Artisan feedback

[Rykinner]

Wanted to ask some questions about the roast I just did.  Its a Ethiopia natural Yirg.  Charged with 300 grams.  Let heat stabilize for 15-20 mins.  Gas 1.5, no airflow.  Once hit TP went up to 3.5 gas, still not air.  Didnt open air until saw steam coming out of tryer hole(this is what I took from the Mill City roasters vid).  At about 4:30 I cracked airflow to about 25%.  Gas at 6:00 dropped to 3, then at 7:00 dropped to 2(airflow 100%).  Once FC started I lowered to .5 gas, then off 30 seconds later.

More so looking for some feedback and or helpful hints/tricks.  Let me know what you think about my process and my log.


Cheers!

[Rykinner]

Any feedback?

[Daave]

I think you aren't getting much feedback because the graph looks really quite great. It does look like you have a flick at the start of 1C, but I'm guessing the beans still taste awesome.

Based on reading your description of your roast, I would caution you about using no airflow at any part of your roast. Even just a very mild amount of air (25v seems to be the typical amount people need after testing your roaster with the lighter trick) will help significantly reduce the chances of tipping or charring your beans. Check out this HB post for more info:

http://www.home-barista.com/home-roasting/coffee-roasting-defects-pictorial-t13587.html

[hankua]

I would add some more heat settings to the "tool kit". There are extra setting between 2kPa and 0.5kPa. I use 4,3,2,1, .75, and .50kPa.

Try stepping it down earlier with smaller adjustments and when that quits working; use the air flow for control. It's possible to use 4kPa from the turning point to EOD, but it needs to be reduced every minute or you'll end up with a "run away roast". (I normally only use 4kPa on 1lb batches)

If your not getting any fruit notes and it was a filter roast; I'd try finishing at a lighter temp using the same roast development time/total roast time. If the acidity is not to your liking for espresso, stretching out the middle or late segments might be worth experimenting with. That's where having more control comes in handy.

[rodraguirre]

One thing that I'd like to comment when looking at this roast, is that at least for me, a high TP combined with short development phase (around 20% or less), usually results in some underdevelopment/grassy notes in the cup. Did you experience that in this coffee?

[brew]

One thing that I'd like to comment when looking at this roast, is that at least for me, a high TP combined with short development phase (around 20% or less), usually results in some underdevelopment/grassy notes in the cup. Did you experience that in this coffee?

When you say "development phase" in this example you are talking about beginning and end of FC?

[rodraguirre]

Yes, development phase is commonly referred to as the portion of the roast between beginning of First Crack and Drop.

In artisan, and in the graph above, you can find the development phase represented in the right(brown) portion of the bar on top of the chart, showing both the time and the percentage.

There are lots of people that challenge the "development" name, reasoning that in fact the bean is developed for the entire duration of the roast, and I've also read recently that in fact the origin of the so-called "development phase" comes from the time when data logging was not available for roasters, so the beginning of FC was one easily identifiable milestone.

[Rykinner]

Wow, thank you all! Really great feedback.  I will try to add some airflow and not have 0 at anytime.  I was wondering about that if possibly it could lead to smokey or baked flavored.   Next, sometimes I do notice that roasts can get away from me. I.E. Fast ROR and/or having to drop before development is completed due to temp.  Lastly I haven't experiemented with this coffee yet, but was wondering if should develop more than 2 mins?  I thought 2-2:30 mins of development once FC has started was sufficient?

Again thank you all

[hankua]

2:00-2:30 development time is plenty and even 1:30 depending on profile. Filter and Espresso profiles can differ or be the same as well. Some people have the Espresso gear to pull ultra light roasts while others prefer darker "comfort blends" or similarly tasting origins. And then there's blending...

This is the aspect of the hobby that's so fascinating and interesting!

[squawmanex]

I thought 2-2:30 mins of development once FC has started was sufficient?

It's all about percentages as our friend Scott Rao mentions in his book. Your after Fc crack "development" should be in the order of 20-25% of your total roast. That's in accordance with his long roasting experience...

Then, depending on what you are after, you can extend or shorten that time. Evidence is in the cup. I started roasting like a month and half ago, so I'm still paying the ignorance tax on every roast I make lolol    (Some are good though)

[brew]

Yes, development phase is commonly referred to as the portion of the roast between beginning of First Crack and Drop.

In artisan, and in the graph above, you can find the development phase represented in the right(brown) portion of the bar on top of the chart, showing both the time and the percentage.

There are lots of people that challenge the "development" name, reasoning that in fact the bean is developed for the entire duration of the roast, and I've also read recently that in fact the origin of the so-called "development phase" comes from the time when data logging was not available for roasters, so the beginning of FC was one easily identifiable milestone.

Yes, I wanted to make sure of what you meant by development strictly in this post.  I wasn't aware until recently there was an alternative thought on what the development phase was.  Thanks.

[Rykinner]

Fantastic! You guys are the best. I'm roasting tonight and will try to incorporate airflow to the roast throughout, start to finish per Susan.  Also, I just tried the yirg today as espresso.  It's very good, definitely darker than I would usually drink but a lot of citrus/berry quality in the cup.  For sure on the nose I get dark chocolate and citrus, a little smokey too? Is that due to no airflow till 5:00 in possibly? 

Thank you

[hankua]

Fantastic! You guys are the best. I'm roasting tonight and will try to incorporate airflow to the roast throughout, start to finish per Susan.  Also, I just tried the yirg today as espresso.  It's very good, definitely darker than I would usually drink but a lot of citrus/berry quality in the cup.  For sure on the nose I get dark chocolate and citrus, a little smokey too? Is that due to no airflow till 5:00 in possibly? 

Thank you

The profile looks fine; your ending temp is pretty close to full city (just before or at 2C). If you keep everything the same and end a little lighter, the taste profile should change. How much roast notes you like or don't like is a personal choice. That's commonly referred to as "roasty" and kind of a knock; I'm not of that opinion. Sometimes it's helpful to just change one thing at a time; like the final bean temp or time between 1C and drop.

[edtbjon]

Yes, that profile looks very good. You seem to have found a good basic recipe there. For a classic Yirga, I would drop the beans just at the end of 1C, as they usually are at their best lightly roasted. But that is of course a matter of your personal taste. If the beans are of good quality, you should find a lot of sweetness and nice fruity notes. (With a 1Cs at 386F, I would probably drop at around 405-410F, but that's me.)

[Rykinner]

Awesome feedback, thank you all.  Slowly but surely I am getting the hang of it.  What is flick? I've pulled up some articles and what I gather is temperature reading jump? Is that correct and how is it fixed?