I've been working my way through a 5lb bag of Ethiopia DP Sidama Aleta Wondo 200g at a time to learn my way around the Quest M3 and nail down my recipe without having to wonder if a difference in a cup was something I did in my roast or the switch in beans. Through this entire process I've been seeing a fair bit of tipping on my roasts. Mostly this has been on the quakers, so no big deal, but even in my terrible 20min (complete accident) roast I saw tipping on some of otherwise defect free beans. I suspected a slow drum speed, but I used a metronome and confirmed I'm in that 50-60RPM butterroasting-zone.

My most recent roast was better, but if squint, there's still a bit of tipping going on (mostly on beans that already have some other kind of defect, but not exclusively).

I'm starting to feel like this coffee is just predisposed to tipping, but I've the Esmeralda Gesha next in line, and I 'd hate to screw that up.

Note that I've linked to the full-sized version:


381.4F Charge
4:51 to dry (35sec longer than I'd like)
3:47 to C1 389.6F (My shortest time yet, my lest tipping to date)
418.3F C1 end
Drop at 427.4F, 10:33

I wouldn't be to concerned about it, unless you taste it the cup. Ive noticed that some beans are way more prone to tipping(dp being one of those). The tipping seems more apparent on the partial quakers(not full quaker, but not fully mature either). Quakers always seem to look tipped, I guess it has to do with the chemical composition.

If you installed a MET probe, you probably could get an even better handle on the tipping situation.(theres plenty of threads that mention a good spot(or spots) to put one. I currently have a bare probe running threw the outer skin, and one that drags along the drum. They both give me close to the same temp, but the drum reading is smoother. I plan on taking out the free floating one at some point and just keep the skimming one.

(also your finish phase seems pretty short, though it seems like DP's can handle a shorter finish phase)

So... hows it taste?

I've seen coffee sold with tipping and it tasted good. I would second the advice to not worry unless you can taste the defect.

On my quest, I use to get occasionally tipping when using setting the drum temp to 550F. But after roasting with a drum temp of 500F, Ive never seen it again (no matter what coffee I use). When you do power adjustments, if the heaters go orange color, the your drum temp probably is in the +600F. At 550F the heaters are all dark (not orange). In winter months, it is easier to get tipping.

Cheers

What roast level are you shooting for?

That's pretty much everything I was hoping or expecting to hear. Still letting it rest, so I haven't tasted it yet (I'll post again on the results). I missed my queue to turn down the power near the end of the roast, hence the short finish -- then again, I'm also trying to nail down when that should be.

I was aiming for a C+ roast. Based on the amount of smoke being generated at drop, I can tell you I landed on FC. Here's my assessment below.

• By color: City (I personally never consider this, though)

• By Temperature: City+ (using Sweet Maria's temp guide)

• By texture: Full City

• By weight: Full City

I think I will install a MET probe. I found how to get Artisan to read the last two connectors on the TC4C and have been wanting to install more probes anyway.

Was given a reprieve on when to roast/share the Esmeralda, so I'm going to move on to one of my other coffees for at least one more roast.

You got tipping because near the end of roast, your MET ("maximum environmental temperature", the drum surface temperature was close to that MET) was too high. Based on your drop in temperature, subsequent power setting and the RoR, your MET probably had exceeded 600F when 1st crack was ongoing.

It'd be very useful to install a MET probe at the M4 screw near the chimney (check other M3 thread for the info).

Your roast is definitely a FC or FC+. SM's temperature guide is only a reference to their roaster temperature probe setting.

Knowing when the tipping occurs is very helpful. For some reason I was thinking that it's something that happens throughout the whole roast, but it sounds like it mostly happens around and during the time of C1.

This was my least amount of tipping to date and this is my first time turning down the power before C1. I see the connection now. This means that if I hadn't missed my queue to dial down the power (around 8:05) I probably would've gotten a cleaner looking roast.

Thanks, all. I'll post back with the results of my next batch.

Ya, after looking at the graph again its seems the tipping happened in the last phase. Something Ive come to realize recently is the beans can take a lot more heat early on in the roast. Its only when approaching first crack where you need to be really careful.

For example I can ramp up the MET to 550 after the drying phase, as long as I get it down to 500-510 before first crack hits. Im assuming the moisture in the beans is what allows me to do this. Theres still a ceiling, and Im sure i could tip the bean before first crack if I tried. But as long as I start dropping things by 370 (first crack at 390) Im good to go.

Oh and a good way to tell roast level, is run a roast threw to second crack. You will know the temp spread between first and second then. For me there is about a 40-45 degree difference. This will help you decide whether your roast is city plus, full city, etc.(as all ready stated dont go by sweet marias temps)

+1 on late roast temps.

Perhaps this will be helpful:

Quest'n for efficiency and consistency

Cheers

Said I'd post again on how the cup tastes. Having my first cup of this roast now (~34hr rest). Pretty much like my other FC roasts; chocolate with a little blueberry in there. Maybe a little flater than past FC roasts, but definitely less acidic.