by bruceb » Tue Apr 15, 2008 10:17 am
My digital-display (non-programmable) HT will only allow me to press the + button 5 times, thus limiting the total roasting time to about 25 minutes. I don't know if it cuts out at 212°C because by the time I get to 210°C (as measured by the element in the heat path) the beans are nearly charcoal anyway. I always shoot for 209°C. which gives me a relatively dark "full-city +" roast for espresso.
The above only applies to and works if I reduce the green bean mass to 230 g. If I try to roast 250 g I usually get relatively poor results and can't go beyond what roughly looks like a "city roast."
Without major brain surgery on the HT there is no way to override the cutout, I've been told. I try never to leave the roaster once 1st crack has taken place. I always keep a cordless phone in my pocket and if the doorbell rings I just ignore it. A roaster fire in one of these home roasters is a mess and potentially quite dangerous.
Edit: I forgot to mention something I've written about before (and been ridiculed for, as well): If I dump a roast that is way too light I have successfully re-roasted it. No, it's not as good as a proper single roast, but it gives very acceptable results, assuming the beans were of a good quality in the first place. To re-roast I let the HT cool down, then roast completely normally, waiting for first or second crack, which usually takes place about 5-10 minutes sooner than in a normal roast (depending on how light the first roast was, of course). I finish the roast normally. If you have money and beans to bin, just do that. But, if you want to try to rescue a roast gone wrong give it a try. If it is lousy you will be that much richer for the experience. As always, my advice is, never take anyone else's word for anything. A simple experiment is much more convincing than dogma.
Three Francesconi (CMA) espresso machines - Rossi, San Marco, LaCimbali, Faema and 2 Mazzer Major grinders- CoffeeTech Maggionlino, Hottop, Alpenröst and HW Precision roasters. I decided I needed a bit of a change so I roasted some Monsooned Malabar. That was a change!