by TimothyH on Fri Jun 26, 2009 12:01 pm
After reading that big commercial roasters cool the roasted beans with water I thought I would try the same.
I have been roasting with IRoastII for about two years. One problem is: when to stop a roast. The beans continue to roast for a while during the cooling cycle. This introduces another variable. Hot weather (like now) lets the beans get quite a bit darker. In the winter it does not seem to be as big an issue.
After a couple of roasts that I cooled with a fine mist of water I got a batch that looked good to the eye. Nice deep color, satin finish, even in appearance with no cracks, no oil on surface. I was trying to stop the roast just before second crack. I found that in spite of the good appearance, the espresso was lacking in the sweetness I am used to (SM monkey blend). I also had to tighten up the grind quite a bit to get a pour in the 25 second range.
Any comments, suggestions?
Thanks,
Tim