Help on roasting

[denniscomfort]

Hi friends
I'm thrilled to find that there is a forum dedicated to coffee roasting. I have some questions and I'm hoping someone out there can help me out.

I own a Zach and Dani roaster (yeah, i know it's not a cool one and they're out of business, but...) and I've used it successfully for some time. However, now when I roast beans, no matter what kind of beans, i NEVER get oily bean results - they always look dried out.

What am I doing wrong? I fill the hopper to "dark roast" which is below the max fill line, and I roast for typically 20 minutes. Nonetheless, my beans always look dried out.

Ideas on what I'm doing wrong? Maybe my roaster is screwed up? Or maybe it's pilot error?

Thanks in advance for your help.

Dennis

 

[topher]

Did a bit of reading on this roaster. The only way you can adjust your roast is by changing the volume of coffee. If you cut back on the amount you might be able to get an oily coffee. The problem seems to be that it doesn't get very hot and there is not much airflow. Also there is no way to adjust the airflow or temperature on this unit...its all out or nothing. On thing is that if your roasts drag out and you can not cool your coffee quickly you end up baking the coffee. Try roasting 3 oz at a time next go and see if it comes out better. Tell us the results if you get a chance.

 

[jlyon10]

Usually the way it works with most home roasters if you put more coffee in it takes less time to roast. It sounds like to me you are not getting the darker roast you want that is how coffee becomes oily. You either have to roast for longer or put more beans in. Also there is a great web site for home roasters that has all kinds of information and people who will be willing to help you figure out what is wrong, it is homeroasters.org, a great place for home roasters.

 

[topher]

jilyon..I just read an article on http://www.sweetmarias.com/prod.ZachandDanis.html They say that this is opposite of an alpine. In an alpine roaster you put more coffee in for a quicker batch...so less coffee in this roaster should roast faster. I have never used one so I do not know first hand... Dennis if you get a chance maybe this article will help you find what you are looking for :wink:

 

[jlyon10]

I don't have this particular roaster so I stand corrected.

 

[topher]

sorry jilyon..that came off wrong. I wasn't trying to prove anything and to be honest I have never really sat down and toyed with home roasters...Someone needs to come up with an affordable gas drum roaster. I would love to be able to roast under a quarter pound at my house but have the same control I have on my commercial roaster....maybe I should build something on my own...I smell project. Now I just need time!

 

[jlyon10]

If you come up with a good home roaster it could make you rich.