Sonofresco / Q&A / Tip & Tricks

[Tex]

After using two Sono roasters and several iterations of UFO/CO roasters, I'm of the opinion that the Sono is a simple to operate, albeit one-dimensional, roaster while the UFO/CO offers unlimited roasting potential for the attentive roaster.

The Sono has 10 preset programs, but all have identical roast profiles; with the only differences being the degree of roast. Its strength is that you get a near-identical roast for each batch of beans, with no input from the operator. It's weakness is the total lack of operator control over the roast profile. edited: I've found that some beans give better results in a Sono than others. When I find such a bean I now buy larger quantities for future use.

The UFO/CO offers a skilled operator near-unlimited control over the roast profile, but it requires the undivided attention of the operator to achieve great roasts.

To my mind it comes down to how much attention you can give the roasting process. If you're the sort who can hover over the roaster and have some OCD tendencies, then you can make the UFO/CO roaster sing a pretty tune. If you're like me and just don't have the patience to tweak the UFO/CO's variables, then the Sono is a better bet.

[J.Jirehs Roaster]

I have worked with both the sono and the SC/TO if I am going to roast for commercial sale and/or a coffee shop I would want the sono..  as it stands I roast for my family and a few friends.. the SC?TO gives me plenty of room to try adjusting the profile for different beans and I have a pretty stable 'go to' profile for just getting coffee in the jar..

[Tex]

I have worked with both the sono and the SC/TO if I am going to roast for commercial sale and/or a coffee shop I would want the sono..  as it stands I roast for my family and a few friends.. the SC?TO gives me plenty of room to try adjusting the profile for different beans and I have a pretty stable 'go to' profile for just getting coffee in the jar..

No argument from me - I just wish I still had the patience I had 5 years ago. Back then I still loved my LP Professional and my TurboCrazy. Now I'm just an old fart who needs his push button roaster & espresso machine.

[Tex]

I have worked with both the sono and the SC/TO if I am going to roast for commercial sale and/or a coffee shop I would want the sono..  as it stands I roast for my family and a few friends.. the SC?TO gives me plenty of room to try adjusting the profile for different beans and I have a pretty stable 'go to' profile for just getting coffee in the jar..

No argument from me - I just wish I still had the patience I had 5 years ago. Back then I still loved my LP Professional and my TurboCrazy. Now I'm just an old fart who needs his push button roaster & espresso machine.

Lever love lost?  Say it isn't so, Tex!   

I've still got 'em - just love to look at 'em now though!

[hobiwankinobi]

OK Everyone. Thanks for the thoughts. This is what I was looking for.

Steve

[Tex]

I guess it's time to clean the Sono's temp sensor?

My roast today only got as far as 449°F (BT as measured with a type K t/c in the bean mass) before it began cycling down and back up. I didn't wait for an error code, but I'll bet it would've been E3 if I'd let it run long enough. The good thing is it got hot enough to almost get me to 2nd crack, so I don't have to declare a pooched roast and toss it.

I'll give it a good cleaning with a strip of Scotch-Brite and try another batch tomorrow. Hopefully, cleaning the sensor will solve the problem.

[ScareYourPassenger]

Well, I found a bead type probe and plugged it into my voltmeter. Very interesting to see the temps climb and fall as the soon cycles. It does make me wonder more about the usefulness of using the can for determining the amounts of beans though. Comparing the curves between the Burundi and a larger bean Ethipian showed that the Burundi heated up faster and the gas cycles at different points.

[hootowlcoffee]

Hey guys I am so glad I found this thread.  I just bought and received my sono on wed and have been blown away by the coffee.  I am curious if any of you found out a better way to roast brazils in the sono?  I am like a little kid in a candy store with the brightness it brings out.  Any way to stop the few beans that get burnt in a roast? 

[jspain]

Hey guys I am so glad I found this thread.  I just bought and received my sono on wed and have been blown away by the coffee.  I am curious if any of you found out a better way to roast brazils in the sono?  I am like a little kid in a candy store with the brightness it brings out.  Any way to stop the few beans that get burnt in a roast?

I think you'll find the answer to that question earlier in the thread. Depending on the variety you'll get some toasted beans in every roast to one degree or another. Go lighter on the start weight..... by a couple oz. might help. "agitation."

[yankeeNH]

Hey guys I am so glad I found this thread.  I just bought and received my sono on wed and have been blown away by the coffee.  I am curious if any of you found out a better way to roast brazils in the sono?  I am like a little kid in a candy store with the brightness it brings out.  Any way to stop the few beans that get burnt in a roast?

I think you'll find the answer to that question earlier in the thread. Depending on the variety you'll get some toasted beans in every roast to one degree or another. Go lighter on the start weight..... by a couple oz. might help. "agitation."

Agreed—I think I posted some time ago about my experience with Brasils. I think they are the trickiest to roast on the Sono because so many are softer beans. I've found the built-in profile is just a little too aggressive for a lot of Brasils, but I can get acceptable results around a RL3. My one and only chaff fire was with a Brasil!

[hootowlcoffee]

Having a problem with a large sum of my coffee's chaff clogging up the first bigger screen and making airflow so slow that my roast roll on for minutes afterwards, and it's ruining my roasts.  Anyone else having this problem?  Can you expand the already large holes so that the chaff ends up in the chamber?   

[Tex]

Having a problem with a large sum of my coffee's chaff clogging up the first bigger screen and making airflow so slow that my roast roll on for minutes afterwards, and it's ruining my roasts.  Anyone else having this problem?  Can you expand the already large holes so that the chaff ends up in the chamber?

??

My Sono 1100 has a grill chaff catcher, then a fine screen. How's your Sono setup?

[hootowlcoffee]

Same, had a grill sorta thing then a fine screen.  The grill clogs up.  I removed my exhaust pipes bc I thought it could be an airflow issue.  It didn't help.  What's your thoughts or tips? My Harrar is getting scorched and is causing me to be a little malnourished. Lol

[jspain]

Is the problem only with the harrar? Some greens have much more chaff than others.....

You could change your roast setting down for the harrar......

[Tex]

Same, had a grill sorta thing then a fine screen.  The grill clogs up.  I removed my exhaust pipes bc I thought it could be an airflow issue.  It didn't help.  What's your thoughts or tips? My Harrar is getting scorched and is causing me to be a little malnourished. Lol

I just roasted 1.3 pounds of RobertL's Harrar and didn't notice a significant amount of chaff; just the normal stuff that goes along with a natural. In fact, I've roasted all sorts of greens and never had a problem with chaff reducing airflow enough to cause a pooched roast.

I set the program to 9, then put a thermocouple in the bean mass so I can roast to temperature, so my process isn't like other Sono users. But if you're venting the exhaust through tubing you probably should have an auxiliary fan, which is what Sonofresco puts into their accessory hood.