17 days post roast. The dry aroma is very comfort food now, chocolate and dry distillates; but the wet aroma still has a hint of rubber, although much reduced from before, and not unpleasant.

I did 50/50 shots with the the three espresso blends I have on hand. In each case, it worked like a dab of cream, adding body and mouth feel, but cutting acidity and masking the high end flavors. The brandy flavor of Miscela Massini is a combination of the Robusta's rubber aromatic interacting with the fruit-wine ferment of DP Brazils or Sidamos. The tarry chocolate roast flavor also interacts well with their cola nut and chocolate roast flavors. I think at three to four weeks age, this will make a very good blender for creating comfort food espresso blends.

Any thoughts on how your roasting profile worked out? Anything you'd change?
It would seem like these beans should hold up well if they are vac. froze in small packs after aging. Nice to have around for a change.

I was expecting the longer profile to reduce the rubbery aromatics by baking them out; but it didn't. So I'm not sure what I'll do next.

Just curiosity: are you cooling the beans fast?

Two minutes to about 125F. I pack them at that point.

I roasted a Robusta once. don't remember what is was exactly. What I do remember though is the smoke it produced. Certainly a different cup of tea, Robusta.
Crema was fantastic, taste less so. If in a blend I would maybe stick with 5% Robusta or something to start with.

Cheers V.

Fully staled, the Robusta I roasted was mostly tar as a shot, and slightly rubbery as a cappa. So either the Sufia or my roast of it was a bust; alone or in blends it never approached the Miscela Masini as a solid espresso with interesting (to some) roast and cognac aromas.

another_jim wrote:The lighter roast is an Indian Robusta and a Brazil. The blend is roughly 50% Robusta.

Not having any good Robusta on hand, I tried combining this blend with some high acid, fruity SOs. That didn't just taste bad, but bizarrely hideous. So unless I missed a trick, I don't think Robustas can work in a blend with high acid or ultra-fruited Arabicas.

This is why I busted out my Sweet Maria's India Sufia Robusta - to mellow out the Kenya Kirinyaga Guama Peaberry. I hope I have better luck. As it is, this is the first time I've roasted a robusta.

For those Behmor users, I roasted a 1/2 lb on P3 C, starting out with the maximum time of 15:30. My intention was to take this to the SM recommendation of FC+ or Vienna. For whatever reason, I've never had trouble hitting this level without use a trick setting of 1# for an actual 1/2# load, so stuck with 1/2# setting for this roast. As it is, I had a few 1st crack pops at 13:40, and then nothing for the remaining 1:50, and I do mean nothing, no sounds at all. The roast is more like City, if that. A number of beans are flat on top, or the crack is barely open. Oops.

Oh, and a great thread. There seems to be remarkably little information on roasting and playing with robusta for espresso - thank you very much.

-phillip