Toper Cafemino Gas Roaster Profiles

Discuss roast levels and profiles for espresso, equipment for roasting coffee.
beans101
Posts: 4
Joined: 11 years ago

#1: Post by beans101 »

Hi everyone
I'm new to this site - and roasting! -and would appreciate some guidance regarding roasting on the 1kilo Toper. I have seen some other discussions but they primarily concern the electric version of my LPG machine.
I'm having fairly dissapointing results roasting a range of green including Brazil, Guatamalan, Ethiopian Colombian and Indonesian. I have experimented with charge temperatures between 150c and 185c, drum and cooling tray air-flow, speed of drying phase, flame control and shutting off the burner around 1st crack but I'm still getting rather boring results, which are sometimes quite bitter and unpallatable. I've had OKish results with blending for espresso but my lighter roasts seem way off. My roast times vary between 9 and 15 minutes depending on bean quantity and end result. I definitely don't really understand the relationship between air-flow and flavour development so if anyone has any thoughts about that I'd love to hear them. Also, can anyone explain how different bean varieties roast differently, ie. soft and hard, and how profiles might differ for each. Lastly, if anyone was willing to share a basic profile for the gas Toper, I'd love to be able to try something known to work to see if I can get a favourable result.
Thanks a lot for any help you can offer :D
BK

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cheeseypeas
Posts: 1
Joined: 11 years ago

#2: Post by cheeseypeas »

Keep using it, you'll learn how to counter the topers faults over time. As a push in the right direction, I would try a lowering the drop temp and don't shut the burner off until finished, (have a profile so the flame is on very low after FC) :D

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Burner0000
Posts: 469
Joined: 12 years ago

#3: Post by Burner0000 »

I roast with the Behmor. I have also experimented with fluid bed roasting. It took me a while to discover this..

The total roast time should be 15-20 min.
I would try a charge temp of 200'F - 300'F (100-150'C). To optimize taste and aroma do not open the airflow until you have completed the drying phase. I have read that doing this dries the beans properly and gradually allow more airflow during the roast process. Soft beans like Brazil roast quickly so If you aiming for City roast then I would allow for a longer browning phase.
Roast it, Grind it, Brew it!.. Enjoy it!..

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gyro
Posts: 729
Joined: 16 years ago

#4: Post by gyro »

I charge mine at 230C on a probe installed in the middle of the bean mass area (obviously there are no beans in there at this point). It typically shows 180-190C on the stock gauge once its all up to temp, roughly half and hour. I normally shoot for about an 18 minute roast, but again this may be different since I have the electric version and it heats from inside the drum, as opposed to yours outside.

I just leave the airflow full open the whole time, its a pretty pathetic flow rate anyway so I don't believe there is any worth in reducing it.

On electric I run it at 100% (through a mod PID setup) until 150C BT at which point I reduce it to 90% until 180C, then 80% and finally back to about 65% at first crack, otherwise it will get away on you and be too fast to finish. Aim for roughly 4-4.5 minutes from first crack before dumping, normally at the first signs of 2nd crack or just before, depending on what you are roasting and what you like.

I've tried faster profiles with this roaster and keep coming back to something along the lines of the above.

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danetrainer
Posts: 730
Joined: 16 years ago

#5: Post by danetrainer »

A couple of suggestions to implement that will get you closer to your desired result:

Keep the charge weight the same for each roast, and I recommend 1/2 the rated capacity until you are familiar with the kinetics of your roaster.

Use a preheat temp that gives you a turn in the 1 to 1:15 minute range. For instance I use 325-340F depending on the bean I am roasting, I typically see 165-175F for the turn in the stated time frame.

I use lowest air flow during the drying stage, then 1/2 air for the remainder of the roast, except for some hard bean types I will increase air to full after 1C.

Watch your rate of rise during the three main stages of the roast: Drop to drying, then to 1C, then to finish. Shoot for a 12-14 minute roast, then do some tests with the same bean by changing one of the stages & comparing results.

Soft bean types I use a lower drop & overall temp. Where I use "3" for my gas flow for these, I will use 4 1/2 for high grown/hard bean types. Lower the heat application at the beginning of 1C so it doesn't run away from you to the finish, I will usually go to "1" then back up to 2 or so until the finish.

Keep an eye on the rate of rise in the different sections and over time it will give you the experience to steer your gas roaster & give you excellent results.

beans101 (original poster)
Posts: 4
Joined: 11 years ago

#6: Post by beans101 (original poster) »

:D Wow, thanks a lot for all your responses - quite a bit to be looking at and trying out. I'll apply the stuff you've shared to my roasts and post the results. Thanks again.