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ageorge

626 posts

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#136614 3-Dec-2013 13:08
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Roasted coffee beans can cost more than $50/kg bag. I decided to roll my own and buy green beans and roast them. Green beans start at around $10/Kg, and you can mix/match/roast according to your taste desired.

Ive just done my first successful roast. But note if you follow info on Youtube you can come unstuck.
Youtube roasts invariably are done outside in the open to avoid smells and my first roasted beans were outside the house in the popcorn maker roasting for half an hour with no success.
I figured that New Zealand less temperate climate than elsewhere may heatsink the popcorn maker, reducing its heating ability, so did another roast in the garage in a box as below:

Note the paper towels, which helped raise the chamber temperature. When I removed them for the third roast it was not anywhere near as quick, so assume the towels restrict airflow and help the roast method.
The box is needed to collect the copious chaff that roasting beans generate, and help contain the airflow more; effectively reheating the same air.

Dont roast inside the house as your wife will get a tad annoyed with the smell.

Note you must get a popcorn maker with side vents and at least 1200w. If unsure you can PM me.

I used a fire alarm near the garage as an indicator of the roast ready. When the alarm fired, the roast was of the desired colour and 'First Crack' was over. I have not heard the 'Second Crack', but the beans were darker than my commercial beans anyway.
They should be smoking when you pour them out of the Popcorn Maker into a stainless bowl or similar.

Will report on the quality of brew in a few days, as the beans need 3 days to mature after roasting.

Kind regards,
Alistair


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ubergeeknz
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  #944708 3-Dec-2013 13:28
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Top marks for kiwi ingenuity :) let me know how it tastes!  I'd be interested in doing this for fun, although I'd be worried about melting our "Dora the Explorer" popcorn maker .. lol



YadaMe
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  #944718 3-Dec-2013 13:41
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The next batch of popcorn would taste like coffee too!!!

SaltyNZ
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  #944719 3-Dec-2013 13:42
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ubergeeknz: Top marks for kiwi ingenuity :) let me know how it tastes!  I'd be interested in doing this for fun, although I'd be worried about melting our "Dora the Explorer" popcorn maker .. lol


That was literally exactly what I was thinking. Dora the Explorer popcorn makers 4tw!




iPad Pro 11" + iPhone 15 Pro Max + 2degrees 4tw!

 

These comments are my own and do not represent the opinions of 2degrees.




ageorge

626 posts

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  #944737 3-Dec-2013 14:02
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Re melting the machine, I recommend removing the plastic top to prevent it from overheating and replacing it with a tin can (split down the side to fit) to stop the beans leaping out.

Re popcorn tasting like coffee I will let you know later after the kids have made some more popcorn.
I was surprised though that the heating chamber does not seem to be visibly tainted.
Regards,
Alistair.

nate
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  #944803 3-Dec-2013 15:19
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ubergeeknz: Top marks for kiwi ingenuity :) let me know how it tastes!  I'd be interested in doing this for fun, although I'd be worried about melting our "Dora the Explorer" popcorn maker .. lol


+1.  What a clever idea.

toyonut
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  #944949 3-Dec-2013 20:13
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My workmate does them in a cast iron pan and it always smells incredible when he brings the grind in to work. He says he wouldn't go back to buying pre roasted again and it is cheaper too.
Where did you get the beans from?




Try Vultr using this link and get us both some credit:

 

http://www.vultr.com/?ref=7033587-3B


freitasm
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  #945087 4-Dec-2013 08:09
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Removed some replies to keep this on topic.




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ageorge

626 posts

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  #945094 4-Dec-2013 08:20
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freitasm: Removed some replies to keep this on topic.


Thanks Freitasm.

Jokers please note this is an educational topic, there are more appropriate joking subjects elsewhere thank you.


DISCLAIMER:

CAUTION: When doing a bean roast inside (only do it in the garage) dont leave it, and ensure to have safety proceedures in case of a fire developing. Popcorn makers are not designed for lengthy and overheated use, which we are applying here. DO THE PROCEEDURES WITHIN THIS THREAD AT YOUR OWN RISK!

ageorge

626 posts

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  #945143 4-Dec-2013 09:52
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Results (couldnt wait more than 24 hours).
See below to left is Chico Doro beans, middle Robert Harris beans, right BigAls home brew beans.
Mine is what the Americans call 'City Roast' which is a stronger flavour, dark in colour. Next batch will be lighter


Test Taste of home roast (tried out after 24 hours roasted)

Woolworths Beans Delta/Chico Doro (about $18/kg roasted) - acceptable but like mine, needs a touch of sugar to balance the strength.
Robert Harris/Arabica Gold (about $7/200g roasted) -  best, smoothest
BigAls (my home brew about $14/kg roasted) - strongest, what I would call a 'City Roast'; better than Chico, needs 1/4-1/2 tspn sugar to balance the taste when black.
Comments: next batch will reduce the time after First Crack, so that resulting beans look similar to Arabica Gold. Notice all brews have a nice crema.

If anyone is interested in buying a kit including popcorn maker, 1kg beans later on when I sort out best methods and beans lets know (PM me). Expect price including freight around $50. Reminder - you use at your own risk!


Design Comments.
There are various methods to roast with popcorn maker shown on internet. The more sophisticated method involves a temperature sensor in the heating chamber, with control over the heating element.
Preferred roasting temperatures are here:

 

  • The beans will get darker and darker, until they start making sharp cracking noises and giving off a little smoke. This is called “First Crack”, and happens at somewhere between 180 and 200 degrees. Don’t stop here unless you like very acid coffee. The papery coating or chaff will start coming off the beans too. It makes a mess. Blow it off before you store the beans.
  • The beans get darker yet. The sharp cracks stop, but after a few minutes a second, more gentle crackling starts — “Second Crack”. This happens somewhere after 220 degrees. Somewhere between this point and first crack is good for plunger and filter methods, somewhere close after this point they are ideal for espresso.
  • French Roast or Starbucks level — almost black, not much of the bean variety’s characteristic flavour is left.

To simplify the operation, all we need is a reliable method to heat the beans to a given temperature until the desired colour is attained. If we can do this physically, rather than electronically, all the better.

sen8or
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  #945144 4-Dec-2013 09:52
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Popcorn makers are a popular and cheap way to jump into home roasting and some members on coffeesnobs forum have modded their poppers for variable temp to extend out the roast time. Each bean roasts a little different, but an "average roast" would be around 8-12 minutes for first crack, then 4 - 6 minutes until 2nd crack. Generally popcorn makers seem to be around 6-8 minutes from cold until 2nd crack, but it can vary.

I would think you would want a separate popper for coffee and popcorn duties, coffee beans leave an oil/residue, not much, but it will build up overtime and almost certainly taint the popper.

Don't overlook cooling the beans as quickly as you can, this is important as they will continue to roast well after you take them out of the popper. I use a colander held over a fan and stir the beans, cools them down in 3-4 minutes (500g batch size).

Ideally you should roast 3+ days ahead of consumption, some say 7 days +, you can experiment around with this a bit and find what point you think they taste the best, the flavour does change a lot in the days following a roast as the beans continue to degas.

Airtight storage, away from sunlight, NOT IN THE FRIDGE / FREEZER!!!


Depending on how you drink your coffee (plunger or espresso machine) I would highly recommend trying -

Columbia Excelso - has been my favorite bean for years, strong body, great as a single origin in espresso based milk drinks. Roast until just on 2nd crack (2nd crack should be happening as you cool)
Brazil Morininha Formosa - as above, great bean as single origin, plenty of depth and character, roasts well just past 2nd crack.
India Kalledevarapura PL B Green Coffee Beans - very strong / earthy flavour, a little lacking in complexity, great base but needs something else to tickle the taste buds (Ethiopian Yirg for example).

Those are some of my favourites anyway, never got into Kenyan based coffee, too weak for me, and Ethiopian as a milk based espresso drink is just a little lacking in punch, could be ok for plunger coffee or long/short espresso, but I dont drink coffee that way so cant judge.

I skipped the popcorn maker route myself, as the batch size is limited to 80-100g of coffee at a time, we drink about 500g a week of roasted coffee, so 80-100g per roast is not big enough. I use a breadmaker and heatgun (search coretto on youtube), roasts batches around 500g green beans at a time (works out at 400-420g roasted). Is definitely an outside only task, coffee chaff goes everywhere and whilst roasted coffee beans smell divine, the smoke that roasting coffee beans emits will leave a nasty smell in the house.

Most of all though, have fun, experiment a bit with beans, you can vary the batch size a bit to lengthen / shorten roast times, try them at different stages after the roast to see what you like the most.

Oh, and grind on demand!!!! Roasted beans are "fresh" for about 3 weeks, ground coffee beans lose freshness almost immediately

sen8or
1778 posts

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  #945152 4-Dec-2013 09:59
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ageorge - judging from the colour of the crema on your shots, I'd hazard a guess that you are using a pressurised portafilter in your coffee machine? (one or 2 small holes on the bottom).

If I'm right, try and get a standard filter basket for your machine, with freshly roasted / ground beans you don't need a pressurised filter, they are designed for stale / store bought beans to falsly create "crema like stuff" on the top of the shot that dissipates quickly, they also somewhat "stew" the coffee during the extraction, you will get much much better results with a standard basket.

ageorge

626 posts

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  #945159 4-Dec-2013 10:07
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sen8or: Popcorn makers are a popular and cheap way to jump into home roasting and some members on coffeesnobs forum have modded their poppers for variable temp to extend out the roast time. Each bean roasts a little different, but an "average roast" would be around 8-12 minutes for first crack, then 4 - 6 minutes until 2nd crack. Generally popcorn makers seem to be around 6-8 minutes from cold until 2nd crack, but it can vary.

Oh, and grind on demand!!!! Roasted beans are "fresh" for about 3 weeks, ground coffee beans lose freshness almost immediately


Thanks so much for your valued input - thats what this thread is about.
I cant believe you can consume so much coffee - can you sleep properly?

For years had instant coffee but in the last months have found the quantum difference between even the best instant and properly brewed coffees.
Have used several Delonghi Magnifica models which make a jolly fine brew, but currently using a Delonghi EC820b. The slight inconvenience of having to fill the brew head (with Sunbeam conical grinder) is made up by an improved, fresher taste.
Regards,
Al.

ageorge

626 posts

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  #945169 4-Dec-2013 10:13
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sen8or: If I'm right, try and get a standard filter basket for your machine, with freshly roasted / ground beans you don't need a pressurised filter, they are designed for stale / store bought beans to falsly create "crema like stuff" on the top of the shot that dissipates quickly, they also somewhat "stew" the coffee during the extraction, you will get much much better results with a standard basket.

You are correct, but the non-pressurized baskets are expensive eh?
Wifey had enough me spending on coffee machines, rather than Christmas presents!

sen8or
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  #945278 4-Dec-2013 12:07
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Looking at google, your machine uses a 53mm portafilter. The portafilter holds the filter basket, this can usually be pulled out. I don't know the details of yours, or if it would fit, but something like this http://www.espresso.co.nz/domestic-espresso-machine-parts/la-pavoni/eurobar/double-filter-basket-for-la-pavoni-eurobar-and-saeco-via-venezia/ "may" fit.

As for coffee consumed, its between two of us, we drink solely espresso based drinks, 18-20g double shot each morning, plus I grind some coffee and use it at my shop (I know, goes against the "grind fresh" advise above, but cant have a grinder at the shop, too noisy and messy), so normally 3 double shot coffees each work day, then 4-5 each day on weekends, adds up pretty quickly.

ageorge

626 posts

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  #945318 4-Dec-2013 13:08
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sen8or: http://www.espresso.co.nz/domestic-espresso-machine-parts/la-pavoni/eurobar/double-filter-basket-for-la-pavoni-eurobar-and-saeco-via-venezia/ "may" fit.

Thanks its only $20 I'll look into it.

I just did another 2 roasts. The roasts were faster using another method to contain the Popcorn Maker, and the resulting beans closely resemble the Robert Harris.

Roasted beans total weight 180g for 2 x roasts.

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