The only thing new is that I tried Jim's method and the MET temp went above 280C. But my roaster can reach 1250W on full power, so maybe I should keep it around 9A (1000W). I have to adjust the method to my reality and needs.

I couldn't compare roasts side by side. I'll try to make two roasts, one with higher air flow before 1C and lower air flow during 1C, and other opostite, as I roast, to compare them. Just have to find time, I'm even running out of coffee as these days I was busy and I couldn't roast

Márcio.

Thanks Marcio.
___

Got some problems to keep temperature under control. Specially from end 1C to End. Today I tried with the following "profile"

Preheat
~180°C ET @ 700W/F4 (between 14-15 min.)
> Drop Beans - 150g

Dry Phase
Trap door open. 550W/F0
1 min. - 124°C BT
> Turn temp - 117°C BT @ 1:45
2 - 119°C BT
3 - 127°C BT
4 - 140°C BT
> End Dry - 150°C BT @ 4:55

Ramp to 1C
Trap door closed. 1000W/F6
6 - 162°C BT
7 - 172°C BT
8 - 182°C BT
> Temp control - 190°C BT @ 8:50 - 550W/F4

1C Start - 9:15
> Temp control - 204°C BT @ 10:00 - 500W/F4
11 - 212°C BT
1C End @ 11:10

To End/2C
12 - 218°C BT

2C Start - 12:18 @ 220°C BT

DROP - 12:50 @ 228°C BT


Well, so from 1C End to 2C Start takes only about 1:08. Too fast, isn't it? Should I drop more than 500W? It seems too low...

Well, that's my problem too with this approach, and I have the MET reading too to help.

If you wanna a more controlled 1C to the end of the roast, you have to cut heat earlier or to a lower power.

The other way I roast, I reach a maximum MET (around 250-255C) and keep it there, so I lower the power to 6.5A (around 600W) at 7-8 minutes, and try to keep MET around 245-250 if I want a not so fast 1C. I drop my roasts around 208-210C, even for espresso.

Márcio.

I'd like to jump in here - I've only had my Quest a couple of weeks and plan to add my .02 when I've had a bit more experience.

Could I just clarify something to make sure I'm on the same track as everyone else?

In the first few minutes (drying phase) when you keep the "trap door" open and fan off, the "trap door" people refer to is over the front chute where you load the beans - not the fan compartment in the back where they're cooled - is that right?

Thanks-

Carneiro wrote:If you wanna a more controlled 1C to the end of the roast, you have to cut heat earlier or to a lower power.

Well, I'm not sure if I want a more controlled 1C to end... I suppose yes, but I'm not sure. What I want is a roast for espresso, maximize the sweetness, minimize the sourness as much as possible but not to get a flat a boring roast, and eliminate bitterness. Perhaps I'm asking for too much So I assumed that in order to archive this I need to prolong the 1C-to-end time but not enter into 2C to avoid bitterness.

Marshall_S wrote:
In the first few minutes (drying phase) when you keep the "trap door" open and fan off, the "trap door" people refer to is over the front chute where you load the beans - not the fan compartment in the back where they're cooled - is that right?
Thanks-

Exactly. You have to open the "chimney".

That's my experience with Brazilian coffee, as I can't roast other beans (we can't import them). If I go over 210C, the chocolate mostly becomes too roast flavor, bitter, and so on. But I have to make some experiments with darker roasts soon.

Márcio.

Let me be the first irritating person to step in here and say... it depends.

I don't think the profile Jim describes is intended to be a generic, one size fits all profile. (please, please correct me if I am wrong Jim!) The amount of energy it takes to get any single bean roasted is variable with the bean density, and is subject to the taste goals and roast level goals mitigated by the capabilities and defects of the roaster to transfer the energy. The profile Jim describes is a certainly a useful baseline profile, it demonstrates a lot of control over each of the phases, and is relatively simple to communicate without going into a lot of the roasting "one hand clapping" ambiguities.

Márcio is roasting lower density (I assume) beans to a light roast level. He will need to control ET at a much lower temperature because the beans won't absorb high levels of heat quickly and evenly. His milestones will all occur at lower temperatures because of the slower, lower heat.

oton, I would recommend more airflow (like an 7 or 8 at 1000w), and maybe even more initial heat. The bean you are using obviously is going too hard through first, you will want to control your phases to roughly match the guidelines Jim posted. For that bean I would try cutting the heater back to 800w around 180C, and at 1st down to 600w with minimum airflow. In the long term, get some ET guidance and experiment with different levels between 250C and 290C, try different shape curves within the rough times. I find some beans like longer drying for sweetness, others prefer a longer ramp to 1c, others need a little extra baking after 1c. Each takes adjustments in all three phases to get it done.

Hoping this helps,
Todd

For sure one have to test Jim's instructions and addapt it...

As soon as I can make 2 similar roasts, just swaping the air flow from before and after 1C, then I can tell you what's the difference in the cup!

Just to confirm, yes, the beans are not so low density but for sure lower than beans from very high grown places.

Márcio.

Looking forward to it! I minimize air flow during 1st crack, and only add it back after 1st if I am going for a dark roast.

I've got a M3 equipped with drum rotation speed controller. The manufacturer Mr Yen said with higher drum rotation speed, the taste would be more like roasting using hot air roasters while with lower drum speed, the taste would be more like traditional hot drum roaster. Is anyone using this feature and can share some experience on this?

The first important difference that I notice when compared with my old heatgun/breadmaker combo is the aroma of the beans right after the roast. The aroma right after roasting is much stronger with m3. The beans came out fresh from breadmaker are comparatively having no aroma at all, possibly due to the stripping of aromatic particles by strong hot air from heatgun. I'm very happy with m3's results up to now.