SC/TO Profiles / Q&A / Tips & Tricks

[peter]

Maybe I'm wrong, but I thought your bean cooler was made out of a modified hepa air purifier? We've got one that looks kinda similar. It sucks in from the sides and blows it out through the top.

Either that or a 5-gal bucket w/ ribs on the lid.   

[Tex]

I use a 5 gallon plastic bucket the I cut down to fit on a fan. The wire mesh colander lets me cool a pound of beans in 30 seconds or so. I'm working on putting a 2nd colander on top with a hole for my shop vac hose, so I can suck up all the chaff that now goes flying willy-nilly.

[RobertL]

Maybe I'm wrong, but I thought your bean cooler was made out of a modified hepa air purifier? We've got one that looks kinda similar. It sucks in from the sides and blows it out through the top.

Either that or a 5-gal bucket w/ ribs on the lid.   

Peter is correct it is a five gallon bucket and you are looking at the lid.

[grinderz]

Defeated by the zoomed in shot! I need to post a pic of my 20 second bean cooler some time.

[peter]

Peter is correct it is a five gallon bucket and you are looking at the lid.

I recognized it because I did it like that for a while...  until the heat from the beans started melting the vacuum's hose, and I didn't like the idea of it doing that or worse to the motor.

I now have the world's best cooler.   

[Tex]

Peter is correct it is a five gallon bucket and you are looking at the lid.

I recognized it because I did it like that for a while...  until the heat from the beans started melting the vacuum's hose, and I didn't like the idea of it doing that or worse to the motor.

I now have the world's best cooler.   

Cheapest is a valid alternative to best - unless you can have both?

[peter]

Peter is correct it is a five gallon bucket and you are looking at the lid.

I recognized it because I did it like that for a while...  until the heat from the beans started melting the vacuum's hose, and I didn't like the idea of it doing that or worse to the motor.

I now have the world's best cooler.   

Cheapest is a valid alternative to best - unless you can have both?

$10 Honeywell table fan, some cardboard and tape, leftover hardware cloth and window screen, salvaged switch from a busted vacuum cleaner, and a 9" square Tupperware with the bottom cut out.  When it stops working in x-years, all it will take is another $10 Honeywell fan.

It's quiet, effective, sits on the floor, and the beans are at waist height.  Floor pedal for the switch so both hands can dump.

I had a diagram somewhere...  it's worth patenting.  ;-)

[nimbus]

Probably not the place to post this, but here is a good deal on an oven if somebody needs a new one...

NewEgg has the Rosewill R-HCO-11001 Halogen Convection Oven for only $49.99 - $18 off via coupon code: EMCJHKD94 (exp 12/12) = $31.99 w/ free shipping. Tax in CA, NJ, TN.

Enjoy...

[peter]

I think we're still waiting for 1st-person testimony on the halogen units.

[J.Jirehs Roaster]

Probably not the place to post this, but here is a good deal on an oven if somebody needs a new one...

NewEgg has the Rosewill R-HCO-11001 Halogen Convection Oven for only $49.99 - $18 off via coupon code: EMCJHKD94 (exp 12/12) = $31.99 w/ free shipping. Tax in CA, NJ, TN.

Enjoy...

the $40 unit at Aldi looks like it may be a good one.. not halogen..

[blzrfn]

OK, does somebody have a starting point to roast Brazilian beans without tipping/scorching?

Last night, first batch, 200g Bob-O-Link-  I preheated to 250 degrees.  Charged at 950 watts for 4.5 minutes and then went to 1100 watts up to 460ET and then lowered back to 1000 watts for a slow rise.  First crack hit just before 11 minutes and I dropped just before 2nd crack at 14:30.  There is still a little tipping going on, no scorching but this seems like a pretty gentle profile and I still get tipping.  Should I lower the charge temp, gentler on the drying phase, gentler on the ramp up or say screw it as long as it tastes good (won't know until I cup Thursday).

[peter]

Just so we're talking the same language, what do you mean by tipping and scorching?

[blzrfn]

Tipping refers to a coffee bean that looks well roasted except for at the very ends where the crease meats the body there is a charred spot.  Scorching is a defect that looks like part of the bean got charred, this happens mostly on dry processed coffee in my experience and it looks like a bit of burnt chaff is stuck to the bean many times appearing in the crease itself.  I have more problems with the tipping then with charring, but have experienced both defects and have not done enough home research to narrow it down to cause.

[ScareYourPassenger]

I am jumping in! Snagged a suppentown off eBay and now I have to find a stir crazy. Any cheaper places besides amazon? What is a decent temp probe option?

[peter]

If you don't want to wait for a thrift store SC, Amazon and Target might be your best bet, around $25 on sale.

Temp probes... everyone has their own favorite...  I like the long pointy probe, with a slot in my spacer and some nuts on the probe to keep it in the bean mass.  I tried the wire probes, but the little weld bead at the end would give out.  Just make sure to find one that goes high enough, most nowadays are topping out at 392F.