We are also in FL. We started out buying our green beans from CCM - picking up the orders...but the last few times we've bought from Kevin at Theta Ridge Coffee in Indiana. He has better prices even with the shipping, I think, and he also carries Daterra.

Oh, and I had the same problem when I attempted to post a photo earlier in the week.

Hi Lucy, I'm not a skilled computer operator. I'm better at making coffee than PC's and I'm a coffee n00b at that=:-) I'm using Vista so if anyone has some recommendations on how I can re-size the photo, I'd be happy to post it


Jake
Reddick Fla.

Jake...P2 can be tricky...smaller loads may work better. 12 oz @1# setting, etc
I am concerned that you're not getting to 1st crack by at least 14 minutes into the roast. Something doesn't sound right.
I want you to start your roaster by hitting the "Cool" button....wait 20-30 seconds, then bend down, and look up to the top of the roaster. Is the "after burner" working? (it should be glowing)
If it is, then THAT'S not the problem.
If you have a Costco or Sam's club around, see if you can get the "Tripplite" Battery backup/surge protection. It has a blue led that shows you what your voltage is at the source, and what you are losing as the machine runs. It's a power conditioner as well, and will attempt to somewhat correct the voltage upwards.
Are you certain the machine is clean back by the temp sensor? (check at the Behmor website for a diagram as to where it is. Most important.
If you are using SM's (or another reputable bean source) green, that is also not the problem.
Try your Guats and Centrals on P1...or did I say that already?...LOL

Hey Rob, I would have gotten back with you before this but i've been kinda busy with Fay, watching, getting things organized, put away. Anyways, I don't think I have a problem with the Behmor not working properly. No, I didn't do your cooling cycle check but i do have a voltmeter, several in fact (multimeters) and the voltage at the outlet is good(124.6)

I probably misspoke about the time 1st crack started. I surely got through 1st crack by the time the 1 lb P/2 B roast was through. I drank all that coffee and it was very good and has given me pause to drink more roast profile type espresso blends, at least in the near future

I was working around in the garage that day and may have missed 1st crack and what I wrote down hearing with 1 minute on the clock, could have been the end of first crack and not the beginning. As you know, on this setting, the roast sort of rolls into and out of 1 st crack, and 2nd crack as far as that goes, unlike when roasting on the 1 lb default cycle where you know what what is happening as the temp is the same (more or less) all the way through the roast, so no surprises

Anyways, I roasted a pound of Papau New Guinea yesterday afternoon on the 1-P/2 B setting, added 30 seconds at the end and was rewarded with a roast that looks to have reached full city. I did it up Wednesday around 5 PM IIRC and have not had a chance to taste it yet. I will tomorrow as i don't have any other fresh beans to grind and drink= : - ), but read some verbiage the bean seller wrote where this coffee likes a full city + and 3 days rest. We'll see what jake thinks <LOL>

the way I'm thinking, whatever bean I'm going to order next, and whoever I get the bean from, I'm getting 5 pounds and will play with this same roaster profile, probably only changing the length of roast time at the end, at least that is the way i'm leaning at the moment

In regards to trying the central beans on P1, I could do that but I really want to explore the 1-P/2 B profile a bit as i think I can get to liking what that profile will do for my beans, roasting a pound at a time, and I want to stick with roasting a single bean and not a blend, at least for the next 5 pounds


Jake
Reddick Fla.

Sounds like a plan.
Seems we've gone a bit off topic (no mention of decaf lately), so apologies to the OP!
There are terrific decaf's out there, especially those called WP (not Swiss Water).
Espresso blends like Sweet Maria's Donkey Blend get very chocolate-y with milk.
Not bad straight, but in a cappa...yum.
As I mentioned earlier, in the Behmor, as in most any other roasting system, first crack will occur earlier, due in part to the lack of a protective chaff layer and other factors due to the decaffeinating process.
A P2 or P3 would be a better way to go, I believe, if only to allow some stretch time. The beans will appear to be darker than they actually have been roasted...what I mean is the roast degree is a bit less than the color indicates...whew!
LISTEN for the advent of 2nd. Decaf's (IMHO) seem to take to a slightly darker roast, maybe due to a less fruity beginning.
As always, don't stray too far from your Behmor, or anyroaster, for that matter.
I encourage everyone to try a P3 roast sometime...12oz at the 1#/P3 C. No time adjustments necessary, though YMMV due to voltage, ambient temperature, etc.
Roast on wit-cha bad selves!

I went ahead and changed the thread title. Actually, I am interested in roasting both decaf and reg. I've been following along, enjoying your suggestions and experience as I want to learn to roast both in the Behmor.

I mainly drink a decaf cappa in the AM...I am naturally hyper enough. My husband, being the opposite, requires his 2 large cups of full caff coffee first thing in the morning....he drinks an espresso in mid to late afternoon.

I bought a few different MC decaf green beans last time, (from Theta Ridge); it roasted well and has been quite nice. Since I drink only one decaf cappa each morning I am reluctant to roast 12 oz at a time so it stays fresh enough. My husband or I can easily roast 12 oz for him....since he goes through so much coffee each week.

Try the WP's:SM's, Coffee bean Corral, Burmans and several others carry them. The Guatemala and Panama are very very good.
Expect roasted decaf to age somewhat faster than regular. Not sure quite why, but it generally does.

whaaa?, I hijacked a thread?!? sorry Trix, my bad... too used to yahoo groups, and as I mentioned before, I'm not much of a computer person so my etiquete isn't where it should be. you'll forgive me right?=:-)

the papau new guinea I just roasted, the pound of beans on 1/P2/B, came out nice. pulled half a dozen shots today. if this brew is going to get better with 2 days more rest, I'll be estatic=:-), but by that time, most of the beans will have been ground and brewed=:-(

12oz at the 1/P3/C sounds like fun, I'll get around to trying it but I'm still undecided what to order for the next 5 pounds of beans. I'm not asking for suggestions, I'm just expressing that I'm not decided yet. I do know that I want to stay with cheaper (lower cost) beans, if for no better reason than to try and contain my initial experimentation with beans in the same quality caliber. Who knows?, maybe one day I'll splurge and roast some more expensive beans but I figure I have time on my side, in that, there's room down the road for more experimentation, and the current crop of beans (meaning all I've roasted to date) have tasted mighty fine


Jake
Reddick Fla.

OT
Hey Jason,
You mentioned your kids watching OZ on a different thread.... if you like musicals...you might like to listen to BBC Radio Wales online: Showtime. It is on at 5pm to 6pm EST Sat...or anytime after that with their listen again feature until the next program. I haven't found anything like it in the states. ( I also like Celtic Heartbeat on the same station)

I should be roasting again within the next few days. I ordered some of the WP decaf as you suggested from Burman. I have been happy with my last roast of the MC beans I got from Kevin. I don't think they taste decaffy....the roasted beans have a nice aroma too.

I had to call the power company out to fix my voltage. I had some fluctuations that went as low as 106 and 109...with the higher range only at 114 -116. They found the problem now I am averaging around 120.

Ron (or other Behmor roasters),
I just tried 12oz of Daterra Sweet Collection at 1#P3-C (as your suggested profile). Maybe it was my higher voltage but I think it got too shiny dark (to my less than trained eye). I'd say it is chestnut dark brown colored. I should have pushed cool when I thought I should have a little after the 2nd crack; but I didn't. IT did start to smoke for a bit.

I have an Italian cousin coming in on Tuesday and I think he may say it is burnt. I need to try for a more medium roast for him. How soon after the 2nd crack should I hit cool? Oh, and is it after the second crack starts or later into it? I also intend to roast some small quantities of Yirg, Sumatra, and a little robusta...just in case. I ran out of my central American varieties.

A couple of days ago I roasted my Burman's BCT Espresso Blend WP at 6 oz 1/2#P#-C and it came out a nice medium roast.

Ok, I tried roasting 1/2# of 6 oz of Daterra Sweet Collection with 2oz Ethiopian Yirg. at 1/2 P3-C. I had to hit the + sign a few times...otherwise it wasn't going to make it to the first crack. This time the voltage was lower all around which probably didn't help the range was from 119 down to 113, but averaged about 115V. This roast is probably too light. It is an even light brown. I would really want it to be a brown that would be between the two roasts. I wonder how these will taste after 4 days and the difference between the two. I wonder if it would it help to mix the two batches. Trial and error...maybe eventually I'll get it. So far I am disappointed in how they look.

Yesterday, I roasted 4 oz Brazil WWP, 1 oz Mex WP, 1 oz Guat WP (these are decaf beans) @ 1/2-P3-C it roasted well with no adjustments.

Otherwise, for my husband, lately we've been roasting 12 oz Deterra Espresso Yellow or Bourbon @ 1-P3-C....usually needing to hit cool with somewhere around a minute left.

I should add that several months back I had been having problems with our voltage being too low and inconsistent. I called the power company out to fix it and have since been staying between 123 and 115 with an average around 121...but this is winter in FL and once everyone is using A/C again it may be at 118 average voltage. Anyway, I think that there has been an improvement and that the higher average voltage has helped with the consistency of the roasts. When we were using A/C in the fall, I tended to roast in the mornings. Lately, that hasn't been as important.

A good high voltage is important for consistent results. Starting with a good high voltage usually requires no adjustment in my decaf at 1/2-P3 C. Since the weather in FL is hot again that means I have more luck getting high enough voltage by roasting in the morning. With none decaf we usually have to hit cool with 39/40 sec left at 1-P3 C.
Voltage plays an important part in successful roasting with the Behmor.