South Coast Coffee Roaster

Now I Remember ...

2009-10-19T23:18:00.003-05:00

For the last couple of years the coffee has been getting roasted in the RK Drum due to the volume of coffee that gets roasted on a weekly basis. However, I recently had surgery on my ankle, which makes using the RK Drum impossible. As a result, there is a shortage of fresh coffee – unacceptable!

There was finally a break in the weather and it has cooled down considerably; there is no desire to suffer in the heat and perspire whilst in a cast. Given that it was in he mid 60's, my darling wife retrieved the Gene Cafe and placed in the spot on my workbench that she had cleared. The varietals were selected, batches were weighed and utensils were placed such that everything was within reach including a strategically positioned coffee roaster box that would serve as an ottoman for the encapsulated ankle.

After reviewing some roasting logs that were recorded a couple years ago, a profile was decided upon for the Mexico Oaxaca that had just arrived courtesy of a fellow home coffee roaster; thanks, Bill! Which profile was chosen? None. A new profile was was decided upon in hopes of making the most of those precursors to exquisite elixir.

All the while the Gene Cafe was being put through it's paces on a dry run since it hadn't really been used in a couple of years. Just as in the past the Gene Cafe was up to maximum temperature in just under five minutes and it executed the cooling cycle flawlessly. Time to roast!

After a preheat to 300ºF, the first 227 gram batch of Mexico Oaxaca was placed into the roaster. After a bit, the aroma of fresh-baked bread wafted through the workshop – delightful! After another few minutes, a spicy fragrance demanded the attention of the olfactory – amazing! Just as first crack arrived, the heat was dialed back. As the roast progressed toward the predetermined Full City, the spice was accompanied by dark chocolate. Right on queue the cooling cycle was initiated and when completed yielded a very nice Full City roast. Set up for the another batch of Mexico Oaxaca, hit the same marks and was reminded of just how consistent the Gene Cafe is. An Ethiopian varietal was placed into the roaster for its journey to a light City / City+ roast and again a new profile was chosen to accentuate the fruited notes. Upon reaching the precipice of 1st crack there was an overwhelming aroma of a freshly opened Orange Pekoe tea bag and a freshly cut Meyer lemon – wow! As the roast progressed through 1st crack there was a cornucopia of fruited and floral aromas emitted with the most notable being apricot. A post roast bean munch with my son confirmed the apricot.

Now I remember why I loved roasting with the Gene Cafe! With this roaster one has variable control of the roast throughout the entire roasting process and all of the great feedback available to the individual that is roasting:

1. Sight – one can see the beans whilst they roast, but I trust this
sensory input the least.

2. Sound – it might take some time to become familiar with the roaster,
but 1st and 2nd crack can definitely be heard.

3. Aromas – the aromas (and smoke) are vented through the port of the
chaff collector; aromas make for excellent feedback during
the roasting process.

These are also some of the reasons why I think the Gene Cafe is such a great roaster on which to learn roasting. And, the Mexico Oaxaca has been excellent two days in a row!

In the Cup: Java Kajumas Curah Tatal

2008-11-28T17:45:00.000-06:00

Today I am enjoying a fine cup of Java Kajumas Curah Tatal; my first since I ran out of the Java Government Estate Djampit. This cup reminds me of just how much I missed the Java!

On three days rest, there is enough spice to tickle the olfactory and excite the senses with anticipation. There is a fleeting, darkly fruited note, perhaps black cherry, ensconced in the ubiquitous chocolates and spice that subdue the clean earthiness to the bottom of the cup. The mouthfeel is just a bit more than that given by a butterscotch candy.

As the cup cools, the butterscotch flavors accompany the oily body as it descends on the cup and the chocolates lift and give way to the lingering, clean foresty notes reminiscent of a good Timor.

An excellent cup!

---------- Brewing and Roasting Details ----------

Coffee: Java Kajumas Curah Tatal (Sweet Maria's - October 2008 Arrival)
Roaster: 4 lb RK Drum
Date & Time: 11/23/2008 @ ~1:00 PM
Ambient Temperature: 68°F
Batch Size: 1.25 pounds
Roast Level: Full City+ (just a few snaps of 2nd crack)

Grinder: Mazzer Mini
Grind: 7.3 above relative zero
Brewer: Technivorm Moccamaster CD
Filter: Swissgold

Gene Cafe: How to Disassemble for Cleaning and Repairs

2008-08-24T11:38:00.008-05:00

Most repairs on the Gene Cafe are very simple and can be accomplished with just a few screwdrivers. The presentation below is take some of the mystery out of it and help folks make repairs and be able to clean the inside of the roaster. Please do let me know if this is helpful and how I might improve it. (NOTE: It is a large file and might take a bit to load.)

Link: Gene Cafe How to Disassemble for Cleaning and Repairs

Now That Hits the Spot

2008-07-27T17:41:00.002-05:00

This morning, again, my angelic bride woke me up with some Technivorm & Swissgold brewed Colombia Antioquia - Jardin Cerulean Warbler that was roasted last Sunday. It is a great way to wake up, and although I thoroughly enjoy this coffee, it just wasn't hitting the spot.

After church, I opened to coffee cabinet to see if there might be some scraps left. A-Ha! Just enough Ethiopia Organic - "Menno's Misty Valley" to brew another pot of coffee, It was roasted to Full City (no 2nd crack) two weeks ago, but a sniff of the jar indicated it was still good; perhaps this will suffice.

The ground and brewed coffee emitted an intense blueberry aroma. The aromatics of the cup rouse excitement and anticipation; orange and blueberry dominate, but there is the slightest tease of lemon and pepper to evoke curiosity. In the cup, at its hottest, the orange and blueberry are ensconced in a nicely-bodied chocolate with a subtle note of black pepper in the finish. As the cup cools, in balance with the orange and blueberry, the chocolate and pepper intensify and is reminiscent of the chocolate that I have had on ice cream in Mexican restaurants. A little cooler and a sweet lemon comes to life in just the right balance that whole experience seems to evoke an emotional response.

Spot hit.

Sometimes, Being Ill Isn't So Bad

2008-07-18T11:39:00.001-05:00

Last Friday I was home, lying on the sofa, practicing being ill; practice does indeed make perfect.

Camille and Wyatt had gone somewhere ... ahhhh, peace and delirium ...the doorbell rings, "son-a-ma- ... " Open the door ... its the pastor from next door ... "OH, HEY!" ("Hey" is southern for "So nice to see you!")"

Eddie, I know you really don't feel well, but I really want you to come somewhere with me. I think it will really lift your spirits." If you can't trust the pastor ...

We arrive at a coffee shop in the bustling downtown metropolis of Long Beach, MS that is not yet open for the day. It is in a building that at some time in the past was a bank.

I don't feel well, it's hot as hell ... what now, stale coffee that's just like mine? I follow and stumble along to an entrance toward the back and I am now in a busy beauty salon ... maybe this is just an out-of-body experience.

Eventually, I was led to the front, the café part. As we entered, my eyes became wide as saucers as a lucid moment came over me. There in the corner was a just-delivered, fully-restored, beautiful Royal No. 6 Coffee Roaster complete with cooling car and new U.S. Roaster controls. Absolutely beautiful! I had never seen one before, but since the pastor and the other gentleman were asking, I explained what everything was and how it worked.

Spirits lifted ...

Vacation Salvation in Statesboro

2008-07-07T19:00:00.000-05:00

A couple Fridays ago my wife, 5-year-old son and I began driving across the country for a 10-day family vacation. A few hours into the journey my wife nearly caused the car to implode with a huge gasp, "THE COFFEE!" Those precursors to exquisite elixir were still in stasis … in the freezer … at home!

While upsetting, all was not lost because we planned on stopping by to see Scott. When we arrived, not only did we have a great lunch break and awesome customer service by both Scott and Josh, we picked up nine bags of different coffees to share with the rest of the family. Amongst the packages was some freshly roasted Malawi. I had never had it before, but it was a great coffee. We also procured some spectacular Nicaragua Matagalpa. When we got in to the car to continue our trek, I poured some into the Dale Earnhardt ceramic travel mug from the Thermos full that we had purchased from Scott. The car was instantly filled with a wonderful aroma and the first taste evoked and audible, "WOW!"

If any of you folks ever happen to be in or around the Statesboro, Georgia area, I highly recommend stopping by Scott Miller’s, Ogeechee River Coffee Company. He has a really nice place with wonderful staff and great food and coffee; the flags of coffee-origin countries that hang from the ceiling are a really nice touch.

During vacation, I would get up and make a few pots of coffee in the Chemex, and then some more when that was gone. On our way home, my wife told me that after I had gone outside, my brother had brought his wife a cup of that coffee. Upon indulging in the first sip, she looked at him and said, “Now that’s a good cup of coffee.” Thanks Scott!!!

A Gift of Mexico Chiapas, Finca de Nuevo Leon

2008-05-24T14:01:00.000-05:00

At the end of March my friend Bernard gifted me a portion of coffee that he brought back from his vacation in Mexico; for this I am grateful! The coffee was still in the parchment and the only information we could find was to use a food processor with with the plastic blade to get the coffee out of the parchment; I didn't have one and couldn't find one. I also had some inkling that the coffee needed to sit longer after being removed from the parchment, but I could remember where I read that.

At the end of April, I came home from work and my wife and son surprised me by having all of the coffee removed from the parchment. They painstakingly and gingerly used the food processor with the metal blade. They said it took three hours and was a lot of work to yield 606 grams of green coffee and just over a pound of roasted! It was neatly packed into a Tupperware-like container awaiting roasting.

Bernard had roasted his portion some time ago to a City+ and while he said he enjoyed the experience, he intimated that he did not care for the coffee. Last weekend (05/18/2008), I finally got around to roasting the coffee. During the roast progression to Full City+ ( a few snaps into 2^nd crack), some nice orange / tangerine and spicy chocolate aromas effused, which was encouraging. I sent my friend an email letting him know and he was somewhat apologetic about the cup to come.

Due to yet another hectic work week, the coffee rested until today, Saturday, May 24, 2008, 6 days. Although I was hopeful, I was anticipating being disappointed. Upon opening the jar, there was an orange-like aroma – maybe it won't be so bad. Upon grinding the coffee, the same, but more intense aroma with some spice – maybe it won't be so bad. Upon wetting the grounds, some spice aroma lofted – maybe it won't be so bad. I sniffed, sipped, slurped, chewed (yes, chewed), allowed to cool and repeated. I made a cup for my wife with her obligatory cream and sugar (I only drink coffee black), motioned toward the cup and asked if I should order more of the coffee for her.

This is actually a very nice, notably Mexican coffee!

In the cup, one finds that the full-bodied coffee exudes chocolate with warm spice on both the palate and in the olfactory, which is accented by a really nice orange/tangerine. As the cup cools, the body becomes even more dense, which thickens the chocolate. This is a nice, relaxing cup of coffee and certainly a better experience than the last time someone gifted me coffee from their travels. My wife nodded that I should order more ...

To a great experience, great friends and great coffee, I raise another cup.

I hope everyone enjoys their Memorial Day weekend.

Thank you, brother Bernard!

---------- Brewing and Roasting Details ----------

Coffee: Mexico Chiapas, Finca de Nuevo Leon from Bernard
Roaster: 4 lb RK Drum
Date & Time: 05/18/2008 @ ~5:00 PM
Ambient Temperature: 80ºF
Batch Size: 606 grams
Roast Level: Full City+ (just a few snaps of 2nd crack)
Grinder: Mazzer Mini
Grind: 6.0 above relative zero
Brewer: Melitta Pour-Over
Filter: Swissgold

Brief Roaster Comparison

2008-04-03T06:44:00.000-05:00

Someone had asked about three different coffee roasters as their next possible purchase. I had written a comparison in an attempt to be helpful and my friend Vicki suggested that it would make a good post for the blog. It is below.

The Gene Cafe (~$500) used to be my primary roaster and I very much enjoyed the roasts including the brightness that could be achieved. Just shy of 225 pounds of coffee were roasted in that Gene Cafe and it was a great tool for learning to roast given the amount of control one has with that roaster. One does have to learn to anticipate when to initiate the cooling cycle to account for roast coast. Initiating the immediate stop and cooling externally is also an option with the Gene Cafe and rather easy to execute. If your Gene Cafe has had time to dry out, you may want to check the fuse located in the back next to the power cord; internal parts are available and the Gene Cafe is fairly simple to take apart and reassemble. The Gene Cafe still takes up residence here, but its roasting duties have been replaced by an RK Drum and the roasts are quite excellent when the operator is paying attention.

The Hottop is an excellent roaster, has about the same capacity as the Gene Cafe (1/2 pound +), a much better cooling method and a reputation for durability. The models B and P will also give you a great amount of control over the roast with the ability to save and repeat roasting profiles, but they are on the higher end of the scale when it comes to price (~$730 and ~930 respectively). Another benefit to these roasters is that they have historically allowed for an upgrade path without having to replace the entire roaster. The resulting roasts of the Hottop are very much as one would expect from a drum. One can still obtain bright roasts if desired, especially with profile control, but it is different and very enjoyable. Parts are readily available and the Hottop does require some periodic filter replacements

The Behmor can also handily roast the same capacity as the Gene Cafe and the Hottop, but it also has the ability to roast up to full pound. The interface provides for a bit more automation and the ability to repeat profiles, but at a much lower price point than either the Gene Cafe or Hottop (~$300). Cooling with the Behmor is similar to that of the Gene Cafe in that you must anticipate desired roast level and allow for a bit of roast coast; other things can be done to expedite the cooling cycle. Visibility is somewhat obscured, but the beans are still visible and there are some modifications one can perform without voiding the warranty to allow for greater visibility. For a small fee ~$20.00, an optional fine mesh drum is available for roasting the smaller types of beans. The flavor characteristics are those of a drum roaster and some roasts produced by the Behmor have been quite similar to those of the RK Drum with careful consideration during setup of the roasting profile and assisting the cooling.

The drum roasters seem to excel at developing the deeper, darker flavors (chocolates, caramels, currents, raisin, plum, tobacco, etc.) whereas the air roasters seem to accentuate the brighter notes (lemon, orange, tangerine, cherry, etc.) Absolutely both types of roasters can develop both "sets" of the aforementioned flavors and more, especially with excellent profile control, but differently.

I hope this is helpful ...

Alternate Grinder Cleaning Method?

2008-01-31T18:58:00.000-06:00

I woke up this morning with a pounding headache, feeling like crud and generally "out of it." I just can't be sick because we are taking Wyatt on his first trip to Disney World on Saturday and on top of everything else going on, today is our wedding anniversary; 12 years, and we recently agreed that we have stuffed at least 24 years into those 12 years.

Sometimes on weekends, or when I work from home, Camille will make coffee for me and put it on the nightstand so that I can wake up to the wonderful aroma. She was going to make coffee this morning because I wasn't feeling well and was getting ready to go to the doctor.

So I am looking in the mirror, shaving, and I notice my wife standing behind me with both hands grasping her hair and a strange look on her face; this was something new. She uttered, "You need to come quickly. I did something stupid and put water in your grinder.", then left. Being half-deaf, I knew I didn't hear her correctly, but she seemed sincerely distressed so I followed ...

The Mazzer Mini looked like one of those decorative water fountains; water was coming out of everywhere.

I unplugged the grinder, grabbed a screwdriver, removed the hopper, flipped it over, said, "Well, it was due for a thorough cleaning. Let it drain. I'll look at when I get back from the doctor." Camille was just beside herself!

At the doctor's office waiting patiently, the doctor comes in and she promptly hands me $20. I am sure the expression on my face was as priceless as Camille's expression this morning. She reminded me that it was payment for coffee she hadn't paid for yet. Oh, cool!

Anyway, while I was gone, Camille had cleaned up and dried some of the pieces. Once back at home I completely disassembled the Mazzer and cleaned out the goo; what a mess! Put everything back together and the grinder is fine ... YES!

While the grinder is VERY CLEAN, I don't recommend this method. We're going to stick with the Minute Rice ...

Oh, and Camille is breathing again.

2008-01-28T12:58:00.000-06:00

Per the request of one named John, I agreed to roast some coffee in my Gene Café and ship it back to him for comparison. This always makes me nervous, especially when people send the coffee to me ... "what if screw up and waste their coffee?" As circumstances would have it, the subject coffee received for this experiment: Yemen Mokha Sana'ani. Great! Last time I roasted a Yemen, I screwed it up!

Since the beginning of the year, life has been frenetic, especially with respect to work. As such, I did not get a chance to roast for John on the weekend before last and sent him an apology to that extent, promising to get to it this past weekend. I used the time in the interim to read up on the coffee, do some research and decide how I was going to roast the coffee in the Gene Café with respect to profile; determine the goal and work backwards.

I had not touched the Gene Café since last July when I did two roasts for someone else that wanted to compare the Gene Café to their SC/TO. As such, I decided it would be a good idea to dig the Gene Café out from under all the tools and such and give it a few practice runs to refresh my memory. Cleaned it up including intake and exhaust, ran it empty at 482ºF to test and sure enough it heated up to 482ºF in 5 minutes flat. Good. A couple batches of Tanzania Peaberry (with some coaching from Lynn) were roasted and they came out quite good. I did notice though, that with the beans in the roaster, the Gene Café was topping out at about 471ºF. Hmmmm. I only need it to do one more roast …

Saturday, whilst getting ready to roast in the RK Drum the phone rings. I answer and a voice asks, “So what do you think of the Behmor?” It was Doug! A home roasting veteran who has shared a lot of his roasting experiences and insights; I always enjoy learning from a veteran and a call from Doug is always welcome! Through the course of conversation, we discussed the Behmor, RK Drum roasting, Gene Café roasting, moisture content, drying phase, maillard reactions, profiles, etc and even laughed a lot. Since I had to roast about 30 pounds of coffee on Saturday, I decided to extrapolate on some of Doug’s information, applied it immediately and achieved some very good results. The point of all this is that I was constantly thinking about how I was going to roast that Yemen Mokha Sana'ani for John. I wanted it to be perfect!

Sunday, after church and Popeye’s chicken, the moment of truth arrives; it is time to roast the Yemen Mokha Sana'ani. Further procrastination ensued; print labels, printing roasting sheet, read emails from this list, etc. At the moment I sat down in front of the roaster, I changed my mind about the profile again. Dumped the beans in and started the roast with the following predetermined profile:

300ºF for 5 minutes
442ºF for 4 minutes
482ºF until 1st crack
456ºF until City+
Pull and cool externally.

All is progressing nicely; initiate the phase for 482ºF. I hear the thermostat kick the switch and look up to see that the roaster has topped out at 465ºF. NO! Mustering all of my technical prowess, I gave the roaster a good, “Whack!” Huh, that didn’t help; maybe it will hang on and I can get a decent roast. Monitoring by aroma, I was reminded of why I so thoroughly enjoyed roasting with the Gene Café and why it was such a valuable learning tool. Right as 1st crack arrived, the aroma turned intensely fruited with berry, peach, apricot; candy-like and almost overwhelming. I waited for it to sharpen just a bit, as it does right at the turn to City+ and pulled the roast and cooled externally. Bean munch was intense and confirmed the aroma. I think I nailed this roast! I hope John’s cupping indicates such.

This coffee was also roasted in the RK Drum. I think it came out just a tad darker, although still City+, with the results I expected, but I would slow the roast a bit the next time. All of the berry, peach and apricot were there in the bean munch, but as expected to be different in the drum roasts. The coffee has been shipped, but I did keep some of the roast from the RK Drum and it is resting comfortably.

This morning, I called Tim Skaling about the Gene Café, but also took the time to chat with him a bit too; he is such a nice guy and ever helpful. After some discussion, it was decided that the temperature probe on the inlet side was the problem. That piece can itself be replaced, but it is a bit of a pain. Tim asked me if I could wait a couple of days and I said sure. He is awaiting the arrival of some brand new heater-side assemblies that will make the repair a much simpler task and is going to ship one to me as soon as they arrive.

I learned a lot this weekend and just wanted to share!

Thank you, Tim!
Thank you, Lynn!
Thank you, Doug!
Thank you, John!

Docendo Discimus

Win a Brand New Hottop KN-8828B!!!

2008-01-23T08:28:00.000-06:00

Somebody is going to win a brand new Hottop KN-8828B that retails for over $700.00!

Homeroasters.org is sponsoring a large capacity, bean cooler contest; it is a challenge, but the prizes are worth it. The details of the contest can be found here: HRO Bean Cooler Contest

There is just over three weeks left to get in your entry. Give it shot ... someone is going to win that HOTTOP!!

A Window to the Roast; a Behmor Modification

2008-01-08T18:56:00.000-06:00

Enjoying your new Behmor 1600? Wishing you had a better view of the beans?

Joe Behm has received many requests for this information and with his consent, I am posting these pictures. This is for cutting a small viewing window in the chaff collector that will allow a better view of the coffee beans during the roast.

Per Joe Behm, with respect to the modification shown below, "The altering of the chaff does NOT void the warranty."

Disclaimer: Just as with anything else, you are responsible for your own actions including any and all results thereof and your personal safety.

This photo depicts where to cut and then just fold the piece down:

This photo demonstrates the view that is opened up by cutting the window:

Merry Christmas = Great Coffee? (Part Three)

2007-12-31T17:13:00.000-06:00

Wyatt and I are enjoying some Brazil Organic Camocim – Pure Bourbon that we just brewed in the Chemex. Camille had made some of the El Salvador – Orange Bourbon Cultivar this moring, but then said that WE need to go shopping at the mall and then take Wyatt to Chuck-E-Cheese (that is what Wyatt (almost 5 years old) opted to do with his Christmas money). I am not fond of mall crawlin' so I needed a brew with more KICK to get me going; I am with Wyatt on this one ... let's go to Chuck-E-Cheese!

I ground a few "ticks" courser than the last time and I stare at the cup in amazement. I had no idea that paper-filtered coffee could taste so good. When I use paper filters (Filtropa, Melitta Flavor-pore) in the Technivorm, it seems to "strip" a lot from the brew, but not so with the Chemex. The flavors from this cup of Brazil are dazzling, but suffice it to say that in the foreground there is an abundance of chocolate that seems to be sweetened with a graham cracker.

Gotta get another cup ... we're goin' in!

Happy New Year to you!

Merry Christmas = Great Coffee? (Part Deux)

2007-12-30T23:36:00.000-06:00

This morning I am again awoken by the same cherubic chant, "There's coffee brewing." This time it was the Brazil Cerrado Screen-Dried Moreninha Formosa (Sweet Maria's - brewed in the Technivorm with a Swissgold filter). If I do say so myself, this roast (12-26-2007) came out perfect; as such it was consumed in short order. The richly-bodied, bittersweet chocolate with fruited / berry undertones was just incredible!

Again, in the afternoon, I found myself wanting another cup. It only made sense to give the Bodum Bistro a trial run since the Chemex had its turn yesterday; both were delivered by "Santa." The Bodum Bistro is a bit different in that it comes with it own Swissgold-like permanent filter; the packaging states "gold tone." A major difference between the Chemex and the Bodum Bistro is that the Bodum Bistro is made of double-walled heat-resistant borosilicate glass and has a stopper to help keep the brew hot for a bit longer than the Chemex.

The same brewing process was followed as with the Chemex although the difference in the brew would be that more solids and oils would make their way into the cup. This does make for a very flavorful brew, but also provides for some sediment as well; some find this objectionable, but I am not one.

Used the Bodum Ibis again to heat the water, but since I was out of the Brazil, Sweet Maria's Espresso Monkey Blend would have to suffice; again, the aroma of the wet grinds was incredible. In the cup, the caramel and chocolate was absolutely indulgent! I enjoyed the brew while chaperoning my son riding his new bicycle in the driveway. And, yes, that included a second cup that was quite hot due to the double-walled construction and stopper.

Two for two ...

Merry Christmas = Great Coffee!

Merry Christmas = Great Coffee?

2007-12-29T19:00:00.001-06:00

Santa Claus (a.k.a. Camille) was very kind this year. Again, each of the coffee-related requests were granted including one that actually turned out to be a bit difficult to find: an 8-cup (40 ounce), handblown Chemex (CM-3). On Christmas morning, a vintage (~1980), handblown, 8-cup Chemex with a box of white Chemex filters was found to be hidden beneath some decorative cloaking; the filters are new and were purchased from our hosts along with the Chemex CoffeeMaker Cover.

There were doubts as to whether or not the the brew from the Chemex would be enjoyed because it uses paper filters - not a fan. Upon reading the box that ensconced the Chemex filters, the following statement was noted, "Chemex-bonded filters filter out all the bitterness, sediment and oils: produce a clear, flavorful coffee without fail." Oils? Musings of, "How then can the coffee be any good?" ensued. However, many of you constantly extol the virtues of this brewing method, hence the original Christmas request to "Santa."

This morning, the session of sleep was brought to quiet closure by a cherubic, "There's coffee brewing ..." It was the Bali Kintamani Arabica brewing in the Technivorm (with SwissGold filter), roasted last Friday (12-21) in the RK Drum. Ahhhh ... delightful!

This afternoon, there was a desire for more coffee; a perfect opportunity to try the Chemex. It was decided to brew the Bali since the cup could be compared to this morning's brew. A quick reference of Sweet Maria's tip sheet, grind coffee, pre-wet filter, preheat carafe, heat water in cordless Bodum Ibis (also delivered by Santa), etc., initiated the process. Grinds in filter and begin brewing, allow bloom, continue to pour, patience, continue to pour, sample the aroma of the wet grounds - WOW ... that is nice!

While the brew was being poured into the cup, the beauty of the crystal-clear elixir could not go unnoticed! The olfactory was obsessed as cups one, two and three were filled; Wyatt and Camille anxiously awaited their share too. The decision was unanimous; this is exquisite elixir.

Merry Christmas = Great Coffee!

The Behmor and Mr. Behm

2007-12-20T21:33:00.000-06:00

While I was out of town for Thanks- giving, a brand new Behmor 1600 Coffee Roaster arrived with 8 pounds of Sweet Maria's precursors to exquisite elixir; all due to the generosity of my friend Aaron! Aaron had taken some steps that had worked out for him lately and made his life better; he wanted to share that with someone and as a net result, I was the recipient of generosity. Thank you, Aaron!

Now, one stipulation was that Aaron would get the first roast out of the roaster. Well, life has been so hectic that I have only had enough time to take it out of the box and snap a few photos. Starting tomorrow, I am on vacation until after the first of the year and I am both determined and looking forward to getting some roasting done with the Behmor 1600.

Given that Aaron is a fellow home roaster with a Behmor 1600, I want him to enjoy my first roast out of this roaster; I already have a bean selection in mind. What to do? Well everyone talks about how friendly Joe Behm (inventor of the Behmor 1600) is. I also remembered that I emailed him a Happy Thanksgiving message and he responded to call anytime. So I picked up the phone and called him. He answered the phone immediately, and it took Joe about 30 seconds to answer my specific question; the rest of the hour we conversed and shared stories on just about every subject one could imagine, including coffee and roasting. He even followed up with an email and some instructions that he mentioned within 30 minutes.

With this kind of customer service, Joe is sure to glean the benefits of his eight years of hard work to bring this roaster to the market. I wish him success,prosperity and a Merry Christmas!

Oh, and I was certain that his last name was pronounced Bame (Bām), and he confirmed this. However, the name of his roaster is pronounced, "Bee-more" (Bē-more) as in "be more," he wanted his roaster to be more.

Ogeechee River Coffee Company, Statesboro, Georgia

2007-11-27T21:28:00.000-06:00

We made it to the Eastern Shore of Virginia (Exmore) late at night to celebrate the Thanksgiving Holiday with family. This morning, I brewed some of the expertly-roasted precursors to exquisite elixir that we purchased from Scott, the owner of Ogeechee River Coffee Company; the Brazil Cerrado was a big hit this morning! Nice rustic fruit in silky-bodied chocolate ... oooh!

Stopping by to see Scott at his Ogeechee River Coffee Company was a fantastic way to start this vacation; I feel like we stopped in for a visit with family. Scott was so welcoming and Lisa's brilliant personality obviated the need for interior lighting! Even Wyatt, my 41/2 year old enjoyed it. I got a tour of the shop, which is beautiful, a fine double espresso pulled by Scott himself, a great lunch and two thermoses full of a delightful Ethiopia Kafu for the second half of the trip. If any of you are ever in the Statesboro area, just outside Savannah, Georgia or surrounding areas, you must stop by and visit. Buy some of his roasted coffees as they are excellent! We bought four bags of Scott's coffees to supplement the home-roasted coffees we brought with us. And, in case you missed it, here is the link to the article that was recently written about him and his coffee shop: http://www.statesboroherald.com/news/article/5614/

We did get a couple of pictures. Next time we will have to make time to be able to do some roasting too.

Scott, thank you again and please tell Lisa the same!

WHOO HOO! Got Mentioned in Imbibe Magazine!

2007-10-29T21:13:00.000-05:00

Hot dang! My friend Vicki and I actually got mentioned in an article in Imbibe Magazine ... a magazine that I actually subscribe to!

Check it out!

Imbibe Magazine Article

Guatemala Antigua - Retaña Yellow Bourbon

2007-10-14T19:07:00.001-05:00

At only 2 1/2 days rest, I love this coffee.

This coffee is soft, sweet, clean, clear, crisp and enticing.

The aroma is honeyed to the point of relaxing, contrasted with enough spice to keep you alert with anticipation.

At first there is white grape, very present, but not biting, and soon accompanied by a mouth-watering perception of pear. The fruit fades and leaves an inviting floral aspect reminiscent of the bouquet of wild honeysuckle.

Anticipation rewarded ...

Brazil Organic Camocim Moka (Peaberry)

2007-09-04T13:39:00.000-05:00

Am I sorry I waited so long to get around to roasting this coffee! WOW, I would have ordered more!

At only 30 hours of rest, it already has an excellent waxy, oily mouthfeel with nuttiness and woody aromatics mixed in with the deep, dark chocolate essence.

---------- Roasting and Brewing Particulars ----------

Brewed in a Melitta Single-Cup Pour Over with a Swissgold filter.

Roasting details:

Roaster: 4 lb RK Drum
Date & Time: 09/02/2007 @ 12:30 PM
Ambient Temperature: 86F
Batch Size: 1 pound
Roast Level: Full City (right at the brink of 2nd crack)
1st crack: 12 minutes even
2nd crack: nope
Roast pulled and cooled: 14 minutes 45 seconds

In the Cup - Brazil Jacu Bird Coffee

2007-07-16T16:59:00.000-05:00

My first cup of this coffee was rested for 2.5 days and brewed in the Technivorm with Swissgold filter. Same method for each of the ensuing days.

This is a really nice, smooth, pleasing cup of coffee. The term that Tom (of Sweet Maria's) used, "dusty sweetness" is a very apt description and there is a really pleasing suggestion of milk chocolate too. There is the "drying" hint of peanut in the aftertaste and aroma, but not
astringent. The aftertaste is long, and very pleasant. As the days progressed, it developed the slightest peppery hint. A nicely balance, very enjoyable cup of coffee.

My co-workers had been waiting for me to bring it to work so that they could try it. I brought a Thermos of it to work with me each day for sharing and it was unanimous. Everyone knew beforehand what the deal was with the coffee and there was only two people who would not try the coffee. Of all those that tried the coffee (about a dozen or so), everyone agreed that it was a very nice, balanced, enjoyable cup of coffee with a great lingering aftertaste.

Roasting details:

Roaster: 4 lb RK Drum
Date & Time: 07/08/2007 @ 5:10 PM
Ambient Temperature: 90ºF
Batch Size: 1 pound
Roast Level: Full City+ (just a few snaps of 2nd crack)
1st crack: 12 minutes 15 seconds
2nd crack: 15 minutes 30 seconds
Roast pulled and cooled: 15 minutes 30 seconds

Similar Roasts: Gene Cafe and CO/UFO

2007-07-13T08:42:00.000-05:00

I was contacted by IMAWRITER (great guy!) to do a roast swap and compare the results of the CO/UFO (Covection Oven / Salton UFO Popcorn Maker, aka SC/TO) versus the Gene Cafe. We discussed and roasted the Sweet Maria's El Salvador SHB Pulp Natural - San Emilio to Full City+ and shipped them off to one another. I was really surprised as to how similar the roasts turned out; almost identical, but mine was a tad darker, which I was really trying to avoid. In a blind cupping, I do not believe I could have chosen which was roasted in which roaster.

To me, the outcome of this exercise underscores that it is the skill of the person doing the roasting that is of paramount importance. Different roasting appliances may impart qualities inherent to the appliance, but it is the roaster ... YOU ... who controls the outcome and final results.

Product Review of the Gene Cafe Coffee Roaster

2007-05-30T08:28:00.002-05:00

Finally! It took quite a while, but I finally completed the product review I have been working on for the Gene Cafe. Please take a look, feel free to comment and let me know if there is something else that you would like covered.

Gene Cafe Review on Homeroasters.org

Gene Cafe Review on CoffeeGeek

Easter = Death, Burial & Resurrection of Roasting

2007-04-20T11:45:00.000-05:00

So, I picked up three new customers last week and needed to roast for them, others and myself this weekend. My wife, Camille, woke up ill this morning so me missed church. She is fine.

I set about to get to roasting in the Gene Cafe. Many coffees on the list for roasting today: Guatemala Huehuetenango, Ethiopia Sidamo, El Salvador Las Ranas Decaf, Mexico Oaxaca Decaf, French Roast Blend, Harar Decaf, Harar Lot 30, Zimbabwe Dandoni, El Injerto, etc., all Sweet Maria's coffees.

Fired up the first batch of Guatemala in the Gene Cafe and proceeded through the profile ramp; last stage, then I notice the temperatures taking a nose dive and watching a 1/2 lb of Sweet Maria's Coffee going to that famed place of heat in a rocket sled. Tried several things then aborted, disassembled, tried again to no avail.

I was losing time and had a lot to roast so I finally shoved the Gene Cafe into the corner in a heap; I hope I can remember how to put it back together. Backed the wife's Jeep out of the garage (it was quite cool today, ), wheeled out the brand new grill in place of the Jeep, installed grates, placed heat diffusers (received this week), drilled, bolted and used voltmeter with thermocouple; set up an RK Drum in about 30 minutes and had it heating to burn in.

Ran some Nicaraguan coffee (donated by extended family returning from Nicaraguan mission trip) through the roaster to prime it / burn it in. The first pound reached 1st crack in five minutes flat and second crack in 6 1/2 minutes. The next one pound batch was a little more on target with respect to times and ended at Full City.

The following two pound batch was a bit unique. After just a couple minutes I noticed quite a bit of smoke, but then I heard some cracking and saw a lot more smoke. Here's a tip for future RK Drum users: USE THE COTTER PIN TO LATCH THE DOOR SHUT! When I opened the grill there was coffee everywhere; there was also fire everywhere.

Things ran the gamut today:

1. Killed a roaster and premium coffee beans (Sorry Tom)
2. Built an RK Drum in short order; about 30 minutes (Ron, is it a record?)
3. Set fire to coffee
4. Broke wood handle on rotisserie rod
5. Ran to auto parts store for parts to fix it
6. Fixed handle and roasted some more
7. Rearranged motor setup
8. Burned forearm really good (badge of honor, I wear it proudly!)
9. Wasted two pounds of Tom's Guatemala Huehuetenango learning (Sorry again Tom)
10. Somewhat dialed in on 1 & 2 pound roasts

Finally, several batches of coffee got roasted decently, including decaf coffees, I think; bean munch says yes. Everyone is getting coffee this week! Not as originally planned, but I did get the Huehue, Sidamo, French Roast blend and all three decafs roasted.

Sincerely, I am glad this happened this way for a few reasons including that fact that I learned and grew a lot today with respect to roasting and my volume / time improved dramatically. Also, I happen to be working very hard on writing a product review of the Gene Cafe and this is a perfect time to work something like this into the review.

For those that can't wait to poopoo the Gene Cafe, I will state that I am quite impressed with the amount of abuse it took from me. In seven months I ran 422 batches through this roaster, which adds up to 221.5 pounds. I will be giving Tim Skaling a call this week to get it fixed.

For those that love the RK Drum, I have to say that I am now one! The bearing setup that I used did quiet the operation and I can really hear first and second crack quite well, even at a distance, which is great as I do have a hearing deficit. However, the rhythmic swishing of the beans is a narcoleptic's nightmare; I should know, I am one. I even considered moving it to the bedroom to help me sleep at night! Batch size and flexibility is great! Again, batch size and flexibility is great! I roasted some two pound batches and didn't even begin to tax the grill at all.

Update on o4/11/2007

The heater box (replacement part) for my Gene Cafe roaster arrived today. After roasting 6 1/2 pounds in the RK Drum, it took me maybe 15 minutes to replace the part; four screws and two wires. Put the whole thing back together and fired it up to check.

It reached maximum temperature (482F) in 4 minutes 48 seconds from a cold start. For those of you that don't know, that is really, really good for a Gene Cafe.

I wish to thank Sweet Maria's for referring me to Tim Skaling. He is a great guy! I talked to him for just a few minutes and he sent me a new part that arrived in two days and my Gene Cafe is fixed. The old part is going back to him tomorrow for quality control review. Tim Skaling's Contact information is below:

Freshroast Contact Information:
Tim Skaling
Phone: 435-940-1616
Fax: 435-940-1964
Email: skales@tfb.com www.freshbeansinc.com
alternate #s: 435-940-1616, (888) 757-2326
Fresh Beans Inc.
6436 Business Park Loop Unit G
Park City, Utah 84098

or ship to

Fresh Beans Inc.
PO Box 982410
Park City, Utah 84098

2007-03-11T18:50:00.000-05:00

What a workhorse! Today, I put the Gene Cafe through its paces again ... 35 consecutive roasts (18 1/2 pounds) without a break and no cooling until it was done.

In the six months that I have had this roaster, it has roasted 364 batches totaling 191 3/4 pounds. The only thing I have replaced / repaired is the little piece of rubber on the chaff wipe and I do recommend you have a spare on hand. Over time the rubber becomes brittle and it can break into two pieces.

I do periodically take the chaff collector apart and soak it / clean it. Also, I do periodically clean the drum for visibility, which is easier to do with the center (metal) piece removed. Also, it is vitally important to make sure you clean the screen under the roaster as it is the only intake for the air for the roaster. If you grab the roaster by both ends and flip it over, at the top right you will see slots. Beneath those slots is a very fine mesh screen that filters the air going in to the fan.

The coffees (all from Sweet Maria's) roasted today are:

Guatemala Fraijanes - Finca Agua Tibia (versatile roasting coffee)
Mexico Organic Nayarit Terruno (great mild coffee)
Java Government Estate Djampit (deep, silky and chocolatey)
Brazil Fazenda Boa Sorte Natural Bourbon (deep, dark, bittersweet chocolate)
Colombia Tolima Planadas - El Jordan (anticipating ... )
El Salvador PN Las Ranas WP Decaf (fantastic chocolate!)
Mexico Organic Oaxaca WP Decaf (outstanding, flavorful coffee ... fooled people again! )

Does the Roasting Profile Really Matter?

2007-02-16T20:00:00.000-06:00

Once upon a time (October 2006) I roasted and brewed some of the Sweet Maria's Ethiopia Organic Idido Misty Valley Dry Process coffee; it was astounding and woke me up to the fact that coffee really could and should be full of flavor. Given the various coffees from around the world, I enjoy trying to unlock the secrets the beans hold within; each, when roasted to its epitome, will indulge your senses with what it deems its own.

I had come close on several occasions, but I had never quite achieved the marvelous Meyer Lemon flavor that had resulted from the original roasting and brewing. Frustrated, I tried an experiment with the latest 5 pound bag of the Ethiopia Organic Idido Misty Valley Dry Process that I received from Sweet Maria's. I roasted 4 batches keeping all of the variables the same except for the roasting profile. While all were good cups of coffee, one particular brewing inspired me to write the following review:

"You gasp and your heart rate quickens as a flood of aroma and flavor references rush to the forefront of your mind and your olfactory senses are pushed to their limit of excitement. The floral bouquet presents profusely; perhaps a hint of a Leonard Messel Japanese Magnolia, Confederate Jasmine, clove way in the back, all swirling around the epicenter of bold cherry candy. As the cup cools there is pure, sweet peach with tropical fruit juice, the cherry is transformed to strawberry and their is an almost imperceptible layer of dark chocolate."

Can one enjoy fine, freshly roasted coffee without the bother of profiles? Sure. Does the roasting profile really make a difference?

YES IT DOES!

The details of my experiment are contained withing the log below:

Ethiopia Organic Idido Misty Valley DP - Roasted 2007-02-09 - Profiled - Test

4 New Roasts to Taste - Finally!

2007-02-04T19:50:00.000-06:00

Updated: 02/09/2007

I roasted 4 new coffees (to me) today and adapted the profile to whatever I thought would do well for the coffee. Two of the coffees were decaf and I am hoping they turned out well; chomping on a few of the beans suggest that they would.

The coffees I roasted are below and I will update them as I brew and taste them.

Brazil Cachoeira de Grama Yellow Bourbon (sweet with cedar snap)
Guatemala FTO Quiche - Maya Ixil (an excellent SO espresso)
Guatemala San Marcos WP Decaf (a nice cup of coffee)
Panama WP Decaf - Panamaria (light, lively and snappy)

Sweet Maria's - Green Coffee Beans

2007-02-02T21:55:00.000-06:00

Sweet Maria's has the best coffee beans and they make it so easy to get what I want when I want it. This is a picture of 12 lbs of coffee nestled in my mailbox ambitiously waiting to be roasted.

NO TASTE!

2007-01-18T12:57:00.000-06:00

I've been a bit ill lately with some sinus stuff and as a result, I have not been able to taste anything! Others have told me that everything has been tasting great though. I am hoping this crud is almost gone ...

Two Roasts with a Modified Gene Cafe Profile

2007-01-06T08:58:00.000-06:00

Something a little different in the profile this time:
Stage 1: 300º F for 5 mins of warming / drying
Stage 2: 435º F for 4 mins (shortened from 5 mins 30 secs)
Stage 3: 460º F for 2 mins
Stage 4: 482º F for 2 mins 15 secs - 2 mins 30 secs (added)
Stage 5: 460º F for remainder of roast including 1st crack

I have included links to my roasting and brewing note for the two coffees that were roasting with this profile below:

Columbia Cauca Organic - La Esperanza
Ethiopia Late Harvest Yirgacheffe

Gene Cafe Delivers for Christmas

2006-12-28T13:00:00.000-06:00

Well, between last weekend and this weekend, I have really put the Gene Cafe through it's paces and it delivered flawlessly for all of the Christmas roasting. On the 17th, it roasted 19 consecutive 300g batches, on the 23rd it roasted 16 consecutive batches (226g-250g) and today the 24th, it roasted 18 consecutive 250 grams batches. All of the roasting was done with the profile on this site (or some variation thereof) and it is simply amazing how easily one can duplicate a roast with this machine. Below is the list of coffees that were roasted (all from Sweet Maria's); I will be posting the roasting and brewing logs; to view, click on the coffees that are underlined.

Africa Highlands WP Decaf
Brazil Cachoeira Yellow Bourbon
Columbia Excelso 13556 ("to die for" per the mail lady)
Costa Rica La Magnolia SWP Decaf
Ethiopia Natural (DP) Sidamo WP Decaf
Ethiopia Organic Idido Misty Valley DP (my favorite coffee thus far)
Ethiopia Yirgacheffe - Moledina 3993
Guatemala "Blue Quetzal" Bourbon (this is an exquisite elixir)
Guatemala Fraijanes - Finca Agua Tibia
Mexico Organic Nayarit Terruno (excellent for giving the palate a break)
Rwanda Migongo Bourbon (creamy semi-sweet chocolate with cedar)
Sumatra Organic Gayoland WP Decaf
Timor FTO Maubesse (smell the forest in the aroma, hint of butterscotch)

Merry Christmas

2006-12-25T11:29:00.000-06:00

MERRY CHRISTMAS !!!!! My family and I do exchange gifts, but more importantly this is the day that we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ.

Kenya AA Auction Lot 764 - Ndaroini Nyeri

2006-12-22T18:28:00.000-06:00

This is a very good Kenyan coffee with some striking fruit flavors like pink grapefruit and lemon; the coffee had a great silky mouthfeel with good body. I'm sorry I did not order more of it.

For detailed information about the coffee and the roasting and brewing log, click here.

Gifting Coffee for Christmas

2006-12-21T17:59:00.000-06:00

Today, I gave out some 1/4 lb bags of Ethiopia Organic Idido Misty Valley DP as Christmas presents. People's faces sure do light up when you give them fresh roasted coffee. Everyone was squeezing the bags and sniffing the valves ... lots of ooooohs and aaaaahs!

For the Roasting and Brewing Log, click here.

Gene Cafe Profile & Preliminary Results

2006-12-21T11:16:00.000-06:00

I spent a good portion of my day Saturday working on this and roasting coffee. I don't have definitive, time-tested results yet, but with only 24 hours rest, the results are very promising; I tried three of the coffees I roasted (I roasted seven pounds).

In brief, this is what I did:
1) Preheat the Gene Cafe and let it do it's cool down.
2) Load ~230 grams of coffee
3) Set the Gene Cafe for 30 minutes (arbitrary, you will stop it when it is done), use a stopwatch or timer to track time.
4) Set the Gene Cafe for 300 F, hit start and let it run at this temperature for 5 minutes.
5) At 5 minutes, raise the temperature to 435 F
6) At 10 minutes and 30 seconds raise the temperature to 456 F for the remainder of the roast
7) Stop the roast at the desired level
8) Cool immediately external to the Gene Cafe (I use a Wearever Cushonaire Pizza pan on the back of a fan that pulls the air down through the beans; room temperature in 30-60 seconds)
9) Return drum to Gene Cafe, hit start then stop and allow it to run through a normal cooling cycle.
10) Repeat for next batch

I roasted the following coffees, all from Sweet Maria's:
El Salvador - The Juan Francisco Project
Guatemala Fraijanes - Finca Agua Tibia (for blending with the Columbian 50/50 great with 12 hours rest
Honduras Pacamara - Santa Marta Estate
Brazil Fazenda Brauna
Columbia Excelso 13556 (for blending with the Guatemalan 50/50 - great with 12 hours rest)
Ethiopia Organic Dry-Process Sidamo
I also roasted a Nicaraguan coffee that someone just brought to me from Nicaragua.

Preliminary Results:
Honduras Pacamara - Santa Marta Estate (24 hours rest)
I got exactly what Tom describes in his cupping notes. This coffee is similar in flavors to an Indonesian, but much more refined and sweet. It does not slam itself down on the palate, but rather offers itself up in a very inviting manner. In the dry aroma, I got a very distinct mint aroma, but in the cup it was ever so subtle, just a nuance that laced together the more earthy flavors. It does become more rustic as it cools, but right at the very end, there is a very subtle, almost imperceptible taste of chocolate as the coffee becomes more creamy and buttery.

At 48 hours rest, essentially the same, a little more mature and a little more body. Stick your entire face in the cup and let your olfactory senses drink the aroma ... it is intoxicating!

El Salvador - The Juan Francisco Project (24 hours rest)
The aromatics are nutty (toasted almond?) with grape skins and sage. The taste is very much as Tom describes, with a cornucopia of fruited flavors, some pulpiness and some fruit skins right at the end for just a hint of tart. Tom, please do keep working on this project!

At 48 hours rest, it is essentially the same, but I am detecting a bit of green apple.

Brazil Fazenda Brauna Peaberry (24 hours rest)
A hint of the orange brightness, but very pronounced nuttiness with good, but not overpowering chocolate. I have never had the nutty aroma or taste before with this bean.

Basis for Profile:
Recently, Les wrote the following, "In my Popper roasting if I wanted to slow a roast down, I would do it when the beans turned the straw color and you got the grassy smell. I don't know if you can see the beans in the Gene, but if you can that might be the place in your profile to slow it down a bit. This is where the bean really expands and getting heat in at that point in the roast is critical for a nice even roast. By slowing the roast down at that place in the profile, it allows the heat to get into the bean before the carmalization begins to insulate the interior of the bean."

Recently, miKe wrote the following, "I've found the early pre-tanning stage just as important as the start of 1st to end of
roast stage. Too short time before tanning can lead to grassy/green aftertaste while too long inhibits good caramelization latter on I believe. I use about 4min drying stage (to my 300f). Then there's the main setup ramp tanning through browning. It's amazing how varying the ramp rate will alter the cup, same total roast time. Have done many comparison roasts in the past. Most Kona I've settled in on about 25f/min ramp tanning to start of 1st. Now I slow it down to 15f/min for a couple min then 10f/min final ~minute and a half my ~445f end of roast usually about 11:30. (which is about 5f before anticipated 2nd). Unless it's Kona Peaberry then a different overall faster profile usually about 10 to 10:30min. Cooling target 2min to 125f or less."

I was trying to get the heat into the bean by adapting miKe's profile to the mannerism of the Gene Cafe. By this, I mean that I don't have to constantly change the temperature on the Gene Cafe because of the way it operates. When I bumped the temperature from 300F to 435F it took 3.5 minutes for the roaster to get to that temperature and the beans will languish behind somewhat. This may need some perfecting, and tweaking for different beans, but the results thus far are very promising.

Hope this helps and certainly feel free to comment, suggest and / or critique. I will post more results as they are available.

Respectfully,

Eddie

Degassing Valve in Canning Lid

2006-11-19T16:25:00.000-06:00

Everything is an Accessory to the Grinder

2006-11-09T08:57:00.000-06:00

Ordered my Mazzer Mini today.