I hope everyone is getting along well in the new year.
An e-mail arrived a few days ago from a man saying that he had seen my pictures of the Maggiolino roaster and he had some questions for me. It seems he bought a used HotTop recently, his first roaster, and the coffee he was producing was undrinkable. He asked me for advice and I related my experience and methods for the HotTop and he wrote back that he was doing things exactly the same way I was.
By way of coincidence he was roasting a Guatemala Esmeralda, the same coffee I have been drinking of late so I felt certain the beans were not to blame. He said the roasts were all light and the coffee tasted like grass and even gummed up his grinder. It was obvious the beans were underroasted, but he assured me he roasted to second crack.
Finally, he started a roast and then called me on the phone and described what what happening:
The roast was going along nicely when suddenly I heard first crack over the phone, which delighted me. Then a few seconds later he suddenly said, "There, second crack! I will now eject the beans." I could not suppress my laugh as I realised that he understood the second audible crack as....oh, you get it.
I tried not to embarrass him and since he now has it sorted he's happy. l don't think he'll be reading this since he doesn't seem to speak any English at all, which may be part of the problem.
I wish good coffee to all.