First time roasting Papua New Guinea (PNG), suggestions?

[Kuban111]

First time roasting Papua New Guinea (PNG), any suggestions?

My roaster is UFO/TO

[another_jim]

Good PNGs are not at all like Sumatras, but rather more like halfway between Colombian and Island coffees: they have soft medium fruit flavors that are best tasted at lighter roasts, and malt/molasses/chocolate flavors that come out in medium roasts. Processing is very uneven, and some lots can get a meatbroth taste which sometimes works, but mostly doesn't. PNGs from the highlands are suitable for very dark roasts, since they don't turn ashy and stay sweet; back when Starbucks had fresh coffee, the PNGs were by far their most successful dark roast.

As with all beans, I would make sure the beans are dried and yellowish under 300, but in this case, err on the side of too fast, not too slow -- a slow warm up will exacerbate problems with salty/savory flavors. Take the roast as quickly as until the end of the first crack; keep it fast (as with all beans) for a dark roast; but for the best balance I would suggest slowing down and stopping at the first pops of the second, or a little before that.

However, the roast level on a good PNG is really up to you, since both the fruit and the medium roast flavors are delish.

[Kuban111]

Jim,

Like always thank you so much for your input & help.

I was going to try.

A 1.lb batch to first crack and then a 2nd batch to just 2nd crack and tastes the different.

I read that this was very similar to a blue mountain type bean, does that sound right?

[another_jim]

Papua New Guinea was apparently originally planted with Jamaican trees; however, I have no idea what the current cultivars are. The highlands coffees may still be the original stock; but the plantations will always be experimenting with different cultivars.

[Jasonian]

May I ask which PNG this is?

[luca]

May I ask which PNG this is?

Probably a great question! My favourite at the moment is the Kimel, which has a very even screen size, unlike what Jim seems to have experienced.

... the roast level on a good PNG is really up to you, since both the fruit and the medium roast flavors are delish.

Great candidate for a SO blend of different roast levels.

Cheers,

Luca

[Jasonian]

Probably a great question! My favourite at the moment is the Kimel, which has a very even screen size, unlike what Jim seems to have experienced.

I've tried both the Kimel and Sigri plantations, and the results were very different. I think the crops were a year apart, but I'm not sure how much a single lot can vary in flavor characteristics between crop seasons.

I think it's a valid question.

[Kuban111]

Hi,

I haven't roasted the PNG I got from ccm coffee
http://www.ccmcoffee.com/index.php?cPath=21

I don't know were it came from, this is the only info that they have on there web site.
"Excellent Indonesian coffee grown in the highlands. Medium acidity and body."

Looking to roast asap.

Has anyone tried this from them.

Thanks all for the help.

[cannonfodder]

I've tried both the Kimel and Sigri plantations, and the results were very different. I think the crops were a year apart, but I'm not sure how much a single lot can vary in flavor characteristics between crop seasons.

I think it's a valid question.

A lot. It can go from 90+ to compost in a year.

[another_jim]

Hi,

I haven't roasted the PNG I got from ccm coffee
http://www.ccmcoffee.com/index.php?cPath=21

CCM buys mostly generic specialty and premium grade coffees, not individual plantations, and sells them at a very fair price. My experience with them has always been surprisingly good. They are a fairly large scale institutional roaster, but they know how to cup, and their coffees are generally excellent values.

[espressme]

Hi,
I love co-incidences!
I just had my first home pull of PNG( 15min. ago.) I got it in a trade from a coffee shop, roasted the 18th. I would agree with the first reply. This was roasted a bit too dark ( French, just short of oily) and was a bit sharp from my Cremina. I also received green and I will use the later information from this thread for my somewhat lighter roasting.
Thanks to all!
richard