Roasting Decaf Beans

[cestrin]

A co-worker of mine wanted me to roast some decaf beans for her husbands birthday. I have now successfully burned 2 batches of SWP Guatemalan. I was listening for 1st crack, never reached it, and the beans were burned. I saw that the beans were turning color and was holding out (ignorant, I know, after I did the same for the 1st batch).

Do decaf beans just not hit 1st crack? I'm really just confused...

 

[peterjschmidt]

There should have been a first crack. Because of the beans' fragility, due to the decaf process, you'll want to roast them a bit more gently. I try to 'sneak up on' 1C, because decaf is notorious for going exothermic during 1C and racing immediately into 2C. Just slow things down with a little less heat, and you should be fine.

 

[eldub]

They reach it but you just don't really hear it. Don't slow things down too much, and go with a bit less heat. I usually shoot for around a 14 minute roast for decaf. If you slow things way down at first crack, you will end up with really oily, greasy beans. I usually take our decaf to 438*. With regular beans, that would be the light side of medium. With decaf, it can be the dark side of medium at least. But if I take them to 438* very slowly, (16 minutes) I get a dark roast.

 

[tomcadycoffeeville]

Swiss water processed coffees can be a bit tricky to roast, keep your temps lower. Royal water processed coffees roast much more like a regular coffee and in my opinion have a better flavor. Of the 4 decaff methods I have found Swiss water to be the touchiest bean to roast and would personally try to use beans using another method.

 

[JumpinJakJava]

I found the SWD to be the most challenging to me. I have roasted some Brazil, Mexican, and Sidamo.
Because of the starting color the sensory is very difficult for sight, with dcaf I cannot trust sight.
After roasting them a while, the trier will become more useful. The finished Agtron color will be more familiar.

I do not remember hearing first crack in any of them. So time and temp is crucial, seems like I am not alone in this.
Eldub's advice is spot on. What roaster are you using? Do you have P.I.D?

Without knowing your temps. it will become even more difficult. Do not leave the machine.

I am able to hear 2nd crack in SWD coffees though. That may be between around 417*-425*, so that is where
you will quickly arrive to Eldub's suggestion of 438*, Full City heading towards FC+.

If you are concerned about more trial and error, roast smaller quantities to see how the beans respond to time and temp.
I noticed with the Eth. Sid. SWD, there were more oil droplets after a couple days post roast, even at FC-FC+ roasting.

 

[cestrin]

I am using a Behmor and I do not have a PID. I don't even have a thermometer inside to measure the temperature. I have done ~65 roasts now with just about every origin I can find and feel like I am ready to add some complexity to my process. The profiles on it are pretty tricky (you have to basically know when the bean will hit first crack) or else you're just guessing.

I would like to get time on a gas-powered roaster and have not been able to find a local roaster willing to let me apprentice (even for free). I was working on getting in with 1 and every time I ask they say "not yet, keep asking, though". Different story for a different post. Basically, I am at the mercy of the machine. :neutral:

 

[JumpinJakJava]

Cestrin-Sorry, I cannot hep you here. No nothing about Behmors, only that there is a lot of them out there.

Here are some links that may inspire or help a little. Posted the pic, because I was amazed at this set up!:decaf: Check out the switches on Behmor side panel!

Homeroasters.org - Discussion Forum: My Behmor Experiences Over Past Year

Behmor modded

CoffeeGeek - Coffee: Home Roasting Talk, Behmor modification