Posted Sat Jan 7, 2012, 10:58pm Subject: Looking for feedback on my second roast
Hi there,
I just finished up my second roast on my new Hottop B. On my first roast, I went to the very first crackle of second crack and dropped, but my notes on the roast were bad and didn't give me a lot of information. So, I just finished up a second roast using a notes template to better help me after the fact.
The bean I roasted was Guatemalan Finca La Folie from Sweet Marias. I used 250g and dropped at 210. The first audible pop of first crack was at 367-370F at about 11:15 seconds into the roast. First crack was active and running at 380F and 12:50-13 minutes and was done by about 384F and 13:30. I dropped the beans at 15 minutes with a display temperature of 390F, which is around a minute and a half after first crack. My aim was a City+ roast. I have the roaster with the new temp sensor inside and first crack happened at the same exact temp both roasts. While the temp is obviously not showing me bean temp, it is allowing me to have repeatable results (I do plan on eventually adding a bean probe).
Leading up to first crack I was running 100% heat. As the temp got to about 350-360 I dropped heat down to 70%, then dropped it to 50% when 1st started. As first got active and began winding down I had the heat at 30%. I left it there for the remainder of the roast. In addition, I had the fan running at about 50%. At 10 minutes, the display read 354, at 11 minutes it read 365, at 12 minutes it read 375, at 13 minutes it read 383, and I dropped at 15 minutes with a temp of 390 on the display. That gives you an idea of the temperature curve on my display, even though it doesn't mirror bean temp. I thought I was going crazy, but it almost sounded like there was a very faint crackle happening right before I dropped the beans. I thought I heard the same thing on my last roast. After first crack on both roasts, I kept thinking I was hearing a crackle and was worried it was 2nd crack starting. I assume the start of second crack isn't that faint - I roasted just to the start of 2nd on my first roast and it was a very distinct sizzle/snap/crackle sound. I don't know, just putting this information out there.
I think I achieved a City+ roast, but it is hard to tell. I think that dropping the beans a around 14:15 would have been a bit better. I have attached a closeup of the beans. How do they look? Their edges are a bit puffy, their surfaces are not quite smoothes out entirely like a Full City, and the silverskin is still tan. That very first crackle of second crack happened at about 399-400 on my first roast, so I think I was within a minute of hitting it (unless I was actually hearing it and my mind wasn't playing tricks on me).
Does it look like I controlled the roast? I am still a bit clueless when it comes to analyzing the roast afterwards and whether or not I kept the beans under my control. It looks like the temps were rising very slowly straight into first and up to when I dropped them. About 5-10 degrees per minute with smaller increments towards the end (again, this is based on my display, although the display seems to be accurate on a roast to roast basis - the drying phase happened at the identical display temp for this roast too). I will be trying my first roast either tomorrow or on Monday after a good 48+ hours of rest and this roast will be up for sampling on Monday or Tuesday.
Let me know if you have any advice or observations. I'm just looking for some feedback now that I kept some good notes!
Posted Sat Jan 7, 2012, 11:17pm Subject: Re: Looking for feedback on my second roast
Relax. First, it looks like you did well, and the narrative points towards a good understanding of what to look for, and having goals in mind and learning how to use the "B" to achieve them. You will do fine. The rest will come in time. And as soon as you get a good handle on a flavor, the crop will change, or your favorite coffee is no longer available, and you get to adjust again..
If you want to learn where second is, roast one batch to an active second crack (around 403-405 iirc.). Three possibilities: You learn a lot about roasting, you discover that a darker roast can be interesting in the cup, and worst case of the three: you have a batch of coffee to give away.
There can be "stray" cracks in a batch of coffee. So what you heard may have been that.
Of course, all that matters is what is in the cup, and in the next few days we will be hearing that.... right!? ;-)
Posted Sat Jan 7, 2012, 11:26pm Subject: Re: Looking for feedback on my second roast
Thanks again. I don't mean to sound panicked or worried. Pretty excited, that's all. I'll be trying the coffee out in the coming days so we will see!
Some other time, I may try that active second crack batch. I do believe that i was hearing stray pops, as these beans look a solid couple shades lighter than my first roast What does iirc mean by the way?
Posted Sun Jan 8, 2012, 8:49am Subject: Re: Looking for feedback on my second roast
I agree with Randy take a roast to an active second crack. Document at what temp it started and any other indications sight,sound or smell. I would also suggest bringing the heat up towards the end of first crack so you don't stall the roast. If you are running 30% through 1C try bringing it up to 50-60% after 1C, 7*f over the last two minutes could possibly be stalling the roast. Considering this is only your second roast you are doing a great job and your are definitely headed in the right direction.
Posted Sun Jan 8, 2012, 9:48am Subject: Re: Looking for feedback on my second roast
robertl Said:
I agree with Randy take a roast to an active second crack. Document at what temp it started and any other indications sight,sound or smell. I would also suggest bringing the heat up towards the end of first crack so you don't stall the roast. If you are running 30% through 1C try bringing it up to 50-60% after 1C, 7*f over the last two minutes could possibly be stalling the roast. Considering this is only your second roast you are doing a great job and your are definitely headed in the right direction.
I ended up have an hour to spare this morning, so I ran a batch to active second. First crack hit again right at about 365, although I began ramping down the heat a bit too fast before, so it took another minute for first crack to start compared to the last batch. First crack lasted about two minutes and was over by 14:15. I read your note about ramping heat up after 1st crack after first crack, but I completely understand why now. On my first roast, there seemed to be a very fast ramp from 1st to 2nd based on the temperatures on the display that they occur at. This time, it was going way too slowly, so I had to ramp the heat back up, but by that point it had already been going on too long. It took about five minutes to get my roaster up into 2nd crack range, which I have confirmed as being 400-401. I heard a faint crackle around 395, but it wasn't until 400 that it was a definite 2nd crack. I allowed the roast to go for 40 seconds into 2nd to really get a feel for it and dropped at 19:10 with a temp of 401/2. I obviously needed to ramp temps up between cracks and understand the time between cracks a lot better. Again, there were these ghost crackled happening around 385-395, but at 399-401 there was a definitive beginning to second crack. It was very active by 19:36 and I dropped at 19:40.
The beans are dark brown, the crease chaff is a darker tan now, and I saw a few beans with little circular divots. This roast was hugely helpful, as it helped me better understand how I can control the temperature rise between first and second. Now that I know where first ends (around 375) and second begins (400), I can more accurately try and control that ramp to get a two minute lull.
Over the next week or so, I will be brewing the first two batches (doubtful I will actually try the 3rd) and seeing how everything turned out. Either way, this crash coarse introduction had been a blast. Thanks Randy and thanks robertl!
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