Finally getting the Behmor dialed.
Costa Rica Tarrazu roasted to first crack +
1lb, D,P5, + 10 min.s (after hitting start) so that's about 5 min.s more than the program time.
Finally getting the Behmor dialed.
Costa Rica Tarrazu roasted to first crack +
1lb, D,P5, + 10 min.s (after hitting start) so that's about 5 min.s more than the program time.
Thanks Matt. That's been the hardest thing to control when roasting one full pound. I think these beans are pretty forgiving. If the Ethiopian goes as well I'll declare victory.
Finally getting the Behmor dialed.
Costa Rica Tarrazu roasted to first crack +
1lb, D,P5, + 10 min.s (after hitting start) so that's about 5 min.s more than the program time.
Yes. When the safety kicks in at 4 mins 20 seconds press "start" than add 10 mins....so you are really only adding 5 mins. 40 seconds right?
I listen intently for first crack to finish and it turns out that the added time was a perfect storm. If it was any longer I'd hit "cool".
Also, I open the door for a split second near the very end to gauge the roast by seeing how much smoke is present.
I'm a total newbie with this machine so teach me man!
most people dont roast the full pound with this machine, most people roast half a pound to 3/4 pound to gain more control. but thats just the nerds who geek out on roaster forums.
I'm a total newbie with this machine so teach me man!
I'm the last person you should listen to. I roast full pound batches like a barbarian.
I once caught my machine on fire. I think I managed to dislodge the drum and it wasn't rotating. Ash on one side of the drum, green beans on the other. Ever since then I've had to foil-line the chaff tray and interior of the door to try to make up for the soot-induced loss of reflectivity inside the machine.
I'm also on the 1600, not the 1600+, or the 1600 AB. Clearly my mileage varies.
See? I really need to hear this. Maybe I need to ratchet back expectations and roast 1/2 pound batches.
Yeah, I tried all the tricks. Preheat on p1, lift the front of the roaster etc. Always ended up going well beyond 20 min. At least with the plus you can add time. Mine is an original.
Now, I do two 3/4 lb batches. Much better. I am a wimp and do use the Behmor cool function a bit-I cut the roast about 15-20 sec before my target, and after the cooling has run for 30 sec to a minute I open the door. This does result in chaff blowing out, so I keep a handheld dyson handy. But its easier than handling a hot drum inside a hot roaster.
I do almost all Ethiopians these days. Costa Ricans and other SA beans are more forgiving for sure.
Yeah, I tried all the tricks. Preheat on p1, lift the front of the roaster etc. Always ended up going well beyond 20 min. At least with the plus you can add time. Mine is an original.
Now, I do two 3/4 lb batches. Much better. I am a wimp and do use the Behmor cool function a bit-I cut the roast about 15-20 sec before my target, and after the cooling has run for 30 sec to a minute I open the door. This does result in chaff blowing out, so I keep a handheld dyson handy. But its easier than handling a hot drum inside a hot roaster.
I do almost all Ethiopians these days. Costa Ricans and other SA beans are more forgiving for sure.
Educate me on the cooling bit. I let it cool on the cooling cycle for about 6 to 8 mins. than dump. Is it a good thing to cool faster? I still have my hillbilly home depot cooling setup so I could use heat gloves and dump into that.
Educate me on the cooling bit. I let it cool on the cooling cycle for about 6 to 8 mins. than dump. Is it a good thing to cool faster? I still have my hillbilly home depot cooling setup so I could use heat gloves and dump into that.
I cool immediately, again, its a control thing. i want the roast to end when im done, not extend another 30 seconds while the beans release energy.
its not even that hot. i reach in with a hand towel, pull the barrel, dump it into a colander with a box fan blowing on it, then press cool to let the unit cool, i dont use its coll function at all.
heres my process again:
250g beans (roughly)
preheat unit for 2 mins
setting 1lb P2. hit start
i watch for the roast temp to get to max at 292 before it begins to drop, usually around 9:30 on timer. when it drops approx 275, i hit 5 to keep the power going and the roast temp up around the 260s, or the unit dumps too much heat and beans will drop to 240s and bake instead of continuing into first crack.
first crack almost always comes with 5-6 minutes left on the roast cycle.
as soon as i hear the first crack, i hit p1 to go back to auto roast, hit "C" to avoid the auto shutoff function (gives like 3:40 on the timer or something?), and then let the roast develop to where i want, almost always just before 2nd crack, which takes about 2 to 2.5 minutes after hearing first cracks.
I dont add any time at all to the roast.
so in summary, roast begins with 18 mins. at minute 9 or so, i up the temp, at minute 12 or so i get cracks, then im done in 15 mins, no baking of beans, lots of flavor profiles, not too light and acidic at all.
Educate me on the cooling bit. I let it cool on the cooling cycle for about 6 to 8 mins. than dump. Is it a good thing to cool faster? I still have my hillbilly home depot cooling setup so I could use heat gloves and dump into that.
the quicker you get them to room temperature once you've hit your target the better.
Agree regarding cooling. I made a box with a bathroom fan blowing upwards in the base and a cutout for a $2 sieve in the top. I transfer the roast to the sieve-in-a-box at the end of stage 4 and stir with a gloved hand until the chaff is blown off (maybe a minute). By then it's cool enough to stir with an ungloved hand.
I just bought myself a proper sawdust extractor for the sanding bench on which I do the final prep for my bike tubes, looking at it I reckon it is going to see double duty as a chaff extractor during the roast.
I'm ripping thru the last 2 lbs I roasted so that I can try these suggestions so thanks for all that my friends.
Sometimes I get in my own way. This morning I loaded the latest roast into my grinder, not thinking, proceeded to dose 17 grams into the flair (manual espresso) and tried to pull a shot. Nah, not a chance. Every new roast requires a different grind and I'd just created a 17 gram brick ;) Feh.
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