HotTop maintenance - seasoned or scrubbed

[Fullsack]

I've read conflicting advise on the long term maintenance of the HotTop. One theory is that you get better flavor from a seasoned roaster that has a build up of up to 1/16". After the crud gets to 1/16" you scour it. Another tip is that if you're getting a bitter taste in the long after taste then it's time for a thorough scrubbing with a coffee cleaner like Cafiza or Cleancaf and a Scotchbrite pad. I just past my 100th roast, but no build up close to 1/16". Some coffees are giving me the bitter long after taste, but I'm not sure that's from the roaster. What are other H-B, HotTop users doing?

[cafeIKE]

I'm well past 100 roasts and have only a thin film on my HotTop.

The only things I 'clean' all the time are the sight glass and cooling tray. The sight glass to better see the roast and the cooling pan because I found that failing to do so resulted in a 'tinniness', for want of a better word, in the taste. Once I started cleaning the cooling tray after every roast, the tinniness taste disappeared.

[DavidMLewis]

I've read conflicting advise on the long term maintenance of the HotTop. One theory is that you get better flavor from a seasoned roaster that has a build up of up to 1/16". After the crud gets to 1/16" you scour it. Another tip is that if you're getting a bitter taste in the long after taste then it's time for a thorough scrubbing with a coffee cleaner like Cafiza or Cleancaf and a Scotchbrite pad. I just past my 100th roast, but no build up close to 1/16". Some coffees are giving me the bitter long after taste, but I'm not sure that's from the roaster. What are other H-B, HotTop users doing?

Well, my opinion is just that, and worth what you're paying for it, but I think the seasoning business is unique to commercial drums, which are solid and iron, as a rule. The Hottop's thin perforated stainless drum is a different beast. When it gets covered with coffee oils, I personally don't think it works as well. So I take it out occasionally and soak it in a Puro Caff solution overnight. At the same time, I take a bit of Simple Green, which oddly enough was invented to clean coffee roasters, to the inside of the machine. Also, you need to keep the temperature sensor in the back wall fairly clean or misbehavior will ensue.

Best,
David

[Fullsack]

Well, my opinion is just that, and worth what you're paying for it, but I think the seasoning business is unique to commercial drums, which are solid and iron, as a rule. The Hottop's thin perforated stainless drum is a different beast. When it gets covered with coffee oils, I personally don't think it works as well. So I take it out occasionally and soak it in a Puro Caff solution overnight. At the same time, I take a bit of Simple Green, which oddly enough was invented to clean coffee roasters, to the inside of the machine. Also, you need to keep the temperature sensor in the back wall fairly clean or misbehavior will ensue.

Best,
David

Thanks David. I followed your cleaning advice and it got rid of the bitter long after taste in Sweet Marias Classic Italian. I assume it will improve the other blends as well.

Cheers,
Doug