Coffee talk

ffb · Feb 21, 2022

troutpocket said:
Nice work! I roasted outside today with ambient temperature 43. I went 14 minutes and never heard a second crack. First crack was around 8 minutes.

Besides being cold, I wonder if ambient humidity is playing a role for you, assuming you’re on the west side of the state? It’s really dry here.

Hadn't thought of that! I am on the west side. Wouldn't surprise me if that plays a factor as well.

Edit: Quick search found this. Seems humidity might definitely be the reason we are seeing different results at the same ambient temps. http://coffeenavigated.net/changing-weather/

Buzzy · Feb 21, 2022

ffb said:
We're getting somewhere! Ambient temperature appears to be the achilles heel of these air poppers. I did change 2 things on this roast, both a different outlet as well as roasting in a box. I'm sure the box was what made the difference here. Having the roaster blow hot air down and around inside the box negated the ambient air temp well. 120g of beans again. Stirred by hand until about 4 minutes and it had lost enough moisture to rotate and turn over on its own. It was about 38 degrees out with a stiff breeze and this roast hit 1st crack at around 5 minutes, lasted until around 6.5-7 minutes. I held on for a while and hit 2nd crack for the 1st time with this machine at about 10 minutes. Pulled at that point. Overall much more pleased with this roast than my past tries.

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GREAT looking roast!!

EmergingFisher · Feb 22, 2022

I’m in the grind and prep the night before, set the machine for 5:00am crowd. But I’ve tinkered with the home roasting idea. So thanks to all you, that’s now in my head again!

Wolverine · Feb 22, 2022

A new machine for my birthday. It replaces one that I’ve had for 22 years.

Nick Clayton · Feb 24, 2022

Trying out these beans this morning from a local Kitsap roaster.

My first time experiencing a lighter roast. Really enjoying it.

Buzzy · Feb 24, 2022

Nick Clayton said:
Trying out these beans this morning from a local Kitsap roaster.

My first time experiencing a lighter roast. Really enjoying it.

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@troutpocket - look what you got started! Nick - I ordered three different varieties of green Ethiopian coffee day before yesterday, did this based on you raving about the flavor highlights. ;-)

krusty · Feb 24, 2022

All I gotta say is 'WOW'!!!

Regarding the herculean effort expended to produce good coffee (whatever that is!) I suppose the best analogy is that I feel like a powerbait fisherman sitting on a dock, gazing in wonderment at those weird flyfishers out on the lake, using equipment that cost more than my truck.

Buzzy · Feb 24, 2022

krusty said:
All I gotta say is 'WOW'!!!

Regarding the herculean effort expended to produce good coffee (whatever that is!) I suppose the best analogy that I feel like a powerbait fisherman sitting on a dock, gazing in wonderment at those weird flyfishers out on the lake, using equipment that cost more than my truck.

AS a former Sailor, and you a former Marine, we drank a lot of coffee that had been ground and canned sometime well before our birth, kept us alert and helped keep us awake on those midnight, and beyond, duties. There sure is something about the freshness of all this hobby effort.

krusty · Feb 24, 2022

Buzzy said:
AS a former Sailor, and you a former Marine, we drank a lot of coffee that had been ground and canned sometime well before our birth, kept us alert and helped keep us awake on those midnight, and beyond, duties. There sure is something about the freshness of all this hobby effort.

Yeah...I guess my taste buds were 'ruint'. I enjoy 7-11 coffee that's been boiling into sludge for 12 hours, ancient dessicated 'roller' hotdogs, and that embalmed 'mystery meat' you pick out of a plastic bin with tongs.

Buzzy · Feb 24, 2022

krusty said:
Yeah...I guess my taste buds were 'ruint'. I enjoy 7-11 coffee that's been boiling into sludge for 12 hours, ancient dessicated 'roller' hotdogs, and that 'mystery meat' you pick out of a plastic bin with tongs.

I like the corn dogs that are well done........ nothing like a gas station corn dog (with mustard, no ketchup).

Nick Clayton · Feb 24, 2022

I've never been one to turn up my nose at burned gas station coffee. Hell I've lived most of my life drinking that stuff. Still, after exposing myself to better coffee my eyes were definitely opened. I simply didn't know what I was missing.

Like Patrick McManus wrote "Smoked carp tastes just as good as smoked steelhead....if ya ain't got no smoked steelhead"

wanderingrichard · Feb 24, 2022

This thread has helped me pay attention to my morning coffee. As I said before, its a Grind and Brew cup in the mornings except for the weekend, where its pour over day.
I use the same french roast for both, just a finer grind for the pour over. What I've noticed is that i only drink 2 cups on the weekends as opposed to my 1/2 carafe a day during week days.
So I think I'm getting a better , richer, cup using the pour over and that's more satisfying for me.
Retirement cant come fast enough. Then, i wont hace to be up at 330-4 am every day and will have time to enjoy my drink.

Matt B · Feb 24, 2022

Dog, cuppa, fire, view—coffee experience porn?

wanderingrichard · Mar 1, 2022

Has anyone noticed an uptick in price per lb. or price per bag within the last week or so ? I'm hearing rumbles of it since the Ukraine incident started.

Buzzy · Mar 1, 2022

Green coffee bean prices have increased markedly since March of 2020.

BriGuy · Mar 1, 2022

Well, that would be quite the gouge since so much of the world's coffee beans come from Ukraine.

I wouldn't put it past the companies to use it as an excuse, though.

Buzzy · Mar 13, 2022

My wife and I spent a few nights travelling the 101 loop around the Olympic Peninsula, our last night was in Port Angeles at an Airbnb. This old house
had a very nice coffee bar including a burr grinder, French press, drip system and a pour over utilizing the programmable water kettle. I liked the kettle so much I bought one. Programmed the kettle to 200F. The long spout is great for controlling the pour over.

troutpocket · Mar 16, 2022

Been working through another gift bag. This time a dark roasted Kauai peaberry. Lots of coffees get washed out and muted in a dark roast but this one can take it. Rich and earthy. Dang it’s good!

As a side note, this stuff was available at Costco on Kauai when I went a couple years ago. Highly recommended if you want to make your own while on vacation.