Sonofresco / Q&A / Tip & Tricks

[jspain]

Right Tex! City to city+ for the majority of my roasts. Sometimes the "4" or "5" depending on variety..... and they go darker.  Jim

[yorel23]

Someone just asked me about what would have to be done to convert my Sono from sea-level use to high altitude? Is it a simple matter of removing the restrictor plate for the fan air inlet?

This is the response I got from Sonofresco when I asked them about one of my roasters having the ring and one not having it:

The roaster is shipped from the factory with the blower inlet ring installed as regular practice and is not manipulated unless requested by the customer or removed in the field to compensate for high altitude operation above 4500'. If this roaster was purchased second hand it may have been configured to operate at altitude in it's original installation. We can supply this to you for the cost of shipping as we have a few available from past factory modifications.

However, I roast at about 5000' and I have found that both of mine function MUCH better with rings installed.

[Tex]

Someone just asked me about what would have to be done to convert my Sono from sea-level use to high altitude? Is it a simple matter of removing the restrictor plate for the fan air inlet?

This is the response I got from Sonofresco when I asked them about one of my roasters having the ring and one not having it:

The roaster is shipped from the factory with the blower inlet ring installed as regular practice and is not manipulated unless requested by the customer or removed in the field to compensate for high altitude operation above 4500'. If this roaster was purchased second hand it may have been configured to operate at altitude in it's original installation. We can supply this to you for the cost of shipping as we have a few available from past factory modifications.

However, I roast at about 5000' and I have found that both of mine function MUCH better with rings installed.

So at 5000' you didn't need to mod anything else? I wonder what height qualifies as high-altitude?

[yorel23]

So at 5000' you didn't need to mod anything else? I wonder what height qualifies as high-altitude?

According to their email, they consider over 4500' to be "high altitude".  Incidentally, the one without the ring came out of San Diego, the one with the ring came out of Denver.  Seemed kind of opposite to me. :icon_scratch:  But, I can attest to the fact that "with ring" works better at 5000' than "without ring" for me.  I don't know if any other mods were done to the machines by previous owners.

[yorel23]

On another note. I am not a great cupper... I just know what I like and don't like. I've been reading several articles about fluid bed roasters versus drum roasters and I contemplated the issue before buying my Sono. My question is this, "Can anyone say that they can tell a difference between the Sono roasted greens and a drum roast of the same variety?"

I know when I've tried it with the Sono and the Behmor and compared I've even had a few times that I thought the Sono roast was better? I will shuffle the finished product so I can't tell one from another and check the bag after cupping. BTW, I'm now roasting at level "3" on most roasts. The "4" setting was good and I still use it for the Africans and Indos but "3" on the centrals seem to be just right.

Jim

Jim,

What I have found is that the fluid bed roasters (i.e. Sonofresco) bring out the high notes in the coffee more than a drum roaster will.  So I have found beans that I really liked in my Behmor to be over the top fruity on my Sonofresco.  But, I have also found other coffees that I didn't care for on my Behmor to be a lot nicer on the Sono due to the "brightness" that the Sono brings out.  An example that I have had of late is the Ethiopian that I am offering in the BuySaleTrade Green Stash section.  On the Sono, the fruitiness was just too much for me.  However, Kevin (aka thejavaman) roasted it on his Behmor and really liked it.  Anyway, those are my observations.

[Tex]

So at 5000' you didn't need to mod anything else? I wonder what height qualifies as high-altitude?

According to their email, they consider over 4500' to be "high altitude".  Incidentally, the one without the ring came out of San Diego, the one with the ring came out of Denver.  Seemed kind of opposite to me. :icon_scratch:

Maybe the SD roasters were getting really high while roasting and figured the Sono needed more air?

[yorel23]

So at 5000' you didn't need to mod anything else? I wonder what height qualifies as high-altitude?

According to their email, they consider over 4500' to be "high altitude".  Incidentally, the one without the ring came out of San Diego, the one with the ring came out of Denver.  Seemed kind of opposite to me. :icon_scratch:

Maybe the SD roasters were getting really high while roasting and figured the Sono needed more air?

Judging by the guy that I bought it from, that is a real possibility. 

[jspain]

On another note. I am not a great cupper... I just know what I like and don't like. I've been reading several articles about fluid bed roasters versus drum roasters and I contemplated the issue before buying my Sono. My question is this, "Can anyone say that they can tell a difference between the Sono roasted greens and a drum roast of the same variety?"

I know when I've tried it with the Sono and the Behmor and compared I've even had a few times that I thought the Sono roast was better? I will shuffle the finished product so I can't tell one from another and check the bag after cupping. BTW, I'm now roasting at level "3" on most roasts. The "4" setting was good and I still use it for the Africans and Indos but "3" on the centrals seem to be just right.

Jim

Jim,

What I have found is that the fluid bed roasters (i.e. Sonofresco) bring out the high notes in the coffee more than a drum roaster will.  So I have found beans that I really liked in my Behmor to be over the top fruity on my Sonofresco.  But, I have also found other coffees that I didn't care for on my Behmor to be a lot nicer on the Sono due to the "brightness" that the Sono brings out.  An example that I have had of late is the Ethiopian that I am offering in the BuySaleTrade Green Stash section.  On the Sono, the fruitiness was just too much for me.  However, Kevin (aka thejavaman) roasted it on his Behmor and really liked it.  Anyway, those are my observations.

Great observation. As I do more comparisons I'll keep that in mind and see if I pick-up on that and roast accordingly! THANKS!  Jim

[Tex]

On another note. I am not a great cupper... I just know what I like and don't like. I've been reading several articles about fluid bed roasters versus drum roasters and I contemplated the issue before buying my Sono. My question is this, "Can anyone say that they can tell a difference between the Sono roasted greens and a drum roast of the same variety?"

I know when I've tried it with the Sono and the Behmor and compared I've even had a few times that I thought the Sono roast was better? I will shuffle the finished product so I can't tell one from another and check the bag after cupping. BTW, I'm now roasting at level "3" on most roasts. The "4" setting was good and I still use it for the Africans and Indos but "3" on the centrals seem to be just right.

Jim

Yep, probably explains why I've been blending Brazil beans in with my yirgs & Bali beans to mute the brightness. Maybe I'll like them better as SO's once I get a drum roaster?


Jim,

What I have found is that the fluid bed roasters (i.e. Sonofresco) bring out the high notes in the coffee more than a drum roaster will.  So I have found beans that I really liked in my Behmor to be over the top fruity on my Sonofresco.  But, I have also found other coffees that I didn't care for on my Behmor to be a lot nicer on the Sono due to the "brightness" that the Sono brings out.  An example that I have had of late is the Ethiopian that I am offering in the BuySaleTrade Green Stash section.  On the Sono, the fruitiness was just too much for me.  However, Kevin (aka thejavaman) roasted it on his Behmor and really liked it.  Anyway, those are my observations.

Great observation. As I do more comparisons I'll keep that in mind and see if I pick-up on that and roast accordingly! THANKS!  Jim

[fossrus]

I have been roasting on my twin Behmors for about a year. Looking to make the leap into a Sono. Question: Would someone be willing to sell me a pound of their green stash (so I can roast it on my Behmor) & also roast a pound of the same stuff on their Sono? Of course I am willing to pay for beans & shipping.

thx

[jspain]

fossrus,

Sure. I can roast on my Sono and send you a roasted # and a green # of the same variety. I can even roast the second sample in my Behmor if you like? Either way is fine with me. What variety would you like? I'm probably sitting on over 20 different ones. Be glad to roast up your favorite! Just let me know.

Jim

[jmp]

Anyone have experience in roasting smaller amounts of coffee in the 1# Sonofresco?

[jspain]

jmp,

I have a 2#er. If you read through this thread you'll see that it does not work! The Sono is designed such that mass volume is the indicator of roast level that drives the thermostat. Thus smaller amounts does not work. I use my Behmor or IRoast 2 for samples.

Sorry,  Jim

[Tex]

jmp,

I have a 2#er. If you read through this thread you'll see that it does not work! The Sono is designed such that mass volume is the indicator of roast level that drives the thermostat. Thus smaller amounts does not work. I use my Behmor or IRoast 2 for samples.

Sorry,  Jim

Batch size was exactly why I sold my Sono and bought a Hottop. Funny thing is, I'm liking the coffee from the HT so much I'm roasting twice a week, which is more than the capacity of one batch on the Sono.

So maybe batch size wasn't the problem: Maybe the Sono just didn't roast that well? No slam intended - I'm serious.

[grohrich]

My observations regarding the blower inlet ring and high altitude.  I have roasted several hundred pounds with the SF 2lb model.

I'm at 6500' and was having too many beans burning or scorcing, >10%.  After several discussions with tech support, they recommended removing the ring.  It resulted in moderate improvement.  I find that one side, the left looking at the chamber from the front, had great bean motion and the right side had none.  The right side is where the scorcing seemed to be coming from.  I closed the metal air vents under the chamber on the left side by about 50% but still could not get the right side moving at the start.  The right side did 'fluidize' but not until well into the roast.  My goal was to get it moving at the start like the left side. 

The solution came by reducing the weight to 2lbs green weight or a bit less.  Depends on the bean.  Peaberrys need < 2lbs as well as most Africians.  I put the factory supplied can away and use a scale now.  I like a lighter roast, just before 2nd crack, I use preset 4 or 5 only with great results.

Initially I was PO'd that I wasn't getting the capacity the machine boasts, but it is what it is and I'll get over it!

Hope this helpfull to some.