Home Roasting - Take 1
Oct 18, 17:12
Yesterday I finally had some time to sit down and play with my new toy! No, not a hair-dryer – a heat gun!
If I can track down a digi camera I’ll show you the full set-up, but basically I sat down on my verandah with a big stainless steel bowl with a cup full of some elderly beans Dad and I unearthed last weekend (I figured practicing on some geriatric God Mountain would be better than the lovely Brazilian beans I also have), flicked my Ozito on and stirred…and stirred…and stirred some more.
I was being fairly conservative as I’m completely new to roasting without Dad’s supervision – even then we would use his old popcorn popper or BBQ roaster – so I used the low heat setting (around 300 degs I think) around 7-8cm from the beans. This began to wear a little by the 8 minute mark, so I amped it up to the higher heat setting and held the gun about 4cm and began to get some real action. Even at the higher setting it took me nearly 17 minutes to get the beans to first crack (the aural markers when roasting coffee are stages where they make cracking sounds), and another 4 to get them to the first few pops of second crack.
Even though the drinkability of these beans is uncertain (I think we estimated their age at at least two years), the roast looked very even and consistent. I’m keen to experiment some more with the set-up, maybe devise some sort of stand and stirrer to make it easier on me, and soon be sipping some lovingly home-roasted coffee!!
PS
To any coffee fans amongst you with a soft spot for either myself or ministry, keep you eyes peeled for a new initiative (and blend!) to fund my work in Vanuatu next year…
Oct 19, 05:29
OK – some remote tutoring…
Start off on high heat, then after first crack, either back the heat off of move the heat gun a little further away from the beans.
Re: time taken: What quantity were you roasting? I would start with 150-200g until you get the hang of it (or wrist RSI – whichever comes first).
Those beans may be a little on the old side, but they should be quite drinkable.
The ‘Vanuatu special’ is very close to release… Especially with the arrival of my roasting bling early next week. ;-)
Oct 19, 18:16
the blog lives! i thought it had died and gone to facebook.
what other potential does your fancy new hairdryer behold? can it roast chicken for example? or warp bottles into curious shapes? ...maybe i shouldnt give you too many crazy ideas though…
ps. how may we support the V-Land endeavors if we’re not so fond of coffee…?
Oct 21, 21:15
Oh,,, your coffee stories remind me of the chrismas time at your house in 2006.
At that time, I’d never got such heaps of coffee in my life. I miss that taste…
if you used the heat gun for sloppy,
it would turn into just a sweet water…
and then, never “KEEEEEEEN”.
oh, that would be boring.
you therefore shouldnt use the gun for sloppy.
Oct 22, 04:53
Hey Aki! Good to hear from you!
Say the word and I’ll ship some sweet coffee to you so you can relive that Christmas… ;-)
Admit it, you needed that coffee intake then to prepare for Beach Mission!
Neil.
Oct 22, 16:38
Hello, Neil, or Master of coffee!
Long time no see.
Wow! Your ‘coffee stories’ also remind me of the great christmas time, the creamy coffee, turkey, great foods on the table, and such a wonderful place and people.
Hummm, I think I cannot relive that great and warm christmas without your coffee which you craft.
So i think I have to visit you guys again in christmas time in a few years. that’s my plan!