What I understand about cooling beans is that the Behmor (taking 10++ mins) is much longer than the ideal 3-5 mins (am i even right about this?). Some of you leave the door open for x amount of time. Others stop the cooling all together and presumably use one of those box fan mods (or similar).

Any other techniques out there?
Will skipping out on the machine's auto cool-down function (by taking the drum out immediately, cooling them outside/on a fan/whatever) somehow "damage" the heating elements?
How much difference is there really in the cup if the cool down takes 15 mins rather than 5?

Any insight is truly appreciated!

Cooling is very important! The roast is above 400f and will continue to roast or bake if the temp isn't brought down. I found with the Behmor that cracking the door with a piece of tin foil at the start of the cooling cycle was the least messy way for a quicker cool. A hair drier on cool or a fan blowing into the open door is very fast but messy. Stopping and removing the drum is hot work and I never liked doing it but I don't think it would hurt the machine however when I did this I would let the behmor start a cool down cycle again to cool the machine.

I only use 3:00 of the Behmor cooling cycle. Once I am at the point in my roast that I want (10-40 seconds into 2nd crack), I hit cool and crack the door 1/3 of the way open. In 3:00, or when the display reads 10:00, I kill the cooling cycle and pull the drum. It's just about cool enough to touch with bare hands. The cracking stops within the first :30 of the cooling cycle. The remaining 10:00 seems to be for protection of the machine internals.

I'm a Behmor abuser and roast back-to-back cycles all of the time and it's not seemed to affect the machine 312 roast cycles in but it's clearly not advised by the mfg. My guess is that the temperature sensitivity is related to the IC board behind the control panel not the elements. The elements cycle on and off all of the time and seem not to mind. The IC board has it's own cooling fan in there. I think that there's even a thermocouple on it that will shut off the machine if it gets too hot on that right hand side. If you are trying to shorten the time between roasts, the machine will not start another roast until the temp in the chamber is below 180 F (you should look at where my sensor is to fully understand) but it only takes a minute or two of running the cooling fan with the door open to get there.

As to the cup difference, I'm not sure. I have some blends/varietals that I am comfortable offering to fellow enthusiasts and feel that I can roast consistently. To do this, I've simply built "profiles" in a way that takes into account the cooling capacity of the machine. I have never pulled the drum early to cool more abruptly. One, it would be awkward and involve hot heating elements, gloves, fans, drum latches, blowing chaff and the like. Two, I've been told that cooling too quickly creates problems as well and the times that I get for the cracking to stop are inline with a Probat that I occasionally get to see in action. I have forgotten the beans in the machine and let them run for the full 13:00 and that makes no difference.

It's a tough little roaster and if you listen to guys on websites in other states that offer advice on free forums about hacking into something you bought last week for $300.... you can unlock some additional potential with a couple modifications.

WES

I own a Gene Cafe roaster so this may differ for the Behmor. I have been just using the cooling cycle but it also takes quite a bit of time so decided to make an external cooler like one I'd seen online somewhere.

It's a 5 gallon plastic bucket and lid ($3-4 at local DIY store) that I drilled a 1-1/4" hole on the side for the shop vac hose and a 7" (or so) hole in the lid that an 8" mesh colander drops into. The holes aren't airtight but it looks like it'll do the job. I'll find out the next time I roast. If there is too much leakage I'll get some weather strip to make a tighter fit.

I plan to stop the Gene at the desired roast, remove the drum, dump the beans and then finish the cooling cycle. I'll put the drum back in the Gene and run the cooling cycle to completion so I don't burn out the Gene components.

Hit cool cycle at the first snap of of 2C, open the door ~2" for 30 seconds - 1 minute then open the door fully, remove chaff collector and direct a 6" personal fan on the beans. Some chaff is blown onto the counter but very little.

I wait a minute or two and then open the door and put this mesh letter tray I picked up at a thrift store on the open door in front of the chaff screen. This keeps chaff from blowing all over me (I've got a hole cut in the Behmor chaff screen to make the beans more visible that the chaff blows out of). I clean up and suck out a lot of the chaff with the shop vac sitting next to me near the roasting bench.

When I feel that the Behmor chaff screen is cool enough, I pull that out and put it on top of the Behmor and then put the mesh letter tray in front of the drum again. It has a high airflow but keeps most of the chaff from collecting on my pants. Again, I clean up with the shop vac. Using this method, and sometimes directing the small computer fan in the coffee can (from a fake campfire project) for additional airflow, I cool the beans in about three and a half minutes (temperature in the Behmor drops to 100) but I keep the beans in the Behmor for the full cool cycle.

The mesh letter tray was originally picked up with the idea of making my own drum for my BBQ when I was still roasting in hot air popcorn poppers, but I got the Behmor instead.

Also shown in the picture is my Behmor drum stand (tape roll), my vacuum hose attachment that can slip under the drum (hose and jello cup), and my Behmor stand (monitor stand) that lets me slide my aluminum bean trays under the Behmor and raises it up for a better view during the roast.

I found this small fan ( also work with batteries) that cuts down the cooling time of 1/2 pound of beans to 2:30 . Perfect size, it swivels and it is VERY light without batteries.

I purchased it at Bed Bath & Beyond for $14.99.

When I hit cool, I turn on a small Vornado fan (on medium) and aim it angled up at the front of the roaster (with the roaster sitting more or less on the edge of my roasting surface). After a minute and a half, i open the door and leave it open for the rest of the cooling cycle. This cools the beans quickly, minimizes smoke, and fully cools the machine (top is cool to the touch with 5 minutes left on the cooling cycle).

HI Kristian...
Boy we are an inventive group are we not??!!!

I just open the door all the way for at least minute when I hit cool (with the Shop Vac running and in my hand). I just suck with the vacuum at the left upper edge of the basket (same side as the light) and it catches most of the chaff for the first minute.

Then I just prop the door slightly open with a bolt for the remainder, and it cools it quickly and nicely.

It sure doesn't take the entire 13 minutes to cool it down (at least not mine) but that time break means I can take the beans in and put em in the jars, and setup and run a second load (or third on busy days).

It gives the machine enough break to cool it as well...



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