Speed Up the Coffee Roasting
Originally uploaded by mikeysklar
I've complained before about how my little electric popcorn maker slows down to half speed when the ambient air temperature gets cold. Today I decided to try placing a small cardboard box over the popcorn roaster and the results were impressive. I went from a roast time of 8 minutes in cold weather down to 3 minutes. Obviously there is a fire hazard here, but I watch the process closely so I can get a ideal bean color.
1 comment:
Mikey,
I usually roast in a very similar machine on my roof garden in Berlin. I figured that the roasting time was much faster when I got it new (from ebay, hardly ever used). But since I started roasting coffee with it it slowly started to take more time to roast. I think I started out at about 2 min, 30 sec. and last time I roasted took about 4 min.
I don't think it only depends on the outside temp, though. I think it depends also on the cleanliness of the inside of the roaster. If you always wipe the oil off with a paper towel just when it's cool enough so you won't burn yourself I think you should get the time down.
BUT: I consider longer roast times as something positive as the coffee taste comes out much better, when roasted slow.
Small scale industries (traditional) coffee roasters usually roast between 12 - 20 min. per load @180°C/260F-220°C/480F, whereas large scale industries roast at around 90 sec. and up to 700°C/1300F. Now why do small scale industries still exist in the coffee branch? Because people know it tastes much better. The reason is that the beans are roasted slower and therefor more evenly (outside to inside).
I will check with my flatmates in Berlin to see what airtemp they have now and if the roast times vary, as I am in India at the moment.
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