My family has a small chain of coffee shops and have just purchased a 12kilo U.S. Roaster to supply our shops and to hopefully wholesale as well. We have been roasting on our machine for a couple of weeks now just stumbling along and trying to learn as we go... I am awaiting a new modulator valve from Dan and Paul @ USR so I can better control my flame ( right now it's either 100% flame or 0% flame)... After reading through the forums I think my roast's are running longer than what they should. Ex: a 10lb light/medium roast is taking about 17 minutes. Also I tried a 10lb dark roast to try and start working on our espresso and I believe I got what is referred to as blasting where small chunks of the outer layer of the bean came off the. I dumped this roast @ about 425F and that took about 25 minutes to get to that point.
Some other questions..
1) What effect does the air speed have on the roast? Does a higher air speed speed up or slow down the roast??
2) At what temperature do you want to make your turn @?? I have been told as close to 200F as possible
3) When and why should you adjust your flame? I've read some profiles start slow and gradually increase flame and I have also read vice versa. Do you normally ease off the flame near the first crack and then resume??
4) At what temperature do you normally drop the beans into the roaster to begin the roast??
I know these questions may seem elementary to many of you, but I have had ZERO experience roasting (until about 2 weeks ago) and have ZERO training. I have 17 roast under my belt at this point and I started by just diving in the deep end and trying to learn via my mistakes,(which is getting expensive!) that is working ok up to this point but any insight anyone could give me to get me going would be very much appreciated.
If it is easier to call me rather than type it out, I would LOVE to spend some time on the phone with anyone that is willing to help. If that is the case please email me and we can get contact info from there. jay@baxtersroasting.com
Thanks in advance for any help!!! Your time is much appreciated!!!
Some other questions..
1) What effect does the air speed have on the roast? Does a higher air speed speed up or slow down the roast??
2) At what temperature do you want to make your turn @?? I have been told as close to 200F as possible
3) When and why should you adjust your flame? I've read some profiles start slow and gradually increase flame and I have also read vice versa. Do you normally ease off the flame near the first crack and then resume??
4) At what temperature do you normally drop the beans into the roaster to begin the roast??
I know these questions may seem elementary to many of you, but I have had ZERO experience roasting (until about 2 weeks ago) and have ZERO training. I have 17 roast under my belt at this point and I started by just diving in the deep end and trying to learn via my mistakes,(which is getting expensive!) that is working ok up to this point but any insight anyone could give me to get me going would be very much appreciated.
If it is easier to call me rather than type it out, I would LOVE to spend some time on the phone with anyone that is willing to help. If that is the case please email me and we can get contact info from there. jay@baxtersroasting.com
Thanks in advance for any help!!! Your time is much appreciated!!!