Green bean for enhancing espresso blend's body - Page 2

[cafeIKE]

I open the chaff tray about mid way through second crack. If the roast is progressing to quickly than I will open the bean fill chute cover to further cool and slow the roast. That is the one thing I dislike about my HotTop (and it is the D version). I like to run two to three minutes between first and second to allow the sweetness to develop. The HotTop like to go from first to second in a minute unless it is attended to.

Try opening during 1st. With the UHT, I cut power by ~35% at 380°F, ramping down to 35% by 420°F and increase the fan from 35% to 60% from 370°F to 400°F, increasing to 70% @ 420°F. This gives me about 2½ minutes from 395°F to ~440°F

Note power % are relative to 130v
Note fan % are relative to the fan running on 13.5v. 70% is about full tilt on the standard HotTop.

[cannonfodder (original poster)]

Thanks to everyone for the ideas and tips. I will have to put in an order for a couple different origins and play with the roast profile some more.

[Arto]

I would try some Indian robusta, washed and/or monsooned. For my taste this would give the right deep body to the blend. I'm sure many will not agree

[Martin]

I don't care much for monsooned beans. The monsooned funk is to overpowering for a delicate blend. .

You don't mention how (method) you are roasting. Pre- or post-blend? The monsooned beans, IMO, are not forgiving, need to be brought along slowly. This makes them a particular challenge with a pre-blend roast, and my tendency is to under-roast them because I want the rest of the batch not to be well into 2nd where a bean like Harar loses character. It's more work, but 25% monsooned taken to full Vienna, roasted separately, tames the funk, keeps a little interesting earth, doesn't knock out fruit, and contributes to body.

BTW, the same is true (in my experience) of Robusta, which is even more of a pain, because it too needs careful, longer roast --- and the amount of R. for my typical 10-14 oz roast is so small.

Martin

[cannonfodder (original poster)]

It is a bit of a melange pre roast blend. While I do not roast each origin separately, I do group them with like roasting beans. With most origin's I preheat the HotTop a little longer, 250F but with a finicky bean that needs a slow roast I go with the factory 'I am ready' beep.

I rarely take a roast into second crack unless the bean specifically likes that long of a roast. I am more a northern Italian style guy. I prefer lighter roasts that accent the origin flavor.