Behmor 1600 Plus Profiles and Roasts

[vnahmias]

I think that if you want to start with that high a temperature in your preheat, you have to monitor the B temperature very closely and either open the door periodically or lower the heat level - P4 or P3 - in order to keep the temperature below 320 degrees. 

[rcmitchell]

I've been messing around with the manual roasting method for a month or so now.  I pre-heat to 290°- 295° and by the time I get everything loaded I'm at about 285°. I use P5 until around 310° adjust to P4 and let it coast up to 315° adjust to P3 and try to keep it around 315° switching between P3 and P4 all with drum speed on high. When the fan kicks in the temp drops 20° to 25° in a flash and it takes full on P5 for about 5 minutes to get back up to 315°ish which I try and maintain until first crack.  I drop to P3, if not already there, turn the drum speed down, crack the door open to extend the first crack out.  I pull the load after about 30 seconds after the last few snaps that are grouped not the lingering individual snaps.  First crack happens about 12 to 13 minutes into the roast with hard type beans (all I have on hand).  I've read here and other blogs that folks are getting to first crack in a shorter amount of time.  I'm wondering if getting to first crack actually makes a difference in the cup?  I've started using a 2x4 under the front of the B to tilt so more of the beans are closer to the heat elements. This shaved a couple of minutes off from my original 14 to 15 minutes to get to first crack. But sadly the 8 to 10 minutes to first crack continues to elude me.

[vnahmias]

How much beans are you using in each load?

[rcmitchell]

OMW, guess that is an important dara point.  12oz setting the B on 1 pound

[vnahmias]

I suppose you could try reducing the load to 10 or 8 oz? Please tell us what happens. 

[rcmitchell]

Going to try this today, but still interested in what a shorter roast to first crack has on the final cup.  Am I chasing something that, in the end, doesn't make a better cup?

[vnahmias]

I've heard people say that trying to use the Behmor like a commercial roaster doesn't make much sense.

Earlier in this thread, Brian recommends shortening the pre First Crack phase in order to increase the ratio of First Crack to PreFirst crack times.  It will be interesting to see if you think it makes a difference in the cup.

[Benjamin]

OMW, guess that is an important dara point.  12oz setting the B on 1 pound

The folks over at Royal have a behmor roast description for some of the crown jewels. They do a preheat to around 200, put in a half pound on the one pound setting, then ride P5 to 1C (generally; it varies a little depending on the bean obviously). Some variation follows during 1C development.

[Benjamin]

OMW, guess that is an important dara point.  12oz setting the B on 1 pound

Also, interesting you can preheat to such a high temp, you must have some dexterous skills to insert the drum while the right side slot is moving, because if I preheat to 250, cut off insert drum, and try to restart, the machine locks up and won't respond to anything but a cooling cycle....

[rcmitchell]

I am very, very nimble.  LOL
I pre-heat using a 1lb setting, if I use the 1/4lb setting same thing happens to me

[rcmitchell]

Did 4 roasts this morning, two 10oz initial and two 8oz initial. Same set up and processed used in all 4 roasts, pre-heat to 300° put in drum, 1lb setting D for fast drum speed, 2x4 under the front, P5 on heat to about 310° as read on B then P4/P3 to coast/maintain 315° until 7min 30 sec when fan kicks in, back up P5 until heat loss is recovered and back to P4/P3 until first crack. Drop drum speed to slow, pull 2x4, crack door and if not already at P3, P3.

With the 10oz charges first crack was 10:30ish into the roast, I was able to stretch first crack for 1:50, no more cracks.  With the 8oz charges first crack was 7:45ish into the roast and stretched it for about the same amount of time at 1:45.

What I noticed most was that with the smaller charge, it seemed like I could control the temp rises and drops much better, and if my math is right the ratio of time in first crack to time to get to first crack was much better with the smaller loads.  I pulled all four roasts about a minute after the end of first crack.

One thing is for sure, I'm having a lot more fun with trying to hit the sweet spot using the manual method rather than letting the B do the work.

[edgarallanpoe]

I tried the 2x4 under the legs and TBH I didn't notice any difference.  However, I saw a tip on another forum that mentioned putting foil over the window.  *That* made a big difference.  Put your hand over the window once the roaster gets to a good temp and you'll feel how much heat you are losing there.  The window is too small to be of any real use in watching the color of the roast so I haven't missed it at all.

[Benjamin]

I am very, very nimble.  LOL
I pre-heat using a 1lb setting, if I use the 1/4lb setting same thing happens to me

Inspired by your bravado, I too attempted the insert the drum while spinning maneuver.

I'll be d-----d if it wasn't easier than inserting while the machine is stopped!

Now to test the foil on the window. I had read about this but not tried it before since I'm both roast by sense and numbers guy. But having just tried one roast purely by numbers, the extra heat on the beans might be worth the tradeoff...

[brianmch]

OMW, guess that is an important dara point.  12oz setting the B on 1 pound

The folks over at Royal have a behmor roast description for some of the crown jewels. They do a preheat to around 200, put in a half pound on the one pound setting, then ride P5 to 1C (generally; it varies a little depending on the bean obviously). Some variation follows during 1C development.

I saw that had some Behmor notes with their Crown Jewels, which makes absolutely no sense to me as opposed to lot-buying/defect roasting: they're trying to get profiles down, they already have the coffee, presumably have access to superior equipment, and the typical Behmor roaster isn't going to be their typical customer. 

Just looking at their site shows that they are now using an Ikawa in addition to their Probatino. Makes much more sense as they are making super slight changes that really aren't possible to detect in a Behmor given its roast system.

[Benjamin]

OMW, guess that is an important dara point.  12oz setting the B on 1 pound

The folks over at Royal have a behmor roast description for some of the crown jewels. They do a preheat to around 200, put in a half pound on the one pound setting, then ride P5 to 1C (generally; it varies a little depending on the bean obviously). Some variation follows during 1C development.

I saw that had some Behmor notes with their Crown Jewels, which makes absolutely no sense to me as opposed to lot-buying/defect roasting: they're trying to get profiles down, they already have the coffee, presumably have access to superior equipment, and the typical Behmor roaster isn't going to be their typical customer. 

Just looking at their site shows that they are now using an Ikawa in addition to their Probatino. Makes much more sense as they are making super slight changes that really aren't possible to detect in a Behmor given its roast system.

Yes, and they admit as much. Behmor roast profiles are there as a shout out to the home roaster, whom they seem to hope to target with the crown jewel line of coffees.