Quest M3: Re-setting charge temperatures between roasts

#1: Post by **Goldensncoffee** » May 4th, 2015, 4:07 pm

I've been roasting on the Quest M3 since December and have quite a few roasts under my belt. I'm getting a lot better at controlling this thing. The problem I'm having isn't so much manipulating the heat during the roast; but re-setting to a desired charge temp after a completed roast. I have Artisan and Eric S's MET and BT probes. I don't find myself logging roasts in Artisan all that much anymore because of the time it takes me to re-set the roaster between roasts. I've kind of been doing a variation of Jim Schulmans method and basically dropping a roast and immediately charging another. I can't seem to save a profile fast enough to log any of them. I just watch the graph to get an idea of BT/MET and then just roast by "feel". This has been working pretty well for me. I feel like I could be learning more though by starting at a determined charge temp (not just whatever temp its at at drop), and logging/ saving my profiles to go back and look at after cupping.

How are you guys using your Quest? Re-setting between roasts or just charging immediately after dropping. Should I be trying to save my graphs faster?

#2: Post by **kwantfm** » May 4th, 2015, 7:39 pm

I'm waiting three minutes for cooling, setting temp and then dropping when BT gets to the desired level. Not particularly scientific nor do I think it's particularly accurate.

#3: Post by **another_jim** » May 4th, 2015, 7:46 pm

Good question. I recommend fast back to back roasts mostly because I'm impatient

Saving profiles is a matter of your setup. I cannot advise on that. You can simply shut the roaster or the heat an fan down, while you do the book keeping, coffee breaks, etc. That way, the ET and BT temperatures won't change by much.

Between roasts, you can also cut the heat, run the fan flat out, close all the doors. That will drop the charge temperature down to the recommended 320F to 350F range in about five minutes. My personal belief is that this recommendation is derived from experience with gas fired roasters. With the lower heat input of small electirc drums, it can result in excessively long drying phases. However, when I firs got mine, I did try a bunch of roasts like this. If you kept them light, they had a combination of bright-bitter and acidic flavors that were interesting, but a little too aggressive for my taste.

#4: Post by **FotonDrv** » May 7th, 2015, 11:16 am

So Jim, shorter drying phase equals less bitter/acidic roasts with the Quest?

I too do back to back roasts but I am using 200g loads with 350F charge temps. If I increase this temp would that be better to reduce acidity?

#5: Post by **another_jim** » May 7th, 2015, 11:57 am

FotonDrv wrote:So Jim, shorter drying phase equals less bitter/acidic roasts with the Quest?

I don't think the acidity is affected. Long drying phases seem to increase bright-bitter (astringent, citrus peel, cutting, etc) flavors. These combine with acidity to give a very rough taste. Lots of acidity and sweetness, on the other hand, is great

#6: Post by **FotonDrv** » May 7th, 2015, 4:15 pm

Thanks Jim.