Bought a home roaster -gulp- seeking tips for my taste preference..

[jeffg]

I just got a gene cafe home roaster. The beans in new zealand are just too expensive like $12.50-15.00 per 250gram bag -something I can not afford anymore. I can get green beans for like $10 a kilo or less. So.. I am picking this machine up tomorrow. They said it comes with some free beans which I may try at first. I am not sure what green beans to go for. I tend to like a low acidity smooth strong flavor with chocolate undertones. I mostly make cappucinos and flat whites (in NZ a flat white is a doubleshot with a cup of frothed milk added). Can I get by with one bean or will I need to roast a few different types and if doing that I assume I would for example roast each bean seperately then combine them after roast? Thanks

P.S. here are some of my choices: http://www.trademe.co.nz/Members/...aspx?member=484467

[kitt]

Congrats, you've bought a great machine.I just bought one as well off trade-me.It comes with a free bag of Colombian beans.$10 a kilo sounds pretty cheap for green beans, is that NZD? So far i've only roasted up some off the Colombian mixed with some guatemalan, and it was great, i make flat whites also, and i'm very happy with the results so far.There's plenty of reviews/info available on the web.I set mine at 250C (it never reaches that, then after about 1 min after first crack(about 13 minutes) i reduce whatever temp it has reached by approx 5 degrees, then carry on till about 16.5 - 17 minutes.There's plenty of information on the sweet marias website about blending beans with regards to desired taste. I'm not sure who you are getting your machine off, but note mine came with a euro plug, and needed a travel adaptor.I e-mailed the supplier, but got no response!
http://www.sweetmarias.com/roasting-VisualGuideV2.html

[keno]

I tend to like a low acidity smooth strong flavor with chocolate undertones.

Try Brazilian dry processed, Sumatran, and Colombian. All are low acidity, full bodied, with nice chocolate undertones.

[jeffg]

Great and would i roast them all at the same time or individually then mix, or are you saying just start with one of those exclusively?

[hazbean]

It's good to see another antipodean GeneCafe user! I've now had one for several
months, just starting to feel comfortable with it, and pretty happy with the results.

"would i roast them all at the same time or individually then mix ..."

As different beans usually roast differently, I find it best to roast them
separately and mix as needed. Then you can experiment. I often just
make a spontaneous blend in the grinder.

Of the beans on your list, I'd try the Mandelhing by itself, then with say 20%
of either of the Kenyas, or the CR. Not sure about the Mexican, I've only
tried it once quite a while ago. The Malabar is low acid and full bodied, but
has a quite distinctive flavour that some people just don't like; it's also
tricky to roast (e.g. it can go very quickly to second crack, I've
seen it do that in a Gene). Worth a try though.

The technique suggested above is pretty good. I'm currently using this: a "drying
phase" of 160C for about five minutes, then set to 228C and let it go to completion.
This usually sees FC at about 13 minutes and SC at about 18. There are lots of
suggestions out there, try and see what you like.

Have fun!

[another_jim]

The issue with blending is trading off the advantage of roasting each bean individually with that of being able to mix them at any proportion you like (you're pretty well stuck with simple fractions if you do a roast for each bean).

In a slower style drum roaster, there isn't an issue of roast profile, the one that works best for one bean will work close to best for all. This suggests preblending. If you preblend, it's best to do it a week or more ahead, so the moisture content in the beans can equalize. If you want a melange blend that mixes lighter and darker roasts, you still need to do each batch separately.

For straight espresso, Brasil is king. In general, espresso blends use 50% or more of a dry or pulp natural Brazilian coffee; roasts to the point where the 2nd crack starts rolling usually work best. For milk drinks, this is not the best idea; here roast flavors are king. Take your roasts about 30 to 45 seconds darker, to the maximum point of the 2nd crack. Also replace most of the Brasils with coffees that have distinguished roast flavors: Sumatras and Sulawesis, Kenyas, Ugandas, Harars, and Yemen Mochas, Guatemalan Antiguas and Colombians. Acidity is not an issue at darker roasts used in milk drinks.

[kitt]

I've been blending pre-roast with the gene cafe and have had very even roasts.I think it's only an issue when blending beans with drastically different roast times eg-de-caf beans which normally roast alot faster.
Here's some alternative bean sources.I recently ordered from bean roasting, they were very helpful, but are in new plymouth.Global coffee is in auckland
http://www.beanroasting.co.nz/cat...php?products_id=31
http://www.globalcoffee.co.nz/

[jeffg]

well, i roasted a batch 200gms. I gotta say, I have no idea how you folks with this machine can hear first or second crack. I had my ear by the collector for a while as that is where people say to listen. They say 1st crack sounds like twigs snapping, well the beans rolling around sound like what? twigs snapping! I also heard nothing around 2nd crack. I think all I can do is go by color. I did 160c for 5mins then 228c for 15 and then stopped it. The color resembles the same tones as my commercially roasted beans so I guess I am in the ball park? hmm

[joellawry]

I just got a gene cafe home roaster. The beans in new zealand are just too expensive like $12.50-15.00 per 250gram bag -something I can not afford anymore. I can get green beans for like $10 a kilo or less. So.. I am picking this machine up tomorrow. They said it comes with some free beans which I may try at first. I am not sure what green beans to go for. I tend to like a low acidity smooth strong flavor with chocolate undertones. I mostly make cappucinos and flat whites (in NZ a flat white is a doubleshot with a cup of frothed milk added). Can I get by with one bean or will I need to roast a few different types and if doing that I assume I would for example roast each bean seperately then combine them after roast? Thanks

P.S. here are some of my choices: http://www.trademe.co.nz/Members/...aspx?member=484467

Hey jeff,

where in new zealand are you? I'm in christchurch.
firstly, where'd you get your roaster from?

second, to extrapolate; in new zealand a properly made flat white is a double shot with steamed, but not foamed milk added - in actuallity most cafes keep a big jug of dish soap on the go and hold back the bubbles with a spoon, but if you go somewhere with know-how they'll serve you steamed (not foamed) milk in your FW

if you are in ChCh try Underground Coffee on Colombo st, they are one of the best roasters i've found and they have been happy to sell me greens at the same price they buy them.

Good luck, and email/msn me if you want.

Joel

[jeffg]

I'm in auckland area. Well, just took a whiff of the beans I roasted and they smell pretty dang good. Smell very much like one of the commercial roasts I had a few months ago. It's late so I'll have to wait until tomorrow to try them out. I suppose I should really wait 2 days before I try them or to expect full flavor after a few days..

[joellawry]

if you want to truly prove to yourself that it was worth the money, wait for at least two days before trying your beans (no matter how hard that may be!!) - the difference in trying it as INCREDIBLE coffee is sure to beat trying it as VERY GOOD :p

Next time i'm up that way i'll sent you an email. always good to meet other HBers - just harder in our corner of the world :p

[jeffg]

Just had a cappa with my new roast. WOW one of the best I've had to date. I am a convert, home roasting is THE way to go..

[kitt]

Yeah, i've been really impressed with my results so far too! Just out of interest, what roast level were the beans at? any surface oil?.Twenty minute roast seems quite long for a gene cafe, but with the lower roast temps maybe that explains it.Maybe i'll give it a try.
The 1st and 2nd cracks can be quite hard to hear, if you look at the sweet marias pic's of different stages of roast it gives an idea when 1st crack will happen.It's been pretty consistently around the 13m mark for me.It's more of an explosive popping than the 2nd crack, which is more like ricies or rice bubbles crackling after you add milk to them.Did your gene come with a euro plug (2 round pins)?

[jeffg]

yeah mine had the euro plug, luckily i had a spare adapter. I used this technique:

"The technique suggested above is pretty good. I'm currently using this: a "drying
phase" of 160C for about five minutes, then set to 228C and let it go to completion.
This usually sees FC at about 13 minutes and SC at about 18. There are lots of
suggestions out there, try and see what you like."

[joellawry]

Hey, do either of you know what the reserve for the roasters was on tm? i am looking at getting the one he has on there now, but don't have $650, cheap as that is for what it is. Does it tell you post-auction what the reserve was? Thanks,


Joel

[jeffg]

Hey, do either of you know what the reserve for the roasters was on tm? i am looking at getting the one he has on there now, but don't have $650, cheap as that is for what it is. Does it tell you post-auction what the reserve was? Thanks,


Joel

I did a buy now 600 on mine. I saw it listed elsewhere for 795 so figured it was a pretty good deal.

[joellawry]

it is a very good deal. When you go to the auction details under My Trademe>Items I Won does it tell you the reserve or only what you bought it for? I thought that above the Bids section at the bottom is said what the reserve was?

[jeffg]

it is a very good deal. When you go to the auction details under My Trademe>Items I Won does it tell you the reserve or only what you bought it for? I thought that above the Bids section at the bottom is said what the reserve was?

was 600 reserve

[joellawry]

hmmmm...

thanks, i will have to figure out if i can afford it then..

good luck with yours!!!


Joel

[jeffg]

no worries, I'm really impressed with the build quality. I expected something a bit flimsy like a popcorn popper but it's quite solid, uses a very strong high end plastic material that I've seen on expensive devices before.