Help roasting mauigrown coffee

[Leverspro]

Some friends just returned from Maui and brought 4different kinds of greens from a place called Mauigrown. One lb each. They paid $18/lb! I've used the Huky for about a year now and about 100 roasts. I've never roasted less than three quarters of a pound. I'd like to try half pound batches with this coffee because I only have one pound of each kind of greens. Not much room for error since I have so little. So, I've searched for any adjustments necessary to go from one lb to a half. But haven't found a clear answer. Do I reduce the charge temp? Use more air? Use smaller flame? Any tips would be appreciated. I do not have computer profiles, but I charge at 400, air wide open, gas at 3kpa until 370, then drop the gas to 1kpa in anticipation of first crack and leave it until about 445 then dump. Usually about 11 minutes.
Thanks,
Barry.

[edtbjon]

First, from what I understand you need to treat the Maui beans as low-grown beans. I.e start the roast a bit gentle.
I usually charge at lower temps (looking for a TP at around 75C/167F) than what you do and usually I do either 300 or 400g charges. The difference in charge temp is around 20C/36F (lower charge temp for the smaller batch...). If I'd go for e.g 225g (1/2 lb), I'd probably turn down the heater at least 20C again, as there's even less beans to "cool" the drum and roaster...
Now, the easiest way of finding a good roasting scheme for the charge size you intend to use is to use a "similar" bean, i.e lowgrown and maybe also natural. Hmm, let's see... Why not try a Brazil, readily available and usually cheap too. While there's (hopefully) a vast difference in between your Maui beans and a typical Brazil, they should behave somewhat similar in the roaster.

[SusanJoM]

One lb each. ..... I've never roasted less than three quarters of a pound. I'd like to try half pound batches with this coffee

My two cents are that you should roast each of them at the same charge you are familiar with (don't rock the boat when you are in the middle of the ocean), and then mix the overages together for a final roast....

Trying to cut your charge weight back and balance the nuances of a different and probably very soft bean seems to me like a recipe for disappointment.  Roasting them as close to how you are familiar seems to me likelier to be rewarding.

[Leverspro]

Good tips, thank you. I've emailed the seller hoping to get some guidelines for roasting, but no response yet. I think I'll just go with my reg routine, but with a little lower charge temp and see how it goes. I can't believe these 1lb bags cost $18 each!

[Gregr]

I recommend a fairly slow start- 5-5:30 dry time (drop to 300F) then proceed as you normally would. The best results I got were when I went 5:15 to dry, 9:00 to first crack and then a short development time for coffee, slightly longer for espresso. Something near 5:15/4/2:00 would probably get you stellar results.

[Wayneg1]

I agree wit Gregr on the slow start.  I haven't roasted Maui beans but I've roasted Kona and that is my approach.  An earlier comment mentioned using Brazil at a test batch and that also is good advice.  I use a similar slow approach with Brazil.  I think I need to acquire some Maui beans now and give those a try.