Cormorant Roaster

Thanks both. I have been out of action/below the radar for personal reasons and missed that roaster. My Gene Cafe is getting long in the tooth. It is an ideal roaster for my needs now (3 lbs/week for my daughter's fam and me) and I can make it perform quite well after 14 years on it (and 3 replaced heaters).

Saving shekels and when it goes, contemplating what is the replacement. Know there is a great deal beyond the Gene out there. Cormorant looks sweet for roast/heat application/management and you give me something to chew on John.

I'm biased as I own a Cormorant and know Johan well. This such a great little roaster - beautifully made. It's really straight forward to clean. Chaff removal is a easy as... For the size there isn't really anything like it, if you're looking for a extremely efficient gas roaster.

Cheers Phil

The Cormorant is a nifty bit of kit, Dave. Very much like a shrunken down version of larger roasters. Crafted exceptionally well. It's not a MCR 500g, but it's not $4K either. I've been using it as a sample roaster for 100g batches, but have done 250g and 500g as well. I can honestly say that, despite not being able to track sample roasts with Artisan as well as I would like, and not having spent nearly enough time getting to know it well as I should, I have never roasted a coffee on it that I did not enjoy.

The gas valve leaves a bit to be desired, but I installed a Parker needle valve in-line with the gas line and have very good heat control with it. As far as I know, it costs nothing to get on the waiting list. If you change your mind when your build comes up, you will make the person behind you very happy.

Bit spoiled having worked on the MCR 500G and 1K for those two years with Steve at Mill City but have nested in again with the Gene until she decides that the scrap heap is ready. I will need to have done my research before hand and you gents are making it easier, thanks.

Hi

I ve jste contact Cormorant.. not delevrery before Oct 2020
for huky... no delevrery with COVID..

I m feel well

That's actually not bad on the Cormorant wait time. Last summer he was 8-9 months out.

56 roasts in on my Cormorant and I love mine. My first machine so nothing to compare it to but Artisan and HB have made the learning curve much easier. Oh yeah, Mill City Youtube was super helpful too.

I'll throw a vote in for the Huky. I use mine for quasi-commercial purposes -- I suppose you could call it nano-roasting. It handles back to back roasts without any fuss, has data-logging and Artisan compatibility, and the modularity is a huge advantage. You can take the thing apart, clean/fix whatever you need, and have it up and running in a snap. I run batches of 375 but have gone up to a full pound. The results are every bit as good and often better than the third wave shops in my area. If Mr. Li isn't shipping right now, I'm sure you can find some used options on ebay. Apart from the Huky, the Cormorant has always looked excellent, but I have no experience with it.

Here's another vote for the Cormorant. I took a "beginning" roaster online course with Scott Rao last month, wondering if my Cormorant could meet his strict smooth ROR curve and Between Batch Protocol standards.

It did.

The builder Johan told me later he had Rao's principles in mind when designing it.

There's also an adjustable burner damper that allows for a more convective drum environment.

I have a Huky and I love it to death. It's perfect for back to back roasts and with a bit of practice I've been getting some great roasts. I did batches 48-52 on it yesterday and am always amazed at what I got for $1200.

I was hoping to find a used Bullet or Cormorant when I started my search, but a used Huky popped up and I'm glad I jumped on it. I do like the "all in one" feel of the Bullet and Cormorant, but I also love the tinkering I can do with the Huky.

I don't think you can go wrong with either. As some have mentioned, keep an eye on Craigslist, eBay, and the forums to watch out for a Huky while Mr. Li isn't shipping.