Got my I-Roast!

[vinter]

Hooray! My first experience with the world of roasting, as my I-Roast arrived the other day.

I did my first batch today, but had some mixed results as I think they got too much (looks very dark, and kind of oily?)

I did my own program based on a recommendation from US experiences, so I converted from Fahrenheit:

Stage 1: 4 min @ 325 F (162 C)
Stage 2: 5 min @ 350 F (176 C)
Stage 3: 6 min @ 370 F (188 C)

Had to stop the roast already after 9 minutes(!) - and at that stage it seemed a little too late.

Anyway, love the concept of homeroasting and cant wait to improve my roasts.

Would love to hear others' results and experiments!

Mads

[AlanP]

Hi Mads
Congratulations,I'm envious.
I'm hoping to get an IRoast in a week or two but your post has brought a question to my mind.
I know the IRoast times and temperatures are electronically controlled but do you think the fact that American IRoasts are 110 volts and European ones are 220 volts would affect the results ?
If so,we may have to develop some roasting programs to suit European machine
9 minutes is a bit faster than I would have expected,though I speak from inexperience and ignorance

Alan

[phil]

I know the IRoast times and temperatures are electronically controlled but do you think the fact that American IRoasts are 110 volts and European ones are 220 volts would affect the results ?

I had a long chat with our pet electronic engineer (Simon) about a related point a few weeks ago. Specifically I was discussing concerns about the shipped I-Roasts being rated at 220V, even for the UK. You may have read my comments on how apparently minor voltage variations affect the Hottop for example.

The conclusion was that, to some (as yet unestablished) degree of approximation, the fact that the I-Roast is temperature controlled will render the concerns about this problem largely irrelevant.

This simple-minded observation of course leaves things wide open for comments regarding hysteresis from some of our resident control engineers. We'll just have to see how it works out.

However the 110V / 220V comparison should not be a huge concern as the European machines (as shipped to both Ongebrand and Hasbean, for example) are designed for this market.

Phil

[vinter]

Alan, Phil,

Tonight I will attend a roasting event with 3 friends who also bought the I-roast along with me. We will then compare machines, roast times, etc.

It appears one of them made a modification described on Sweetmarias, that should make the roasting settings and times more comparable to the US version.

Will keep you posted.

[simonp]

The conclusion was that, to some (as yet unestablished) degree of approximation, the fact that the I-Roast is temperature controlled will render the concerns about this problem largely irrelevant.
Phil

Indeed, if, as I understand it, the I-roast controls the temperature of the input air by measuring it, then the fact that the heater would technically get hotter at full power is itrrelevant. The only problem would be if the control would not allow the heater to be backed off enough, but I suspect this would be unlikely as you don't have to drop the input power to the heater that much to get a much lower temperature with a popper or Imex, which will be using much the same heater elements.