Too Much Coffee

For the past several years I've been roasting in the old chicken house (now garden shed) and TBH it's beginning to lose its appeal, especially in winter.

As we're considering a new roaster I was wondering who was roasting indoors either with or without an extractor, as that would be an influential factor in the decision process.

Cheers

Ian

We have the Pinhalense two barrel sample roaster in a garage type area with a decent quality cooker hood extactor venting externally. The Pinha produces a fair bit of smoke but the extractor deals with the bulk of it admirably. The venting scenario cost around £80 including metal ducting.

I put my behmor underneath the kitchen vent (a big one, though). Works fine. I roast in the morning, a faint smell lingers during the first hours after roasting. But that's usually when we're at work, so it doesn't bother anyone.

Behmor here, modded with a few feet of metal venting hose, shoved out a window. Works fine for smoke, you still have quite a lingering roasting smell (which I like, but not everyone does). There was talk of an adaptor for the behmor to be able to add venting without undoing the screws, it's no big hassle though.

3kw commercial extractor with 30cm diameter exhaust ducting. No smoke problems with any roaster so far.

I tried roasting with the Gene in the kitchen with the extractor on. It was great in the kitchen, but several passersby, were heard to comment on the coffee smell emanating from the kitchen. And the aroma lingered in the small sidestreet for some time. Great you may think, but the local council frowns on such "offensive" smells!

So I moved it up to the spare room at the top of the house, open a window and from the third floor, no one is any the wiser.

My extractor exhausts right above the playground of the Kindergarten next door. If I roast when the kids are there they stand around and sniff the "burning chocolate." If they weren't hyperactive before I guess they get that way quickly.

Something that I've never understood is that when I roast (using a Behmor) the smell in the kitchen isn't the lovely fresh-roast smell that I'd anticipated that I would get.

However, I stand the roaster on the stovetop, with the ducted extractor fan running - and the smell outside the house is amazing!

There must be a reason - anyone know why?

bruceb wrote:3kw commercial extractor with 30cm diameter exhaust ducting. No smoke problems with any roaster so far.

I would imagine that you could have a nice sideline in Hindu funerals with that extractor Bruce.

There must be a reason - anyone know why?

I think this is like kitchen extractors. On the way down the tube a lot of the tar and oil etc condenses in the tube and by the time it gets on the street it 's more of an aroma filled air and less of a smoke.
I too roast in the shed, where the smell is quite strong and acrid, up the garden it smells delicious.

Winter roasting has been tough, I have to use a heat gun to preheat or I'm out there ages. My belay jacket smell very odd now.

I put my gene on top of the stove. No smoke problems, but the house does smell like a roastery for a few hours after!

GeoffsCigars wrote:Something that I've never understood is that when I roast (using a Behmor) the smell in the kitchen isn't the lovely fresh-roast smell that I'd anticipated that I would get.

However, I stand the roaster on the stovetop, with the ducted extractor fan running - and the smell outside the house is amazing!

There must be a reason - anyone know why?

I don't know exactly, but I certainly would never use the words "lovely" and "fresh-roast smell" in one sentence. Coffee roasting smells, the smell of freshly ground fresh beans and the smell of freshly brewed coffee have little to do with one another. Roasting smoke is smoke and to me it smells like burning chocolate. I only like the smell because I know that I will soon have a lovely fresh cup.

bruceb wrote:I don't know exactly, but I certainly would never use the words "lovely" and "fresh-roast smell" in one sentence. Coffee roasting smells, the smell of freshly ground fresh beans and the smell of freshly brewed coffee have little to do with one another. Roasting smoke is smoke and to me it smells like burning chocolate. I only like the smell because I know that I will soon have a lovely fresh cup.

Oh I love the smell of roasting, I love the smell that lingers afterwards, I love the smell of freshly ground beans and I love the smell of freshly brewed coffee. These different but wonderful aromas have a great deal to do with why I love roasting, grinding, brewing and drinking coffee.

The question is, if the neighbours love those smells, too.

Many lifetimes ago I used to repair and race prepare sports and racing cars. I loved the smell of the exhaust, the smell of burnt rubber, the smell of transmission and differential oil. Nonetheless, I don't think I would ever describe them as "lovely." The same is true of roasting smoke.