First crack at roasting

Originally Posted by floydpink

I was a little surprised at how much chaff was in the beans when I opened it up, but might have put the lid and chaff collector on wrong..


Once I took it off and threw it onto the collander with the fan under it, the chaff flew all over the lanai and I was glad I was outside.

I will let this rest and try it in the morning, once it degasses a little.


Please feel free to critique me, make fun of me, tell me to upgrade, or anything else that might help.

Pete,

1) Nice start right out of the box.

2) Are you sure you heard second crack? It's hard to be really sure from the pics, but if my eyes are seeing right it looks like the beans are still a little mottled, and, more importantly, it looks like I can still see (some call it cracks, some lines, some fissures, etc), in the surface of the beans. By the time you are into second crack, generally speaking and this will vary from origin to origin, the beans should be pretty uniform in color, and smooth, you shouldn't see that cracking in the surface of the bean.

I'm guessing you are somewhere between first and second crack, that looks more like a city-city+ roast to me, not even at a full city level yet.

I'm sure Mr. Moo, Norm, and others will be by to weigh in though.

Since you ordered from SM's you may already have seen this page, but if not this is a good pictorial of roasting stages. Sight is only part of the process though, gotta use your nose and ears as well.

http://www.sweetmarias.com/roasting-VisualGuideV2.php

Congrats on the new gear!

[floydpink]

Not sure at all, it may have been the end of the first crack.

I am trying to figure it out still and am guessing another couple minutes?

According to the manual, you will begin to get smoke at 2nd crack, and there was no smoke.

Originally Posted by floydpink

Not sure at all, it may have been the end of the first crack.

I am trying to figure it out still and am guessing another couple minutes?

According to the manual, you will begin to get smoke at 2nd crack, and there was no smoke.

Usually, yes you will get smoke. But some beans, like Sumatran beans, can fool you and there will be no or little visible smoke at all.

Watch, smell, and listen. The sound of first crack is that of popcorn popping, loud, sharp cracks. The sound of second is like rice crispies crackling when milk is poured on them, softer and faster.

The smell of beans changes as they roast, the smell of beans first roasting goes from a bready odor to a sweet smell as you hit first crack. The smell leading up to second crack is more acrid and pungent.

You have to use your peepers as well to keep an eye on the color.

Much easier than it sounds once you get used to it.

[germantown rob]

Was that a blend you roasted? It does look like you may have heard the start of 2nd on some beans but I think it could go a tad further unless it was that Bonko.

[floydpink]

Originally Posted by germantown rob

Was that a blend you roasted? It does look like you may have heard the start of 2nd on some beans but I think it could go a tad further unless it was that Bonko.

It was the Espresso Monkey Blend, part of a 4lb sampler.
They recommend full city to Vienna for the roast.
I'm gonna preheat the roaster a couple minutes and add a little more time to see if I can get it a bit darker.

I went to 7 minutes and really thought I heard a second crack, but could be wrong.

big big fan of their moka kadir blend.

[floydpink]

Originally Posted by Resipsa

big big fan of their moka kadir blend.

None of that in the sampler, but there is some of the Ethiopian Bonko, which must be like the Yirga I just finished because they're describing lemon cookies on the label, and wth is "mouthfeel"???

Gotta be honest, after a few days of lemon cookies, I'm burying the Bonko for a while.