I’ve commented on the inherent variation in roast level that comes with using an air popper. But you’re right about it being especially obvious in a dark roast!
Coffee talk
- Thread starter troutpocket
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These beans behave a lot like the Kona beans I was roasting earlier this year. The flavor is different though. The Kona beans have a smoothness and slightly floral flavor that’s pretty unique.
I have noticed that the results from my Nostalgia popcorn air popper come out more uneven than my results from a metal bowl with stirrer and heat gun. With the nostalgia, I observe unevenness within individual beans that looks present in TP‘s roast too. I don’t really see that with my normal method. I guess it all adds character and as long as you like how it tastes, you’re successful.
mtskibum16
Life of the Party
Why do you suspect that is though? Seems like the forced air heat along with good agitation should lead to even heating. I'm using a heat gun which is a similar heat source. Perhaps I'm just getting much better agitation with the bread maker paddle.
Our heat guns directly point at the beans and therefore maybe are more efficiently directing infrared or other wavelengths than the Nostalgia doesn’t or can’t since the air comes from little vents in the side of the cup that holds the beans. I think the heating power of the Nostalgia is just a lot wimpier than what the heat guns throw.
This is on the weird/funky spectrum
First crack is so subtle I didn’t hear it. The beans look right and smell good but the audio cue during the roast didn’t happen. The first couple of cups were kinda dull and muddy. This morning I tried upping the ratio of water and got a much better result. Definitely on the rustic/earthy end of things.
First crack is so subtle I didn’t hear it. The beans look right and smell good but the audio cue during the roast didn’t happen. The first couple of cups were kinda dull and muddy. This morning I tried upping the ratio of water and got a much better result. Definitely on the rustic/earthy end of things.
mtskibum16
Life of the Party
I've had the silent first crack with a couple Sumatra batches before.
RCF
Life of the Party
Folgers, a throwback coffee brand in a time of nitro lattes, wants to be cool
Folgers is the biggest seller of ground coffee in U.S. stores, but it has confronted a painful realization: its reputation is ... not strong.
www.npr.org
Been without power off and on for most of this week which has really put a cramp in my coffee habits. Currently drinking a cup of Folgers at the casino while out to dinner with my wife. Coffee is awful but at least we can charge phones, use wifi, and not eat by dim candle light.
A while back I picked up the OEM extension tube for my SR800. What a difference that makes. The standard machine is fine but the extension tube sure gives a lot more flexibility. Definitely a worthy addition to that machine.
Still learning a ton and working towards getting decent roasts but I feel I am improving. I went a little nuts ordering green beans when I first bought this machine so I don't have to worry about running low anytime soon.
I've had some beans I really enjoyed, and some I wasn't too big on, though at this point its fair to say that I am not confident in my roasting ability to know for sure when it's the beans or my roast when I find a bean I am not into. I can definitely see the advantage of buying beans in larger quantity to give me some leeway for really dialing a roast in. I initially bought a lot of 1 lb bags and that's just not enough, especially when I'm so new to this.
I did order some 3 and 5 lb bags of some beans, and luckily that included this one as it's become my absolute favorite that I've roasted. A little more expensive per pound, but not outrageous. I'll definitely be ordering more of this in the
future. This is my second attempt with these beans. First roast was a bit darker, and I think I enjoyed it a bit more than this roast. I went a little lighter here after reading some reviews on the beans and a fair amount of people claiming they preferred it lighter.
Such a fun rabbit hole you've all sent me down. Sometimes I pull a batch out and am confident it's going to be good and then I find myself lying in bed just waiting to get up so I can try it!
A while back I picked up the OEM extension tube for my SR800. What a difference that makes. The standard machine is fine but the extension tube sure gives a lot more flexibility. Definitely a worthy addition to that machine.
Still learning a ton and working towards getting decent roasts but I feel I am improving. I went a little nuts ordering green beans when I first bought this machine so I don't have to worry about running low anytime soon.
I've had some beans I really enjoyed, and some I wasn't too big on, though at this point its fair to say that I am not confident in my roasting ability to know for sure when it's the beans or my roast when I find a bean I am not into. I can definitely see the advantage of buying beans in larger quantity to give me some leeway for really dialing a roast in. I initially bought a lot of 1 lb bags and that's just not enough, especially when I'm so new to this.
I did order some 3 and 5 lb bags of some beans, and luckily that included this one as it's become my absolute favorite that I've roasted. A little more expensive per pound, but not outrageous. I'll definitely be ordering more of this in the
future. This is my second attempt with these beans. First roast was a bit darker, and I think I enjoyed it a bit more than this roast. I went a little lighter here after reading some reviews on the beans and a fair amount of people claiming they preferred it lighter.
Such a fun rabbit hole you've all sent me down. Sometimes I pull a batch out and am confident it's going to be good and then I find myself lying in bed just waiting to get up so I can try it!
wanderingrichard
Life of the Party
Love it.. Nick, that's a great bean you've selected. Blue is one of the things I remember fondly from port au prince during the 90's,relief effort
Sorry about the power outage, that sucks. Nice even looking roast!
I was cleaning up the kitchen after dinner tonight and looked at the pour over pot with one cup left. 6:30 PM and thinking about drinking a cup of coffee? I'd be in bed tonight not sleeping.
Wattage: it's important. Sometimes, you just need more watts.
So my Harbor Freight dual temp heat gun switch finally bit the dust. I wish I could just replace the switch but things are not made to be repaired so I don't think I can. And so I ordered a new one from Amazon. The reviews were good and it said it got up to some ridiculous temperature like 1200 degrees F so I thought it is good to go. It also stands stable point straight up which is useful for shrink tubing. Well the ol' Harbor Freight heat gun is 1500W and the new one is 1200W. I did one roast with it and it took a fair bit longer. Forget that. So I ordered another $20 heat gun, this one powered by 2000W and adjustable heat and fan speed.
Also, the lid on the old electric kettle half broke, so my wife brought home one from work that wasn't needed. Old kettle: 1500W. New kettle: 1200W. I tried the new one a while, but don't like how it takes longer. Also, it doesn't have an auto-off feature. I got the old one back out of the garage, cleaned it and put it back in service. Happy again.
So yeah, more watts. The new heat gun will probably do its first roast tonight...as long as it doesn't trip the breaker.
So my Harbor Freight dual temp heat gun switch finally bit the dust. I wish I could just replace the switch but things are not made to be repaired so I don't think I can. And so I ordered a new one from Amazon. The reviews were good and it said it got up to some ridiculous temperature like 1200 degrees F so I thought it is good to go. It also stands stable point straight up which is useful for shrink tubing. Well the ol' Harbor Freight heat gun is 1500W and the new one is 1200W. I did one roast with it and it took a fair bit longer. Forget that. So I ordered another $20 heat gun, this one powered by 2000W and adjustable heat and fan speed.
Also, the lid on the old electric kettle half broke, so my wife brought home one from work that wasn't needed. Old kettle: 1500W. New kettle: 1200W. I tried the new one a while, but don't like how it takes longer. Also, it doesn't have an auto-off feature. I got the old one back out of the garage, cleaned it and put it back in service. Happy again.
So yeah, more watts. The new heat gun will probably do its first roast tonight...as long as it doesn't trip the breaker.
Last year I bought some Kona green beans that turned out to be my favorite coffee of the year. While I was there I did some looking around found that Kauai Coffee also sells green beans but they weren’t available. Well I signed up for emails and got a 20% off coupon this week, which I converted into an order for 5lbs.
Kauai Coffee Estate Peaberry has been available at Costco in Kona the last couple visits and brews very well with the Aeropress I travel with. It’s sold at a medium/dark roast. From what I have read, it’s a very similar bean to Kona coffee but the differences in soil and elevation on Kauai brings out different flavors. I’m stoked to roast these beans.
Kauai Coffee Estate Peaberry has been available at Costco in Kona the last couple visits and brews very well with the Aeropress I travel with. It’s sold at a medium/dark roast. From what I have read, it’s a very similar bean to Kona coffee but the differences in soil and elevation on Kauai brings out different flavors. I’m stoked to roast these beans.
Nice find. I signed up for their emails, too. Thanks for the heads-up!
So my roast with the new 2000W heat gun also took a long time. I think there are a few things at play, and I hope that the main contributing factor is that I used the same beans as the last roast that also took a long time with the 1200W heat gun, an Ethiopian varietal that I grabbed off the top of the pile without giving it much thought at the time--so yeah makes sense it was the same beans and might be the same type of roast--a very dense bean that takes along time to hit first crack, and only a few beans make much sound at first crack. I did go a little longer this time and the more developed roast at City+ is tastier to me.
Other factors could be that it's cold out now, and I roast in my garage, and low ambient temp does slow down the first parts of the roast. Also, the new 2000W gun blows a lot more air, moving the beans a lot more than the other guns. I'm not sure how that does or does not affect things. More testing and roasting needed.
I’ve been working through an espresso blend that’s new to me. The tasting notes sound great but I wasn’t getting them in my first couple of batches with the Aeropress. Yesterday I pulled out the Moka Pot and that was the key. It’s excellent coffee. the Aeropress coffee got muddy and a little sour when I reduced water while the Moka Pot made for a dense and concentrated, layered cup.
I’ve found the opposite result with several coffees in the past; generally the Aeropress is my baseline for what the coffee is “supposed to” taste like but sometimes I can’t get it to brew well in a Moka Pot. I tried the MP because this blend is dark and dense, which is generally the sort of coffee that does well. So I guess for home roasters….don’t give up when the first few cups aren’t perfect. Another example of the variables that influence the final cup.
I’ve found the opposite result with several coffees in the past; generally the Aeropress is my baseline for what the coffee is “supposed to” taste like but sometimes I can’t get it to brew well in a Moka Pot. I tried the MP because this blend is dark and dense, which is generally the sort of coffee that does well. So I guess for home roasters….don’t give up when the first few cups aren’t perfect. Another example of the variables that influence the final cup.
Interesting, Rod. There are so many variables in our little coffee roasting/brewing hobby. I've learned that Ehtiopia Sidama Hantante roasted just past the first crack, finely ground and cold brewed defies description it's so delicious. Never dark roast that bean and press it. (Just my opinion.)
Those light/bright fruity and floral coffees are amazing for cold brew. I probably made 10 pounds worth over the summer. I’ve made a couple of batches since then just because. With the onset of legit winter I’m liking my hot and dark coffee though.
wanderingrichard
Life of the Party
In case you haven't seen this
WIRED: 24 Best Black Friday Coffee Maker Deals (2022): Drip Coffee, Espresso Machines, Grinders, Subscriptions.
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WIRED: 24 Best Black Friday Coffee Maker Deals (2022): Drip Coffee, Espresso Machines, Grinders, Subscriptions.
The Best Black Friday Weekend Deals on Coffee Gear
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