Hottop Profiles / Q&A / Tips & Tricks

[garybt3]

The thing about the Hottop P is that you believe you have a great profile on 1 bean all worked out...and then it isn't really consistent on the next batch or 2.

You have to stay camped out in front of it, or risk the batch going wherever it feels like. Sort of.

It is good as a single home roaster, by that I mean average use of 1# of coffee or less per week.

But, ya know, I got these friends that hit me up for some bean juice & then want a # or 2 & I don't mind most of the time. But it seems like I spend a lot of my 'free' time, roasting for friends lately. And the drive belt took a dive on my Heat gun / Bread machine combo so I've made a choice to get a BBQ grill setup up & running.

Big difference roasting 4 or 5 # batches in 20 minutes compared to 1/2# batches in the same amount of time (rough estimate, weighing beans, loading, roasting, cooling, re-weighing & packaging). I have to say that I'm getting a lot of practice playing Ms Pacman on the xbox in my shop on roast days/nights 

[cfsheridan]

There are 2 bikes & I can only ride 1 of them at a time!

I've been needing a 2 to 5 # roaster for some time.

A really bad windstorm destroyed my last BBQ drum setup...picked it up and tossed it like a leaf . This one is going to be Heavy Duty, mobile & able to take a punch ;-)

The Hottop is nice enough, but I'm sure I'd kill it if I kept using it to roast 5#'s a day X 3 day weekend...I have 4 spare Poppery 1's as backup machines, but the controls were made by a guy that dropped off my radar screen 2 years ago...Fantastic controller. I have the plans, just need need an electronics guy to build me a few of them...

At the moment, I still need a BBQ roaster more than a 'B' panel for the Hottop.

I've done 10-15 roasts a day over a 4 day period with no problem.  The P control system is a waste.  There's no level control of the heater--it's on or off.  Do yourself a favor and pay the hundred bucks or so and replace it with B panel--it will be like you have a whole new roaster.

[Mlee]

[/quote]

I've done 10-15 roasts a day over a 4 day period with no problem.  The P control system is a waste.  There's no level control of the heater--it's on or off.  Do yourself a favor and pay the hundred bucks or so and replace it with B panel--it will be like you have a whole new roaster.
[/quote]

What he said......

[garybt3]

At the moment, I still need a BBQ roaster more than a 'B' panel for the Hottop.

I need bigger batch sizes. It comes down to spending less time roasting, more than anything else.
Let's assume that I need to roast 4#'s.
I can roast 8 batches in my trick P1. (8 oz batch size) 40 min to roast 1 # or 2 hours 40 min.
I can roast 8 batches in the Hottop. (9 oz batch size). Same result 2h 40m.
Or finish construction on a 5# BBQ Drum roaster. 30 minutes 4# batch.
I have 2 hours to do other things.

I never said that the Hottop could not roast 15#'s in 1 weekend, but I am certain that it's service life would definitely be shorter.
I bought it for home use of 1# a week. It's a good machine for it's intended purpose.
I've been roasting for 6 years now, started with a popcorn popper and still help beginners roast coffee with them. I have a GGSC Galloping Gourmet/Stir Crazy setup that's going on 5 years now. I have killed many Bread Machine drive belts doing 1.5# batches back to back for up to 10#'s in a single day.

http://sites.google.com/site/garybt3/myhottopkn-8828pcoffeeroaster

I want to believe that I can fully control it one day.

[milowebailey]

I want to believe that I can fully control it one day.

sooner than you think

[garybt3]

I want to believe that I can fully control it one day.

sooner than you think

You are (will be) my hero! 

[H-D Rider]

Yes,  I've been anxoiusly awaiting word on the Millowidget and a recent post saying it may soon be reality for the HT and Ambex leaves me giddy with excitement.  I have both roasters and would be happy to take my place in line waiting for both.

[shakin_jake]

Gentlemen...Please stay on Topic.  This is the Hot Top Roaster Thread.  There are other places on GCBC to discuss air poppers, propane and BBQ roasters. Gracias!


Jake
Reddick Fla.
My great grandfather was an old indian fighter...he was married to an old indian...

[Steve7]

+1 for keeping on message!

@CF - you say 15 roasts per day?
How long inbetween dou you give to cool down?!

[YasBean]

+1 for keeping on message!

@CF - you say 15 roasts per day?
How long inbetween dou you give to cool down?!

I try to let it get below 150.  Otherwise, the front half of the profile is behind and the second half ahead.  I usually choose the most convenient profile and let it cool.  Around 170, I turn it off and sit on my hands for 20 minutes before starting afresh.  This works for me, as I rarely do two batches in one day.

[lwharton]

Sounds like you have the "B" model.

To lengthen the time between 1st and 2nd, you want to lower the heater power BEFORE 1st starts (I usually try to do this at least a minute before 1st starts) to around 50-60%.  That should give you a slow trip through 1st crack, and help get your total time between the start of 1st to end of roast to about 4 minutes.

CF,
I recently bought a Hottop B and am learning roasting profiles.
Do you ramp down the HT to 50%-60% for all beans or just certain ones?
Do your roasting profiles vary much from bean to bean as far as heat adjustments?
I am at about 3 min from start of first crack to start of second crack for most beans with about a one minute rest between cracks. Total roast times are usually between 15 to just under 17 minutes from drop at 200 degrees....depending on the bean. I am very interested in fine tuning my roasts from bean to bean.

[cfsheridan]

Sounds like you have the "B" model.

To lengthen the time between 1st and 2nd, you want to lower the heater power BEFORE 1st starts (I usually try to do this at least a minute before 1st starts) to around 50-60%.  That should give you a slow trip through 1st crack, and help get your total time between the start of 1st to end of roast to about 4 minutes.

CF,
I recently bought a Hottop B and am learning roasting profiles.
Do you ramp down the HT to 50%-60% for all beans or just certain ones?
Do your roasting profiles vary much from bean to bean as far as heat adjustments?
I am at about 3 min from start of first crack to start of second crack for most beans with about a one minute rest between cracks. Total roast times are usually between 15 to just under 17 minutes from drop at 200 degrees....depending on the bean. I am very interested in fine tuning my roasts from bean to bean.

I'd suggest a higher drop in temperature, to shorten the roast time.  As for the profiling, I do it by bean.  Lower grown beans get a slower ramp at the start, in general.

My hottop has additional thermocouples I installed, for environment and bean tem.    I manage my lowering of the heat before first crack by watching the environmental temp--generally dropping the heat to maintain a max ET.

That's just scratching the surface though.

[Warrior372]

Does the group have any connections with Hottop to get a discount on the equipment upgrade to the KN-8828P? $420 is a quite a price tag.

[lwharton]

I am about to do a batch of Kenya AA to FC on my Hottop B. I have been dropping my beans @ around 250 degrees (per HT temp - I do not have any add on temp probes) and dropping the temp to 50% a minute or so before FC. My question is should I bring the temp back up at or during FC or leave it at 50% for the duration of the roast? And, what about the fan during this stage....should it be on/off or somewhere inbetween?

[Mlee]

I am about to do a batch of Kenya AA to FC on my Hottop B. I have been dropping my beans @ around 250 degrees (per HT temp - I do not have any add on temp probes) and dropping the temp to 50% a minute or so before FC. My question is should I bring the temp back up at or during FC or leave it at 50% for the duration of the roast? And, what about the fan during this stage....should it be on/off or somewhere inbetween?

Speaking for myself I would leave the fan on around 25 percent once you begin to get smoke. I cut the fan on 25% and leave it there starting at 350. I cut back my power befoe first and usually just leave it that way until finishing....A lot is dependent on the ambient temperature as well.