☕ Coffee ☕: Ingredients, Roasting, Grinding, Brewing, and Tasting

[TallDan]

Assuming you didn't get this - looks like it's now posted as "Expired".

I couldn't see it but if the price was similar to the Bullet I absolutely would not have gotten the Mill City one. I can't imagine the power is as responsive as the Bullet's induction system, plus the capacity is half the size.

On the other hand, if you DID get it...congrats! Hahahaha.

I still see it on CL. Asking price is $2500. Mill City had new ones on ebay for $2550 in 2013, but they're not common enough to easily determine a fair price. I've looked all over and just can't find evidence of any transactions of them in the last 5 years to compare. I think I'm a buyer more around $1900, assuming that it's in lightly used, exceptional condition as the seller has described.

Batch size is a non-issue for me with the ability to do a few batches back to back in a timely fashion. It has less power and would be less responsive than the bullet. However, it is FAR more robust. I don't think I can expect any support or parts from Mill City or North, but I would bet that I could use that roaster for the next 25 years and if anything breaks, be able to get it fixed with generally available parts. The bullet hardware is too specialized for that. I can't help but say that it's like a Kal clone electric homebrew system compared to a picobrew z4.

Anyone try that microlot Columbian for GCBC yet??

Yep, two batches. First batch was too dark, didn't get much origin flavor out of it. Second batch was much nicer. Wasn't crazy about it as a SO espresso though.

 

[jammin]

MCR is extremely supportive with parts. Price for them is on the high but tech support is built into it for that reason. You can buy parts on the web from multiple sources for low prices. That roaster won’t lose a dime if you buy it. You could sell it 5 or 10 years from now for the same price paid.

 

[TallDan]

MCR is extremely supportive with parts. Price for them is on the high but tech support is built into it for that reason. You can buy parts on the web from multiple sources for low prices. That roaster won’t lose a dime if you buy it. You could sell it 5 or 10 years from now for the same price paid.

I suspect that you're right, but finding a buyer might not be real easy. Then again, who knows what the market for roasters will look like then.

I've also got this idea in the back of my mind that I could convert it to full artisan control as some people have done with the quest m3. Maybe even replace the heating element with something a little more powerful.

I'm going to wind up talking myself into it...

 

[applescrap]

When I buy things on craigslist that nobody is seemingly pecking at I will wait and wait and wait watching the price come down lower and lower and then l lowball. By the time shipping and eBay and pay pal get in your pocket you don't really get that much for selling it more on a world market. I would wait till he came down and then offer him a 1000 hoping to buy it at 1300. Seems a little unrealistic I know but you would be surprised. It never hurts to ask. I try to not make it Personal. It's just business. I try to not sell things to high spreading the good karma for later. I think a lot of the good deals I get are 2nd or 3rd owners. Ime Everything is easy buy hard sell.

 

[HarborTownBrewing]

When I buy things on craigslist that nobody is seemingly pecking at I will wait and wait and wait watching the price come down lower and lower and then l lowball. By the time shipping and eBay and pay pal get in your pocket you don't really get that much for selling it more on a world market. I would wait till he came down and then offer him a 1000 hoping to buy it at 1300. Seems a little unrealistic I know but you would be surprised. It never hurts to ask. I try to not make it Personal. It's just business. I try to not sell things to high spreading the good karma for later. I think a lot of the good deals I get are 2nd or 3rd owners. Ime Everything is easy buy hard sell.

So your the guy who keeps low balling me on the utility sink I'm selling...mmhmm.

Nothing cures a pesky Friday morning hangover like a cup of Colombian. Cheers all.

 

[TrickyDick]

Blended the Yemen with keynan and turns out is a great combo! Good way to start another shitty work day, but at least it’s a Friday.

 

[TrickyDick]

Blended the Yemen with keynan and turns out is a great combo! Good way to start another poopyty work day, but at least it’s a Friday.

I think something or someone edited my profanity!
Other thing about that Yemen coffee, looks like garbage, all small a varied shape beans and seems roast wasn’t very even, but I think it’s the beans themselves. Very odd stuff.

 

[passedpawn]

I think something or someone edited my profanity!
Other thing about that Yemen coffee, looks like garbage, all small a varied shape beans and seems roast wasn’t very even, but I think it’s the beans themselves. Very odd stuff.

Forum autocorrect automatically replaces **** inside any word with poop. I added that feature myself I like poopty though, has a novel ring to it.

 

[TrickyDick]

Seriously debating throwing out my stockpile of old crop beans. Has been confirmed that poor storage has led to deterioration. Flavor wise, all has been subdued in flavor intensity. Roasting wise, is damn near impossible to hear 1C on most of the beans, making them difficult to roast to my desired degree. In spite of that, some of the coffee comes out decent. But, if wanted to drink decent coffee I wouldn’t have gotten into this in the first place!

I think I’m going to freeze the 2017 beans in vac sealed bags and pitch the rest. So sad.

I bought some new crop, but it hasn’t arrived yet.
So far my new stock pile is quite small, and this weekend is going to be portioned and frozen in vac seal bags to prevent future disaster.

I have four pounds of Peru fto decaf, 3 of the columbian microlot, and I just bought three other coffees, which I wanted to ask if anyone else had tried yet.

Kenya Nyeri gichichi AA from Sweet Maria’s
Eth dry process guji dambi uddo from Sweet Marias
hambela guji guracho sundried natural from GCBC

This brings my stockpile to 12 pounds of current crop plus 4 pounds of decafe.

In my Internet searches, I found that some shops individually freeze roasted decafe coffee per single serving. I’m thinking I might do the same. I also read discussion about how grinding frozen coffee reduces the particle size dispersion to you get more uniform extraction, which is interesting.

 

[TallDan]

I think I’m going to freeze the 2017 beans in vac sealed bags and pitch the rest. So sad.

I'd probably keep some and play around with your roaster. Test the upper and lower limit of your batch size and stuff like that. Could be useful for someone that is just getting a new roaster if you're willing to ship.

In my Internet searches, I found that some shops individually freeze roasted decafe coffee per single serving. I’m thinking I might do the same. I also read discussion about how grinding frozen coffee reduces the particle size dispersion to you get more uniform extraction, which is interesting.

You know, that's an interesting thought. I've generally dismissed freezing coffee since the whole idea of home roasting for me is always having freshly roasted coffee in the quantities that I need. However, my wife prefers decaf most of the time, and it's usually only 1-2 americanos per weekend. So I roast 4oz in the behmor, keep it in an airscape container but that still ends up sitting around for a month. I might try splitting that up, put half in a bag in the freezer. Maybe switch to 8oz batches and put it into a few bags.

 

[jammin]

@TallDan - i hadnt looked up the current MCR prices in a while and I was surprised to see my TJ-066 (500g gas roaster) is now $5,000.00. There have been improvements such as attached cooling tray & integrated/ventilated cooling tray fan. There is also an onboard lamp for observing the sight glass & trier. On the downside, I am not a fan of the new ET probe location but that's debatable/inconsequential.
In any case, I bought mine just recently after their 1st price increase but before their 1st big jump; $2,999.00. A 66% price increase over the span of 2 years is remarkable. So in retrospect, the electric model you've spotted is a bargain and a niche piece since it doesn't look like they offer it anymore. Diedrich used to make 1lb electric roaster called the HR-1 which has been out of production for years. It is still sought after by enthusiasts who either cannot or do not want gas... food for thought

Re: reaction speed. Although the Bullet may adjust power quicker, this is a subject that is often over-hyped. A hood roast is one that is well thought out & should not have any knee-jerk reactions. When I was consulting MCR’s owner, Steve Green; he stated that the electric option was superior to the gas model in the 500g model as it’s heat application was smoother than the “fidgety” gas. In essence, he seemed to convey that the gas to too dodgy to control since the roaster didn’t have the thermal mass of its larger brothers therefor the electric tuned it back. I can relate to that from years of experience with the Quest M3. The electric elements were terrific buffers to large swings of heat application/reduction. With a little practice & anticipation the roast was quite easy to control and especially to set a path for the desired curve. RoR during development could be controlled with great precision by adjusting fan. Surely the TJ-066 is the same.

I’m regards to batch size, I’m in the same camp. 1lb is generally more than I need and for a long while, I very much missed my Quest & it’s half pound batches. Sure, it required more roasts but it was nice when you want 3 or 4 different coffees. As a result, I’ve been experimenting with 1/2lb batches on my TJ. I have a hard time learning 1 batch size let alone 2, but it’s not too bad I guess.

Firing up the roaster shortly for a nice session. Gonna roast more than I need but I have a LOT of coffee laying around. @TrickyDick - I apologize for not getting back to you but I have thinking over a thoughtful response but I think your best bet is to just get busy with the roaster. Try a different batch size & a new combination of heat application/fan! Always so much to learn

 

[TrickyDick]

Thanks for support gang! I think my issues are with the old crop is that the highly insulated Bullet roaster and muted 1C sound from the old beans make it impossible to tell when this singularly most important part of the roast occurs.

I'll get to roasting tomorrow. I may pick a few older beans to preserve, but I think that most are going by the wayside, unless I decide to roast them all for the coffee stations at work (which would also require grinding and packaging first. Perhaps a better option than throwing out.

 

[jammin]

which would also require grinding and packaging first. .

you need to borrow my Ditting KF804. it's an absolute beast and has arguably the best filter grind available.

 

[MaxStout]

Thanks for support gang! I think my issues are with the old crop is that the highly insulated Bullet roaster and muted 1C sound from the old beans make it impossible to tell when this singularly most important part of the roast occurs.

I'll get to roasting tomorrow. I may pick a few older beans to preserve, but I think that most are going by the wayside, unless I decide to roast them all for the coffee stations at work (which would also require grinding and packaging first. Perhaps a better option than throwing out.

Be a shame to just toss them. Roast the beans and give them away to friends, or like you said, at work.

 

[ba-brewer]

I'll get to roasting tomorrow. I may pick a few older beans to preserve, but I think that most are going by the wayside, unless I decide to roast them all for the coffee stations at work (which would also require grinding and packaging first. Perhaps a better option than throwing out.

If you left the bean whole roasted and said free I would guess your coworkers with grinders would know what to do with them. It would keep you from grinding and packaging for office use.

 

[applescrap]

Did you see bl is having a home roasting competition, we should all enter and maybe (definitely not me) one of us will win. Their special this week was Costa ricans all 30 off. The top end Costa Ricans above 7 dollars a pound are ok enough I guess. I left a little green in the geisha dammit. It looks and smells developed enough. A tricky one to roast.

Is fresh the only issue td? I thought green coffee was good forever. I love the spirit though. That's why I only buy high end yirga and stuff. I suffered through that Brazil. Wow, if I didn't know better I would guess I sound like a huge coffee snob and I am. I don't even really like coffee sadly, although that is changing. I like rockstars and diet cokes in the morning. Around 1030 I like a good cup of joe. Also I like to drink coffee with friends. Roast it and give it away to neighbors and such. They will love it.

 

[jammin]

had a nice roasting session last night & did a batch for a friend who wanted a dark roast. a strong medium is about as far as i could go but i am pretty happy about maintaining a nice, declining RoR:

 

[MaxStout]

Is fresh the only issue td? I thought green coffee was good forever. I love the spirit though. That's why I only buy high end yirga and stuff. I suffered through that Brazil. Wow, if I didn't know better I would guess I sound like a huge coffee snob and I am. I don't even really like coffee sadly, although that is changing. I like rockstars and diet cokes in the morning. Around 1030 I like a good cup of joe. Also I like to drink coffee with friends. Roast it and give it away to neighbors and such. They will love it.

I get it. I like whisky, but only drink it occasionally. So when I do, I like the good stuff. Life's too short for shiatty booze.

 

[Inkleg]

@TallDan - i hadnt looked up the current MCR prices in a while and I was surprised to see my TJ-066 (500g gas roaster) is now $5,000.00. There have been improvements such as attached cooling tray & integrated/ventilated cooling tray fan. There is also an onboard lamp for observing the sight glass & trier. On the downside, I am not a fan of the new ET probe location but that's debatable/inconsequential.
In any case, I bought mine just recently after their 1st price increase but before their 1st big jump; $2,999.00. A 66% price increase over the span of 2 years is remarkable. So in retrospect, the electric model you've spotted is a bargain and a niche piece since it doesn't look like they offer it anymore. Diedrich used to make 1lb electric roaster called the HR-1 which has been out of production for years. It is still sought after by enthusiasts who either cannot or do not want gas... food for thought

Re: reaction speed. Although the Bullet may adjust power quicker, this is a subject that is often over-hyped. A hood roast is one that is well thought out & should not have any knee-jerk reactions. When I was consulting MCR’s owner, Steve Green; he stated that the electric option was superior to the gas model in the 500g model as it’s heat application was smoother than the “fidgety” gas. In essence, he seemed to convey that the gas to too dodgy to control since the roaster didn’t have the thermal mass of its larger brothers therefor the electric tuned it back. I can relate to that from years of experience with the Quest M3. The electric elements were terrific buffers to large swings of heat application/reduction. With a little practice & anticipation the roast was quite easy to control and especially to set a path for the desired curve. RoR during development could be controlled with great precision by adjusting fan. Surely the TJ-066 is the same.

I’m regards to batch size, I’m in the same camp. 1lb is generally more than I need and for a long while, I very much missed my Quest & it’s half pound batches. Sure, it required more roasts but it was nice when you want 3 or 4 different coffees. As a result, I’ve been experimenting with 1/2lb batches on my TJ. I have a hard time learning 1 batch size let alone 2, but it’s not too bad I guess.

Firing up the roaster shortly for a nice session. Gonna roast more than I need but I have a LOT of coffee laying around. @TrickyDick - I apologize for not getting back to you but I have thinking over a thoughtful response but I think your best bet is to just get busy with the roaster. Try a different batch size & a new combination of heat application/fan! Always so much to learn

Just got back from my LHBS and he wants to start selling coffee that I roast. I've been eyeballing the same roaster that @jammin has for over a year now. This will probably be just the push I need.

@jammin I imagine it's quite easy to roast a total of 5-10 pounds back to back? What are you using to exhaust your roaster? Is the MCR vent system worth the money? So many more questions, this is a start.

 

[jammin]

@Inkleg - i did 5lbs last night just goofing around for fun and it was a breeze. I am currently using B-vent (dbl wall) but the stuff MCR sells is exceptional. I really like it and although expensive, it really is what you need. Coffee roasters are unlike natural draft gas appliances such as a water heater in that their is exhaust is positive pressure. This means you need tight joints so you don't have leaks. The snap-lock style fittings are a necessity for this & are also a god-send for maintenance. Roaster venting gets dirty fast and requires frequent cleaning.

 

[applescrap]

Ghawwk, I left a little green in the geisha. Still, not overly great. I know it's a lower end but nothing to amazing. Going to roast some more right now and let it go 5 minutes on low heat before moving up.

 

[TrickyDick]

you need to borrow my Ditting KF804. it's an absolute beast and has arguably the best filter grind available.

There's one on eBay for $900.

 

[MaxStout]

Just read this earlier today. Apparently, a niche of higher-end coffee shops serving coffee with no condiments available. Guess they don't want the savages dumping sugar and cream into their nice Ethiopian brew.

http://www.bbc.com/capital/story/20190402-these-coffee-snobs-ban-milk-and-sugar

I get that. If a guest at my house wants whisky, I ask if they want it neat. If yes, they get a pour of a nice single malt. Mixed with something? They get Dewars.

 

[jammin]

@MaxStout - it's funny, nobody would bat en eye if a nice steakhouse "banned ketchup/A-1" but people are funny about coffee.

i'm a big whiskey fan myself. i haven't dived into scotch but have a deep cabinet full of american bourbon. i don't mind it neat but usually have a few cubes. i feel like maybe someday, like i did eventually when converting to black coffee Ill start leaning towards neat. i'm curious though, what's your take on whiskey/bourbon with a few cubes? seems like that world has a large stigma towards diluting the juice.

 

[MaxStout]

@MaxStout - it's funny, nobody would bat en eye if a nice steakhouse "banned ketchup/A-1" but people are funny about coffee.

i'm a big whiskey fan myself. i haven't dived into scotch but have a deep cabinet full of american bourbon. i don't mind it neat but usually have a few cubes. i feel like maybe someday, like i did eventually when converting to black coffee Ill start leaning towards neat. i'm curious though, what's your take on whiskey/bourbon with a few cubes? seems like that world has a large stigma towards diluting the juice.

I like bourbon as well as scotch. And good, pot-stilled Irish whiskey.

Some whiskeys need an ice cube or dash of water to open up the flavor. Others are so potent (e.g., Booker's) that it needs a splash to tame it. In any case, I do like to try a new whisky both ways--with and without a splash--to see what I like best.

 

[applescrap]

Roasted the geisha on 5 of 6 power straight through. Initial taste was really good, chocolatey and nice like a good Ethiopian. Albeit a little to safe.

Roasted some fresh decaf. What's the deal with this stuff,it doesn't crack. I went 5 straight through with it too. Last time burnt it and brought out oil. This time pulled it when I smelled a strong cinnamon smell. It's really really good. Chocolate and nutty.

 

[TallDan]

Most whiskey is bottled at about 80 proof, and a nicer bottle should be served neat, IMO. When it is bottled at a higher proof, I find a little water balances things out a little better. I'll use stones or sometimes ice in a whiskey that seems a little (alcohol) hot as that seems to tame it, but most that need ice get relegated to cocktail duty.

It's easy to love bourbon right now. It went from being just cheap booze to having a full range of quality fairly recently and there's just a ton of great stuff out there. I really like a good rye as well. Scotch used to be the expensive game, but now bourbon has closed the price gap quite a bit.

 

[HarborTownBrewing]

Bourbon, yes. The thing to remember with bourbon is, the more "mainstream" mid-tier bourbons all have water added to them. Think Makers, Buffalo Trace, Bulleit, etc - that's why they are 80 proof. You move up a little and you get into the Cask Aged category where you'll find proofs like 90, 100, 110...whatever. These tend to be un-cut leaving the most dominant barrel flavors present. A good example of this for ~$50 is the Woodford Double Oaked bourbon. They purposely didn't cut it down because that would take away some of the barrel flavors that came from double barreling it, thus leaving the consumer with the ability to cut it to their tastes.

In my opinion, a cask-strength bourbon should only be given a couple drops of water to open up the flavors a little bit. Once you drop an ice cube in there, you've unleashed a good amount of water. It's also going to drop the drink's temp which will impact flavor (think of how it's good to slightly chill a red wine, but you don't want the wine over-chilled).

Fun facts on ice: If using ice, the sphere cubes are best because they have less surface area and melt slower. A good whiskey bar will use a single large sphere or square cube, and you should be able to see straight through it - that means the ice cube was built up slowly over the course of 12-24 hours, and it will melt slowly. If the cube is cloudy that means it was hastily frozen and will thaw just as quick (think of your kitchen's ice maker - it's quickly made ice, and it's cloudy).

 

[TallDan]

Just noticed that the Behmor 1600+ is out of stock everywhere and they have new roaster on their website, the 1600AB+. It looks like the only differences are a higher speed motor (which has been available on their parts site for a while now) and and all-black exterior. I think I'm going to get mine listed for sale quickly and see if i can capitalize on low supply.

 

[RyanDe680]

Just noticed that the Behmor 1600+ is out of stock everywhere and they have new roaster on their website, the 1600AB+. It looks like the only differences are a higher speed motor (which has been available on their parts site for a while now) and and all-black exterior. I think I'm going to get mine listed for sale quickly and see if i can capitalize on low supply.

It's funny you mentioned, I just saw that last night and was scratching my head. I missed it at first but then came back to it to see the AB.....

 

[Br3w4u]

Just noticed that the Behmor 1600+ is out of stock everywhere and they have new roaster on their website, the 1600AB+. It looks like the only differences are a higher speed motor (which has been available on their parts site for a while now) and and all-black exterior. I think I'm going to get mine listed for sale quickly and see if i can capitalize on low supply.

If you list it post the link here.

 

[Kealia]

I saw a picture of that black one.....sexy!

 

[TallDan]

If you list it post the link here.

I can do that, but honestly, If I sell it right now, I'm going to try to get more than it's worth, and you shouldn't bid. If that fails, I can list for sale on HBT and avoid ebay fees.

 

[Sbe2]

So I think I am going to start roasting, albeit Neanderthal and all, but hey you have to start somewhere.

I will be using a cast iron dutch oven, propane burner, whisk, and a couple metal bowls for cooling. I am wondering if there is a bean you all would recommend for this style of roasting? Something easy, but has potential to taste decent.

 

[MaxStout]

So I think I am going to start roasting, albeit Neanderthal and all, but hey you have to start somewhere.

I will be using a cast iron dutch oven, propane burner, whisk, and a couple metal bowls for cooling. I am wondering if there is a bean you all would recommend for this style of roasting? Something easy, but has potential to taste decent.

Another Neanderthal here, and still very much in the beginner stages. I've had very good luck with some Columbian and Honduras. The latter I bought from an online seller pointed out by another member several pages upthread. Legacy Farms, and they sell 5 lbs. for $25, shipping included. It's hard to fark up these beans and cheap enough that if you do, so what? It makes for a nice cup, albeit not overly complex. Very little chaff during roasting, too.

 

[TallDan]

Have my behmor on ebay now. Way overpriced for a used one, but not as overpriced as the new one listed for $650 or the one on Amazon for $900.

Also, making plans to go look at the Mill City this week. These things are related, of course, but not dependent on each other. If I decide not to get the MC, I'd still be happy with selling the behmor for an inflated price. I'll either buy roasted coffee for a little bit or use a popcorn popper or heat gun for a little while until I get another roaster.

 

[Ruint]

Hey you bullet roasters!!! A little trick I have learned to help hear 1st crack is, when viewing the beans color change and you know it should be close, dislodge the trier just a little out....not so much that you are bleeding away heat through the opening mind you...it has helped me on some of the more feint to hear beans crack. Once you are sure that indeed that is first crack, just push the trier back in

 

[Ruint]

Also...the Costa Rican coffee sale at bl....the Villa Sarchi Natural is a very good cup! I have ordered 30 lbs of it, and only have 10 left. Been drinking it for a month and a half and enjoy it very much. It isn't everyday cuz I like variety, but I would bet that 4 days out of the week, that is what's in the cup. Berries and brown sugar!!!

 

[ong]

So I think I am going to start roasting, albeit Neanderthal and all, but hey you have to start somewhere.

I will be using a cast iron dutch oven, propane burner, whisk, and a couple metal bowls for cooling. I am wondering if there is a bean you all would recommend for this style of roasting? Something easy, but has potential to taste decent.

I’ve been doing this method for the last 15 months or so. My recommendations are to use a pot with high sides (I just use a heavy stainless 8 quart pot) and an extra long whisk, because short ones get HOT!

Really you can roast whatever beans you want this way — I’m not sure any particular ones work better with a pot and open flame. I do a lot of Ethiopian and Rwandan beans, mostly because of personal preference.

 

[jammin]

At about 2 seconds in, you can hear the vanguard beans starting to pop. I am posting this video to demonstrate how audible 1C is on the Tj-066 even with older, dried out greens. Ambient noise appears quite loud but you can compare the 1C pops to the very light sounds of the trier sliding in/out of the roaster's face.