temp was 237C by this time so I adjusted the power to keep it steady. A very aggressive 2nd crack started at 15:40 and I hit the stop button, cooling in the drum. Beans look full city.









Next time I'll heat to 235C and finish the roast sooner, aiming for city+.


----------



## hullcity

Just sampled the Burundi in espresso. Not great, none of the fruit I was expecting, just a roast flavour. Will definitely need to go lighter with this one.


----------



## iroko

Roasted Costa Rica Tarrazu

Taken up to 240, which took 16 mins to reach temp. Bit of a chilly draft coming in through window.

I didn't hear any cracks and hit cool down at 18 mins.


----------



## hullcity

Nice colour on them beans Iroko. How long does your Gene normally take to get to 240 with the Tarrazu?


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## iroko

Roaster seems to be slower than most, at 11 mins It's normally shows between 222-226.

Normally hits 240 before 16 mins, I'll check on my next few roasts. the chilly draught through the window slowed things down a bit.


----------



## hullcity

iroko said:


> Roaster seems to be slower than most, at 11 mins It's normally shows between 222-226.
> 
> Normally hits 240 before 16 mins, I'll check on my next few roasts. the chilly draught through the window slowed things down a bit.


Thats more or less how mine performs if I set the dimmer to 1200W, ~224 at 11 min and 240 around 15 min.

Really happy with the dimmer setup. Now we're back into winter the line voltage at my place has dropped dramatically, normally I'm roasting with 240-244V but yesterday it was in the range of 231-238. Thanks to the dimmer I can take that variable out of the equation.









250g good old Daterra sweet blue, roasted at 1200W. Solid line was yesterday's roast, dotted line one before the weather turned with 243V. I noticeably had to crank up the dimmer to compensate for the poor voltage.

By the way, I roast in the kitchen under the hood and warm up the gene with a 5 min cycle as it's stored in the garage and is pretty cold.


----------



## iroko

My voltage was low for this roast 234.5-235.3 throughout roast and 1187-1198w.

No cooker hood for me, I have to roast with window open but roaster is stored indoors.


----------



## "coffee 4/1"

gave coffee compass bargain greens bin a go today, brazil,honduras, rwanda, 50% 30% 20% blend, pre blend roasted as a whole, air roasted to 2c, enjoyable sweet caramel in cortado 1:1 or 1:2


----------



## hullcity

My second attempt with the Burundi fully-washed A, 250g batch heated to 235C with 1200W. First crack was at 12:30 and lasted 2 min, I hit cooling just after 15:00, before any sign of second crack, a little over 30 sec after the end of first crack.









These look a touch lighter than the previous batch, hopefully they'll have more than just a roast taste this time, I'll keep you posted.


----------



## froggystyle

Looking good.

Quick question on the wattage, what area of watts do you normally roast at?


----------



## hullcity

Thanks Froggy.

I've found around 1200W seems to work best for my machine, anything lower and the roast takes too long. Once the desired temp is hit, I lower to 1100 and then to 1050 if necessary, to keep the temp steady.

Saying that, the wattage varies widely thanks to big voltage fluctuations, particularly now its got cold, so during the roast it can go from 1150 to 1250. I have to keep adjusting the dimmer to stay around 1200. A bit of a faff but the roasts are reproducible.


----------



## froggystyle

Thanks, i am getting a steady 1300 from the wall socket with about 240v so was just wondering if its worth doing the dimmer mod...

What difference do you notice in the beans if you roast at 1300 watts?


----------



## hullcity

I haven't actually tried 1300W. Davecuk suggested not to go above 1200W. Pre-dimmer mod my gene was normally roasting at around 1400W (summertime) and the roasts were often a bit uneven and showed signs of scorching. That was with a voltage of 240-245. I have a 230V gene since I'm in a supposedly 230V country!

Today the voltage was down to 233 fluctuating to 239, so to get my 1200W target I had to crank up the dimmer. Roasts are really reproducible with the dimmer.

Another advantage I've found with roasting at 1200W, compared to 1400W, is that I don't get any element-switching with very chaffy beans.


----------



## simonp

A nice medium roast of Costa Rica Villa Sachi in the Hottop.


----------



## hullcity

hullcity said:


> My second attempt with the Burundi fully-washed A, 250g batch heated to 235C with 1200W. First crack was at 12:30 and lasted 2 min, I hit cooling just after 15:00, before any sign of second crack, a little over 30 sec after the end of first crack.
> 
> View attachment 11638


Well these turned out much better than the previous go, lovely red-brown crema and tons of it, with a nice hint of mixed spice in the espresso. Not bitter at all. No fruit/acidity still, so will go again a touch lighter with the next batch.


----------



## hullcity

Third batch of the Burundi fully-washed A, again 250g heated to 235C at 1200W. 1st crack was at 12:44 and I stopped the roast at 14:48, 30 sec earlier than the previous roast. Beans look city+.


----------



## iroko

They look good, let us know If they taste different from the previous roast.


----------



## conchord

\ said:


> View attachment 11574
> View attachment 11575
> gave coffee compass bargain greens bin a go today, brazil,honduras, rwanda, 50% 30% 20% blend, pre blend roasted as a whole, air roasted to 2c, enjoyable sweet caramel in cortado 1:1 or 1:2


Good to hear that these are enjoyable...I've just ordered them and was a bit worried with them being so cheap!


----------



## hullcity

hullcity said:


> Third batch of the Burundi fully-washed A, again 250g heated to 235C at 1200W. 1st crack was at 12:44 and I stopped the roast at 14:48, 30 sec earlier than the previous roast. Beans look city+.
> 
> View attachment 11809


These turned out a bit disappointing. Finally a bit of fruitiness, but the mixed spice had gone awol as had the abundant crema and nice body. Will go back to the previous profile for my last 250g of this bean.


----------



## froggystyle

The 100w difference between your gene and mine must make a massive difference, i cant get to 15 minutes, lucky if i hit 13 mins, and i like a dark roast!


----------



## hullcity

Yeah, 100W does make a difference. Brazilian daterra roasted to the start of 2nd crack takes 17 min at 1200W and almost 21 min at 1100W in my gene. And the 1200W roast tastes much better.


----------



## froggystyle

I know i should do the mod, but i just don't like the idea of having a dimmer switch hanging off the gene, may look at other ways to make it look better.


----------



## hullcity

First up today another 250g of Daterra sweet blue, but this time roasted at 1300W instead of my usual 1200W. Took up to 238C and kept it there. 1st crack was at 12:28 and lasted 1:55, 2nd crack started at 15:44, at which point I hit cooling.









The same roast profile but done at 1200W takes around 17 min.


----------



## froggystyle

Interesting, they do appear a little more uneven to some of your other roasts, reinforcing the need for the dimmer mod.


----------



## hullcity

Next up, my first attempt with Nicaragua La Bastilla micro-lot El Buey. Batch was 250g roasted to 240C at 1200W. 1st crack was nice and loud at 13:00 and lasted 1:43, 2nd crack started at 16:02 at which point I hit cooling. Beans look full city.


----------



## johnealey

Like you Froggy am not so keen on the idea of something hanging out of the gene, but also am not that enamoured at the prospect of finding a working variac for less than silly money. Ho Hum, no doubt will finally stop proscratinating and go buy all the bits, Hull's beans do appear more consistent and if nothing else will provide some amusement at the local C.E.F !

John


----------



## hullcity

froggystyle said:


> Interesting, they do appear a little more uneven to some of your other roasts, reinforcing the need for the dimmer mod.


The line voltage at my place is so variable the dimmer is essential to roast consistently. This mornings roast was done with the voltage in the low 230s and I had to crank up the dimmer to max to hit 1300W. Then in the middle of the roast the voltage went up to near 240, then back down again. And this happened several times. This afternoon we were back up to the (usual) 242V or so.


----------



## hullcity

Get your dimmers out guys, the gene is a tool for roasting not a work of art!


----------



## ronsil

Do the 'dimmer mod'.

All the beans I've ever seen with this mod, mostly Davec's, look so much more even.

If I still had a Gene I would be doing just thst and I'm no electronics engineer.


----------



## froggystyle

Yep resided over the last two weeks after doing near 10 roasts that i need to do it, a trip to wickes/toolstation is on the cards for me this weekend anyway so may pick the bits up.


----------



## johnealey

The gene lives permenantly in the kitchen in coffee corner attracting the usual "tidy your corner" comments and have tried to put off "heath robinson" comments for a while longer hoping someone on here with far more smart then me would build a hobby project box with dimmer and display of watts / volts all in one but, harumph, seems everyone too busy to fix mine and froggys aestectic dilemma







.

I guess what i really want is a big red hobby box with a couple of dials in the front and would probably take a kilo of coffee in at a time, think I'll name it cbr 1200......

John (the procrastinater)


----------



## froggystyle

johnealey said:


> The gene lives permenantly in the kitchen in coffee corner attracting the usual "tidy your corner" comments and have tried to put off "heath robinson" comments for a while longer hoping someone on here with far more smart then me would build a hobby project box with dimmer and display of watts / volts all in one but, harumph, seems everyone too busy to fix mine and froggys aestectic dilemma
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> .
> 
> I guess what i really want is a big red hobby box with a couple of dials in the front and would probably take a kilo of coffee in at a time, think I'll name it cbr 1200......
> 
> John (the procrastinater)


Ha good idea about the project box though!

14 months and counting till i get my grubby hands on a CBR1200! Cant wait.


----------



## hullcity

hullcity said:


> First up today another 250g of Daterra sweet blue, but this time roasted at 1300W instead of my usual 1200W. Took up to 238C and kept it there. 1st crack was at 12:28 and lasted 1:55, 2nd crack started at 15:44, at which point I hit cooling.


This turned out ok but not as nice as when roasted at 1200W - a bit roasty and not as sweet.


----------



## hullcity

hullcity said:


> Next up, my first attempt with Nicaragua La Bastilla micro-lot El Buey. Batch was 250g roasted to 240C at 1200W. 1st crack was nice and loud at 13:00 and lasted 1:43, 2nd crack started at 16:02 at which point I hit cooling. Beans look full city.


Liking this. Good crema, smooth body, dark choco, nutty, and a bit of fruitiness coming through after adding a smidgen of sugar to the shot. Should go well with the daterra.


----------



## iroko

Roasted Guatemala shb Huehuetenango on Sat.

Gene set to 240 throughout roast

Voltage was stable between 239.4-239.9

Watts between 1239-1246

I forgot to start stopwatch, but 1st crack started about 12.30, and 2nd about 14.45

Roast ended at 16.45


----------



## ronsil

Nice.......


----------



## "coffee 4/1"

just roasted nicaragua matagalpa shg, Wow! there massive, average bean size 18mm x 11mm size comparison in photo top row Rawanda-Honduras- Brazil-Samatra

bottom row, green and roasted Nicaragua,the size of these beans how i get 16% weight lossprobably take 3weeks to degas


----------



## iroko

Update on last weeks Guatemala roast, getting a nice hit of toffee, really enjoying these.


----------



## "coffee 4/1"

the nicaraguan on day 5 from roast is smooth velvety cream walnut,

believe this will go well for espresso blend of,

60% brazil

20% Colombian

20% nicaragua


----------



## "coffee 4/1"

made a bucket bean cooler with flymow leaf blower 1600w motor,

hot beans in switch on, scattered hot beans in every direction for 50yds ha ha

fitted to variac transformer at 90v perfect


----------



## hullcity

Melange roast today to use up some odds and sods. 250g batch of El Salvador Cerro de Ataco (89g), Sumatra Lintong (75g), Mexico Terruno Nayarita (60g) and Burundi fully washed A (26g). Heated to 238C at 1200W. First crack was at 13:20-15:28, second crack started at 16:42, at which point I hit stop and cooled in the drum.


----------



## iroko

They look good, should be an interesting taste.


----------



## xygorn

Rave Brazil Santos, thermocoupled popcorn popper roasted to 230C (bean/air temp) over 7 minutes.


----------



## froggystyle

7 minutes! Do all your beans roast that quick in your popcorn popper?


----------



## xygorn

Currently, yes. I'll be able to slow it down once I separate out the fan and heater circuits.

The initial ramp up to ~200 is too fast, but it slows down enough for me to hit ~6 degrees per minute (or lower if I wanted) near the end.


----------



## hullcity

hullcity said:


> Melange roast today to use up some odds and sods. 250g batch of El Salvador Cerro de Ataco (89g), Sumatra Lintong (75g), Mexico Terruno Nayarita (60g) and Burundi fully washed A (26g). Heated to 238C at 1200W. First crack was at 13:20-15:28, second crack started at 16:42, at which point I hit stop and cooled in the drum.


Very happy with these, really nutty (hazel with a touch of coconut) and cocoa in espresso. Definitely a case of the sum being better than the parts.


----------



## hullcity

Tried some geisha beans for the first time. These are the Malawi geisha AB from a BB bulk buy a while ago. Heated 250g up to 235C using 1200W. 1st crack was at 13:21, very quiet, just a couple of pops and impossible to tell when it ended. I hit stop 3:30 mins later and cooled in the drum. The beans look a bit uneven, in the realms of city+.


----------



## johnealey

2 roast sessions today, first time with dimmer mod up and running. Have tried 1st roast of each session controlled in some manner by the dimmer from the start and the second with the dimmer starting to control the temperature once hitting either suggested temperature to first crack or post 1st crack based on previous roasts.

1st session, first of the year outside, on an extension lead so voltage tamed a bit, using Coffee Compass mystery no2 greens, 250g in both roasts.









notes on the roast in my scrawl:









Took a lot longer to get up to first crack using 1090w and if you can make out the scribble, far right column is temperature, left one minutes (and voltage), and left of that wattage being drawn.

Temp outside a balmy 16/17 in the sunshine.

2nd roast full power to start no dimmer controlling:









accompanying roast scrawl:









next session in next post


----------



## johnealey

Slight break in the proceedings then onto second roast session using some, shall we be kind and say slightly ropey looking but once roasted tasty BB Sumatra Jagong Village, 250g, now inside and straight into a mains socket:

1st roast (picture at bottom of above post) and under dimmer control from start

with accompanying scrawl:









2nd roast, no control to start with:









and accompanying scrawl:









Welcome any comments or thoughts. Will give the a week to rest and then having a tasting session.

John


----------



## hullcity

Hi John,

Good to see you up and running with the dimmer. A couple of points from my experience.

I reckon it's best to use the dimmer right from the start since the bulk of the roast time is spent getting up to your desired max temp. That way your roasts will be consistent and free from any voltage variations.

Although Davecuk suggests using less power, I found that 1200W is the sweet spot for my gene to get the roast to full-city in 15-16 min. Less means a longer roast and flatter taste, more gives a quicker roast but with a bit of a roasty taste.

As you pointed out, your CC mystery beans roasted at 1090W took over 17 min to reach 1st crack, which is too long in my opinion.

Don't know if you were doing this, but I keep a constant eye on the wattage during the roast and twiddle the dimmer to keep around 1200W for the temp ramp, then drop the power to keep the temp stable or to allow a slow decline of say 5 degrees. Normally this means going to 1100W, then 1050-1000W, but it depends on the bean and what stage the roast is at.

Try sticking with your favourite bean and compare roasts done at 1100W, 1200W and 1300W, dimmer on right from the start, all to the same temp and to the same roast level.

Happy roasting


----------



## hullcity

hullcity said:


> Tried some geisha beans for the first time. These are the Malawi geisha AB from a BB bulk buy a while ago. Heated 250g up to 235C using 1200W. 1st crack was at 13:21, very quiet, just a couple of pops and impossible to tell when it ended. I hit stop 3:30 mins later and cooled in the drum. The beans look a bit uneven, in the realms of city+.


Just to update on these. I was a bit apprehensive trying these as a SO espresso but they surpassed my expectations. Loads of crema, body a bit thin but no sourness and loads of fruit (blackcurrant?), especially after adding a touch of sugar. Usually I find the fruity coffees are too acid for my taste, but not this one. Went particularly well at 1:1 with daterra sweet blue which improved on the mouthfeel. Not so great with milk though, got a bit lost.

Think I'll try roasting this as part of a blend next time.


----------



## chipbutty

Started on the 3KG bargain beans. I kind of gave up using profiles on the Gene. Just found it too complicated and time consuming! Just change the target temp depending on the the altitude of the beans.


----------



## hullcity

Went for a melange roast today. 250g of Brazil Daterra sweet blue + Nicaragua La Bastilla + Malawi Geisha (2:1:1) heated to 238C at 1200W. At the end of 1st crack I reduced the power to give a slight drop in temp (to 234C). 1st crack started at 13:13, 2nd crack at 17:13, at which point I hit stop and cooled in the drum.


----------



## froggystyle

Liking the look of that roast, right up my street!


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## iroko

I opened my Brazil Daterra Sweet penta pack on Sunday

Taken up to 240 and left till end of roast at 17 mins

I didn't hear 1st or 2nd crack

Voltage was a bit low between 236.2 -237.7

Watts 1208 -1226


----------



## johnealey

niiiiiiiiice









Was torn between the penta of full bloom or sweet blue and whilst different definately wish had gone the other way based on the above.

John


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## iroko

Looking forward to Saturday to try them.


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## El carajillo

iroko said:


> I opened my Brazil Daterra Sweet penta pack on Sunday
> 
> Taken up to 240 and left till end of roast at 17 mins
> 
> I didn't hear 1st or 2nd crack
> 
> Voltage was a bit low between 236.2 -237.7
> 
> Watts 1208 -1226


Looking good:good:


----------



## hullcity

iroko said:


> Looking forward to Saturday to try them.


Expect chocolate, chocolate, chocolate


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## iroko

hullcity said:


> Expect chocolate, chocolate, chocolate


Looking forward to these even more now.


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## froggystyle

Release the beast


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## iroko

That is fantastic.


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## froggystyle

I know. Be more fantastic if I had somewhere to set it up in my house. Looks like I have to wait a week till I can play.


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## iroko

It's going to be a long week.


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## ronsil

That's great to see I think you're really going to enjoy that

Be sure to let us know how you get on with IT.

I know you said it was coming but I didn't think that' quick. Really a great looker


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## johnealey

Quality and congrats. Thought this was a while away too. Is going to be a loooooong week.

John


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## Mouse

Made up for you Froggy! That looks SWEEEEEEEEET!!!

I'm not normally one for jealousy..

But a little wave of greenness (is that even a word??) has just passed over me


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## froggystyle

If anyone fancies a play on it when it's set up, you are more than welcome to come round.


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## Mouse

Cheers Froggy - I may take you up on that sometime!


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## aaroncornish

froggystyle said:


> I know. Be more fantastic if I had somewhere to set it up in my house. Looks like I have to wait a week till I can play.


A week!!!! And I thought my 3 days was bad. I feel for you


----------



## "coffee 4/1"

"That looks a cracker" what's the first cherry it's gonna pop.


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## froggystyle

Not sure, got about 25kg in my green bean stash at the minute, biggest issue I see is when you screw a roast up, it's 1kg you lose instead of the 230g in the CBR 101. Gotta be bang on with this beast.


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## ronsil

To get familiar with the Machine, can you not practice with smaller amounts or are you committed to a kilo at a time?


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## froggystyle

It states you can roast between 100g - 900g, so maybe ill chuck 250g in on the first roast to get used to it a little.

When i had a go at the bella barista open day last year, it seemed easy enough.


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## froggystyle

Mouse said:


> Cheers Froggy - I may take you up on that sometime!


Anytime mate, just give me a shout.


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## hullcity

Looking great Froggy, good luck with that first roast. Does she need seasoning at all?


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## froggystyle

Dont think so, maybe just run it up to temp for 10 minutes before cooling down, just to check everything is ok and burn off anything in the drum.


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## hullcity

hullcity said:


> Went for a melange roast today. 250g of Brazil Daterra sweet blue + Nicaragua La Bastilla + Malawi Geisha (2:1:1) heated to 238C at 1200W. At the end of 1st crack I reduced the power to give a slight drop in temp (to 234C). 1st crack started at 13:13, 2nd crack at 17:13, at which point I hit stop and cooled in the drum.


These turned out disappointing. Good crema but body a bit thin, no choco and no fruit, just a generic roasty taste. I must have taken them a bit too far methinks. Salvageable with milk, but only just


----------



## Bobpies

chipbutty said:


> Started on the 3KG bargain beans. I kind of gave up using profiles on the Gene. Just found it too complicated and time consuming! Just change the target temp depending on the the altitude of the beans.


can i ask, where you got that snug fitting ducting / what size is it?


----------



## iroko

Finally got round to trying my Brazil Daterra Sweet, very chocolate, very nice.


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## froggystyle

Been grafting in the shed (Coffee man cave) today, got it all secure now so the scum bags cant get in easily, just need to fit some shelving and a decent workbench for the beast to sit on, then ill be ready to fire it up...

Like a little kid a few days before xmas, really itching to fire up the CBR1200...

Watch this space.


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## hotmetal

Every time I read CBR1200 I have to remind myself it's not a new hypersports replacement for the Honda CBR1000! Too many hobbies!


----------



## froggystyle

More fun than one of those.....

ok maybe not.


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## hotmetal

They're both red. .. But the fumes from yours smells nicer!


----------



## froggystyle

See now i have been looking on ebay at bikes......

Must resist, wife will kill me.


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## aaroncornish

Glad to hear it froggy!


----------



## Soll

froggystyle said:


> See now i have been looking on ebay at bikes......
> 
> Must resist, wife will kill me.


EBay is a nightmare so many goodies on there. I recently been looking at some classic Beetles, just love em! Mrs Soll will divorce me if I buy another


----------



## Lozzer87

View attachment 13929


Hey everyone. My genecafe arrived a couple of days ago. First attempt with some Brazilian santos.


----------



## Lozzer87




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## froggystyle

Looks good, what kind of profile did you follow?


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## Lozzer87

I roasted on 220 for 13 minutes then took it down to 210 for another 4 minutes then cooled in the drum.


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## Mouse

Excellent first attempt









Let us know how they taste


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## Lozzer87

Thanks mouse. Yeh I was pretty pleased with the way they came out, just hope they taste good. Not sure how long to give them to rest, I'm trying not to be too eager.


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## hullcity

Looking good







. Start trying them after a few days but put some aside to try after 10 days. In the meantime, get that second roast fired up so you have some nicely rested beans for when your current batch runs out.


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## Lozzer87

Just tried a first espresso of the santos. Was very smooth, slightly woody and malty. Prefer a sweeter taste to be honest but still enjoyed it. Happy with my first attempt anyway.


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## froggystyle

Let them rest and see how they develop over the next week/ten days...... they may just sweeten up.


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## Lozzer87

Yeh hopefully. In the meantime I roasted some Costa Rican tarrazu last night, I'm not so optimistic about these.


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## froggystyle

Your other profile seems a little low, i usually roast 230+ for shorter, but see how they develop over the next week and go from there.

I have roasted low before but the end result wasn't great.


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## Lozzer87

Yeh I will try higher next time and compare the difference. Still plenty of learning to do. Would like to get my hands on some Rwandan green beans, I have a real soft spot for Rwandan coffee.


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## froggystyle

http://ravecoffee.co.uk/collections/green-coffee-beans/products/rwanda-karengera-red-bourbon-green-coffee


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## froggystyle

Check out the BB bulk buys also, i have a couple of different ones, price is good compared to buying 1kg lots from others.

http://www.bellabarista.co.uk/green-coffee-beans-2kg-ev.html


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## Lozzer87

Thanks. I was looking into bulk buying, just need to work out where I would put it all. The Mrs doesn't share the same passion for coffee as myself.


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## froggystyle

10kg is not that much, you can easily stack it up in a kitchen cupboard.

Makes sense anyway, £7.5 per kg v £10!


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## Lozzer87

Like you say price wise it's a no brainer.


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## hullcity

Lozzer, did you hear any cracks with your Brazil roast? For more sweetness you should push it towards 2nd crack. I tend to roast Brazilians just to the start of 2nd or 30sec before, at 235-238C. And I usually keep the temp steady.


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## Lozzer87

Hey, thanks for the tip. I was aiming for 2nd crack but to be honest in both of the roasts I have done I have struggled to hear any cracks. I have used large shop roasters a couple of times and managed to hear them fine but with the gene none at all.


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## froggystyle

Some beans you can pick up first crack really easily, but second can be trickier... The smaller the bean, the harder to hear them i found.


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## mathof

I roasted 230g of Yellow Bourbon today in my Gene Café. The result is pretty uneven in appearance;l the individual beans themselves are also uneven on the surface, ranging from blackish spots to medium-brown. However, when I hit the cooling cycle button at 13' 30", they looked pretty good. I guess next time I should only run the cooling cycle for a couple of minutes and then cool them by hand. Also perhaps I should preheat the chamber. This time, I put the beans into the cold chamber and brought the heat up to 235C in 10'. I left it at that for the next 3' 30", when I started the cool-down cycle as the beans looked a shade lighter medium than I wanted them to go. (I go completely by colour, as I never hear the 1st or 2nd crack on the Gene, struggle though I do to detect them.)


----------



## iroko

Roasted another batch of Brazil daterra sweet

Taken up to 240 and held till end of roast at 16.30

Didn't hear 1st or 2nd crack

Volts was good 241.3 - 238.4

watts between 1260 -1236


----------



## iroko

mathof said:


> I roasted 230g of Yellow Bourbon today in my Gene Café. The result is pretty uneven in appearance;l the individual beans themselves are also uneven on the surface, ranging from blackish spots to medium-brown. However, when I hit the cooling cycle button at 13' 30", they looked pretty good. I guess next time I should only run the cooling cycle for a couple of minutes and then cool them by hand. Also perhaps I should preheat the chamber. This time, I put the beans into the cold chamber and brought the heat up to 235C in 10'. I left it at that for the next 3' 30", when I started the cool-down cycle as the beans looked a shade lighter medium than I wanted them to go. (I go completely by colour, as I never hear the 1st or 2nd crack on the Gene, struggle though I do to detect them.)


I'd let the cooling cycle run It's course rather than force it to stop, and I wouldn't worry about preheating the chamber.

I struggle to hear the cracks as well and like you go by the colour most of the time.


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## Lozzer87

Those Brazilian daterra's look great iroko


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## hullcity

I concur with Iroko re: cooling in the chamber. I used to always e-stop and cool externally but after DavecUK advised against it I've switched to cooling in the gene. I have the large chaff collector without any ducting and put my ear right next to the exhaust vent. Can usually hear 1st and more often than not the crackle of 2nd.


----------



## mathof

Very pretty. How many grams did you roast?


----------



## iroko

mathof said:


> Very pretty. How many grams did you roast?


250g


----------



## iroko

Double post.


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## ronsil

Froggy I'm going to suggest we start a new thread -

Genecafe CBR 1200

There is bound to be a lot of folk wanting to hear about your journey with it & we don't want to muddy the very useful thread Todays Roast

I won't do it until you tell me you are happy about doing that

I can move it over for you if thats what you would like

Job now Done!


----------



## froggystyle

Agreed Ron, move over when your ready


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## Lozzer87

Tried the Brazil santos again this morning. Started on a higher temp of 245 like you guys recommended for 14mins and down to 235 for two further minutes.


----------



## froggystyle

They look better, nice colour!


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## Lozzer87

Thanks. I'm looking forward to trying these in a few days.


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## froggystyle

If you have some time, sit down and read this...

http://www.crema-coffee.com/blog/the-basics-of-coffee-roasting


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## Lozzer87

Will do thanks


----------



## Rob1

hullcity said:


> I concur with Iroko re: cooling in the chamber. I used to always e-stop and cool externally but after DavecUK advised against it I've switched to cooling in the gene. I have the large chaff collector without any ducting and put my ear right next to the exhaust vent. Can usually hear 1st and more often than not the crackle of 2nd.


What was the reasoning for this?



Lozzer87 said:


> Just tried a first espresso of the santos. Was very smooth, slightly woody and malty. Prefer a sweeter taste to be honest but still enjoyed it. Happy with my first attempt anyway.


Sounds like you spent a long time between the beans turning yellow and hitting first crack.


----------



## Rob1

Not quite today's roast, but today's espresso...

100g in Gene Cafe with dimmer mod. 86g out at City+. Drew first crack out for 2 minutes and ended 30 seconds after the end. Cooled externally. After a day of resting big body, a subtle fruit-like sweetness, vanilla and milk chocolate. Costa Rican Tarrazu.

This is better than my 230g batch of the same bean which was taken to Full City+ and was a little on the acidic side with a first crack running straight through (about 1 minute and 12 seconds from memory) and run for two minutes after the end of first.

Roast progression was almost identical. With Paling and Expansion, yellowing, tan, brown and first crack occurring at identically spaced intervals and temp readouts on Gene Cafe (+/-1 2C in some cases and 6/12 seconds). Power settings on the 100g roast before 2.5 minutes (when paling and expansion occurred) were approximately 200 watts lower, from 2.5 to 4 minutes they were the same, and were 100 watts lower from there up to 11 minutes when they were the same for the first crack temp drop.

Next time I roast I'll use more power between 6-10 minute to spend less time between yellowing and first crack.


----------



## hullcity

Rob1,

IIRC, DavecUK said that e-stopping the gene would not be good for it long term and after 20 sec of cooling the drop in temp was such that the beans wouldn't be doing much more anyway. I found that cooling in the gene didn't make any difference to my roasts taste-wise, with the caveat that I tend to roast to full city and no lighter.


----------



## hullcity

Looking good for a 100g roast, would have expected it to come out uneven. Will have to get some Tarrazu in again as I haven't roasted any since doing the dimmer mod


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## hullcity

Last weeks roast of MM sampled the last two days in espresso and cappas. My best for this bean so far by a mile







. Never really liked MM before but now it's really smooth with a lovely caramel side to it coming through the milk. Well chuffed.

Batch was 250g put into the cold gene and heated up to 150C with 1200W then held at 150 for the first 10 min of the roast by cutting back on the power. After the 10 min mark, cranked power back up to 1200W to raise up to 230C. First crack was at 16:49 which ran into 2nd crack at 20:09. Hit cooling at 20:41 when the beans started showing spots of oil. By the time cooling had finished the beans had a nice oily sheen, just what I was aiming for.









I don't know if it was the 10 min drying phase or that I took the beans 0:30 into 2nd crack, but I'm sticking with this profile for the remaining MM I have in the cupboard.


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## froggystyle

I love roasting MM, great bean with no real chaff....


----------



## johnealey

Hi Hull

Lovely beans and interesting reading, Like you never got on with the MM taste wise but lovely to roast.

Wondering if a similar profile would work with some White Aceh and what did you set as a "max" temp on the gene? ( just ruling out any element switching from the equation and soley controlled using dimmer / power control)

Does make sharing profiles now easier irrespective of voltage / outside temps to a certain degree.

Tried 3x250g roasts of the BB bulk buy Peru Cafe Femenino Cecanor last week and apart from 1 being into a room temp gene all roasted to same profile as one supplied in the dec blog on the BB website by Steve Peel: batch size 240g target temp 245c initial, [email protected], drop to [email protected], [email protected]+60s,[email protected]+120s for remainder(I did 250g though as drives me nuts, odd bits left over!).

Controlled the wattage going to the element for all three just cutting each one slightly shorter to see what effect this would have on both roast level / taste. 1st one was m/d to dark then a m/d then a m to m/d using 1300w as a controlled wattage throughout with he voltage running from 246.4 down to 238 throughout the three roasts

1st roast 1c @12m38s, 2nd roast [email protected], 3rd roast 1c @11m25 none getting to any discernable 2nd crack

1st roast ended 14m50s, 2nd 13m45s and 3rd 13m25

Just tucking into the 3rd one and this by far and away the better for different flavours actually picking up the tasting notes supplied of Cane sugar, berries and (a slight) citrus. The first two were degrees of chocolate with the first being full on cocoa and the second being more caramac, both better than without an power "smoothing".

My first run at power control with the recent BB bulk buy Jagong village keeping at 1200w seemed to bake this a little so will keep experimenting and as have another couple of kilos of the Peru above might use this as my testing bean whilst re-learning how to roast with power control.

John


----------



## froggystyle

The white aceh is another lovely bean to roast, in fact all AA grades are great.


----------



## hullcity

Hi John,

Good to hear you're loving the dimmer mod. I set my gene temp control to 245C but never let it get anywhere near that temp. I've found that 240C is really the max temp I need to get to, usually a bit lower, so I never get any element switching these days. I've tried 1100W, 1200W, 1300W and found that 1200W suits my gene/roasting style the best. Saying that, most of my dimmer experience has been with Brazil daterra sweet blue, so I may need to retune my strategy for harder beans.


----------



## johnealey

Hi Hull

Funnily enough not tried any of the daterra full bloom since the mod so will bear the 1200w in mind which sort of makes sense as softer beans requiring less "fierce" roasting (?)

Just when you think you got the hang of it.....althoguh have to say after this last batch there is an improvement in quality, not sure it's up to the previously mentioned 50% improvement bust suspect that is more down to the squidgy roaster in front of the actual roaster.

Now, if I can just somehow wedge in a 1200 roasting chamber into a cafe roasting chassis, muhahaha....

John


----------



## Lozzer87

Tried some Guatemalan huehuetenango tonight. Look a little uneven


----------



## johnealey

Hi Lozzer, How long for and at what temp or profile? What was the voltage like as can be a bit high on a sunday evening?

John


----------



## Lozzer87

Hi. I Set the temp to 240 for 14 mins then reduced to 230 for a further 2.5 minutes. I'm not sure on voltage, how do I tell?


----------



## ronsil

Maplins & Amazon sell cheap voltage meters which give a continuous reading for voltage as well as other useful information.


----------



## johnealey

Hi Lozzer, +1 on the above and some of the home energy monitoring devices that you plug your "things" into will show you voltage as well as wattage consumed. I got a simple one from Maplins here for about £9.99 which I plug the roaster into which gives me a volatage read out and wattage consumed. The drawback with this model is the screen is not backlit so if plugging into a wall socket under a kitchen cabinet can be hard to see without a torch or lighting applied. There are other more expensive options with bigger screens or connect to your laptop etc and it relly depends on what you wnat to get out of it.

To know that the voltage is a little high or low as the case may be, helps whilst roasting on an unmodified gene as in crude terms, higher voltage = greater heat input and lower voltage= lower input with a corresponding lengthening / shortening / modification of any roast profiles you are using. Stabilising the amount of watts being drawn by the heater element by means of dimmer / power controller mods is driven in simple terms by the need to smooth out the effect of varying voltages; you don't have to do the mod to roast sucessfully but what you do need to understand is either when in the day is the voltage stable or what effects high or low voltage will have on your roast as this will affect your timings.

If you search back through the roasting threads am sure there is a much better description of what is going on in relation to the voltage settings ( look for DaveCUK posts) and also search for the coffeetime wiki which is full of invaluable information ( as is the Bella Barista raost manual written by DaveC that woudl have come with your roaster if bought from them).

Am by no means an expert and have only been brave enough to do the power control mod myself recently but picked up on the voltage thing quite early on when was scorching a lot of bean on the tips ( Sunday lunchtime / teatime voltage for us ranging from 238 to 247v for example, late evening or during the week more stable for example)

Not having roasted this bean though, 240c for that time seems a little high and did you reduce the temp when you heard first crack or just at a time frame? (someone with experience of this bean if not in the previous pages of this thread may be able to help)

Hope of some help

John


----------



## Lozzer87

Thanks for the advice guys, all very much appreciated. A trip to maplins later it is then. I have played around with a few different beans and temperatures but as stated I guess you can never be sure what the exact temp or power is going to be without any help from meters etc. I will try them in a few days and report back.


----------



## "coffee 4/1"

grateful for some help here, only have popper with variac transformer but serves me well for lighter roasts, anyway's the beans are brazil from c.c cut with razor, from left to right in photo, first my preferred lighter roast at

04.00min 37% 04.00min 35% 03.00 25% per/min total 11min, roasted even in/out, the other two in photo trying for a darker roast, using 05.00 33.5% 05.00 16.7% 03.00 9.6% drop time 13min/14min the beans are roasted more on the inside than outside, uneven, any idea for a mid/dark roast profile.


----------



## hullcity

\ said:


> grateful for some help here, only have popper with variac transformer but serves me well for lighter roasts, anyway's the beans are brazil from c.c cut with razor, from left to right in photo, first my preferred lighter roast at
> 
> 04.00min 37% 04.00min 35% 03.00 25% per/min total 11min, roasted even in/out, the other two in photo trying for a darker roast, using 05.00 33.5% 05.00 16.7% 03.00 9.6% drop time 13min/14min the beans are roasted more on the inside than outside, uneven, any idea for a mid/dark roast profile.


Try keeping the heat on towards the end of the roast, don't drop it so much. I roast brazils to just before 2nd crack, but that may be too dark for your taste.


----------



## Lozzer87

Tried some Guatemalan today


----------



## "coffee 4/1"

did the same today Lozzer are those guat's SHB antigua, if so i'm finding them tricky to get even roast, high heat & fast is the best i get.


----------



## Lozzer87

Mine are shb finca Victoria. Have tried these a few times and also have found quite difficult to get an even roast.


----------



## "coffee 4/1"

my roast of antigua looks very similar to your image, have just cut 6 odd size & colour of beans, amazingly there's no burnt inside of bean, hopefully syrupy-cocoa in the cup.


----------



## Lozzer87

I thought these came out ok to be honest, but of course doesn't mean anything until in the cup. I also roasted off some Nicaragua beans the other day, they seem to come out nice and even.


----------



## froggystyle

I had some beans through from someone i shall not mention, they own a coffee bar/cafe type thing in london, they roast on a small machine although its gas powered, was a little worried that they would show my beans up...

They looked just like mine, a little uneven and still some chaff present... made me smile!


----------



## "coffee 4/1"

not criticising you roast Lozzer, my guat's very in size considerably, wonder if screening the beans to get a standard size to roast.


----------



## hullcity

Here's my go with some Guatemala Antigua (El Fuego), roasted this morning. Batch was 250g, heated up to 238C with 1200W. First crack was nice and strong, starting at 13:06 and lasting just over 2 min. About 1 min into this, I dropped the power to lower the temp to 233C. Hit cooling at the first snap of 2nd crack (16:46) and cooled in the drum. Beans look full city with no sign of oils.


----------



## Lozzer87

Looking very nice, good colour and even.


----------



## Lozzer87

Hull, do you try and preheat the gene before putting the beans in or just start it up with them already in the chamber?


----------



## hullcity

Lozzer87 said:


> Hull, do you try and preheat the gene before putting the beans in or just start it up with them already in the chamber?


I usually don't do any preheat, just whack the beans into the cold chamber and off we go. In the winter I tend to do a quick preheat to 50C cos I store the gene in the garage so it gets pretty cold (I roast in the kitchen). Don't know if it makes any difference though.

I used to preheat higher, which speeded up the roast by a couple of mins, but I didn't find any improvement in the cup. There are some reports about the rubber bumper on the chaff remover flap thingy wearing out quickly by people who run the drum empty (preheating or dumping and cooling outside the gene, when you put the drum back in empty and allow the cooling cycle to run). I find no/little preheat and cooling in the gene gives me results I'm happy with.


----------



## hullcity

Lozzer87 said:


> Looking very nice, good colour and even.


Thanks, the evenness is much easier to achieve with the dimmer mod, at least in my hands.


----------



## "coffee 4/1"

tried my shabby looking full-city guat's antigua finca el piru roast today, in the cup cortado, not your usual bakers chocolate taste, a very nice cocoa/chocolate, no fruits, no acidity, who cares


----------



## Promes

iroko said:


> Roasted 250g Columbia Suarez in Gene Cafe
> 
> I hit 1st crack @ 13.5 mins, held onto 240 then dropped to 235, not sure when 2nd crack started
> 
> and total roast time was 18mins with slight breeze coming in through window.
> 
> I'm pleased with the results, I normally end up going darker than this, but this is what I'm aiming for.


However if it tasted good thats great.


----------



## Lozzer87

Tried my Guatemalans today, didn't taste good at all, was very disappointed, never mind.


----------



## "coffee 4/1"

any ideas where to purchase brazil rose diamond greens, can only find roasted blend at the Tate-Britain.


----------



## iroko

Roasted 250g Costa Rica Tarrazu last week

Taken to 240 and dropped down to 235 near end of roast

Didn't hear any cracks, finished roast at 16.20

Started these on Saturday, very enjoyable.


----------



## Rob1

I finally roasted some Gems of Araku the other week. The first roast I could hear the start of first crack but no rolling and no finish. Going off colour and smell/smoke I had first last for the target 2 minutes and finished the roast at a low power for a further 2 mins until just before the start of second crack. The coffee ended up having a very clear flavour of fragrant spices, (cardamon to put a name to it) and chocolate. Body was very good, thick almost syrupy and there was a nice sweetness to it too with chocolate and caramel flavours in the aftertaste. No bitterness or sourness at all.

Today I roasted again and again couldn't hear the cracks but this time I noticed something strange: A large number of beans have failed to expand. I go through every roast and sift out the defective ones I find and usually end up with a gram or two to throw away; on the last roast I didn't throw any away but I went back through what remains of it today and sure enough I found a few very small beans, suggesting I somehow overlooked this last time. I haven't taste it yet but I'm guessing this is some kind of defect due to a lack of something in the bean necessary to the chemical reactions which cause expansion (Sugars, Acids, Water?).

I've tried googling this but couldn't find anything on it. They appear to have roasted the same as all the others. Anybody have any explanation for this?


----------



## froggystyle

Dug my little friend out of storage today, been a while since I have used the little gene.... Going to fire off a couple of leftover beans from the last BB bilk buy!

The vent is a little ropy though it does seem to be holding up!


----------



## whattodo

I roasted 5 batches. Each batch is 200 gr. 2 batch of Ethiopia Harrar Mesela from Bodhi Leaf, 2 batch of Ethiopia Adado from GCBC and 1 batch of Ethiopia Harrar from GCBC. So this week is Ethiopian week.


----------



## whattodo

I roasted 5 batches for the next week. Each batch is 200 gr. 3 batch of Guat Chalabal COE Washed from Bodhi Leaf, 2 batch of Kenya Nyeri Othaya from GCBC.


----------



## blackice

Thanks for accepting me on the forum. I'm new to roasting coffee beans & have just bought the Gene Café Roaster & only so far roasted a total of 1k of Colombia El Bosqe beans that came free with the roaster. I'm very much on a learning curve at the moment & have roasted four 250g lot's with a varying amount of success & failure, my first batch looked like a nice roast but tasted too weak for my taste, the second batch I left to the end of the second crack, hence I burnt it, my third batch I ended just into the second crack, looks & smells nice, 'I've yet to taste it' & my last batch I roasted dark & after a few days the beans are oily & have a nice smell & taste to them, all in all I enjoyed what I have done so far and look forward to trying out different variety's of beans







from around the world. I have looked at different Profiles and whilst I don't pretend to understand them all I did settle on one to try & this is the one I used.

Gene Cafe Roast Profile

Gene Cafe Warm Up

(1) Set Temperature Dial to 250c

(2) Run to 135c - 140c 60 sec

(3) Press Cool Down & Stop at 60c

Roasting Beans

(1) Put Beans into the Roasting Drum & attach to the Gene Roaster

(2) Set Temperature to 250c

(3) Set Time to 18 mins

(4) When the Temperature Reaches 240c Turn Down to 238c

(5) Listen for the First Crack

(6) After First Crack has Finished Turn Down to 230c

(7) Listen for the Second Crack & Hit the Cool Down button if Beans are Correct Colour.


----------



## Robbo

Just finished roasting these Costa Rican from coffee compass. These beans are bigger than the Brazilian i roasted last week and i think that helped me hear first crack!

I Was aiming for medium as read Costa Rican tends to be a clean and sweet, light bodied coffee. (World Atlas of Coffee)

Later this week I shall try a slightly lighter and a slightly darker roast to compare.

Enjoying this roasting malarkey!

Start weight 250g

End weight 203g

No warm up

Set temp 238 deg (took 15min to get there)

First crack 13.30 min at 234 deg

Gene cool at 16.20min

As always any advice or comments welcome!


----------



## Rob1

You reduced temp on first crack or just let it keep climbing?


----------



## Robbo

It takes so long to get up to temp that it was done very soon after it got there. No time to lower the temp.

Not sure if this is right or my voltage is low. I will check tomorrow.

It was 207 deg at 8 mins, 220 at 10 mins and 234 at 14 mins. (1st crack) It took until 16 mins to get to 238 degs and was almost done.


----------



## Rob1

Seems slow compared to mine (I got to 240c in less than 11 minutes last roast).

Still not sure what you mean about it taking long to get up to temp and not having time to lower it...it depends on the bean but generally you'll be lowering the temp by about 5c just after first crack really gets going. This stretches out first crack a little and prevents the ROR from increasing, with the element switching on and off you might not need to drop again but I find with the dimmer a second decrease in power is necessary on first crack end. The way you've described it is first crack started at 234c and you let it continue to rise to 238c over two minutes and 50 seconds before hitting cooling.

Do the taste taste and see how it is.


----------



## Robbo

HI Rob,

Thanks for your reply. I'm assuming ROR means Rate of Rise?

I think the problem is im still struggling to recognise when 1st crack gets going. I definitely did hear 2 or 3 cracks at 14 mins and i was expecting it to kick off like popcorn but it never did. I didn't want to lower the temp before it got going. Before i knew it, it was at 16 mins and the colour i was aiming for.

I am planning on doing the dimmer mod soon but i am slightly concerned that this wouldn't help if my supply V is low. More likely it would slow the rate of temp increase even more due to the V drop across the components.

A voltage supply check tonight and taste test tomorrow may give me some answers


----------



## iroko

Robbo said:


> It takes so long to get up to temp that it was done very soon after it got there. No time to lower the temp.
> 
> Not sure if this is right or my voltage is low. I will check tomorrow.
> 
> It was 207 deg at 8 mins, 220 at 10 mins and 234 at 14 mins. (1st crack) It took until 16 mins to get to 238 degs and was almost done.


My gene seems to take longer to reach temp as well, at 11mins It will be between 222 If voltage is lower 236-238.

I'm getting about 238-241 volts at the moment and getting to 229-234 temp at 11mins. The 234 temp is when I get 240v the whole roast.

Have you cleaned the dust filter underneath, It might be clogged up.


----------



## "coffee 4/1"

Colombian veracruz cold fermented, anyone tried these, ventured out of my comfort zone choc/caramel bombs, finding the Colombia a tricky bean to roast due to irregular screen sizing,

as espresso acidic, figs, lemon.


----------



## FrankG

iroko said:


> My gene seems to take longer to reach temp as well, at 11mins It will be between 222 If voltage is lower 236-238.
> 
> I'm getting about 238-241 volts at the moment and getting to 229-234 temp at 11mins. The 234 temp is when I get 240v the whole roast.
> 
> Have you cleaned the dust filter underneath, It might be clogged up.


I have exactly the same issue. I don't get past 238 with 4 mins to go, so I hold it at that temp till finish. I don't know how the voltage fluctuates (and to be honest I would know what to do with the information anyway).

So far, I have been pleased with the results, but that could be the blissful ignorance of being a newbie!


----------



## Robbo

These 2 roasts are both coffee compass Papua new guinea.

First on the top was taken to fc at 13.5 min 236deg held for 1.5mins then dropped to 233 deg for 1min. 15% weight loss. Appearance has a mottled look on close inspection, yet to taste.

Second one hit 1c at 13.5 min 236 deg as before but this time i dropped temp to 230 deg straight away. 1c lasted 3 mins. Cooled at 18 mins as is wasnt getting too dark. 16% weight loss. Appears to be a much more even roast. Looks better to me close up.

Voltage measured at 239v

All the parts are in for the dimmer mod which i am looking forward to doing this week along with a good clean out. We shall see how that improves things!


----------



## johnealey

Consistency is what the dimmer mod brings in that no matter what the voltage you are now roasting more by input power (there is more info on this further back in this thread plus on the coffeetime wiki)

For me, with high voltage, it allowed a longer period after first crack to improve the flavour of the bean. It's not a night and day scenario but definitely more dusk and day. @FrankG ,you may want to look at purchasing a decent measuring plug that can give you a voltage / wattage draw on your gene as can be susceptible to swings in voltage: too low and you will struggle when it gets cooler / too high and you can run the risk of pretty much toasting everything.

John


----------



## Rob1

You need a power and energy monitor. The Prodigit 2000MU is the tried and tested one that is know to be accurate. I was using an Energenie ENER007 which proved accurate as well (same voltage measurement on both devices, will check wattage before you buy if you like). Safe choice is Prodigit if you can get one.


----------



## Robbo

Dimmer mod to gene cafe done...









2 x 250g roasts completed just now with El Salvador fancy, bourbon...









First on the left started well although my volts was low, 235v. Couldnt get above 1160 w throughout the roast. Then, at about 14 min, just after 1c the power dropped and the heater cut out. Dont know why. I put it into cool and ended up with a light roast. Not a disaster, looks ok, but why did it cut out??

Cracked on with a second roast straight away and left the dimmer switched out until 1c around 236deg. 12.5 mins. Reading was 1240w with dimmer off and 1160w when switched in. I lowered power to 1050w and dropped temp to 230deg for 2.5 mins. Heater didnt cut out this time and final result looks even and at the desired level. (The one on the right) Phew! It works!

Although it seems i have a problem with the low supply voltage which means i cant go above 1160w with the dimmer in.


----------



## johnealey

Might be able to do the stage 2 mod of swapping out the 240v heater for the 230v if and when you either feel the need to or the heater needs changing. Otherwise look ok and will be interesting to see if you notice a difference in the cup (was quite frequently running around 1100w and dropping as low as 850 / 900 to stretch the roast out post first crack, will have to dig my old logs out to confirm)

John


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## Robbo

Loving the Papua New Guinea from Bella Barista green beans bulk buy. I think it was the cheapest one of the selection but i am finding it very easy to roast with Gene. Big beans, easy to control and hear 1st/2nd crack. Turned out nice and smooth with good body.


----------



## Stevebee

Just did a roast of some Sumatra beans, Blue Bianca from Bella Barista. First time I've roasted from Sumatra and it didn't come out as planned. Looked very uneven in colour, looked like tipping as well. At the temp I dropped in, I never get scorching or tipping on other beans so wondering if it's the type of beans.

I roasted one batch in a corretto set up, one in a Quest M3 (250g in each) and 1kg in a Gene cbr1200.

The bean appearance was similar in all three and I never get tipping at a BT of 170 in the Quest so very strange.

My Quest has an ET and BT probe that can connect to Artisan.

All three roasts had a weight loss between 15.4% and 15.8%

I subsequently did a batch of El Salvador Finca San Ernesto in the Gene 1200 and it was lovely. Very even colour and nice size beans mmm. Loss was 16% on this one but a nice roast so I expect the bean type was the issue. My Gene has the power mod described by DavecUK where I can reduce and control the power down from 3,000W+ to control the end of the roast without any switching on and off of the heaters.

Has anyone had similar problems with Sumatra and what's the solution. Lower drop in temp or simply roast to a darker colour maybe.


----------



## froggystyle

I had issues with a sumatra, spoke to rave and they suggested a lower temp, more of a gentle touch, this was in the CBR101 and i cant remember the details but a lower temp and a little more care produced a nice roast, after a couple of binned ones.


----------



## Robbo

I roast on a modded gene. I have found they are very uneven, mottled in appearance right up until the end of the roast. Almost a blue colour just as it starts to go dark (maybe thats where the name comes from)

I struggle to get above 1250 watts due to low volts but i let the gene do its thing and switch in the dimmer at about 11 mins. this drops wattage to 1150 but temp still rises slowly.

I hold the temp at about 138 deg up to 1c and lower to 132 deg. i hold it there until colour becomes more even. I finish roast just before 2c.

It does shed chaff longer than most.


----------



## froggystyle

Mandheling was the bean i had issues with, just remembered, nice bean though when roasted right, i preferred it brewed as really hit the peppery notes.

Thinking back some more i think i lowered the temp down to 134 ish and took it a little longer.


----------



## Stevebee

Thanks. Next time I get some Sumatra I'll try a lower drop in temp and slow things down a bit. Probably put 250g in the Quest as the big Gene means a kilo at a time. The good thing was though at least the roast on the Quest had the same issue so I know I can sample them on that first.


----------



## Robbo

Monsooned malabar! first time roasting these. wow! they progress quickly after first crack!

I was warned (thanks @benjbob ) but literally just finished 1c and oils were showing on a couple of beans, even though i lowered power to 1050w

Finished at 15.5 mins. 250g in 206g out.

quite happy for a first try as they looked evenly roasted when i cut through a cross section.


----------



## benjbob

I love a good monsoon! Such a pleasure to roast, will always hold a little place with it being the first bean i ever roasted


----------



## benjbob

Try giving them a little more time to hit 2c and see what you think. I enjoyed them a little on the darker side


----------



## Bulls6000

hi,

Im new to roasting and just got a gene coffee roaster and been trying to roast some beans. I mostly drink flat whites and the coffee I've been having tastes mostly flat and more milky compare to when i use workshop coffee beans which makes me think im doing something wrong.

Ive been roasting a costa rica villa sarchi with 250g in the roaster. It takes me 14min to reach fc at 232c which i held for 1min and then down to 225. i stopped the roast at 16:30. roast looks medium dark. The gene consistently takes around 10 min to reach 220c. My thinking is that it just takes to long to reach temperature which will compromise the taste? maybe i should start preheating the gene? Im open for any tips please.

thanks


----------



## froggystyle

Are you roasting in a warm room? This time of the year makes it tricky unless you roast indoors.

Maybe try and keep the temp around 230 when dropping and shorten the roast by a minute.


----------



## Rob1

Your timings looks fine, maybe even too fast. Without the dimmer mod your control is limited. 'Holding' at a specific temp based on the readout is impossible unmodded so I assume you mean you set your maximum temp to 232c and then drop to 225c after a minute? Or you set max temp to 240c and first crack occurs at 232c and you then wait one minute to adjust? If it's the latter you should be aware that bean temp will rise rapidly following first crack and you'd be better off adjusting when you hear the first couple of pops rather than waiting for it to get well underway or even finish. If it's the former then your heating element is clicking on and off at and through first crack. By dropping to 225c you'll have temps dropping to about 220c and climbing again which is quite low. I'd set 235c and drop to 230c on first crack. The element cycling should stop the roast from taking off from there but you'll see improvements with the dimmer in place.


----------



## iroko

My gene hits between 220-228 at 11 mins, with roaster at room temp. Theirs no need to preheat gene.

As above I wouldn't have gone below 230.


----------



## Bulls6000

iroko said:


> My gene hits between 220-228 at 11 mins, with roaster at room temp. Theirs no need to preheat gene.
> 
> As above I wouldn't have gone below 230.


Thanks for all the advice. I'm roasting in the kitchen so it's around room temperature. I just roasted my El Salvador beans and put the machine on 235. I hit first crack 12:30min in when the machine showed 230 degrees. I tried to keep it on 230 for another 1:30min and ended the roast after 14min. The chaff doesn't seem to come off properly with these beans. I'm still a complete starter I'm still learning and open for any advice. Beans are looking a bit uneven I'm now waiting a few days to see what they will taste like.


----------



## Robbo

If you keep it going a little longer after 1st crack it tends to even out. thats why doing the dimmer mod is a good idea as it gives you that control to only slightly lower the power after 1c. this enables you to stretch out the period between first and second crack without the heater turning off completely. This is when they tend to lose more chaff and even out.

Are you doing the gene cool down cycle? with an unpreheated gene try around a 16 min roast time. I set timer to 18 mins, temp to 240 ( it prob wont need to get this high) if 1c happens at 235 you can keep it going for a min or so then lower temp a few degs to just switch the heater out and let it rise again to 237 or so. bean temp will be more stable than heater temp.

Its a bit easier to get even roasts with the modded gene but it can be done with practice.


----------



## Bulls6000

That makes sense if the heater switches off thats not ideal. I will have to play around with my next roasts. I might have to look into the dimmer mod aswell. Im also thinking to install some probes into my drum to get a more accurate temperature reading. I use the gene quick cool cycle which i thought works quite well


----------



## eusty

Ethiopian Guji from BB and my first ever roast.

Used a Gene Café and BB's profile for gentle rise/fall

220c @ 10:44 then hold 60s

230c @13:10 then hold 60s

240c till 1c which I 'thought was @16:40

hold @ 17:40

235 @ 18:30

17% reduction.


----------



## johnealey

Looks like you went into 2nd crack with these but maybe not by much.

It can be real tricky to hear 1st crack on the gene and judicious use of an empty kitchen roll tube to the ear at one end and near the exhaust end of the roasting chamber might assist (you are listening out for popcorn sounds on 1st crack and electrical crackle or scrunching kitchen foil for 2nd crack)

The real test, as your first roast, will be how they taste after a bit of rest noting the maximum time for this profile is not a "go to" more an indication as to may have gone too long so possibly stop a little earlier on the next lot?

You may want to post weights up as well as finish time which will help other who may have roasted this particular bean offer any pointers. if you also read through this thread you may also find some pointers of help.

Not bad for a first roast though









John

John


----------



## eusty

Thanks John, it was 250 in 208 out.

I may not try the slow method as when I was roasting it seemed to happen a bit quick. I felt I was waiting for the temp to rise for the next 'step' so maybe just set the temp to 245 ish and wait for the first crack then back it off a bit?

I wanted a dark roast but like you I think I left it a bit long.

Posted by Tapatalk


----------



## "coffee 4/1"

As i roast only for espresso just before 2nd crack, never liked any roast 1% over 16% weight loss,

have found 0.5% loss is about 30 seconds with 250gms, as you have loss of 16.8% give the next

roast 50 seconds less, if this helps great,


----------



## Robbo

Colombia finca sofia. Working on producing a light/med roast level as opposed to usual med/dark i usually end up with.

Gene cafe (dimmer modified)

250g in 208g out

0-10 mins dimmer out 1240w

10-12 mins (1c) 1150w max temp reached 227 deg

12-14 mins drop to 1100w

14-15mins 1050w end roast, Gene cool.









Probably need to end 30 secs earlier next time.


----------



## PottyMouthedBuddhist

OK, first attempt and addition from me - just playing around with my newly modded Gene. My wattage seems a little on the low side - roast was done in my garage, plugged in to a 15m extension cable - not sure if that has anything to do with it. All comments and criticisms very welcome indeed.

Ethiopia Yirgacheffe.

Gene cafe (dimmer modified)

200g in 180g out

Preheated Gene to 185 for 5 mins

Charge at 154 deg

0-12 mins dimmer out 1175w

12-13.5 mins (1c) drop to 1075w max temp reached 226 deg

12-14.5 mins kept at 1075w

14.5 end roast, Gene cool to 150c then drop and cool manually.









I deliberately pulled this one a little early as both my efforts yesterday were a little on the dark side and I figured I might get bored of that come the end of next week. But even I can see it's very mottled and not an overly pretty roast - any suggestions?


----------



## "coffee 4/1"

180gm out looks a bit undeveloped, try for 168gm to 170gm=16%-15% out on 200gm in


----------



## PottyMouthedBuddhist

Excellent, thanks - will do!


----------



## Robbo

Good to see you up and running. Ethiopian are more chaffy than the colombian i roasted above but 10% weight loss is a little low.

Why not try similar profile with 250g in the drum? It will retain more heat in the drum and in the beans.


----------



## PottyMouthedBuddhist

I started out on 250g roasts but I was finding it took ages to get up to temperature, so I was getting on towards 20 mins or over for a roast. So I decided to reduce the weight of beans a bit. It's a second hand Gene, so it's possible the heater may be due for replacing, but may also be that I'm doing it in my garage in temps that were really quite cold at the time (1-3 deg). Actually based on today's numbers, in higher ambient temperature and having pre-heated, I guess I could have done 230-250g quite happily.

At the same time, I now know I got a little wimpy and pulled this one too early, because the Excelso and the Tweega that I did much darker yesterday are really starting to look and smell lovely. So it's all just messing about and finding my way at the moment, but I'm logging everything so should get to grips with it sooner rather than later.


----------



## johnealey

Hi PMB

where did you get the tweega from out of interest?

thanks

John


----------



## PottyMouthedBuddhist

johnealey said:


> Hi PMB
> 
> where did you get the tweega from out of interest?
> 
> thanks
> 
> John


I got that from Rave John, about 2-3 months ago - I haven't tried it yet, but I bought it because I absolutely loved the Tanzanian AAA that Coffee Compass were doing as part of their 3kg for £20 deal, but they sold out of it quit some time ago.

Edit - I meant to add I think Rave have sold out now as well.


----------



## Stevebee

For the Yirgacheffe, I find the weight loss to be less than most beans for the same roast level however 10% seems too low and this looks the case looking at the pic. To get a reading of 60-65 on the Agtron Gourmet scale, which is medium light, I get a 14%-15% loss. This was a charge of 1kg roasted on the Gene CBR 1200 though so maybe not like for like.


----------



## PottyMouthedBuddhist

Thanks Steve - I'll expect to have to bin those beans then, but it's no problem. I'm one of those people who learns much better by making the mistakes, so I'm quite happy for the odd roast to get binned if it improves the rest of them.


----------



## johnealey

Don't bin them before you tasted them though as there is nothing better than taste memory to trigger a "must leave this longer response"









They do look a bit baked as well so not expecting anything at all other than vegetal notes, however you are looking at this the right way in that learning from mistakes is unfortunately the way to improvement.

John


----------



## PottyMouthedBuddhist

Thanks John - given the details I posted on the roast, what would you guess was the cause of the baking?


----------



## iroko

Try 250g, without preheating the gene and go longer on the roast.

On my unmodded gene most of my roasts go over 16 mins.


----------



## PottyMouthedBuddhist

Without preheating and 250g I'd probably be looking closer to 20 minutes - would that be ok? I had it in my head that the longer the roast took the more likely it was to bake, but happy to try that if you don't think it would be a problem.


----------



## Robbo

Think of it this way. With 200g or with 250g of beans in the drum the same heat is entering the roasting chamber.

The difference is that with 200g more of the heat is exiting the chamber. This is the reading you see on the gene as the thermal probe is near the exit chamber.

With 250g more of that heat is retained in the beans therefore you may get a lower reading on the gene but its the bean temp that matters not the exit temp.

Saying that, your power does seem low with the dimmer out. Mine runs at around 1220-1240w before i switch in the dimmer.

For that reason i would considder fitting the 230v element at some point. But measure your voltage first to check.

You could preheat to 150 to speed things up a bit and not switch in the dimmer until 1st crack is well under way. Thats what id do.


----------



## PottyMouthedBuddhist

Got you, that makes sense, thanks Robbo. I've come to the Gene from a Coretto roaster with thermocouples on ET and BT, so it's still taking me a while to get used to the exit temperature reading on the Gene. But what you say makes sense, and may also explain why I've been getting better results with larger beans than smaller ones - I guess the increase in mass helps retain the temperature.

I did another slightly duff roast this evening and noticed the wattage started down around 1150 before building up to 1180 or so. So I'm definitely looking at going to the 230v element - I will see if I get better voltage in my kitchen first as it's on a different ring main. But Mrs. PMB doesn't like the smell so even if it was better I'd have to go out in the garden and run an extension cable to it.


----------



## johnealey

Suspect if you could measure your voltage you will find especially on the end of a 15m extension that there is a significant drop being recorded which would affect your roast big time thus not allowing the bean temp to get high enough as Robbo is talking about above.

If this is in fact the case then the option of fitting the 230v heater becomes more desirable (or look into better means of getting electricity to your roaster







) I used to use an extension in the summer to take the gene outside and was grateful for the drop in voltage (pre modifying) that the extension created

John


----------



## PottyMouthedBuddhist

Yep, that makes sense John - I'll try a few various locations to see if I can get better voltage, but I was intending to go for the 230v mod anyway.


----------



## iroko

PottyMouthedBuddhist said:


> Without preheating and 250g I'd probably be looking closer to 20 minutes - would that be ok? I had it in my head that the longer the roast took the more likely it was to bake, but happy to try that if you don't think it would be a problem.


When my voltage is low when roasting, I sometimes go into 18mins. Most of the time I'm between 16-17 mins, in the summer I might get under

16 mins.

If possible try and lose the extension lead and see If that helps.


----------



## PottyMouthedBuddhist

Yes, I removed it this evening and just fired the roaster up empty - still not great but I was getting ~1220w, so a huge improvement. I think Ill try a roast at that tomorrow, and if it's still not enough then I'll bite the bullet and buy the 230v heater - it's just giving me a bit of a nosebleed at £74...


----------



## iroko

On my last roast my I was getting between 1173-1201w, and my voltage was very low, between 232.8-236 max.









Roast finished at 16.40, roast looks good but haven't tasted yet.


----------



## mremanxx

Iroko or Ronsil,,

You have probably been asked this a million times before.

Have you ever sold some of your roasts on to others to get their feedback?

I would be more than happy to act as a guinea pig as I am always looking for a milk based bean.


----------



## The Buff Barista

looks really consistent, well done


----------



## PottyMouthedBuddhist

I roasted some Costa Rican on Thursday, which I've always found to be quite forgiving, and it looks even and nicely roasted. The wattage was 1250 or so until I switched the dimmer on, so all in all I was very happy with that. Then I tried a Yirgacheffe on similar wattage but it's more mottled and uneven - I don't have high hopes for that one but we'll see.

Thursday evening the wattage had dropped to 1120, so I didn't bother trying.

I will do the 230v mod eventually, but knowing that I can plan my roasts around the time of day and day of the week is a definite improvement.


----------



## johnealey

Meant to ask this the other day: when you running on a 15m extension cable, do you need to or in fact have it fully unwound as this will affect the amount of current available at the appliance end? (if you look at most drum style extensions there will be a figure in amps about wound / unwound current draw)

Am sure one of the forums resident helpful sparky's ( @Thecatlinux Richard) can put this better / more correctly than me but, if, you are not using the fully unwound reel thus using it out of convenience (not full length required) and not unwound (recommended) then you may be better off and thus gain more "input" at the gene end by buying / making an extension lead of "thicker" mains cable to the correct length.

This assumes that should you want to run the gene right off of a socket (ignoring smoke issues) you would have sufficient voltage / current prior to use of the extension i.e. the extension becomes the limiting factor.

A new extension lead may (and stress may) be the answer or maybe a length of exhaust hosing to attach to the gene and run out of kitchen window (no one should roast with one indoors unless directly under reasonably powerful cooker hood venting to the outside and even then going to smell, let alone the unhealthy benefits of smoke etc...)

Just thoughts and would heartily recommend running direct from a socket where possible, might be worth letting us know what voltages you seeing at socket / extension lead in various states of wind to at least rule this out

John


----------



## Thecatlinux

In answer to your question about wound or unwound extension leads .

The reason there is a rating for wound and unwound is because as more current passes through the cable that cable will generate heat , if it is a small amount of current this will dissipate quite easily , if it is a large current you are reliant on the Air around the cable to dissipate that heat . Therefore if the cable is fully wound you are not going to get any airflow on the inner parts of the wound coil and if the current is large enough this will eventually melt . ( I have seen this many many times )

some extension leads (jo/jo) have a thermal trip integrated into the housing to eliminate such problems and very expensive leads are made with a ventilated drum .

wound or unwound will make no difference to the connected load


----------



## PottyMouthedBuddhist

Sorry John I should have specified - all the recent figures quoted have been plugged direct into the wall socket. So basically can get a max of about 1180w using the extension, and up to about 1280w direct into the wall socket. So I think that should be enough if I ditch the extension from now on, although I will do the 230v heater mod when funds permit.

Regarding the extension cable (and thanks also to Thecatlinux for the input), it's a moot point now but I was using it wound rather than fully unwound. Which wasn't very wise at all, considering I've also seen one melt and nearly catch fire, when I used it to power the boiler for my home made brewery. Sometimes I'm amazed I'm still alive, to be honest.


----------



## DavecUK

PottyMouthedBuddhist said:


> Yes, I removed it this evening and just fired the roaster up empty - still not great but I was getting ~1220w, so a huge improvement. I think Ill try a roast at that tomorrow, and if it's still not enough then I'll bite the bullet and buy the 230v heater - it's just giving me a bit of a nosebleed at £74...


Don't do that, if you start pulling mote than 1250W your going to damage the gene over time....you should really need that power with the current temperatures.


----------



## PottyMouthedBuddhist

Thanks @DavecUK - just to be sure I understand, you think not to do the 230v mod even though I've got the dimmer? As I could use this to keep the draw below 1250w? If you reckon the current voltage sounds enough I'll happily save myself a few quid!


----------



## DavecUK

PottyMouthedBuddhist said:


> Thanks @DavecUK - just to be sure I understand, you think not to do the 230v mod even though I've got the dimmer? As I could use this to keep the draw below 1250w? If you reckon the current voltage sounds enough I'll happily save myself a few quid!


I think with your mains voltage your good without a 230V element....just limit the wattage to my recommendation and only use more it the environmental temperature where the Gene is is very very cold.


----------



## PottyMouthedBuddhist

Fantastic, thanks Dave!


----------



## Robbo

Colombia Finca Sofia

Nice and easy to roast.

250g in 209g out

Full power until well into 1c - 13.5 mins (no pre-heat)

Down to 1100w

End with gene cool at 16 mins


----------



## iroko

Costa Rica Tarrazzu

250g

Taken to 235 and held to end of roast at 16.35

Volts-239.4/236.7

Watts-1220/1240


----------



## Bulls6000

Has anyone got any recommendations for some green beans?


----------



## MildredM

Bulls6000 said:


> Has anyone got any recommendations for some green beans?


Do you mean where to buy them, or specific beans? Depends what you like . . .


----------



## NAJB

First trial runs with the Dalian Amazon. Papua New Guinea (left and centre, first crack at 9:40, 9:30) and then some Brasil Cale do Sol (first crack at 8:30). In the Gene Cafe the times would have been 4 minutes longer. 3kg roasted in just over an hour.


----------



## MatthewBw

Been trying some popcorn roasts tonight, finding about 50g is good to ensure the over heat protection didn't cut in.

How does this look? Did I go too far?









I know I should let it rest but I made a shot, incredible crema and tasted v nice too.


----------



## DavecUK

MatthewBw said:


> Been trying some popcorn roasts tonight, finding about 50g is good to ensure the over heat protection didn't cut in.
> 
> How does this look? Did I go too far?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I know I should let it rest but I made a shot, incredible crema and tasted v nice too.


Yeah a little bit too far...well a lot really....might be best for the bin or compost heap.


----------



## MatthewBw

I have a lighter one but it didn't look very even although it was the batch I ran the shot from.


----------



## DavecUK

NAJB said:
 

> First trial runs with the Dalian Amazon. Papua New Guinea (left and centre, first crack at 9:40, 9:30) and then some Brasil Cale do Sol (first crack at 8:30). In the Gene Cafe the times would have been 4 minutes longer. 3kg roasted in just over an hour.
> View attachment 26754


might just want to extend those 1st crack times by a minute or so and make sure it doesn't race thru 1st. With dry processed/pulped natural coffees coffees even more important to stretch the roast out a bit more. e.g. ethiopian Harrar 14m total roast time no blueberry, or not much, 15m ..blueberry pie, that's with a 1st of around 11m 30s (working from memory).


----------



## DavecUK

MatthewBw said:


> I have a lighter one but it didn't look very even although it was the batch I ran the shot from.


I think that's one of the main difficulties with a popper....presumably you have added some form of power control to the heater element, if not you should do?


----------



## emc2

My first attempt at roasting coffee using a gene cafe roaster. Kenya single origin AA Rugeju. I used the slow rise profile suggested by Bella Barista.

Ambient temperature 23 degrees.230 degrees hold for 2 minutes followed by 240 degrees with first crack at 12:35. Held for 15 seconds followed by 235 till the colour looked like cinnamon. Cool down started at 13 minutes.

I was aiming for a city plus roast but I guess this is medium. Is it normal to have plenty of chaff still attached to the bean? The roast is much better than a popcorn roaster but still seems uneven. I guess it's going to be a very steep learning curve ?


----------



## Rob1

Trying to think of how I'd work with an unmodded gene (without chucking beans away). Would probably hold at 180c until 6 minutes then up to 220c until 10 minutes then 235c until FC with a drop off to 233c and then 230c towards the end of FC but its guess work based on bad memory and roast logs from a modded roaster. Wouldn't go to 240c.


----------



## iroko

I haven't gone over 230 on my unmodded gene with the warm weather, and I'm ending roasts between 15- 16 mins.









My last 3 roasts have been Burundi Fully Washed. Try roasting a different bean and see what results you get.


----------



## DavecUK

iroko said:


> I haven't gone over 230 on my unmodded gene with the warm weather, and I'm ending roasts between 15- 16 mins.
> 
> My last 3 roasts have been Burundi Fully Washed. Try roasting a different bean and see what results you get.


Looking very good!


----------



## mathof

Do you mean you have simply let the thermometer run up to 230 from a cold start and left it there until the beans (250g?) looked nearly done (around 15-16 minutes) and then began the cooling cycle?

Matt


----------



## Rob1

That could be the case. I've had a few beans that roasted with even heat through to the end of first crack before the temp could be dropped to control the roast and I've had beans that demanded a temp drop just as first crack was starting or else they took off and hit second within about a minute.

You'll have little success trying to replicate somebody else's roast using different beans and a different voltage. I was confused for a while because my Gene was heating up a lot faster than others despite using less or the same power.

Did you try the profile I suggested? I control the temp by altering how hot the heater gets. Since you can't do that you need to control it though max ET which is the temp setting on the Gene (though I find my ET measured with the probe to be about 20c less than the readout on the Gene even up to 200c (the difference gets less and less as the roast progresses)). The profile I suggested is based off my temp readings and correlation between ET and BT from a similarly dense bean.


----------



## MediumRoastSteam

I have officially joined the club!










This was my first ever roast, so I just wanted to see what it was like. I followed the "Fast roast Profile" as per the BB manual written by DavecUK, without taking too much notice.

I struggled to hear first crack, but my son told me that the "beans where popping". By that time it has about 11 minutes into roasting, and the temperature read 244C. I then let it go for another 60 seconds, and then decreased the temperature by 5C, down to 239C. Then I left it going for another 3 minutes or so, and then started the cooling cycle, which went on for about 4 minutes.

This is the Peruvian Single Origin from Bella Barista.

I'm looking forward to taste it, which I have high hopes, but do understand that, in reality it is very likely it won't be the case. We shall see.


----------



## 44Whitehall

MediumRoastSteam said:


> I have officially joined the club!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> This was my first ever roast, so I just wanted to see what it was like. I followed the "Fast roast Profile" as per the BB manual written by DavecUK, without taking too much notice.
> 
> I struggled to hear first crack, but my son told me that the "beans where popping". By that time it has about 11 minutes into roasting, and the temperature read 244C. I then let it go for another 60 seconds, and then decreased the temperature by 5C, down to 239C. Then I left it going for another 3 minutes or so, and then started the cooling cycle, which went on for about 4 minutes.
> 
> This is the Peruvian Single Origin from Bella Barista.
> 
> I'm looking forward to taste it, which I have high hopes, but do understand that, in reality it is very likely it won't be the case. We shall see.


When you try it you will find merit in there somewhere. The pride of a parent nurturing their young, but with scope for gentle criticism in case of error. Enjoy your very own coffee!


----------



## Rob1

Did you get the 230v heater? 244c in 11 minutes is even faster than mine and my voltage is always between 244 and 250 (Very rarely it's 244 but I've never seen is drop below that). Try holding at a lower temp next time. Say 180c until the beans begin to yellow and then push up to First crack.


----------



## MediumRoastSteam

Rob1 said:


> Did you get the 230v heater? 244c in 11 minutes is even faster than mine and my voltage is always between 244 and 250 (Very rarely it's 244 but I've never seen is drop below that). Try holding at a lower temp next time. Say 180c until the beans begin to yellow and then push up to First crack.


Thanks Rob1, will try that next 

I got the 240V. Don't quote me on those timings too much thought, I'll record it properly next time 

But yes, it was around 11m with 220g of greens in it.


----------



## MediumRoastSteam

Coffee tastes ok, very smooth, but far from the flavours of the same bean roasted by BB. Happily drinking though. It's only been 12h since roasting, so maybe needs more resting.


----------



## Robbo

MediumRoastSteam said:


> Thanks Rob1, will try that next
> 
> I got the 240V. Don't quote me on those timings too much thought, I'll record it properly next time
> 
> But yes, it was around 11m with 220g of greens in it.


The temp reading on the Gene will be higher with 220g than if you had 250g due to less mass in the drum so more heat passes straight through to the probe.

I would stick to using 250g every time unless you are roasting Monsooned Malabar which retain a lot of heat so you need less in there, I use 225g of them 250g of everything else


----------



## MediumRoastSteam

Looks like my homework this weekend will be to read up on the "Home Roasters" sub forum


----------



## iroko

mathof said:


> Do you mean you have simply let the thermometer run up to 230 from a cold start and left it there until the beans (250g?) looked nearly done (around 15-16 minutes) and then began the cooling cycle?
> 
> Matt


Yes, on this bean from cold start I let the roaster run up to 230 and held to end of roast at 15 mins when cooling cycle was started. 250g in 208g out.


----------



## Danyoung

New to this hobby, just started roasting, and bought 2kg of green aribica beans from captaincoffee in manchester. No further details on the type, but bought really only with the intention of learning to roast with. Using a popcorn popper to roast with the thermal cutoff bypassed. however i find that it roasts very quickly, so have taken to controlling the temp with by pulsing the unit on and off. Here are my first efforts. let me know how they look and if anything stands out as being massivley wrong. i took them off a few seconds n to 2nd crack.









Cheers,

Dan.


----------



## MediumRoastSteam

Danyoung said:


> New to this hobby, just started roasting, and bought 2kg of green aribica beans from captaincoffee in manchester. No further details on the type, but bought really only with the intention of learning to roast with. Using a popcorn popper to roast with the thermal cutoff bypassed. however i find that it roasts very quickly, so have taken to controlling the temp with by pulsing the unit on and off. Here are my first efforts. let me know how they look and if anything stands out as being massivley wrong. i took them off a few seconds n to 2nd crack.
> 
> View attachment 28780
> View attachment 28781
> 
> 
> Cheers,
> 
> Dan.


Hi Dan, new to the hobby too, but went for it and bought a Gene. I am not sure whether it's worthwhile compare by looks. As I was reading, roasting by different methods produce different results.

How did it taste like? Which method do you use?

My first roast looked good, but for me it tasted s little "pitted" if compared to the same beans roasted by a professional roaster.

Also I found that, at least for espresso, resting the beans for a couple of days is a must. Tastes so much better!

Enjoy the hobby!


----------



## Danyoung

MediumRoastSteam said:


> How did it taste like? Which method do you use?
> 
> My first roast looked good, but for me it tasted s little "pitted" if compared to the same beans roasted by a professional roaster.
> 
> Also I found that, at least for espresso, resting the beans for a couple of days is a must. Tastes so much better!
> 
> Enjoy the hobby!


I'm an espresso guy too, i will rest them first, i think i will sample after 24 hours, and again after 48 and see what works best for me. i also like french press, but a much darker roast for that. having just spent a small fortune on the machine and grinder, the roaster will have to wait! if the popcorm machine works out, it will probably suit me ok, as on only have a couple of coffees a day, so will just roast a handfull of beans a night, and a have a couple of airtight boxes in rotation!

already enjoying it. been a lot of trial and error the last few days, finding the right grind, and setting things up right, who new so much went in to making a decent cup of coffee!


----------



## DaveP

Danyoung said:


> New to this hobby, just started roasting, and bought 2kg of green aribica beans from captaincoffee in manchester. No further details on the type, but bought i find that it roasts very quickly, so have taken to controlling the temp with by pulsing the unit on and off. .


Hi Dan

Speed is your worst enemy...

The popcorn popper is a great way of dipping your toes into roasting but as you are finding it has its limitations, a dimmer / speed controller wired to just the heating element is a cheap method of improving things.

On my journey I found that slower tastes a lot better and am currently about 8 mins or so to first crack and then loads of time before getting close to 2nd, the next problem is that the batches are rather small... but I've overcome that with a stir crazy and turbo oven (for a lot less than a commercial machine).

So slowwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww it down, lol


----------



## RDC8

Welcome to the world of home roasting - it can be rewarding, challenging, frustrating and highly addictive!. The roasted beans looks a little uneven, with some of the beans much darker than others. Some beans also look slightly scorched. The real test though will be in the taste











What volume/weight of beans went into the popcorn maker? Did you weigh the end result?

Perhaps try ending the roast before the 2nd crack starts as this will bring out some of the more subtle flavours rather that the roasty/smokey flavours that come with the darker roasts.

And just to emphasize the point about resting the beans; chemical reactions are still happening even when the roasting has finished. This means the flavours are still developing. The resting period can be anything from 5-10 days; your intention to sample after 24 and 48 hours will not give them long enough. The beans will also benefit from being stored in an air-tight container (or sealed bag) once they are roasted to keep them fresh.

There is lots and lots of information on roasting on this forum and also elsewhere on the internet.

Good luck with your new hobby


----------



## Danyoung

DaveP said:


> So slowwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww it down, lol


Yeah the first batch was over in like 2 minutes, and promptly landed in the bin. i have drilled a series of vents in to the casing, to allow some of the heat to escape, which has lengthened the roast time a little, full roast time to the pics above was around 7 minutes.


----------



## MediumRoastSteam

Peru Finca El Guabo on the Gene.

Two batches, which I tried to follow the same profile on the Gene:

220C, hold for 1m

230C, hold for 1m

240C, until (what I thought it is) first crack or thereabouts, hold for 50s

235C, until colour desired (2m)

Total roast time was 14.5 min.

250g in, 212g out.

May I ask, on the Gene, is there a visual clue on the beans themselves to determine when first crack is reached? I'm finding extremely hard to listen for FC due to the noise of the Gene.

For those who can hear it, what's your method? I tried the kitchen roll tube but I don't think it helped a great deal (Tried to position it in various places).


----------



## johnealey

Smoke and smell are very good indicators for 1st crack in that you will notice a lot more smoke and a caramel type smell.

To help identify 1st crack you might want to try 230g roast of something like and Old Brown Java / Sumatra white Aceh or Monsooned Malabar as these have quite loud 1st cracks plus change of colour easier to spot at same point. As they also tend to be a larger bean you see more of the changes if that makes sense ( chaff separation, beans swelling up etc), just bear in mind that these may not be to your taste but used as a learning tool (not knocking any of the aged beans but can be a "marmite" bean to some)

If you are currently roasting indoors with an exhaust tube you could also try a roast outdoors with existing beans to see any of the above in action.

Hope of help and part of the joy / frustration with the gene is getting it right / trying different profiles ( the power / controller mod does make it a bit easier once you mastered the basics)

John


----------



## Rob1

Are you having difficulty hearing it when the pops are rapid or when they start? Or both?

Also pay close attention to the first crack time and drop temp, and I don't mean the temp setting on your gene. You can't 'hold' temp in a gene as when the temp is reached the element cycles on and off, and in doing so drops 5c and climbs back up to the target again. So when you say you 'held' at 240c for 50 seconds that doesn't really mean you held there. It's significant because if you drop the temp to 235c just as

the element cycles off and switches back on from reaching 240c what you'll actually do is drop the temp to 230c (because it will already be at 235c) before it climbs up to 235. On the next roast that might not happen, and you might only drop 5c.

Timing temp drop at first crack was the hardest thing about roasting with an unmodded gene. I'd still recommend roasting slower and finishing at a lower temp. If the roaster reaches 240c in my experience it's too hot.


----------



## DavecUK

you can often hear 1st more clearly from the end of the roaster, rather than just in front


----------



## MediumRoastSteam

Rob1 said:


> Are you having difficulty hearing it when the pops are rapid or when they start? Or both?
> 
> Also pay close attention to the first crack time and drop temp, and I don't mean the temp setting on your gene. You can't 'hold' temp in a gene as when the temp is reached the element cycles on and off, and in doing so drops 5c and climbs back up to the target again. So when you say you 'held' at 240c for 50 seconds that doesn't really mean you held there. It's significant because if you drop the temp to 235c just as
> 
> the element cycles off and switches back on from reaching 240c what you'll actually do is drop the temp to 230c (because it will already be at 235c) before it climbs up to 235. On the next roast that might not happen, and you might only drop 5c.
> 
> Timing temp drop at first crack was the hardest thing about roasting with an unmodded gene. I'd still recommend roasting slower and finishing at a lower temp. If the roaster reaches 240c in my experience it's too hot.


Rob1, I am fully aware of the Gene temp measurement and that it does not mean the actual temp in the bean mass, and "holding" purely means "leaving on that setting for a given time". I am also very aware of the benefits of the "dimmer switch" mod, and have visited the page at coffeetime twice alone today. I also read and re-read the Gene manual written by DavecUK before bedtime on a daily basis 

I am not sure if I am comfortable doing the dimmer switch mod to be honest. Although it may look easy, I am not at all inclined to such things. Well, at least not when they are new and under warranty.

So I'm trying to just use the gene alone as guidelines, even though what is actually happening to the heater and the temp of the bean mass may not be what it seems.

To be honest, I've done two batches in a row today and was more worried about watching the display on the gene and trying to hear FC, attempting to record it all than actually paying attention to what was happening in the drum. I am incredibly rubbish at multi-tasking in such way.

Next time I'll be roasting will be in in a couple of weeks time. I'll try to keep the temperature lower and pay more attention to the beans.


----------



## Rob1

I didn't mention bean mass temp...

Logging temp on gene and colour changes along with time was what I settled on. Have you seen this: https://legacy.sweetmarias.com/library/content/using-sight-determine-degree-roast

Really helps with timing temp changes.


----------



## DaveP

> and pay more attention to the beans.


Great self advise.

With my humble cobbled together roasting gear.

I have temperature measurement ... which I ignore

I have a timer ... which I ignore

I have a flood lamp... I use this.

Watch .. listen.. watch some more and keep watching, the beans will tell you the truth, lol

Its like a profile, but not as we know it Jim.


----------



## MediumRoastSteam

Rob1 said:


> I didn't mention bean mass temp...
> 
> Logging temp on gene and colour changes along with time was what I settled on. Have you seen this: https://legacy.sweetmarias.com/library/content/using-sight-determine-degree-roast
> 
> Really helps with timing temp changes.


Yes, I've seen this before, and I was going to use that as reference for the next roast. Re: bean mass, I'm sorry. After re-reading your post when you said along the lines of "and by that I don't mean Gene temp settings" I thought you meant the Gene temp display. I'm I correct in assuming therefore that you mean to pay attention at the Gene temperature display, but NOT particularly on what they are being set to?

Thank you so much for helping me out btw, I really appreciate it. Currently I think I am taking in a lot of info, so I apologise in advance for being confusing with the terms sometimes.


----------



## MediumRoastSteam

Colombian Suarez from Rave.

On Gene:

Up to 230C, kept there for 2 mins.

Then 240C until 1st crack, kept like that for 45s.

Down to 235C, kept for 45s and started cooling cycle.

I can't hear first crack, or, more likely, I can't distinguish first crack, so the above is based on what I thought it is first crack, around 13.5m into roast.


----------



## ddoyle

@MediumRoastSteam Similar profile and beans to this roast I recently did. Did you get any scorching ? I think 240C might be too hot for Colombian beans, next time I am going to reduce my target temps by 5 degrees



*
Colombian Supremo*



*
*Weight: 250g

Ambient Temp: 20C

1st Crack: 13 mins (rolling)

2nd Crack: not reached or couldn't hear

Roast Time: 17 mins

Temp #1: 230C, once reached held for 2 mins

Temp #2: 240C, once at rolling 1c at 13 mins held temp for 1 min

Temp #3: 235C, held until nearly medium-dark roast

Cooling: At 17 minutes emergency ejected onto a tray (pre-cooled in the freezer) and put the fan on them, beans cooled down to room temp in about 2 mins.

Gene temps: 2 mins 138C, 4 mins 178C, 6 mins 201C, 8 mins 219C, 10 mins 229C, 12 mins 230C, 14 mins 239C, 16 mins 235C

End Weight: 206g (17.6% loss)

*
**Results*

*
*


----------



## MediumRoastSteam

Hi @ddoyle, I got one bean that was more burnt than the other. By looking visually, I don't see any signs of scorching, but that might be me not being able to recognise it well.

I roasted two 250g batches yesterday, as this time the aim was to pay more attention to the visual clues and try to listen to FC, which I failed to do so again.

I'll try to lower the temp next time too, and see if I can hear this FC business properly.  To be fair, I think I do hear it - it's like twigs - but it is so faint and so brief that by the time I actually hear it, I don't know how long it's been going for. I have a feeling I have managed to hear the very end of the FC stage, hence why the roast ended very soon afterwards. I think....

PS: Saw your post on the other thread: I'm storing my beans for resting on one-way valved bags. I bought 4 of them from Rave. They cost 50p each, and there's a progressive discount if you buy more. So 4 of them costed me £1.64.


----------



## ddoyle

@MediumRoastSteam

I don't use valved bags as I worry about them letting oxygen in and letting important coffee volatiles out. I just use ziploc bags (the official brand).

What method of brewing do you use?


----------



## MediumRoastSteam

ddoyle said:


> @MediumRoastSteam
> 
> I don't use valved bags as I worry about them letting oxygen in and letting important coffee volatiles out. I just use ziploc bags (the official brand).
> 
> What method of brewing do you use?


I use espresso exclusively.


----------



## ddoyle

I too use espresso exclusively, mainly for Americanos and sometimes Flat Whites. Ever thought about trying other methods such as AeroPress? I'm considering it.


----------



## MediumRoastSteam

ddoyle said:


> I too use espresso exclusively, mainly for Americanos and sometimes Flat Whites. Ever thought about trying other methods such as AeroPress? I'm considering it.


I have tried other methods before:

- Aeropress

- Clever Dripper

- French Press

- Moka Pot

Fact is, as much as I like them, I don't seem to get on with it. I seem to always get a headache afterwards (But not from the Moka Pot), so I just stick to espresso.

I even try them out from coffee shops when I visit them, and the consequence is usually the same.


----------



## ddoyle

MediumRoastSteam said:


> I have tried other methods before:
> 
> - Aeropress
> 
> - Clever Dripper
> 
> - French Press
> 
> - Moka Pot
> 
> Fact is, as much as I like them, I don't seem to get on with it. I seem to always get a headache afterwards (But not from the Moka Pot), so I just stick to espresso.
> 
> I even try them out from coffee shops when I visit them, and the consequence is usually the same.


Only other methods I've tried is frenchpress and moka pot, oh and instant when I am really desperate lol

That's strange how some methods give you headaches, sometimes coffee gives me a headache but I don't think that in my case its the method, could be the bean type or roast level.


----------



## MediumRoastSteam

ddoyle said:


> Only other methods I've tried is frenchpress and moka pot, oh and instant when I am really desperate lol
> 
> That's strange how some methods give you headaches, sometimes coffee gives me a headache but I don't think that in my case its the method, could be the bean type or roast level.


I've tried the same beans on different methods. Maybe I should learn how to brew properly


----------



## ddoyle

I'm still learning and will always be


----------



## MediumRoastSteam

Today roasted some more of the Colombian Suarez. Tried the gentle profile. I was roasting outside and this time I did hear First Crack! However, the only way I could hear it was to place my ear very close to the exhaust / chimney over the chaff collector. Not great. It makes detecting first crack with the duct on top of exhaust therefore almost impossible. I need to think of something else. Maybe a high temperature resistance microphone and headphones?


----------



## MediumRoastSteam

Suarez, took 17m until cooling cycle as voltage was around 234V.

Tried this time a 225 for 2m, then 235 until FC, kept it for 60s and then to 230 until hit the cool down button.


----------



## DavecUK

Colombians looking good.


----------



## pcivic

Hy,

my first post here. I am roasting for about 2 years on Kaldi fortis. But I am almost never able to get the notes out of raw beans that are declared on packing... I read a lot of literature and tried lots of different techniques, but still no results.. Maybe there is problem with my roasting techniques or taste buds. What are your impressions regarding that how one tastes declared coffee notes?


----------



## Rob1

I like the look of the roaster. Without knowing what you're doing to the beans (profiles) nobody is really going to be able to help. The notes on the raw beans are typically cupping notes from a light roast, so flavours will change depending on the darkness of the roast and the brewing method (unless of course brewing method and roast is mentioned in the cupping notes).

Let's say hypothetically the tasting notes specify a medium-dark roast with flavour notes based on an espresso. Let's also say you have three roasts all to the same degree with different profiles (longer time pre-first crack and above 140c, longer first crack, longer post first crack) and there are no problems with those roasts like stalling or rapid ROR after FC. Let's say they're all rested for 5/10/15 days and you brew them all to the same parameters on the same days and you get slightly different flavours (less/more sweetness, thinner/thicker body etc) but you don't get any of the flavour notes that you were expecting, or maybe you just get one. How can that be explained? Your equipment is different and crucially your water is different. And your palate is different.

My point is that even if your roasting is perfect and you have good equipment, and you brew it in the same time period as the sample for the notes, you still might not get the flavour notes just because of the water you're using, or because of your palate.

I find it difficult or impossible at times to get the flavour notes from a coffee but then I'm using an air roaster vs a drum roaster, and again I'm brewing with different water and equipment. At the end of the day though I can detect them, and I can usually at least capture some of the flavours with a roast. As an example one of the beans I was roasting had "irish cream, vanilla, chocolate" as its roast notes -- I got "mild Banana and chocolate". That's just my taste buds. When I read the notes I could immediately see how the banana I was identifying could be interpreted as irish cream and vanilla.


----------



## pcivic

So here are my two different profiles, one a bit fast, other longer. My aim is to reach constant drop of delta BT. I am more or less trying to apply Scot Rao techniques. At the end of day I prefer longer profile as it had more sweetness. I can taste lets say basic notes such as dark chocolate, caramel, maybe oranges. But this single origin columbia shuld have notes of toffe banana, nuts. Notes I never tasted, tried light dark long short roasts. What is confusing me that at the end of this trial and error campain I couldnt even notice difference between columbia and costa rica, two completly different coffees. Happened also to my friend who has same roaster. I am only roasting for a year and a half so maybe I need a lot more time to get the hang of things, but sometimes I think about giving up for a certain period and buy roasted coffee from professionals. My aim are espresso roasts.


----------



## Rob1

Those pictures are tiny and it's difficult to make anything out. It looks like you spent about three minutes developing from the beans paling to hitting first crack in the short roast? How dark did you go?

What equipment and water are you using?


----------



## pcivic

Hope it is better now. I am using KALDI fortis 600g drum roaster with solid drum which should be something like huky 500. I am using regular tap water together with softeners (BILT Oscar for espresso machines). In the country I live (Slovenia) there is literally no difference between bottled or tap water and quality is very high.

I dont know how to make uploaded photos of better quality, hope this is a bit better :/


----------



## Rob1

OK, you should be able to taste the difference between two coffees regardless of water spec. Assuming your extraction is good. If you're going down the route of chasing cupping notes and are trying to determine if your roaster is bad or if your roasts are bad you need to be a bit more methodical. It's very difficult to determine what your problem(s) is/are. It could be your greens are old or have been stored incorrectly, it could be they've been roasted poorly, it could be they're been brewed poorly. The bad brewing could be down to a number of things and is the most complex and expensive to diagnose (a refractometer to test extraction yield is expensive, though not as expensive as a new roaster) and equipment to push that extraction yield up if it's low is even more expensive and time consuming....

So by equipment I meant espresso machine, baskets, tamper, grinder. I only use Volvic myself but will shortly be distilling and remineralising my own water. Have a read of this https://baristahustle.com/blogs/barista-hustle/advanced-water-recipes to get an idea of how important water is. There's an entire book on the subject called 'Water For Coffee'. Your tap water might be good enough to drink but that doesn't mean it's good for extracting flavour from coffee and tea.

The tasting notes you're chasing are obtained using commercial equipment. A light roast and Ditting and Ek43 grinders for a coarse grind for cupping, using water that has a consistent mineral composition in line with SCA specifications.

How old are the greens? How have they been stored? Are they still green?

As for your roasting curves. I don't know how accurate the temp reading is. At one point you've got 149c as the end of the drying phase (when the beans pale and shortly before yellowing) next thing I see is first crack at about 185c. So I've no idea what's going on there. On your short roasts you've got the drying phase up to 160c instead of 150c? You need to be checking your bean colour with the trier to see how accurate your measured temps are but it seems like your BMT is out by about 20c. Not an issue if it's consistently out by 20c, of course. But useless for me sitting here as I can only speculate.

You spend a very long time warming the beans (5:10) and then push them up to first. I'd expect a 4 minute green zone, 4 minute yellow zone and 3 minute dev time to give better results. You probably wouldn't have a problem just extending the yellow and dev time in your short roast. I don't think there would be a negative to a 5 minute drying time. (And looking at your longer roaster with a longer FC I can see that's what you've done, though you want to stop the ROR from rising that little bit at the end).

Do you see signs of scorching/tipping, divots and cracking in the beans? Have you split them open to see if the colour is even throughout? Toffee describes the sweetness, banana the acidity, and nuts I would expect from roasting darker (though what type of nut?). Again, are your flavour notes cupping notes or are they for a specific roast and brew method? To me those notes describe a sweet coffee with a medium-thick body and mildly fruity acidity. The nuts might be lost at a light roast, and banana could be lost at a dark roast, and sweetness could be lost if roasted too long from first crack.

Your roasts don't seem too bad to me from those charts, not so bad you wouldn't be able to tell two origins apart. I've never used a drum roaster or a 600g roaster so I'm not too comfortable talking about times and the like. My experience is limited to the gene cafe which roasts 250g at a time and doesn't have variable air flow so they aren't really comparable. But you can check the evenness of your roast by splitting a bean and looking for flaws as described above.


----------



## MediumRoastSteam

BB Brazil Cemorado Hazel. 220 1m, 228 1m, 238 until FC + 55s, 233 1m, cooling cycle started. Total roast time: 14m + cooling cycle.


----------



## Rob1

El Salvador Red Bourbon









Voltage 249.1/248.8

1150w until 165c BT. (Approx 200c on gene) 6:00

1130w until FC Rolling 214c BT (Approx 233c on Gene) 14:50

1100w until FC end 222c BT (Approx 235c on Gene) 16:16

1080w for 1 minute until 230c BT. (Approx 235c on Gene) 17:35

Beans appear light compared to the previous roast which went a little darker to 234c. Colour is even throughout the bean.


----------



## Rob1

Same beans. Different profile.









Voltage 246

Full power until 155c. (198c Gene) (5:00)

1150w until 165c (202c Gene) (6:30)

1130w until first rolling. (233c Gene) (13:17)

1100w until first end. (14:46)

1080w to finish @ 229c. (16:32)

The beans in both cases appear a little lighter than they are in reality. They grind easily in my Pharos.

Tasted the roast from the 26th/09 today and it was nice and sweet but lacking in character. No cola/herbal flavours and only a hint of cherry that could have been imagined. It was nice but not as good as the darker roast. I thought I'd try the same colour as a shorter roast. Will take the next one to the start of second crack and let it rest.


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## MediumRoastSteam

They look amazingly even compared to mine. Looks like the dimmer mod is the way to go!


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## iroko

Brazil Daterra Sweet

220 held for 1 min

230 held for 1min

up to 240 then dropped to 235 till end of roast at 15.45

Didn't hear any cracks.

Volts 240.1/237.7

Watts 1202/1247


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## ddoyle

Sumatra Mandheling, Gene Cafe, not very even


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## iroko

ddoyle said:


> Sumatra Mandheling, Gene Cafe, not very even
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> View attachment 29625


Have you tried these yet? How did they taste.


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## MediumRoastSteam

MediumRoastSteam said:


> BB Brazil Cemorado Hazel. 220 1m, 228 1m, 238 until FC + 55s, 233 1m, cooling cycle started. Total roast time: 14m + cooling cycle.


So, I've tried this... I think I've overdone them. Will try and go more gentle next time.


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## johnealey

@MediumRoastSteam

Have roasted the same bean and if you bought from BB then probably from the same batch as well, albeit I bought 15kgs to roast in the 1Kg Amazon.

If you getting a slight bitter after taste try running either a little lighter ( drop temp @40s after 1st crack ?) or go darker as found you can go two ways with this one, medium for more milky chocolate / hint of fruit or darker for a dark chocolate hit, in the middle of the two can be a bit hit and miss.

Also need to pull out any quakers (very light in colour like a caramac bar, one top left side of picture) as these can give a bigger bitter hit than one bean would suggest.

These definitely benefit from a lower temp for slightly longer as will be a slightly softer bean, maybe trying the gentle rise gentle finish profile in the BB handbook.

@iroko

Where did you get your Daterra sweet from and were they from a pentapack? (nice and consistent, quality processes there lead to a much easier bean to roast







)

John


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## iroko

@johnealey

Daterra sweet was from BB when they did the pentapack a while back. Enjoying this roast.


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## MediumRoastSteam

Yesterday I roasted some Colombian Suarez from Rave, first time with my Gene Now fitted with the dinner mod.

I did not roast by power alone: instead, to have a feel, I tried to keep the temps in the gene steady by using the dimmer. This was the second roast of a batch. The temperature outside was around 8C.

What I noticed is that I heard the first cracks, but, I did not see any smoke which in my experience would usually follow shortly. The total roast time was around 17min, which I think it's a bit too long. Voltage was around 234V.

Any ideas what could have happened? Have I baked them? Should I have input more heat? I need to wait a week to try them otherwise they taste very gassy.

Anyhow, below is a picture of my roast from yesterday (left) and a previous roast of the same bean last week.

Any opinions would be highly appreciated.


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## Rob1

They look a bit dark to me. What do you mean you held temp with the dimmer? You set it to say 200c and tried to hold it at 199c (for example) to stop the element from cycling? I did that for a few roasts but didn't see any success/improvement. I think the only time that was even remotely useful was when I was roasting a bean really high in moisture and I wanted to hold it at 149c until they started to turn pale.

With 234v do you have the 230v element or the 240v? Other than that it's difficult to say without knowing how much energy you were applying and under what circumstances. Did you roast outside?


----------



## MediumRoastSteam

Rob1 said:


> They look a bit dark to me. What do you mean you held temp with the dimmer? You set it to say 200c and tried to hold it at 199c (for example) to stop the element from cycling? I did that for a few roasts but didn't see any success/improvement. I think the only time that was even remotely useful was when I was roasting a bean really high in moisture and I wanted to hold it at 149c until they started to turn pale.
> 
> With 234v do you have the 230v element or the 240v? Other than that it's difficult to say without knowing how much energy you were applying and under what circumstances. Did you roast outside?


Hi Rob, yes, roasted outside. And yes, that's what I meant by holding the temp., in an attempt to have a feel for the mod and how it works. I have the 240V element.

Pic here:










Also took a picture of the roaster with the mod which is in the other thread, but shows power and voltage:


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## Rob1

I can't really comment as I've never roasted outside, but I can't imagine roasting in 8c at sub 240v being easy. And again I don't really know what you were doing at various stages of the roast. Not seeing any smoke would suggest either you didn't hit first crack or you usually hit second shortly after hitting first and are therefore used to seeing more smoke. Maybe in a stalled roast you don't get as much smoke? Maybe you just missed it.

What I can say is I initially wanted to try to determine what temperatures correlated to what wattages but the temp would vary depending on voltage so it wasn't very useful. It also wasn't useful to even think of it in terms of correlation to specific temperatures. It's better to pay attention to the rate at which the temperature increases at different wattages than to see at what point you reach a stable temp (if ever)..


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## MediumRoastSteam

Rob1 said:


> I can't really comment as I've never roasted outside, but I can't imagine roasting in 8c at sub 240v being easy. And again I don't really know what you were doing at various stages of the roast. Not seeing any smoke would suggest either you didn't hit first crack or you usually hit second shortly after hitting first and are therefore used to seeing more smoke. Maybe in a stalled roast you don't get as much smoke? Maybe you just missed it.
> 
> What I can say is I initially wanted to try to determine what temperatures correlated to what wattages but the temp would vary depending on voltage so it wasn't very useful. It also wasn't useful to even think of it in terms of correlation to specific temperatures. It's better to pay attention to the rate at which the temperature increases at different wattages than to see at what point you reach a stable temp (if ever)..


Thanks! Looks like I've got some learning curve ahead...


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## MediumRoastSteam

ddoyle said:


> Sumatra Mandheling, Gene Cafe, not very even
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> View attachment 29625


Hi ddoyle, how's the roasting going?

I've re-reading this thread again to get some insights on a good starting point with the modded Gene.

I have also roasted some of those Sumatran the other day, following the Gentle Raise profile: I found that the chaff is more stubborn than other beans I've roasted, giving them an uneven appearance. Make sure you remove all the chaff and they should look good. I tried them and they tasted as expected. To be honest, I'm not a big fan of those beans, but was worth a try.


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## MediumRoastSteam

Just a follow up: Tried that Colombian Suarez roasted outside with the modded Gene. Better than expected I must say, actually enjoying it.

Next time I'll follow @Rob1 advice and just roast based on power alone, not trying to keep temperature.


----------



## Robbo

The temp reading on the gene is only an indication of heat escaping from the drum. Therefore it will be a higher reading with a smaller bean like an African compared to a larger bean, due to more mass in the drum and heat retained. Also, as the roast progresses the beans increase in size and retain more heat so you have to reduce the input temp by reducing the power (not the output temp as read on the gene)

I would keep things simple to begin with. Try dimmer switched out for first 5 mins then roast at a consistent power, say 1100 to1130w, until 1st crack. This way the input temp is consistent the bean temp rises at a consistent rate.

At 1st crack i find some beans require only a small reduction in power, possibly only reduced by 50w. some larger, softer beans like monsooned and sumatran need to right down to 950w. The aim being to extend the time between 1st and beginning of 2nd crack. If the input temp remains the same at 1st crack the rate of rise of bean temp increases dramatically. You need to slow it down to give you sufficient development time.

I've just finished a 6kg bag of Colombian roasted in 250g batches on the moded gene. I eventually found the best profile was dimmer switched out for 5 mins then consistent at 1120w until 30 secs or so into 1st (around 14.5 min) then 1050w for 1 min then 1000w until end (around 16.5 mins) this was a medium roast. If I wanted a darker roast I'd leave it at 1050w until end.

Hope this helps


----------



## Rob1

Robbo said:


> I eventually found the best profile was dimmer switched out for 5 mins then consistent at 1120w until 30 secs or so into 1st (around 14.5 min) then 1050w for 1 min then 1000w until end (around 16.5 mins) this was a medium roast. If I wanted a darker roast I'd leave it at 1050w until end.


For the first year of roasting I used to call the start of first crack the point at which I heard the very first pops. It could take up to a minute until I started hearing them rapidly. First crack is supposed to occur at 205c and be rapidly underway at 212c (according to Sweet Maria's). My roasts improved a lot when I started to reduce power as first crack became more rapid. I regard the first pops now as outliers and consider the start of first crack to be the point at which they rapidly begin to go at about 214-216c on my temp probe. Do you do the same or do you count 30 seconds from the very first pops? Some beans I need to adjust power almost before the pops become rapid, some I reduce as they slow down (after about 30 seconds) and some I adjust right at the end of first crack.


----------



## Robbo

Rob1 said:


> For the first year of roasting I used to call the start of first crack the point at which I heard the very first pops. It could take up to a minute until I started hearing them rapidly. First crack is supposed to occur at 205c and be rapidly underway at 212c (according to Sweet Maria's). My roasts improved a lot when I started to reduce power as first crack became more rapid. I regard the first pops now as outliers and consider the start of first crack to be the point at which they rapidly begin to go at about 214-216c on my temp probe. Do you do the same or do you count 30 seconds from the very first pops? Some beans I need to adjust power almost before the pops become rapid, some I reduce as they slow down (after about 30 seconds) and some I adjust right at the end of first crack.


Yes, i tend to regard 1st c as when the pops become more rapid. Theres always a few cheeky snaps a minuite or so before it kicks off.

Once I've done a few batches if the same bean ill go on instinct rather than a set plan.

Some slower roasting beans sometimes need a boost to push then into first, so maybe 1120w up to 14 mins, if first hasnt started, switch the dimmer out again until it starts, then back to 1120w. Almost all beans turn out well when total roast time is between 16-17 mins so this is what I aim for.

It depends on how 1c is going as to when i reduce the power. some beans its a prolonged 1st, some, like the obj i did recently are more rapid so I drop the power earlier and by more wattage.


----------



## Robbo

First time roasting Peruvian Tunki.

Used my go to profile on modded gene cafe. 250g in full power dimmer out until first crack at 13.30 min, 1250w

Switch in dimmer until 1c ends 14.50

Lower to 1050w until desired colour 16.30

208g out

Look slightly uneven in the photo. maybe try a more controlled profile next time, switching dimmer in earlier.


----------



## GS11

After some time working through existing stocks I re-ordered 10kg of an old favourite Costa Rica Tarrazu (orderd from small batch)

I enjoy roasting this bean as they are nice quality and gives good results in the Gene and Aeropress. I set to 240c > 15 minutes > cooling cycle =job done. Though do have to watch my voltage as can dip to 230v at certain times of day being opposite a school etc)


----------



## Beeroclock

*Ethiopian Yirgacheffe*



*
*6th roast in on the Quest tried a Yirgacheffe from Redber...









Now will ill have to wait and see once these beans have rested.


----------



## iroko

GS11 said:


> After some time working through existing stocks I re-ordered 10kg of an old favourite Costa Rica Tarrazu (orderd from small batch)
> 
> I enjoy roasting this bean as they are nice quality and gives good results in the Gene and Aeropress. I set to 240c > 15 minutes > cooling cycle =job done. Though do have to watch my voltage as can dip to 230v at certain times of day being opposite a school etc)
> 
> View attachment 32013


Beans are looking good, great to see your still roasting, enjoy.


----------



## MediumRoastSteam

Roasting some Brazil from The Coffee Compass


----------



## mathof

MediumRoastSteam said:


> Roasting some Brazil from The Coffee Compass


How does the control box work? Do you adjust for power or energy? Do you use the Gene's temperature readings to know where you're at? Is the main difference that you no longer have the dead-band caused by the element going on and off? There is a lot of mentions of modding the Gene on this forum, but it all seems to go above my head.


----------



## MediumRoastSteam

mathof said:


> How does the control box work? Do you adjust for power or energy? Do you use the Gene's temperature readings to know where you're at? Is the main difference that you no longer have the dead-band caused by the element going on and off? There is a lot of mentions of modding the Gene on this forum, but it all seems to go above my head.


"Do you adjust the power or energy?" The voltage regulator controls how much voltage goes through the phase / live wire. That in turn would dictate how much power (watts) the heater can output.

Do I read the gene's temp? Not really. I set the Gene to 250C and just use the dimmer to control temp. I've not yet sadly cracked the "perfect roast", but I am getting there. Currently I am trying to get something more of a medium rather than a medium dark roast, but I am yet to find the right technique to achieve that. So, I'm persisting with it. 

And yes, the main difference is that one no longer has the dead bands.

The mod is not difficult, providing you understand exactly WHAT, HOW and WHY. The WHY is very important. Don't just take what someone says: try to understand exactly why something is done in that way. After all this is mains electricity you are dealing with and mistakes can be lethal if the adequate precautions are not observed and followed. Before doing that I could just about replace a light bulb. After doing that mod, and reading a lot about electricity and circuits, I have done the mod and not only that, I now understand basic electricity concepts and have done some electrical work in the house that I would not ever dream of doing it before.

Good luck.


----------



## MediumRoastSteam

Last of the Brazil's from the Coffee Compass.

Tried a full power for about 5 mins, then 1120W for 2m, then 1170W for 2m, until first crack, back to 1120W for 1m and then 1070W for 30s.

Let's see what they taste like!


----------



## DavecUK

Good to see modified Genes working well. There is rumour of a 500g Gene coming to the market...if the price they can sell at is reasonable, I may get one to test.


----------



## iroko

El Salvador Finca San Ernesto

Taken up to 235 and dropped to 230 at start of 2nd crack

Voltage very good at 241.8/244

Roast ended at 15min with cool down.


----------



## MediumRoastSteam

MediumRoastSteam said:


> Last of the Brazil's from the Coffee Compass.
> 
> Tried a full power for about 5 mins, then 1120W for 2m, then 1170W for 2m, until first crack, back to 1120W for 1m and then 1070W for 30s.
> 
> Let's see what they taste like!


Just to quick report on these...

I didn't like them. I am not sure whether it was the coffee itself or just the man operating the roaster... they seem to lack body, and to be fair this is most likely due to me than anything else.

So, today tried some Peruvians from Bella Barista, which I roasted a few times before. However, this time I tried:

Voltage @ 236V

External temp around 22C.

6 min @ full power

2 min @ 1000W

2 min @ 1050W

4.5 min @ 1100W (until F.C)

1.5 min @ 1050W

Cool down










I'll let you know how they taste like next week 

If anyone could recommend a profile to follow on the Gene for South American washed and natural processed beans, that would be much appreciated.

Thanks!

Ps: the lighting is rubbish. They don't look that bad... honestly.


----------



## Batian

I do not have the mod, so that may make differences.South American beans (as a generalisation) tend to be grown at lower altitudes than in other parts of the world. This can make them 'softer' and less able to accept a huge whack of heat. I use BB's (DavecUK?) "Gentle Rise Gentle Finish" profile on South American beans and on natural process from other parts of the world. I also follow BB's advice and do 200gm batches with natural process beans. Perhaps you could reference that profile with using the mod?


----------



## iroko

iroko said:


> El Salvador Finca San Ernesto
> 
> Taken up to 235 and dropped to 230 at start of 2nd crack
> 
> Voltage very good at 241.8/244
> 
> Roast ended at 15min with cool down.
> 
> View attachment 34343


A bit disappointed with this roast, I was using 15g vst dosed at 14.2g, taste improved with ims basket dosed at 14.5g


----------



## MediumRoastSteam

So, today again.

Same Peruvian beans.

235 - 236 Volts

Total roasting time: 14m + cool off

Input: 220g

Profile as follows:

00:00 6m @ Full power

06:00 1m @ 1000W

07:00 1m @ 1030W

08:00 1m @ 1060W

09:00 1m @ 1090W

10:00 1020W until F.C. @ 12:00

12:00 1m @ 1020W

13:00 1m @ 1000W

14:00 start of cooling cycle


----------



## Batian

Looking at then Peruvians in the colander, there would seem to be quite a few scorched beans?

https://coffeeforums.co.uk/showthread.php?11791-Todays-Roast&p=601477#post601477

You did not mention the charge weight (?), guestimating, would the weight have been below 200/250gms?

Perhaps the roast was to fast (initially) for a small volume and type of bean, and this has resulted in the scorching?

I also notice that the 'oblong' tray in some of your other pics is heavily stained? Is this meat cooking residue? If so, this could be contaminating the beans, especially if they are hot when they go into the tray?


----------



## MediumRoastSteam

Batian said:


> Looking at then Peruvians in the colander, there would seem to be quite a few scorched beans?
> 
> https://coffeeforums.co.uk/showthread.php?11791-Todays-Roast&p=601477#post601477
> 
> You did not mention the charge weight (?), guestimating, would the weight have been below 200/250gms?
> 
> Perhaps the roast was to fast (initially) for a small volume and type of bean, and this has resulted in the scorching?
> 
> I also notice that the 'oblong' tray in some of your other pics is heavily stained? Is this meat cooking residue? If so, this could be contaminating the beans, especially if they are hot when they go into the tray?


So that was 245g in, 212g out, approx.

The tray is stained, but it doesn't get used for cooking any longer (for years),so I just put the beans there to check for foreign objects. I cool them down with two colanders... 

And yes, some where scorched, I noticed too. Hence today's roast had a decrease is the input weight to 225g.


----------



## Batian

I would spend a fiver on a new s/s tray, especially if you have some tasting doubts.

What do you know about the Peruvians? ie altitude and processing

I would hazard a guess that the scorching was to much heat early on, but perhaps Davecuk could better advise?


----------



## MediumRoastSteam

Batian said:


> I would spend a fiver on a new s/s tray, especially if you have some tasting doubts.
> 
> What do you know about the Peruvians? ie altitude and processing
> 
> I would hazard a guess that the scorching was to much heat early on, but perhaps Davecuk could better advise?


Shop trip to Sainsbury's tomorrow it is then 

Ps: don't know the altitude. Just that it is washed processed.


----------



## iroko

El Salvador Finca San Ernesto

Set roaster to 15 min and up to 230

Ended roast at 14.30

Volts 239.1/240.6

250 in 206.2 out









Previous roast improved with more rest, I'll start these at the w/end.


----------



## MediumRoastSteam

iroko said:


> El Salvador Finca San Ernesto
> 
> Set roaster to 15 min and up to 230
> 
> Ended roast at 14.30


Just like that? What do they taste like if compared to a professional roaster?


----------



## iroko

MediumRoastSteam said:


> Just like that? What do they taste like if compared to a professional roaster?


I just let the Gene run and do It's thing on this roast, to see If It tastes better than the profile of previous roast.

I'm happy with most of my roasts now and very rarely buy from a professional roaster, so I cant really make a comment on taste.

The last professional roasted beans I bought were from Django at Christmas which were nice.


----------



## iroko

Update on last roast.

I've been drinking these all week, a lot better than previous roast of same bean, getting hints of toffee with this one.


----------



## MediumRoastSteam

Hello!

So today I've decided to kind of go back to basics with the Gene Cafe. I've decided to try and follow the "Gentle Rise Gentle Finish" profile suggested in the BB book, with a twist: Instead of setting the temp on the Gene itself, to keep the temp with the dimmer mod.

So, this is what I tried:

Two batches: Batch 1: Peruvian from Bella Barista (Washed) - Batch 2: Brazilian from Bella Barista (Natural)

Batch size: 230g

Outside temp: 15C

Voltage: 238 / 239 V

Temperature display in the Gene at start: 22C

My notes throughout the roast are as follows:

Batch 1:

Started at full power

2 min into roast: 142C

3 min into roast: 160C

4 min into roast: 179C

Then some rain drops started. I start considering, while trying to make an improvised shelter, whether to abort the roast all together. Panic over. The roast shall continue.

at 9 min into roast: Gene displays 220C. Held that temperature for 1 minute applying 1075W

at 10 min into roast: Increased to full power until temperature in the Gene displayed 230C

at 11 min into roast: Temperature of 230 reached, then held for 1 minute applying 1075W

at 12.5 min into roast: started hearing F/C

at 13.5 min into roast: Temperature display of 237, first crack rolling

at 14.5 min into roast: reduced power to 1000W

at 15.5 min into roast: temperature display of 230C, when I started the cool down cycle.

Output of 195g. ~15% weight loss.

Roast a little darker than I'd wished for, and can see some scorching of the beans.

Batch 2:

Temperature displaying on the gene at the start: 66C

Applying full power

2 min into roast: 160C

3 min into roast: 182C

4 min into roast: 196C

5 min into roast: 207C

6 min into roast: 213C (starting to get yellow)

7 min into roast: Gene displays 220C . Held that temperature applying 1075W

8 min into roast:220C. Apply full power again

9 min into roast: 227C

9.5 min into roast: 230C displayed. Help that temperature applying 1075W for 1 minute

10.5 min into roast: 230C. Apply full power again

11 min into roast: 235C

12 min into roast: 240C, noticed first crack (already going most likely, didn't really hear it very well)

13 min into roast: 240C

13.5 min into roast: 242C. Apply 1100W power.

14 min into roast: Temperature display of 239C. Start cool down cycle

Output of 195g

Also noticed a little darker than initially anticipated, with some scorching. Noticed the element turned on / off very briefly at around 13.5 minutes into the roast.

What do they taste like? I'll let you know in 7 days time!


----------



## MediumRoastSteam

MediumRoastSteam said:


> So, today again.
> 
> Same Peruvian beans.
> 
> 235 - 236 Volts
> 
> Total roasting time: 14m + cool off
> 
> Input: 220g
> 
> Profile as follows:
> 
> 00:00 6m @ Full power
> 
> 06:00 1m @ 1000W
> 
> 07:00 1m @ 1030W
> 
> 08:00 1m @ 1060W
> 
> 09:00 1m @ 1090W
> 
> 10:00 1020W until F.C. @ 12:00
> 
> 12:00 1m @ 1020W
> 
> 13:00 1m @ 1000W
> 
> 14:00 start of cooling cycle


Feedback on those. They were very hard! The didn't taste that bad, better than the one before, but I might have baked them.


----------



## MediumRoastSteam

... deleted. Some markup issue going on here. Shows ok on Web, but doesn't on tapatalk. This was an attempt to display post 1042 correctly.

Edit: Post 1042 now displays correctly...


----------



## Batian

MediumRoastSteam,

re Batch 2

Any particular reason why you did not drop the temp once first crack was underway?

Given that I have no records for roasting at the weight you are using, I would guess that the ROR are about right compared to my records for 250gm/200gm roasts.

But I note that you do not state the Brazilian charge weight. On the basis of the end weight of 195gm I guess it was more than the BB recommendation of 200gm for a natural process bean?

What was the weight loss?

You note that the heater flicked on/off briefly at around 13.5min, what was the Genes temperature set to, and does the mod you have fitted override that?

It may pay to go back to BB's/DavecUK's notes page 6 to 9 again. Its heavy going, but you may get some insight from it.

Fingers crossed, you will have an acceptable brew from these!


----------



## MediumRoastSteam

Batian said:


> MediumRoastSteam
> 
> re Batch 2





> Any particular reason why you did not drop the temp once first crack was underway?


No, not really. I wasn't sure first crack was under way as I couldn't determine if it was or not. I couldn't hear it. So, instead of assuming it was going, I assumed it wasn't, so let it go for a bit. I then reduced the temperature by 3C and stopped the roast. I still find hard to hear first crack.



> But I note that you do not state the Brazilian charge weight. On the basis of the end weight of 195gm I guess it was more than the BB recommendation of 200gm for a natural process bean?


Both were charged with 230g.



> What was the weight loss?


The weight loss on both were around 15%, the final weight, on both cases, being 195g.



> You note that the heater flicked on/off briefly at around 13.5min, what was the Genes temperature set to,


I always set it to 250C.



> and does the mod you have fitted override that?


No. The mod is a voltage controller (e.g: a dimmer) applied to the heater. There are two switches: One that bypasses the voltage controller and another one, when the bypass switch is off, to control the voltage delivered to the heating element. The circuit board still dictates when the element should be on or off.



> It may pay to go back to BB's/DavecUK's notes page 6 to 9 again. Its heavy going, but you may get some insight from it.


You are right. I have to give that another thorough read for sure!


----------



## MediumRoastSteam

@Batian, for info:

https://coffeeforums.co.uk/showthread.php?41014&p=541580#post541580

Credits to where I got the basics from are mentioned in the opening post of that thread.


----------



## Batian

If the heater flicked on and off sub the set 250C, could there be a problem with the set up that has gone unnoticed for some time?

From what you say, it should not have happened? (Or have I misunderstood?)

I would suggest you try 200gm and GRGF for natural/peaberry and see what happens.

I am sure you realise the importance of hearing that 1st C.

I sympathise with not hearing 1stC. I often suffer the same with some beans, or is it an age thing!

I use the tube from a roll of kitchen foil as a hearing aid Use care near the drum or you poke ya lug out, or rest the tube on the shoulder of the chaff collector.

Also, age related again, my left ear is less sensitive than the right, due to years of shooting.

Test yours. Simply done facing a radio and covering one ear, turn radio down until you cannot hear it, then cover the other ear whilst maintaining same position in front of the radio.

Use the best lughole with the tube!

Try dropping 5degC after 1st is definitely going, but if you are already at target temperature plus, (as you were in second batch above????) you may consider doing that as a prediction after the first pops? Flying by the seat etc

Not having the mod, I try and predict when to drop the dial with what the heater is doing at the time and the temperature shown...is it falling because the heater is off, or is it rising etc.

I assume that this is not necessary with the mod?


----------



## MediumRoastSteam

Batian said:


> If the heater flicked on and off sub the set 250C, could there be a problem with the set up that has gone unnoticed for some time?
> 
> From what you say, it should not have happened? (Or have I misunderstood?)
> 
> I would suggest you try 200gm and GRGF for natural/peaberry and see what happens.
> 
> I am sure you realise the importance of hearing that 1st C.
> 
> I sympathise with not hearing 1stC. I often suffer the same with some beans, or is it an age thing!
> 
> I use the tube from a roll of kitchen foil as a hearing aid Use care near the drum or you poke ya lug out, or rest the tube on the shoulder of the chaff collector.
> 
> Also, age related again, my left ear is less sensitive than the right, due to years of shooting.
> 
> Test yours. Simply done facing a radio and covering one ear, turn radio down until you cannot hear it, then cover the other ear whilst maintaining same position in front of the radio.
> 
> Use the best lughole with the tube!
> 
> Try dropping 5degC after 1st is definitely going, but if you are already at target temperature plus, (as you were in second batch above????) you may consider doing that as a prediction after the first pops? Flying by the seat etc
> 
> Not having the mod, I try and predict when to drop the dial with what the heater is doing at the time and the temperature shown...is it falling because the heater is off, or is it rising etc.
> 
> I assume that this is not necessary with the mod?


Good questions.

I only noticed it happening because my mod has a display panel / voltage meter, which will only light up when the element is on. When the flick happened, the bypass switch was on, meaning that there was no electricity going through the dimmer switch. So the heating element flicking was in effect bypassing the mod all together. Should it have happened? I don't know. The roaster was displaying 242C. The target temperature was set to 250. Whether it should have happened or not I don't know. I suppose I could do another test, quite simple: Set the target temperature to 160C or thereabouts and see if the element starts flickering on/off. My intuition is that it would do so BEFORE it reaches the target temperature. Maybe @DavecUK would know better?

Thanks for the advice of hearing F.C.: I confess I find it hard due to the background noise of the motor. I was even thinking that I could find a heat proof microphone and mod it, but I am yet to find such a thing!


----------



## Simon_S

MediumRoastSteam said:


> Thanks for the advice of hearing F.C.: I confess I find it hard due to the background noise of the motor. I was even thinking that I could find a heat proof microphone and mod it, but I am yet to find such a thing!


I use an engineers stethoscope with quiet beans.......

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B001C0RYPG/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awdb_t1_Ug6jBbRVXMV23


----------



## MediumRoastSteam

Simon_S said:


> I use an engineers stethoscope with quiet beans.......
> 
> https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B001C0RYPG/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awdb_t1_Ug6jBbRVXMV23


Thanks. I actually have one of those, which I bought specifically for it.

Where abouts in the Gene do you place the wand?


----------



## DavecUK

MediumRoastSteam said:


> Good questions.
> 
> I only noticed it happening because my mod has a display panel / voltage meter, which will only light up when the element is on. When the flick happened, the bypass switch was on, meaning that there was no electricity going through the dimmer switch. So the heating element flicking was in effect bypassing the mod all together. Should it have happened? I don't know. The roaster was displaying 242C. The target temperature was set to 250. Whether it should have happened or not I don't know. I suppose I could do another test, quite simple: Set the target temperature to 160C or thereabouts and see if the element starts flickering on/off. My intuition is that it would do so BEFORE it reaches the target temperature. Maybe @DavecUK would know better?
> 
> Thanks for the advice of hearing F.C.: I confess I find it hard due to the background noise of the motor. I was even thinking that I could find a heat proof microphone and mod it, but I am yet to find such a thing!


If ever the heating element switches off before the set temperature is achieved, it's the internal overheat sensor triggering (this happens when temperature in excess of 250C is seen *inside the Heater Box, *often the cause is a blocked drum exit with chaff, or perhaps a failing fan, dirty fan gauze below, blocked chaff collector outlets (they split on the large chaff collector and can be blocked between the metal filters).


----------



## Simon_S

MediumRoastSteam said:


> Where abouts in the Gene do you place the wand?


I haven't used it a great deal tbh but I seem to recall best results were placing it where the chaff collector connects.....


----------



## Batian

DavecUK said:


> If ever the heating element switches off before the set temperature is achieved, it's the internal overheat sensor triggering (this happens when temperature in excess of 250C is seen *inside the Heater Box, *often the cause is a blocked drum exit with chaff, or perhaps a failing fan, dirty fan gauze below, blocked chaff collector outlets (they split on the large chaff collector and can be blocked between the metal filters).


MediumRoastSteam has indicated concern re scorching. Could this be the cause?


----------



## MediumRoastSteam

Batian said:


> MediumRoastSteam has indicated concern re scorching. Could this be the cause?


Thanks for the feedback. Did a test with the Gene. No beans in the chamber. It went all the way to 250. It never turned the element off.

So I'm assuming and somehow concluding that the reason why the element "bleeped" when I was roasting yesterday was potentially due to some chaff blockage. The beans were Brazils, 230g, natural processed.


----------



## hullcity

MediumRoastSteam said:


> So I'm assuming and somehow concluding that the reason why the element "bleeped" when I was roasting yesterday was potentially due to some chaff blockage. The beans were Brazils, 230g, natural processed.


I've had that with Brazils when roasting at full power (1300W), due to chaff. With 250g roasting at 1200W or lower, never had any problems.


----------



## MediumRoastSteam

hullcity said:


> I've had that with Brazils when roasting at full power (1300W), due to chaff. With 250g roasting at 1200W or lower, never had any problems.


Wow! 1300W? What's your voltage? What's you element rating?


----------



## hullcity

MediumRoastSteam said:


> Wow! 1300W? What's your voltage? What's you element rating?


I have the 230V element and the line voltage can vary from 230V (winter) to 244V (summer).


----------



## iroko

Brazil Daterra Sweet

Gentle rise, gentle finish profile

My Gene takes about 11 mins to reach the 220 temp.

Volts-242.6/244.3

Watts-1270/1295

250 In-208.2 out

Roast ended at 15 mins.


----------



## DavecUK

iroko said:


> Brazil Daterra Sweet
> 
> Gentle rise, gentle finish profile
> 
> My Gene takes about 11 mins to reach the 220 temp.
> 
> Volts-242.6/244.3
> 
> Watts-1270/1295
> 
> 250 In-208.2 out
> 
> Roast ended at 15 mins.
> 
> View attachment 34953


They look nice and even....good roast.


----------



## Gm7dha

First roast of some El Salvador Finca San Enersto from Belle Barista on a Gene Cafe 101 roaster.


----------



## filthynines

Just recording the fact that my brother and I finally got round to a roast of some fresh greens on our Genecafe 1kg. Colombian Suarez from Bella Barista, 16 mins then 17 mins. Will post a proper log and pictures later but for now just posting this for posterity!


----------



## iroko

Brazil Dattera Sweet

180c-6 min

220c-10 min

230c- Till end of roast at 15 mins

Volts 244-241 Watts 1268-1280

250g in- 210 out. Roast ended at 15 min









Really happy with last roast of same bean, I'll see how these taste next week.


----------



## johnealey

@iroko Been meaning to ask where did you get your Dattera from?

John


----------



## iroko

@johnealey, It was from Bellabarist, Quite along time ago.


----------



## johnealey

Wow, that was a while ago!









I had some sweet blue and some full bloom (?) both in pentapak's from BB, so clearly does keep very well.

The sweet blue was one of Sarah's favourites and whilst both were a joy to roast, the blue was definitely the better of the two for espresso and the Quality control applied at source ensured a consistent roast every time with these.

Now to find somewhere selling pentapak's of above (DR Wakefield have a 5 bag minimum order which would assume translates to 10 of 2x12 boxes)

John


----------



## MediumRoastSteam

So, today I've done 3 batches on the Gene. However, I'll just post the results of the last one.

I found out that by removing the chaff collector, I could hear first crack rather clearly, and the beans were roasted more evenly as there was no chaff accumulating on the air exit of the chamber. Afterward only I found that I should clean the chaff collector behind the filter screen as chaff / dust accumulated there, and that may be related to my recent Gene woes.

Anyway, I kind of followed one of Rob1's profile. The beans were Colombian Suarez from Rave.

Voltage: 237V

Gene set to 250C, 20 minutes timer.

Minute / temp / power

O / 50C / full power (2100W)

1 / 125C

2 / 160C

3 / 178C

4 / 190C

5 / 201 / 1150W

6 / 206C

7 / 212C / 1130W - starting to turn yellow

8 / 217C

9 / 221C, starting to go brown

10 / 226C

11 / 230C

12 / 232C

12.8 /- FC heard

13 / 233C

13.7 / 234C / 1100W

14 / 236C / 1080W

14.8 - cool down started

The lighting does do its justice though.










And my son helped me cool the beans....


----------



## Rob1

Thermocouple out of action because I attempted to repair a bad connection for the JST plug and ruined it. Couldn't live with the faff of twisting and pushing it to get it just in the right position anymore. Another one will arrive soon and I'll solder it properly this time.

15.9 minutes Roast duration.

230c reached in 9.2 minutes: Element switched to 1140w

FC Rolling at 12.9 minutes (233c): Element switched to 1100w

FC End at 14.6 minutes (234-235c): Element switched to 1080w

Roast ended on 15.9 minutes at 235-236c.









Batch 2:

Batch 2:

Ahem...Required to stop the roast as it hit about 150c to remove a bean from the previous batch that was still in the

drum. Restarted roast and timer at about 120c.

230c reached in 5.6 minutes. Element switched to 1130w

235c at 9.7 minutes. Element switched to 1100w

FC Rolling at 10 minutes (234-235c).

Element switched to 1050w on 10.6 minutes.

FC End at 11.6 minutes. Element switched to 1030w

Roast end at 13 minutes.

Total roast time approx 16 minutes (including time before removing the previous bean, so add 3 minutes to all of the previous times to get in the right ball park).


----------



## Rob1

MediumRoastSteam said:


> Voltage: 237V
> 
> Gene set to 250C, 20 minutes timer.
> 
> Minute / temp / power
> 
> O / 50C / full power (2100W)
> 
> 1 / 125C
> 
> 2 / 160C
> 
> 3 / 178C
> 
> 4 / 190C
> 
> 5 / 201 / 1150W
> 
> 6 / 206C
> 
> 7 / 212C / 1130W - starting to turn yellow
> 
> 8 / 217C
> 
> 9 / 221C, starting to go brown
> 
> 10 / 226C
> 
> 11 / 230C
> 
> 12 / 232C
> 
> 12.8 /- FC heard
> 
> 13 / 233C
> 
> 13.7 / 234C / 1100W
> 
> 14 / 236C / 1080W
> 
> 14.8 - cool down started
> 
> The lighting does do its justice though.


Are these about to hit second crack? What were you aiming for?


----------



## MediumRoastSteam

Rob1 said:


> Are these about to hit second crack? What were you aiming for?


I think so. I usually stop the roast judging by colour after first crack.

And I need to invest in better lighting.


----------



## Rob1

Well your target finish temp will determine what you do at other stages. If you want to finish at about 229c with that bean you probably want to limit your max temp to 230c rather than 236c.



> 10 / 226C
> 
> 11 / 230C
> 
> 12 / 232C
> 
> 12.8 /- FC heard
> 
> 13 / 233C
> 
> 13.7 / 234C / 1100W
> 
> 14 / 236C / 1080W
> 
> 14.8 - cool down started


Temp leaps up from 226c and then slowly continues to rise. First crack rushes through in a minute and you then respond by dropping the power. Presumably it stopped by this point? You might have continued to hear outliers popping. The roast then progresses towards second crack within a minute despite power reduction.

You're roasting too hot. If I were you I'd try 1100w when the temp hits 225c and lower it to 1080w to 1050w if it climbs to 230c (trying to time those drops when FC is rolling and FC ends). You might want to try ending your roast a consistent time after first crack gets going, for example two or three minutes (though of course stop if it gets beyond your target). I did a roast last week that just about hit second crack on cooling and I let the temp hit 235c before dropping the power. I followed exactly the same power drops (i.e. 1130w-1100w-1080w etc) at the same stages with the last two roasts but only let the temp hit 230c before dropping the power, the result was much the same first crack duration and development time but with a lower finishing temp of about 230c.

You're going to have to come up with your own profile. Adjust based on your experience of that specific bean. I've had beans that I could leave at full power until 240c before dropping the power to 1150w on first crack and they wouldn't get close to second crack and I've had beans like those you have that would rush through first crack if the roaster got too hot.


----------



## MediumRoastSteam

Rob1 said:


> Well your target finish temp will determine what you do at other stages. If you want to finish at about 229c with that bean you probably want to limit your max temp to 230c rather than 236c.
> 
> Temp leaps up from 226c and then slowly continues to rise. First crack rushes through in a minute and you then respond by dropping the power. Presumably it stopped by this point? You might have continued to hear outliers popping. The roast then progresses towards second crack within a minute despite power reduction.
> 
> You're roasting too hot. If I were you I'd try 1100w when the temp hits 225c and lower it to 1080w to 1050w if it climbs to 230c (trying to time those drops when FC is rolling and FC ends). You might want to try ending your roast a consistent time after first crack gets going, for example two or three minutes (though of course stop if it gets beyond your target). I did a roast last week that just about hit second crack on cooling and I let the temp hit 235c before dropping the power. I followed exactly the same power drops (i.e. 1130w-1100w-1080w etc) at the same stages with the last two roasts but only let the temp hit 230c before dropping the power, the result was much the same first crack duration and development time but with a lower finishing temp of about 230c.
> 
> You're going to have to come up with your own profile. Adjust based on your experience of that specific bean. I've had beans that I could leave at full power until 240c before dropping the power to 1150w on first crack and they wouldn't get close to second crack and I've had beans like those you have that would rush through first crack if the roaster got too hot.


Thanks for this. I'll digest it and will follow through on the next roast!


----------



## iroko

johnealey said:


> Wow, that was a while ago!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I had some sweet blue and some full bloom (?) both in pentapak's from BB, so clearly does keep very well.
> 
> The sweet blue was one of Sarah's favourites and whilst both were a joy to roast, the blue was definitely the better of the two for espresso and the Quality control applied at source ensured a consistent roast every time with these.
> 
> Now to find somewhere selling pentapak's of above (DR Wakefield have a 5 bag minimum order which would assume translates to 10 of 2x12 boxes)
> 
> John


Checked receipt for these beans, April 2014







, I cant believe It was that long ago, what I've got left was at the back of the bean storage, kinda of forgotten about.


----------



## Batian

A few pics and the briefest of description from todays roast. All 1kg except the Monsooned Malabar which was 900g .









Aspinwall Monsooned Malabar AA. This was the first in, it entered 2ndC as I dumped it into the cooling tray. Medium/Medium Dark at 15.6% loss. Small Batch Roasting









This one is an A/X grade from Korofeigu Co-op in Papa New Guinea. Medium/Medium Dark lost 15.2% Small Batch Roasting









From Brazil, Domos - Natural process - farmer Andre Sanches Medium/Medium Dark. Lost 15.2%

Falcon Speciality









A privately imported Ethiopian Yirga cheffe Grade2 Medium/Medium Dark. Lost 15.1%


​


----------



## Rob1

Nice...but what are you doing with all of the that coffee?! Selling it? You stopped all but one of the roasts at about 230c by the looks of it, have you tried the yirga at different roasts to compare? Would be interested to hear about the flavours of it.


----------



## Batian

Rob1 said:


> Nice...but what are you doing with all of the that coffee?! Selling it? You stopped all but one of the roasts at about 230c by the looks of it, have you tried the yirga at different roasts to compare? Would be interested to hear about the flavours of it.


I have a small group of 'roast sharers' on a 'not for profit' basis. Currently at four, I would like a couple more, but I am not pushing. I roast 3/4 kgs every two weeks and sometimes a few extras through the Gene, clearing up smaller leftovers!

The RT and times at stop were as follows in the order of the pics.

MM. 13.34 seconds @184C heat turned off between 12 and 13 minutes.

PNG 13.32seconds @186C. Heat off at 11 mins approx

BZ 13.50secs @187. Heat off at approx11.50secs

Eth Y-C 188C @ 188 Heat off 11.10 approx

I tried altering the damper configs today trying to drop 1st in at 10 to 11 minutes as per the Davecuk examples. Previous roasts have been 9.30secs to 10 minutes as a rough guide but with some exceptions.

1st C usual pops @ 174/178C and rolling 176/180C Todays rolling times were, MM was 174C and the others 179/180C

The heat gets turned off on a decision made by ROR and how much I know I 'have in hand'.

Re Eth Y-C.

Yes I have roasted it lighter. I quite like it, but a couple of the other members are not so keen. They still drink it, but seem to prefer roasts stopped just short of 2C. So I have not gone beyond that point.

At a light/medium roast it is quite acidic but still sweet, very much lemons limes and flowers.

At medium/medium dark it seems to smooth out, flavours much the same but smoother in the mouth, less acidic, still has a sweetness, and with a much longer and rather nice 'coffee' caramels aftertaste that lasts for hours, if that makes sense!


----------



## DavecUK

Batian said:


> Re Eth Y-C.
> 
> Yes I have roasted it lighter. I quite like it, but a couple of the other members are not so keen. They still drink it, but seem to prefer roasts stopped just short of 2C. So I have not gone beyond that point.
> 
> At a light/medium roast it is quite acidic but still sweet, very much lemons limes and flowers.
> 
> At medium/medium dark it seems to smooth out, flavours much the same but smoother in the mouth, less acidic, still has a sweetness, and with a much longer and rather nice 'coffee' caramels aftertaste that lasts for hours, if that makes sense!


I think slowing down some roasts will benefit them...they are all looking good, but difficult to tell in a photo. certainly need to be careful with Yirg, cos it's dry processed has varietal differences and size differences. Yirgs tend to not roast even at all if pushed and tend to be a little uneven anyway (which is normal). try slowing the Yirg a touch, try adding a minute (but to achieve a similar roast colour) and even consider trying the lowest temperature at which you can get good roast development and still hear 1st (you don't need first going like mad). Add the minute by controlling the last 3rd of the roast rather than the initial 2/3.

You may then be able to retain more of the fruit (citrus) tones whilst keeping the acidity down and still getting body sweetness and caramel.....although they are not there in all Yirgs. Don't go too long though!


----------



## Batian

DavecUK said:


> . certainly need to be careful with Yirg, cos it's dry processed has varietal differences and size differences.


Thanks for your pointers. This Eth Y-C is actually a washed one. Any further suggestions in view of this?

Thanks in advance.


----------



## DavecUK

Batian said:


> Thanks for your pointers. This Eth Y-C is actually a washed one. Any further suggestions in view of this?
> 
> Thanks in advance.


Well there is less chance of affecting flavour by getting it too hot and you get less fruit notes. You will also get less sizing differences and a cleaner coffee in terms of defects. If you can get dry processed next time, might be worth trying...they are tricky but can be very rewarding. Of course they are not always available. Personally I mainly buy pulped naturals, semi washed, dry process or Honey process coffees....difficult to get right but quite rewarding if you like that sort of thing. I have a Rawandan Nyungwe lot 065 I very very high hopes for as long as I don't norse up the roasting...and as it is not a cheap coffee that would make me quite sad.


----------



## Batian

DavecUK,

You might like a new in UK this year from Kenya. It is unusual in that it is pure Bourbon and natural processed. The Kenyans have always natural processed rubbish coffee for the home market and can not understand doing it for quality coffees!

It is a Bourbon natural from Boyce Harries Chania Estate near Thika. Plenty of guff on YouTube about the farm.

The coffee was sold solely in USA for the first time last season (or season before), by Cafe Imports.

The might Othaya 'factory 'at Nyeri did some last year as well, but I would think that they were the more usual SL28 and 34. etc.


----------



## Rob1

I'm getting some roasty bitter flavours with the past couple of roasts. I'm thinking of cutting the development time down to two minutes to see if it improves the flavours. I'm interested to hear other people's experiences with development time in the gene. Moisture loss is consistently around 17% for me.


----------



## Batian

Rob1 said:


> I'm getting some roasty bitter flavours with the past couple of roasts. I'm thinking of cutting the development time down to two minutes to see if it improves the flavours. I'm interested to hear other people's experiences with development time in the gene. Moisture loss is consistently around 17% for me.


If everything else is equal, could the recent high ambient temps be having an effect?


----------



## MediumRoastSteam

Rob1 said:


> I'm getting some roasty bitter flavours with the past couple of roasts. I'm thinking of cutting the development time down to two minutes to see if it improves the flavours. I'm interested to hear other people's experiences with development time in the gene. Moisture loss is consistently around 17% for me.


I'll be roasting some Colombian Suarez (same one as last time), but with your suggestions. So, excuse my ignorance, is the development time the time from first crack until second crack or end of the roast?


----------



## Rob1

Batian said:


> If everything else is equal, could the recent high ambient temps be having an effect?


There's not much of a difference. I'm thinking a dev time that suits a drum roaster might result in a dried out roast in an air roaster.



MediumRoastSteam said:


> I'll be roasting some Colombian Suarez (same one as last time), but with your suggestions. So, excuse my ignorance, is the development time the time from first crack until second crack or end of the roast?


Dev time is from first crack until the end of the roast. There might be some argument regarding when first crack occurs exactly (rolling or first pops) but I go from rolling so 214-216c bean temp. I'm going to finish the next roast earlier, logically I should aim for the same finish temp for comparison. I'll probably do two roasts one finishing at 229c and another with the same profile as my previous roast but finished at 224c so about 1 minute sooner.


----------



## MediumRoastSteam

Rob1 said:


> Well your target finish temp will determine what you do at other stages. If you want to finish at about 229c with that bean you probably want to limit your max temp to 230c rather than 236c.
> 
> Temp leaps up from 226c and then slowly continues to rise. First crack rushes through in a minute and you then respond by dropping the power. Presumably it stopped by this point? You might have continued to hear outliers popping. The roast then progresses towards second crack within a minute despite power reduction.
> 
> You're roasting too hot. If I were you I'd try 1100w when the temp hits 225c and lower it to 1080w to 1050w if it climbs to 230c (trying to time those drops when FC is rolling and FC ends). You might want to try ending your roast a consistent time after first crack gets going, for example two or three minutes (though of course stop if it gets beyond your target). I did a roast last week that just about hit second crack on cooling and I let the temp hit 235c before dropping the power. I followed exactly the same power drops (i.e. 1130w-1100w-1080w etc) at the same stages with the last two roasts but only let the temp hit 230c before dropping the power, the result was much the same first crack duration and development time but with a lower finishing temp of about 230c.
> 
> You're going to have to come up with your own profile. Adjust based on your experience of that specific bean. I've had beans that I could leave at full power until 240c before dropping the power to 1150w on first crack and they wouldn't get close to second crack and I've had beans like those you have that would rush through first crack if the roaster got too hot.


Hi Rob1,

So, I tried that. Much, much better looking roast, so thank you. One thing however, is that, I don't seem to be able to stabilise to a temperature (this is all using the Gene's reading, not bean temperature) after first crack as you suggest. No matter what I did using the dimmer switch, the temperature just kept climbing at a lower rate, but never gone down or maintained as I'd expect. This is what I did. I roasted two batches, so this is the second one, hence the higher initial temp. Voltage was really good, around 241V at the socket. It was 239V through an extension lead though...

Time - Temp - Power (Notes)

0 - 74C - 2200W (Full power)

1 - 141C

2 - 167C

3 - 184C

4 - 199C

5 - 206C - 1125W

6 - 211C (beginning to turn pale yellow)

7 - 213C

8 - 218C

9 - 220C - 1110W (started to go pale brown)

10 - 225C

10.5 - 227C - 1100W

11 - 228C

12 - 230C

12.5 - 230C - 1090W

13 - 231C - 1190W (First Crack)

13.5 - 231C - 1080W

14 - 232C

14.5 - 233C - 1070W -

15 - 234C - (Start Cool down)

I'm starting to suspect the shortcomings of the Chinese voltage regulator I have. I'll post more about this on the "Advice on Dimmer mod for Gene Cafe" thread.


----------



## Rob1

Without knowing the timing of the different first crack stages and the end colour of the roast it's guesswork to suggest anything...

But.. You probably want to stop the temp rising like that after first crack ends (somewhere between 14-14.5?). The beans will absorb heat much more readily at that point. You're constant applying heat so hitting a stable temp is difficult, as I showed in my roast the temp rose to 234/5 during first crack and hit 236 just as I ended (so 1 degree in 3 minutes). If your roast is even and good and at the colour you want then there's nothing to worry about, if it tastes flat and dead though...


----------



## MediumRoastSteam

Rob1 said:


> Without knowing the timing of the different first crack stages and the end colour of the roast it's guesswork to suggest anything...
> 
> But.. You probably want to stop the temp rising like that after first crack ends (somewhere between 14-14.5?). The beans will absorb heat much more readily at that point. You're constant applying heat so hitting a stable temp is difficult, as I showed in my roast the temp rose to 234/5 during first crack and hit 236 just as I ended (so 1 degree in 3 minutes). If your roast is even and good and at the colour you want then there's nothing to worry about, if it tastes flat and dead though...


Thanks! Since I removed the chaff collector, the results have been much better. So looks like I'm getting there


----------



## Batian

Today, for the first time in the Amazon, I roasted some Kenyan peaberry. (as per this post https://coffeeforums.co.uk/showthread.php?38351-Dalian-Amazon-Experiences&p=597495#post597495)

It was the the 3rd batch in and the ambient was 30C. I had been having an 'exciting time' from the start of the session. ROR were fairly average, but putting the brakes on was something else. Power supply was all over the place, recording 2212 to 2281W. Fridge freezers in the area perhaps?

1st pops at 9.47min 174C and rolling along very vigorously by 10.24 and 178C.

Heat turned off at 11mins and 1st had just about stopped by 1143min.

Roast ended at 13.10min. RT was showing 185C . Weight loss, 15.6%

Reasonably happy but I will try for lighter next time.


----------



## Rob1

As an update to my previous two batches the bitterness faded a lot allowing the cherry and herbal/'cola' flavours to come out. The first batch was slightly darker than the second batch (probably just into SC vs on the verge), tasted slightly less sweet but with better body. The second batch was better and as with the first batch the bitterness that was there left almost completely by around the second week post roast. Just finished the last of the second batch and it kept getting fruitier and I get the impression I finished it at it just after the peak.

I thought I had repaired my thermocouple by resoldering a replacement battery connector to a contact the size of the head of a pin and securing it with sugru to prevent any stress to the connection but it looks like I've pulled one of the pins out a little from the connection side so it doesn't make proper contact with the battery. I've considered jamming a small bit of metal into the batterys female pins to make up for the lost length on the male side but it would be better to just scrape off the sugru and do the soldering again...


----------



## MediumRoastSteam

MediumRoastSteam said:


> Hi Rob1,
> 
> So, I tried that. Much, much better looking roast, so thank you. One thing however, is that, I don't seem to be able to stabilise to a temperature (this is all using the Gene's reading, not bean temperature) after first crack as you suggest. No matter what I did using the dimmer switch, the temperature just kept climbing at a lower rate, but never gone down or maintained as I'd expect. This is what I did. I roasted two batches, so this is the second one, hence the higher initial temp. Voltage was really good, around 241V at the socket. It was 239V through an extension lead though...
> 
> Time - Temp - Power (Notes)
> 
> 0 - 74C - 2200W (Full power)
> 
> 1 - 141C
> 
> 2 - 167C
> 
> 3 - 184C
> 
> 4 - 199C
> 
> 5 - 206C - 1125W
> 
> 6 - 211C (beginning to turn pale yellow)
> 
> 7 - 213C
> 
> 8 - 218C
> 
> 9 - 220C - 1110W (started to go pale brown)
> 
> 10 - 225C
> 
> 10.5 - 227C - 1100W
> 
> 11 - 228C
> 
> 12 - 230C
> 
> 12.5 - 230C - 1090W
> 
> 13 - 231C - 1190W (First Crack)
> 
> 13.5 - 231C - 1080W
> 
> 14 - 232C
> 
> 14.5 - 233C - 1070W -
> 
> 15 - 234C - (Start Cool down)
> 
> I'm starting to suspect the shortcomings of the Chinese voltage regulator I have. I'll post more about this on the "Advice on Dimmer mod for Gene Cafe" thread.


I think for the first time I got this right  there's body in my coffee now! Thank you @Rob1!


----------



## MediumRoastSteam

And today's roast. Colombian Suarez, following Rob1s power decreasing profile and no chaff collector 

Photo taken with natural light, cloudy, at 1930 today.


----------



## Batian

Are you happier with the results now? From the picture sequence, you seem to be getting much better results?


----------



## MediumRoastSteam

Batian said:


> Are you happier with the results now? From the picture sequence, you seem to be getting much better results?


Indeed!


----------



## Rob1

Finally have my thermocouple back in action...for the first batch anyway. I think there's a problem with my computer doing back to back roasts without shutting the software down first. Anyway does anybody else have a problem capturing how the beans actually look in a picture? The pictures below are all from the same batch:









To my eyes the beans look the same as the last two close up pictures. Maybe it's just the flash reflecting off the bean?

Second batch:









They look just about the same colour to me. You can see some very slight scorching on the tips of some beans so maybe I should bring the dimmer in at 220c or at a lower wattage but I'm happy with how the previous roast tasted to the same profile so I'm reluctant to change it, we'll see how this one tastes.

Profiles were

Batch 1 (cold):

Switched to 1130w @ 225c

Switched to 1080w 30 seconds after FC rolling.

Switched to 1030w 30 seconds after FC end until end of roast (2:40 minutes from FC rolling).

Roast duration 15:30

Batch 2 (60c start):

Switched to 1130w @ 225c

Switched to 1100w when heat rose to 235c

Switched to 1050w 30 seconds after FC rolling.

Switched to 1030w on FC end until end of roast (2:40 minutes from FC rolling).

Roast duration: 15:40


----------



## Batian

Re Pics

I have the same problem using a phone camera. It is, as you say, the flash and its closeness to the subject. I achieved better results by either turning flash off and relying on existing light (adjusting camera settings accordingly) or moving further away and zooming an/ or post shot cropping.

Or use a proper camera and a diffused flash. A pukka cover or something as simple as a piece of tissue over the flash!

You did not tell us what the coffee is, but I hope the coffee lives up to the expectations of the pics!


----------



## iroko

I try to take pics in natural light with the flash turned off, but each pic can look slightly different, and the beans can look different in the sun and when It clouds over on same bean.


----------



## johnealey

A Halogen work light will give you a natural amount of light without too much colour cast and can be bought from Screwfix or similar fairly cheaply, don't have to be on too long, mostly towards end of roast and when assessing visual colour (was really useful to have on when roasting with the gene as removed another variable)

John


----------



## MediumRoastSteam

Roasted today some Guatemala from The Coffee Compass.

Even though it's a washed processed bean, it's extremely chaffy. I tried with 250g initially (yesterday) but that was a disaster: the flap thingy on the Gene Cafe pretty stopped flapping due to so much chaff accumulating on the chambers exit outlet. So today tried with 220g and it seems to have coped fine.

16 minutes in total + cooling. Voltage around 239V. Reduced power to 1130W at 8 minutes into roasting, 220C on the Gene's display. Finished at 236C reducing power gradually down to 1080W, based on sight alone, as I can't hear first crack due to the duct attached to the Gene's chaff collector.










Quite a bit of chaff still attached to the beans:


----------



## dannoceti

Looks very even, nice!


----------



## MartinP

looks a good roast.


----------



## iroko

Finally got round to my 1st roast on the cormorant at the weekend.

600g Brazil Dattera Sweet.

Roaster warmed up to 180 @ 37mbar and beans dropped.

1st crack @ 10.24 rolling @ 10.57

Gas dropped to 10mbar

Beans dropped @ 13.05

Roast didn't run very smoothly, a lot more to think about than the gene.

Beans a lot darker than I was aiming for.









This was the roast done with Johan.


----------



## Beeroclock

Hi Iroko

As you probably know it always takes time to get to know a new roaster. Are you planning on using digital thermocouples at all? I find the analogue probe to be somewhat slow to react - though one can roast with it as Johan has demonstrated.

I tend to warm my Cormorant up slowly at 20 mbar fan on about 6.5v when the temp gets up to about 200c usually about 12 mins or so I turn the burner off and let the roaster cool down to about 170c then bring it back up.

I do a part bean soak for about a minute, burner on about 15 mbar damper closed, air at 5.3v, then after a minute burner to 37 mbar, damper open and air to 6.3v. Once I hit around 130c I will start slowly bringing down the burner - I aim to hit drying a little over 5 mins on a larger load and around 4.30 on a 400g batch. Once past drying I increase air a little to 6.8v and am bringing down the burner - aiming for around 2.5 mbar by 170c. I tend to get FC on my machine between 190 and 195c. I close the damper around 185c and am usually at around 2 mbar by FC. I will also increase air to about 7.2v just before first crack. I then aim for between 20-23 % development time depending on bean.

I should note that these temps are using a digital probe which reacts much faster than the analog and makes it far easier to see where your roast is going.

I've found this basic profile works as a good starting point.

Good luck with your new adventure!

Best Phil


----------



## Beeroclock

Here are a couple of roasts from the weekend - following that basic profile


----------



## iroko

Hi Phil

Yes It's going to take some time to get used to the roaster, not as straight forward as the Gene. I've got thermocouples but not sure when I'll start using them, and not really sure

what other equipment I need to use them, I'm not too good with computers.

Thanks for all the above info, on my next roast I'll try to think ahead of what I'm doing.









Cheers.


----------



## iroko

I was not happy with last weeks roast, so roast No. 2 was done at the weekend.

500g of El Salvador Finca San Ernesto.

I used the above profile from Beeroclock

I hit 1st crack @ 9.36 with temp @ 185

I forgot to stop timer when roast dropped, but was about 12 mins

500g in 456.6 out

Much happier with this roast.


----------



## MediumRoastSteam

That looks amazing! Early days yet, but when you get it to try it, how does it compare with the Gene taste wise?


----------



## iroko

This was the same bean that was roasted with Johan which I really enjoyed, still drinking from this bean and still tastes great as It has got older.

I'll be trying this roast at the w/end, hopefully It will be as good.

When I roasted this bean on the Gene I remember not being as good, but It was quite a while ago.


----------



## eddie57

@iroko where did you get your Brazil Daterra?



iroko said:


> Finally got round to my 1st roast on the cormorant at the weekend.
> 
> 600g Brazil Dattera Sweet.
> 
> Roaster warmed up to 180 @ 37mbar and beans dropped.
> 
> 1st crack @ 10.24 rolling @ 10.57
> 
> Gas dropped to 10mbar
> 
> Beans dropped @ 13.05
> 
> Roast didn't run very smoothly, a lot more to think about than the gene.
> 
> Beans a lot darker than I was aiming for.
> 
> View attachment 37382
> 
> 
> This was the roast done with Johan.
> 
> View attachment 37383


----------



## iroko

@eddie57 Brazil Daterra was the penta pack from Bell Barista a good few years ago. I had some that I had forgotten about, I used these for my first roast so i wouldn't be to

fussed If I messed the roast up.


----------



## eddie57

iroko said:


> @eddie57 Brazil Daterra was the penta pack from Bell Barista a good few years ago. I had some that I had forgotten about, I used these for my first roast so i wouldn't be to
> 
> fussed If I messed the roast up.


Okay thanks mate


----------



## Batian

The penultimate roast before (dare I say it) ********* Christmas!

First in was 1kg of Monsooned Malabar. I have previously done this as a 900gm lot, but decided to try a kilo. It went OK.

1st pops @ 10.15sec and rolling @10.56sec

Dumped @ 13.27secs

14.7% loss.









Next in was the last of a natural Brazilian 16/18 from Andre Sanchez. At about £4.50something a kilo, this coffee has been very pleasing.

1st pops at 11.20secs and rolling @1140sec

Dumped at 13.40secs.

A nice even roast, loss 15.6%









Followed by a washed Ethiopian Yirga cheffe Gr2 from ECX and a private import.

1st pops 11.50sec and rolling 12.11secs. The heat was turned off once rolling and roast ended at 14.35.

Loss 15.3%









Next was another Ethiopian, becoming a favourite, Guji Highland Estate. A small 250ha farm along with some outliers produce the lovely coffee.

1st pops 10.53secs, rolling 11.24secs

Ended ar 13.46secs

Loss 14.1%









Last was another favourite from Kenya. A high scoring 90, AB sized washed at the Ngugi Ini washing station.

1st pops 10.10secs and quickly into a vigorous rolling @10.20secs.

Heat turned off t about 11min and roast dumped at 12.34secs.

Loss 12.8%


----------



## iroko

All looking really good.







. How long did It take to roast all the beans.


----------



## Batian

iroko said:


> All looking really good.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> . How long did It take to roast all the beans.


Including the warm up (28mins) to beans loaded, and cool down and clean up etc, less than 2 hours.


----------



## Beeroclock

So I've been buying quite a few greens from small batch recently - especially as they're now offering 5kg bags on some of their speciality coffee. They've recently added a pre blended espresso offering - something I would never have previously considered, but have bought a 10kg bag and am pleasantly surprised at how well it has roasted and produces a really nice milk based espresso cup.


----------



## iroko

jinotega Nicaragua Christmas roast

500g x 2

1st crack @ 7.54 rolling @8.21

Beans dropped @ start of 2nd crack, didn't mean to go this far. 408.2 out, 18.36% loss.









2nd roast

1st crack @ 7.51 rolling @ 8.14

Roast ended @ 11.11, 416.5 out 16.7% loss. Happier with this roast.


----------



## iroko

Jinotega Nicaragua

500g

1st crack @ 8.07 rolling @ 8.51

Roast ended @ 11.45

414.2g out


----------



## Batian

This was the first roast following a long drawn out annual service on the Amazon. I roast on roughly 14 day intervals. I started doing the service the first day following the last roast. If it was there, it caused hassle! But now I have done one, next years should be a walk in the park.

Before:









After:


----------



## iroko

Beans are looking good. Sorry to hear service was a hassle, but like you say next one will be easier.


----------



## iroko

Costa Rica SHB

500g

1st crack @ 8.23 rolling @ 9.00

Roast ended @ 11.50

415 out 17% loss


----------



## Rob1

Last of the El Salvador red bourbon. I'm going to miss it. Enjoyed every batch even when I messed it up.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1vcYuiRIT84HyPdm6aEOYIPOvqNPw1Z2Q/view?usp=sharing

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1PkVJvl-4R7X7Tys06wZ3Ia_zUCAewWjd/view?usp=sharing

No idea why I can't upload images. They're only 2-4mb.


----------



## iroko

Rob1 said:


> Last of the El Salvador red bourbon. I'm going to miss it. Enjoyed every batch even when I messed it up.
> 
> https://drive.google.com/file/d/1vcYuiRIT84HyPdm6aEOYIPOvqNPw1Z2Q/view?usp=sharing
> 
> https://drive.google.com/file/d/1PkVJvl-4R7X7Tys06wZ3Ia_zUCAewWjd/view?usp=sharing
> 
> No idea why I can't upload images. They're only 2-4mb.


Looking good, I have to load pics from a tablet now, computer say's no.

Tried the Costa Rica yesterday, not as nice as the Nicaragua. Im going to leave It for a few more days while I finish of the last of the beans.


----------



## iroko

Another roast of Costa Rica SHB

500g

1st crack @ 8.20 rolling @ 8.46

Roast ended @11.10

415.8 out 16.84 loss


----------



## MediumRoastSteam

iroko said:


> Another roast of Costa Rica SHB
> 
> 500g
> 
> 1st crack @ 8.20 rolling @ 8.46
> 
> Roast ended @11.10
> 
> 415.8 out 16.84 loss
> 
> View attachment 40356


That looks good!


----------



## iroko

Brazil Daterra Santa Colomba

500g

1st crack @ 8.20 rolling @9.04

Roast ended @ 11.43

419.7 out 16.06 % loss


----------



## iroko

Brazil Inpanema Premier Cru Gold Edition Red Acaia

500g

1st crack @ 8.06 Rolling @ 8.54

Roast ended @11.06

434.8 out, 13.04% loss


----------



## MightyRed

iroko said:


> Brazil Inpanema Premier Cru Gold Edition Red Acaia
> 
> 500g
> 
> 1st crack @ 8.06 Rolling @ 8.54
> 
> Roast ended @11.06
> 
> 434.8 out, 13.04% loss
> 
> View attachment 30810


 I can just smell that in my mind  looks like a nice roast.


----------



## iroko

@jj-x-ray Started the Brazil Inpanema today, really happy with roast, as on the Coffee Compass website boozy friut, big body and marzipan finish. This was in a cappuccino. Still needs a

few more days rest I think.


----------



## iroko

Rocko Mountain Ethiopia

500g

1st crack @ 8.08 rolling @ 8.37

Roast ended @ 11.00

426.2 out, 14.76% loss


----------



## iroko

Rocko Mountain Ethiopia

498.4g

1st crack @ 8.51 rolling @ 9.24

Roast ended @ 11.45

425.9 out, 14.54% loss

I only bought a kilo of these greens, hopefully I get the blueberry notes of previous roast.


----------



## NeilW

My first Drinkable attempts using a Nuvo Eco over a butane stove

lighter roast Columbia's Suarez, 50g. 1st crack at 6mins taken to 10 minutes no second crack.

Dark roast is Ethiopian Sidamo, 40g. 1st Crack at 5 mins second crack at 11 mins taken to 12:30


----------



## iroko

Arcangel Bolivia from Foundry. This is my Christmas Roast.

500g

1st crack @ 8.50 rolling @ 9.45

Roast ended @ 11.04

426.1 out 14.78% loss


----------



## DavecUK

Looks good


----------



## TomHughes

Any opinions on a Columbian Suarez? I've never roasted it before. Roasted yesterday. 9 mins to 1st crack, it was cold. 12 in 2nd crack at which point I stopped.

Some things I've read say go dark with this bean but others say keep light to retain the caramel!


----------



## Jam1e1

hi

starting to get the hang of using my Gene Cafe 101

Beans: Ana Sora natural, 230g in, 193g out, c16% loss. Ambient 8c. Went for 240c set point. Held at 150c to 5min then set to 240c.

*Target profile*: 240c to FC, hold 60s then drop to 232c for 1-2min, aiming for medium/dark brown colour - Im aiming to get the blueberry flavour out of beans.

*Actual Profile*: 2m 128, 4m 150, 6m 180, 8m 188, 10m 213, 12m 222, 14m 230 16m 234. FC at 15m, held for about 60s then went to 232 for 2m.

*Questions/advice needed*: Not sure why this batch didnt get to 240c quicker. The FC seemed to happen below 240c, ie was about 233ish however beans were starting to go medium brown. If i hold to try to hit 240 beans will overcook, hence any advice what to do when this occurs?

As an observation on my last roast, i went for 200g of same bean, got to 237c at 11m, hence was able to hit target profile quicker and hold at higher roast temperature.

Taste: note i was keen to try rather than wait a bit longer for flavour to develop, so far i seem to get a relatively acidic, slight toast, slight floral but not really blueberry coming out - want help to get a profile that gets blueberry out.

thanks Jamie


----------



## Rob1

Jam1e1 said:


> hi
> 
> starting to get the hang of using my Gene Cafe 101
> 
> Beans: Ana Sora natural, 230g in, 193g out, c16% loss. Ambient 8c. Went for 240c set point. Held at 150c to 5min then set to 240c.
> 
> *Target profile*: 240c to FC, hold 60s then drop to 232c for 1-2min, aiming for medium/dark brown colour - Im aiming to get the blueberry flavour out of beans.
> 
> *Actual Profile*: 2m 128, 4m 150, 6m 180, 8m 188, 10m 213, 12m 222, 14m 230 16m 234. FC at 15m, held for about 60s then went to 232 for 2m.
> 
> *Questions/advice needed*: Not sure why this batch didnt get to 240c quicker. The FC seemed to happen below 240c, ie was about 233ish however beans were starting to go medium brown. If i hold to try to hit 240 beans will overcook, hence any advice what to do when this occurs?
> 
> As an observation on my last roast, i went for 200g of same bean, got to 237c at 11m, hence was able to hit target profile quicker and hold at higher roast temperature.
> 
> Taste: note i was keen to try rather than wait a bit longer for flavour to develop, so far i seem to get a relatively acidic, slight toast, slight floral but not really blueberry coming out - want help to get a profile that gets blueberry out.
> 
> thanks Jamie
> 
> View attachment 34803


 Pretty simple to give this advice: if you hit first crack at 233c don't worry about getting to 240c... Why would you? Nothing magical is going to happen by doing that.

You probably want to mute acids, retain sweetness, and avoid roast notes. What part of your profile is designed to achieve that? You're holding the temp for 60s when fc starts so you're trying to push through first crack and ending the roast quickly afterwards? What are you aiming for, a 1:30 dev time with fc length of a minute?

Why are you stopping the temp from rising beyond 150c until 5 minutes? Trying to reduce the difference between bt and et for some reason? I'd have thought you'd be better off heating as quickly as possible to avoid spending more time between yellowing and fc than you need to but maybe I'm wrong on that? If you get burning and unevenness just letting the roster heat quickly do the power mod asap.

I'd aim to come into fc slow, go through it slowly, and finish just after fc ends aiming for a long fc duration and maybe an additional 10-20 seconds before starting to cool. Maybe try roasting at 230c.


----------



## iroko

Costa Rica SHB

498.2 g

1st crack @ 9.21 rolling @9.51

Roast ended @ 11.50

418.2 g out 16.05% loss


----------



## iroko

As I've been furloughed for 2 weeks or possibly longer I thought I'd do a roast today.

Rocko Mountain Reserve

500g in

1st crack @ 8.02

Rolling @ 8.28

Finish @ 10.25

431.6g out

13.68% loss


----------



## DavecUK

iroko said:


> As I've been furloughed for 2 weeks or possibly longer I thought I'd do a roast today.
> 
> Rocko Mountain Reserve
> 
> 500g in
> 
> 1st crack @ 8.02
> 
> Rolling @ 8.28
> 
> Finish @ 10.25
> 
> 431.6g out
> 
> 13.68% loss


 Is that a blend?


----------



## iroko

I presume It's from different farms.


----------



## Batian

The Ethiopian coffee farmers, large and small, will select coffee seeds from wild plants and then cultivate them. This means that not only are Ethiopian coffees very close to the wild, there may be many varieties grown together on the same farm. Size is easily screened for, but that does not necessarily separate varieties. It is one of the great characteristics of Ethiopian coffee, and sometimes a challenge to roast.

I am told by those that know, that there are possibly thousands of un catalogued coffees growing wild in Ethiopia. These are slowly being worked through and may well provide a disease resistant gene source whilst still providing taste and economical cropping. The process is very slow and is not helped by a lack of finance at roots level.

Of course, the coffee industry as a whole, could spend the money, but we know how likely that is whilst they do not have to.

I have posted the USAID guide to buying Ethiopian green coffee before, but the post does not seem to have survived the new forum. Here it is again:

https://bootcoffee.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Ethiopian_Coffee_Buying_Guide.pdf


----------



## Batian

Covid19 has meant a couple of my roast sharers have had to drop out as they have been 'laid off' work. With young families, other needs are greater.

So todays roast was just a couple of kilos.

First in was a Monsooned Malabar from Inter American via Olams. It has always pleased.

First pops at 11:30 and rolling at 11:30. 13:10 slowing and ended roast as pops of 2nd started at 13:50 . Appears a medium/mediumdark roast with a 17.3% loss.

Then it was a unusual Kenyan coffee. A natural processed 'Jamaica Blue Mountain' bean grown in Kenya!

First pops at 10:10 rolling 10:27 slowing at 11:50 roast ended at 12:39 with a 15.3%loss.

Appears to be a medium roast.


----------



## Batian

One of my roast sharers is back! Tales of woe re Sainsbugs offerings.....

Today was noticeably warmer and couple with the recent overhaul of the pipes and fans roasting compared to a month ago presented control problems. Nothing to severe, but definitely different behaviour.

First in was a recent purchase, a Monsooned Malabar AA from Pearl Estate. This is the second roast of this coffee, and first after the overhaul.

I always roast the Monsooned coffees first to try and smooth things out. It can be very rapid and run away from you!

Pictured bottom left, it was rolling at 12 minutes. It started to slow at 13.30mins and was nearly ended at 13.40mins Roast stopped at 14.20.

16.2% loss

Next in and bottom right in pic was a Brazilian from Fazenda Chapadao in the Minas Gerais. SCC is 83.75 so it is well thought of and my roast sharers and I all like this relatively cheap coffee. It is Yellow Bourbon and Mundo Novo

Popped at 10.49, rolling 11.20, ending around 12.40 with the roast stopped at 14.10 minutes. 16.6% loss but visually looks a lighter roast than this suggests?

Following was a natural Ethiopian Kochere Gedebe Gr1. I pushed this a little darker than usual. It has been popular as a medium roast but failed to be anything other than 'nice' for me, so I wondered what a little darker would be like. Again, it appears much darker than the 14.9% suggests and puts it about the same as previous roasts of this coffee, if a little darker. Time will tell!

Finally a washed Kenyan coffee from the area where I spent my teen years. Shown top right in pic.

Seems OK, but I suspect I allowed to much for the change of climate and overhaul and gave it to much air early on. I would normally expect 1stC to come in at between 10 and 11 minutes with this coffee in winter and pre overhaul. This time (after gently closing down the smoke damper from 2cm to 0.5cm at 10 minutes) it popped at 11.58, rolling at 12.20 and slowed around 13.30 . 1st ended at 14.10 and the roast was stopped at 15.00min

Loss was 15.3% and appearance is of a medium roast.

However, it's all in the taste after resting!


----------



## Kman10

Little lockdown roast, first up some Brazil beans I got with roaster, next we have some Ethiopian beans. 14 mins to roast the Brazilian and 13 for the Ethiopian

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## iroko

2nd roast of Rocko Mountain, 1st roast took about 3 weeks to hit the spot for me, nice blueberry and dark chocolate.

Roasted on the 23.4.20 and started today, I'm getting stawberry and chocolate at the moment and tastes better at 12 days than previous roast. I took roast slightly longer this time.

500g in

1st crack @ 8.28

Rolling @ 8.57

Finish @ 11.12

429.3 out

Loss 14.14%


----------



## wan

iroko said:


> 2nd roast of Rocko Mountain, 1st roast took about 3 weeks to hit the spot for me, nice blueberry and dark chocolate.
> 
> Roasted on the 23.4.20 and started today, I'm getting stawberry and chocolate at the moment and tastes better at 12 days than previous roast. I took roast slightly longer this time.
> 
> 500g in
> 
> 1st crack @ 8.28
> 
> Rolling @ 8.57
> 
> Finish @ 11.12
> 
> 429.3 out
> 
> Loss 14.14%
> 
> View attachment 39121


 @iroko will you do a video with Cormorant CR600? Thinking to upgrade this roaster machine.


----------



## iroko

Hi @wan video is way beyond my tech abilities, I'm not very good at this computer stuff.


----------



## wan

60 gram Columbia

60 gram Nigaragua

120 gram in/ 101 gram out.

first crack 4:02

end crack 5:30

ending time : 7:30


----------



## wan

Today i do coffee cupping with wife. She drink coffee with sugar so the result might tooo different with me. Overall the score show that we like my columbia roasted . Score very close with columbia beans roasted by coffee shop.

i'm beginner in roasting and coffee taste so please do some comment for me improve it and apologise if missing or wrong doing.

here is photo


----------



## wan

The result

1. nicaragua+colimbia : 76.50

2. Columbia : 81.50

3. Columbia (bought from coffee shop) : 80.37


----------



## Rob1

What are you roasting with?

And what kind of improvement are you looking for?


----------



## wan

wan said:


> 60 gram Columbia
> 
> 60 gram Nigaragua
> 
> 120 gram in/ 101 gram out.
> 
> first crack 4:02
> 
> end crack 5:30
> 
> ending time : 7:30
> 
> View attachment 39383


 @Rob1 this one and another columbia. Roasted on last Sunday. At the moment I'm using pop corn maker as roast machine before jump into big such gene cafe etc is my next level. Did you use gene cafe machine?


----------



## wan

Today roasted:

Beans from Nicaragua with two batches :

1. 120gram in
101 gram out
FC 4.03s
FCE 7.03s
Finish 8.20s

2. 120gram in
101 gram out
FC 3.30s
FCE 5.30s
Finish 8.01s


----------



## CJV8

This was our first roast session on the Dalian Amazon having finally got it moved into its new home.

The first batch is on the left, the second and third together on the right. Some uneveness showing, however as the beans were very cheap grade 5 Ethiopian Djimma, they already showed quite a variation in their green state so uneveness was to be expected.

I was grateful for the extensive Dalian threads on this forum and the guides, so other than a few minor issues, and setting the smoke damper incorrectly on the first roast, it all went well and was quite methodical and stress free.


----------



## iroko

Last of my Rocko Mountain, I've really enjoyed this bean.

In 476.6 g

1st crack @ 9.15

Rolling @ 9.43

Roast ended @ 11.22

Out 413.7

13.19 % loss


----------



## Kman10

My 3 roasts of Ethiopian yirg. All taken to start of second crack. Still trying to hear first, I shall persevere on that though.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## filthynines

Beeroclock said:


> View attachment 26954
> 
> 
> Here are a couple of roasts from the weekend - following that basic profile
> 
> View attachment 26953


 @Beeroclock Phil, I'm entirely expecting you not to be able to remember what happened at the beginning of this roast more than 18 months ago...

I'll ask anyway. Assuming this is your Dalian, did you soak the beans at charge (whether by switching off the heater or by using a dimmer)? I'm 100% expecting you to be unable to remember unless it was your practice not to soak at that time.

The reason I ask because I was trying to find a graph to compare with my first datalogging attempt, and yours looks dramatically different to mine. I would post it, but it's hard to interpret because Artisan keeps logging even after drop and so it's heavily distorted.

TIA!


----------



## Beeroclock

filthynines said:


> @Beeroclock Phil, I'm entirely expecting you not to be able to remember what happened at the beginning of this roast more than 18 months ago...
> 
> I'll ask anyway. Assuming this is your Dalian, did you soak the beans at charge (whether by switching off the heater or by using a dimmer)? I'm 100% expecting you to be unable to remember unless it was your practice not to soak at that time.
> 
> The reason I ask because I was trying to find a graph to compare with my first datalogging attempt, and yours looks dramatically different to mine. I would post it, but it's hard to interpret because Artisan keeps logging even after drop and so it's heavily distorted.
> 
> TIA!


 Sorry these are not from a Dalian - I've never owned one - these will be from the Cormorant.

Cheers Phil


----------



## filthynines

Beeroclock said:


> Sorry these are not from a Dalian - I've never owned one - these will be from the Cormorant.
> 
> Cheers Phil


 Thanks Phil, I remember you said. Any recollection of soaking?


----------



## Beeroclock

I usually always soak for a minimum of 30 - 45 secs on the Cormorant. On my GR1+ I soak for a minute - but it has more thermal mass and a fair degree of insulation.

The Dalian has a perforated drum so I'm not sure how that would translate.

cheers Phil


----------



## filthynines

Beeroclock said:


> I usually always soak for a minimum of 30 - 45 secs on the Cormorant. On my GR1+ I soak for a minute - but it has more thermal mass and a fair degree of insulation.
> 
> The Dalian has a perforated drum so I'm not sure how that would translate.
> 
> cheers Phil


 Thanks Phil!


----------



## Batian

Having got over the stress and able to look back, I can look at yesterdays roast with a laugh and a smile.

Sometimes $h1t just happens and there is sod all you can do about it. So this is a partial cautionary tale and part humorous account of today's roasting of some top quality beans! Well they were before I got started and only time will tell if they survived my fumblings!

I like to roast 'at the crack of dawn' as voltage is more stable. Lockdown seems to have affected this of late and for some reason I am not getting my usual 238>241v. It's more like 236>238v. Ambient was 13c and rose 23c during roasting. Great warm up of 18 minutes and first lot in was some Monsooned Malabar. I have had best results with this bean by doing it as the first batch. Great roast, no problems, came out after first pops at 11.02 and rolling at 11.17 and ending roast at 13.10. 15.2% loss.

Then followed a Brazilian. That went great as well. Getting into the rhythm now...

Then came a natural Ethiopian, fine and in the cooling tray. I checked the roasters temperatures and RT was quite high, at 190c, (the heater was off at this point) so I decided to let her cool a little by leaving the empty shute open for a few minutes. The next lot was a honey processed El Salvador bean that I had some tip scorching with after charging at high temperatures.

RT was soon showing 178C. Right here we go, lifted the plunger and dropped the charge straight into the cooling tray along with the roasted Ethiopians......

I decided to let the mix cool and sort them out later. It was going to be a time consuming job. Popped back to the coffee store (spare bedroom!) and weighed off another kilo of El Salvador .

Next roast went fine (a natural south Tanzanian) and that was followed by a recently purchased Guatemalan coffee. This was my second roast of the purchase and I have yet to get the best from it. Others in our little syndicate have spoke highly of it (good pick Phil, everyone seems happy) but I knew my first roast was just OK.

This time round, all started well. Quite a high charge temperature of 194 but it dropped rapidly to 158 after 1 minute and things went as expected with the rise starting at 2.20min and steam at 3.30min At 4 mins the RT was 160c, high for time so I shut off the heater for 20 seconds as is my habit if RT is higher than 160 at 6 minutes. So nothing unusual here. At 5 mins the RT was 164C, so I was wondering if I would be getting a quicker 1stC than normal......

Then, wallop, the drum stopped!

Full damage limitation mode. Power cut? No. RCDs (3) tripped? No. Smoke from machine case? No. Smoke from exhaust? No.

I reached under the table picked up the leather work gloves and opened the shute and the SD. The yellowing beans poured out and I started manually turning the drum. It was effin hot even with the gloves. Now I know I should have turned off the electrics, but in the heat of the moment (pun intended) I didn't and I was half considering the fan helping out here, (hence the SD being oped to full) ......Then blow me, a couple of pushes on the drum vanes and the motor started. Well at least that emptied the drum!

The beans are now in the tray, so I emptied them into a tray and monitored the machine. It seemed to be running normal, no sound changes or vibrations. So I shot the beans back in and carried on roasting. I hope that the roast was interrupted early enough not to be to significant to taste, and you never know...I may have discovered a new profile and technique!

The machine ran without a tremble. The same cannot be said for me!

When the Guatemalan finished its extended roast I opened the shute and....in the commotion I had not shut the cooling tray trap door. Oh dear......

The remaining 3 kilos were roasted without incident.

So what have learnt?

A think a test run of the machine is called for. I suspect something in the drum may have jammed it up and my helping hand freed it.

Perhaps next time there is a hiccup with drama, it may be an idea to just stop roasting for a few minutes, take stock and a cuppa before continuing to roast.

I will let you know what the Guatemalan is like in about 10 days!

Ps. It took me the best part of 2 hours to sort the Ethiopian roast and green El salvador blend! I ran the Ethiopian through the cooling tray again to clean.


----------



## filthynines

Thanks for sharing a very trying time, Paul


----------



## johnealey

@Batian Ouch Paul

However been there on more than one occasion with Sarah and I spending ages sorting the greens from the roasted then binning the roasted.

Have also managed the "straight through" on one occasion of dropping beans into rotating drum, out the drum door into cooling tray and out still open flap and onto floor / feet!

The joys of roasting on an empty head 

John


----------



## iroko

Sounds like a bit of a nightmare morning, It's good you can look back and smile.Hopefully we all learn something from the mistakes we make.


----------



## iroko

Roasted last week and starting in a couple of days

Coffee Compass Mystery No 12, no idea what to expect with these beans.

In 500g

1st crack @ 9.02

Rolling @ 9.35

Roast ended @ 11.52

Out 415.2g

Loss 16.96%


----------



## iroko

Ethiopia Guji Dimtu

In 500g

1st crack @ 9.55

Rolling @ 10.25

Roast ended @ 12.00

out 418.6

loss 16.28%


----------



## cengland117

iroko said:


> Ethiopia Guji Dimtu
> 
> In 500g
> 
> 1st crack @ 9.55
> 
> Rolling @ 10.25
> 
> Roast ended @ 12.00
> 
> out 418.6
> 
> loss 16.28%
> 
> View attachment 43475


 These look good, please let us know how they turn out!

Recently modified my Gene and my first victims were the last of a bag of Brazilian Camocim Iapar 59. Roasted on 31/7. Ambient 23.7c

250g in 212g out (15.2% loss)

Full power (1280w ish) to 7:30 (210c)

1100w to 10 (211c)

1150w to 1st plus 30s (1st = 14:06 temp 227c)

1050w to end at 16min

Cupped 48 hours later and was pretty flat but this bean always seems to benefit from a good bit of resting.


----------



## Voocash

Hello there,

I roasted my first batch on modified Gene and I would like to share my results. I roasted 3 batches of which:

-* Ethiopia Limu 1* - roasted without using the dimmer mod. I tried to follow previous profile of reaching 240C then until FC-> holding for 1min and dropping to 235C for 0:30 and OUT.

*- Ethiopia Limu 2* - first roast with the dimmer mod, I only managed to get it to 233C, after FC started I held it for 1min and dropped it to 230C and after 0:30 OUT.

*- Kenya Meru *- with the dimmer again, max temp 233C -> 1min through the FC -> 230C for 0:30 and OUT.

*Roasting summary:*

I was a bit confused with the whole roasting since I couldn't reach target temperatures. Gene was really struggling to reach 230+ temps. I measured the wattage and voltage during the whole process. The power consumption was higher prior modification. I only managed to get *1180-1200W with 235-236V*. Prior modification I was achieving *1240-1280W at 235-238V.*

Moreover I wasn't entirely sure how to use the dimmer mod properly. I need to practice with this a bit more, because for the first batch I was adjusting the voltage (and therefore wattage) by 'eye' without any target figures in mind. I had the feeling that the roaster was struggling to increase the temperature once I turn the knob too far. Issues with adjustments and target wattage will be addressed on my second batch.

Due to struggle with power and slower temp raise, all three roasts took longer than expected. Due to that fact LIMU#1 has been baked slightly resulting in noticeable charcoal/maillard notes. Noticing what was happening on first roast I adjusted the whole roasting and finished slightly earlier. I took the advantage of pre-heated roaster as well. Second and Third roast was better for sure. Still wasn't completely happy with use of the dimmer mod but thankfully the first crack appeared very noticeable and I managed to get it at the right time. 
*Other technicalities: *
- Ethiopia Limu 1 - Greens 256g / out 215g = 16% weight loss
- Ethiopia Limu 2 - Greens 257g / out 217g = 16% weight loss
- Kenya Meru - Greens 251g / out 216g = 14% weight loss

*Cupping/Taste like:*
First roast, surely not much to talk about. Beans are usable and coffee is 'just drinkable' however this roast took tooo long having FC at 14:30.
Second roast of same beans was better, FC occurred 1min earlier at 13:30 resulting in better results. Coffee has lovely acidity and satisfying sweetness. Lacking the body though. Surely there is plenty room for improvement, like un-even roast or some maillard notes due to long temperature raise. 
Third roast - the best out of 3. Perhaps because the beans are different, they are bigger and denser. FC occurred at 15:00! but to my surprise in the tasting session this turned out to be the best tasting coffee. Lovely acidity, lovely chocolate aftertaste and easily recognisable red-fruit notes. I think this green beans have more potential to unleash a better cup but It wasn't bad at all.

*Next batch plans:*
- Look closely at the wattage and voltage, I need to identify the issue there. Whether this was the problem with the roaster or just simply mains providing insufficient voltage to generate enough power. 
- If power of the heating element will allow me to reach 240C then I will follow more precise settings on the dimmer mod. 
- Try new beans 

I attached few pictures below. Chart below shows RED lines (previous batches, prior MOD) and BLUE lines referring to this batch.

Thanks


----------



## iroko

Have you checked the mesh filter on the bottom of the roaster, it could be clogged up.


----------



## Mpbradford

For the fast roast, you really are sensitive to power and ambient temperature to get you to the high temps. Especially on first batch of the session. Because my voltage is anywhere between 231 and 238v I always put some kind of additional drying phase in, in the first 5 minutes so that when I push the target temp up to 233-236c there is plenty of capability to ramp up. If your mod has removed peak power, you may have to adapt the profile a bit and put a bit more low temp drying in.


----------



## Voocash

iroko said:


> Have you checked the mesh filter on the bottom of the roaster, it could be clogged up.


 I clean it after every roast, clean as new.


----------



## Voocash

Mpbradford said:


> For the fast roast, you really are sensitive to power and ambient temperature to get you to the high temps. Especially on first batch of the session. Because my voltage is anywhere between 231 and 238v I always put some kind of additional drying phase in, in the first 5 minutes so that when I push the target temp up to 233-236c there is plenty of capability to ramp up. If your mod has removed peak power, you may have to adapt the profile a bit and put a bit more low temp drying in.


 Interesting. I didn't go through whole 'today's roast' yet but have you shared your experience here?


----------



## Mpbradford

I have posted a couple of responses to solve problems, but not posting my daily activities. I'm. It sure if what I do is best practice, but for me and my local customers I have consistency of always hitting the same roast level and losing the same bean mass with my low temp soak method. What I find with fast roasting is that any power drop means that you are drying while trying to roast. I know all reactions/processses happen through the roast process, but I like to know my beans are drier before ramping up the temperature. I always do a high altitude/high density bean for the first batch of the day-this has a 6 minute dry at 150c and then the power does not matter so much.


----------



## Mpbradford

Gene cafe 101

21c/47%rh/237v

Brazil santos as espresso blend base

230g in 194.4g out -15% loss

4 mins ramp and hold @ 200c

4-7.5 mins ramp til 220c

7.5-10 mins hold at 220c

10-12=FC ramp to 233c

hold until 13.5 mins @ 233c

220c until end @ 15 mins.
Total roast development is ~20% for espresso roast.

dump into cooling


----------



## iroko

@cengland117 started the Ethiopia Guji Dimtu ten days after roast, on opening the Airscape I got a big hit of cherry drops sweets, took me back to being a kid all from a smell.

I had to guess the grind setting as I had to tighten grind for previous bean quite a lot. Shot run slow but no time in the morning to mess around, the resulting cappa had notes of plum and chocolate, rather nice.

With grind adjusted over the next few days I'm getting cherry and chocolate, with a glorious cherrytastic iced coffee on Sunday.

I'm really pleased with this bean, not quite my fave Rocko Mountain it's just more subtle.


----------



## Voocash

Taking the advice from @Mpbradford I did dry coffee before ramping up the temp. Results were satisfying. The best tasting cup so far. Very pleased with those baby steps and achieving better and better coffee. Kenya 2 roast:



Drying phase at 190C for 2min (mod ON around 1000W)


Then max temp up to 240C and hold till FC ( at least 3 consecutive pops) hold for 1min from the FC (mod OFF till max temp, then ON at 1100W to sustain the temp)


Drop to 230C and hole for 0:30 out / fast cooling and discharge at around 150C


This time I managed to achieve higher temps possible due to the higher voltage 238V as opposed to previous 235V. I also did two other roasts, Kenya 1 with drying at 150C, and Colombia with drying at 190C but max temp 235C. Out of three roasts, the Kenya 2 (picture attached) was the best in the cupping.

Next time I will be drying at at 200C, the rest parameters will remain the same.


----------



## Mpbradford

Looks good to me. My curves after short drying phase ramp up a bit faster to FC and I have a slightly longer development time - but sounds like you have achieved what you wanted - coffee that you like and are happy with. 👍🏻


----------



## Voocash

From the left:
1. Java Jampit Estate from coffee compas: https://www.coffeecompass.co.uk/products/java-jampit-estate-500g
2. Brazil Zona De Varginha estate from ravecoffee - Light roast
3. Brazil Zona De Varginha estate from ravecoffee - Medium/Dark roast

All of these roasted with pretty much same profile which is set the Gene to 240C (which never gets to that point anyway due to low voltage). They all stop at around 233-235C.

Continuous temp raise and First crack at:
1. 12:30, then +2min at 233C - Out
2. 11:45 then +1:30min at 232C - out
3. 11:30 then+3min at 235C - out


----------



## MediumRoastSteam

@Voocash - That looks great! Better than anything I ever did! Well done!


----------



## Voocash

MediumRoastSteam said:


> @Voocash - That looks great! Better than anything I ever did! Well done!


 Thanks. I feel more confident with the machine now. However there are still things to improve  
e.g. I would like to reduce roasting time to under 11:30min, however this is only achievable if I will have more power output. Sadly I'm limited to what my mains deliver at the time. I found out there is a higher voltage during a week between 10am-4pm rather than weekends.

It was my first darker roast attempt however I suspect (didn't try it yet), there will be too much of unpleasent notes from Maillard reaction. I believe the bottleneck here is the power output, not allowing me to reach target temps and causing the roast to take too long.

I will continue experimenting with drying stage at 190-200C. It was satisfactory when I tried it for the first time. 
Still not sure how long drying stage should last and whether one or two is better. I will scroll back this thread perhaps I'll find some good tips.


----------



## MediumRoastSteam

@Voocash - if you have the dimmer mod installed, and your voltage is usually low, have you consider swapping the heating element for a 230V one?

As long as you keep the wattage (power) below 1350W, you should be good.


----------



## Voocash

MediumRoastSteam said:


> @Voocash - if you have the dimmer mod installed, and your voltage is usually low, have you consider swapping the heating element for a 230V one?
> 
> As long as you keep the wattage (power) below 1350W, you should be good.


 I haven't considered yet. Do you have any threads or links where I can learn more?

My usual wattage is 1200-1220W. The highest I've got was 1240W. Lowest around 1150W


----------



## MediumRoastSteam

Voocash said:


> I haven't considered yet. Do you have any threads or links where I can learn more?
> 
> My usual wattage is 1200-1220W. The highest I've got was 1240W. Lowest around 1150W


 What's your usual voltage?


----------



## Voocash

MediumRoastSteam said:


> What's your usual voltage?


----------



## MediumRoastSteam

Voocash said:


> View attachment 54751


 OK, so if we pick 240V and it consumers 1234W, therefore ignoring resistance the Gene is drawing 5.14A.

My example above used 6A as an example, so my number was on the higher side. So yeah,* if you keep below 1250W or thereabouts you should be OK.*

I know that someone else here usually gets 250V!

And I just checked with the reference: http://coffeetimex.wikidot.com/gene-cafe-dimmer-control-mod-stage-2

And yep! 1250W! 🙂


----------



## hullcity

I have the Gene with the 230V element (I live in France) but routinely get 240+ V at the socket (except in the depths of winter). I did the dimmer mod to be able to dial down the power to 1200W and also to compensate for the fluctuations of my mains supply (230-245V in a typical summer session).

I tried roasting at 1300W but didn't find any difference in the cup, and anyway DaveCUK recommended me at the time to not go so high with the power. Also at the higher power with Brazilian beans (250g input) you get the element switching on and off when it gets too hot due to chaff build up.


----------



## iroko

Roasted some of my older beans today PNG Kenta

500g in

1st crack @ 9.20

rolling @ 9.48

Finished @ 11.05

429.5g out

Loss 14.1%


----------



## Rob1

Voocash said:


> View attachment 54751


 I get 250v and 1300w. If I were you I'd want a 230v element and to just always use the dimmer.


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## Voocash

Hi chaps, getting ready for another batch and I was scrolling back in this thread to find ideas and tips.

I've noticed that @MediumRoastSteam you're using different steps e.g. raise temp to 200 and hold for 1min, then to 220 and hold another minute. What is the point of these steps and how you determine the holding temps?

Other time I've got the advice to dry beans at lower temp, I'm not sure what is best temp for drying. Is it better to dry beans on lower temps 120-150 or higher lik 180-200?

Also coming to end of roast, once I reach first crack, should the temperature be maintained at the temp FC has occured or should I lower the temp? What is the reason for dropping the temp if so?

Should I worry about RoR with Gene?


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## Rob1

Voocash said:


> Hi chaps, getting ready for another batch and I was scrolling back in this thread to find ideas and tips.
> 
> I've noticed that @MediumRoastSteam you're using different steps e.g. raise temp to 200 and hold for 1min, then to 220 and hold another minute. What is the point of these steps and how you determine the holding temps?
> 
> Other time I've got the advice to dry beans at lower temp, I'm not sure what is best temp for drying. Is it better to dry beans on lower temps 120-150 or higher lik 180-200?
> 
> Also coming to end of roast, once I reach first crack, should the temperature be maintained at the temp FC has occured or should I lower the temp? What is the reason for dropping the temp if so?
> 
> Should I worry about RoR with Gene?


 I can't answer the first part, only say that any holding temps will be to try to prevent burning or the roast progressing too quickly, which in my experience was never really an issue with the gene.

Regarding 'drying' though, the beans will dry through the entire roast, there's no really a point to a lower drying temp unless you want to start the roast with a low temperature if the beans are racing away later on. The heat you put in at the start has an effect on how quickly the roast progresses later. With the majority of beans I ran the gene at full power until the beans were at least yellow before using the dimmer. IMO using the dimmer is better than limiting steps by the gene temp control. Actually a low temp stall at about 150c might help get more energy into the beans for later on....I'm not too sure. Honestly though it takes about 5 minutes for the gene to get the beans over 140-150c so I don't see the point in extending that phase.

The point of lowing fc temp is to prevent the roast from rapidly progressing, with some beans it will happen, with some it won't. With some you'll want to lower the temp twice, others once, others not at all. It depends on what you've done at the start of the roast, the temp you reach and other things. The temp band isn't great and I always used the dimmer rather than temp reduction on the gene itself. Yes you should consider ROR, but there's no point reading the display. Lowering the power will slow the ror down, but the display on the gene may only show a small temp reduction, or even a flattening or increase. You're roasting by sight, sound, smell, colour change and roast progression gives you approx temps to estimate ror with. If first crack goes on for a minute or more it's probably slowing down...


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## MediumRoastSteam

Voocash said:


> I've noticed that @MediumRoastSteam you're using different steps e.g. raise temp to 200 and hold for 1min, then to 220 and hold another minute. What is the point of these steps and how you determine the holding temps?


 No idea. I was naive and clueless (well, I still am! 😂😂). Those are not good references. Listen to those who know, like Rbo. 👍


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## MediumRoastSteam

And the roast is back! This time, inspired by

https://www.coffeeforums.co.uk/topic/57925-tin-can-air-roaster/?tab=comments&do=embed&comment=816713&embedComment=816713&embedDo=findComment#comment-816713

some PNG. It's really my first proper controlled attempt at this. The greens are a bit old now, so we shall see. Exciting times!

140g -> 120g.

10min roast until drop, 1:30m development.


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## MediumRoastSteam

Not very meaningful I know but&#8230;

Same crazy air roaster, but this time fully driven by artisan. Drew a curve, and off it went. The temp control is rather basic ish, but it seems to do the trick.

same PNG beans, 140g greens, 120g output. Total roast time was just under 8 minutes.

first crack lasted 1:40 min, nicely rolling, until the end, and then I dropped it (started cooling cycle).

it's looking the best yet, although I think it was a bit too quick.

proof will be in a weeks time.


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## MediumRoastSteam

Peruvian decaf. 😊


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## Evergreen88

First post in here and very few attempts at roasting under my belt. I got a cheap electric pan roaster from Amazon to start experimenting with roasting, with pretty much zero experience. After a few attempts I managed to get a good result at an 'italian roast'. I made a blend of brazilian beans (90%) and robusta (10%), which I roasted (separately) very dark (past full city, the beans had a nice oily surface). I was aiming at getting something similar to Rave's Italian Job and I definitely got pretty close! My roast was actually darker than that, with more pronounced roast flavours.

I then tried to roast some colombian beans to 'full city' and this is the result. What I noticed compared to more serious roasters is that this cheap version needs twice as much time, this roast in particular took me 28 minutes. I wonder how this 'slow cooking' affects dark roasts.

I will try this last batch this afternoon, fingers crossed!


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## iroko

Let us know how they are.


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## MediumRoastSteam

Evergreen88 said:


> this roast in particular took me 28 minutes


 Blimey! That's a record for a roast! Do you have a link for the pan roaster you are using?


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## Evergreen88

MediumRoastSteam said:


> Blimey! That's a record for a roast! Do you have a link for the pan roaster you are using?


 I think it's pretty normal for this cheap type of roasters unfortunately:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Vogvigo-Roasting-Household-Stainless-Electric/dp/B075JJ7J45/ref=sr_1_5?dchild=1&keywords=vogvigo+coffee+roaster&qid=1621603933&sr=8-5

I tried a first shot with the Colombian I posted earlier and even if I still need to dial it properly it wasn't bad at all


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## Achrys

Sorry, haven't posted in here for a while. Recently spun 400g of these Monsooned Malabars in the Behmor (1:30 after 1st Crack). I usually do 200g roasts, but now the wife has decided (after many years of poo-pooing my coffee), that she likes to drink it too (grrrr).

So sadly my time at the machine has now doubled, and anytime I think about making a quick cuppa for myself, I get the 'What about me...?' scenario.

I love her, so I can't complain to her face, but on here I feel safe... LOL

Anyway, had these sitting for 3 days before dialling in the grinder. Getting a lovely crema, and flavour from this roast.


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