First oil

[mnemonix]

Photos can be misleading, has anyone looked at the 'improved' roasting guide on Sweet Marias site ? The photos of the single beans bear no relation to the photos of lots of beans, the former looking black and shiny where the latter look brown with minimal traces of oil !

I found photographing these beans that a flash made them look darker than using natural light (the picture above is without a flash).

So how did they taste ? Burnt to be honest. Espresso was vile. Filtered with plenty of milk and sugar more palettable but still the taste of carbon as opposed to coffee.

Chris.

[matts]

I agree with photographing thing, it's really hard to tell just exactly how dark they are. But they look fine to me

I have found that I go through phases of lighter and darker, sometimes I get a bit fed up of the fresh and fruity 'pulled at the first snaps of 2nd', especially for espresso. The only thing if you let it go to sheen or visible oil is that you have to drink it up faster, that surface oil goes stale awfully quick.

It's definitely easier to be braver about going into 2nd with the drum roaster, the first few times I stopped too early, despite a lot of noise the beans weren't that dark.

Matt

[simonp]

I find that stopping at the very first snaps (and I mean the VERY first) can make the espresso a little too bright or sour. Recently I have been letting the very first snaps go and waiting for the next snaps, which can be 10-15 seconds later, and then stopping (or going 10-15 seconds in depending on bean/blend) and this seems to heighten the sweetness.