Sulawesi Toraja roasting

by **zix** » Mon Mar 21, 2005 9:20 pm

Hey there!
I have just finished my first Sulawesi Toraja (Kalosi) roast. Roasted with the heatgun. This one was a bit different than most other beans I have tried. It seems the roast took longer than usual, and it became more uneven than I expected from a non-aged bean.
* Looking at the unroasted beans, they are more uneven in color than, for instance, a Colombia or a Kenya. A bit like Moka Sana'ani, they look.
* Looking at the roasted beans, as I said the roast is uneven - almost as uneven as a Monsoon Malabar roast, and just as oily. There are some almost black beans, then some darker-than-average beans, then a lot of beans that look like they haven't even entered second crack (but it sounded like they did).
Perhaps someone will understand what I mean if I call them "hard" beans. Beans that don't change roast deepness easily. I haven't tasted them yet, will do so tomorrow.

Is this what is to be expected of a Sulawesi Toraja? Or have I bought less-than-standard quality beans?

by **Steve** » Mon Mar 21, 2005 9:38 pm

They are more un even than most beans and the colour is less green than most. But I'm suprised its as uneven as monsoon malabar. Could be a mixture of both. But hold off judgement taste then decide.

Steve

by **coffeefreak** » Tue Mar 22, 2005 7:52 pm

* Looking at the unroasted beans, they are more uneven in color than, for instance, a Colombia or a Kenya.
* Looking at the roasted beans, as I said the roast is uneven - almost as uneven as a Monsoon Malabar roast, and just as oily. There are some almost black beans, then some darker-than-average beans, then a lot of beans that look like they haven't even entered second crack (but it sounded like they did).
Perhaps someone will understand what I mean if I call them "hard" beans. Beans that don't change roast deepness easily. I haven't tasted them yet, will do so tomorrow.

Is this what is to be expected of a Sulawesi Toraja? Or have I bought less-than-standard quality beans?

The Toradja Sulawesi we have is Grade 1. Not the same looks like your greens. What kind of Toradja did you bought.

Can be different quality.

Jan "Coffee Freak" Schuitemaker

by **zix** » Wed Mar 23, 2005 10:04 am

Back here again with the first taste impressions. The coffee powder color proves that this indeed was a lighter than usual roast for me. I don't feel comfortable with the roast grade descriptive words, perhaps because I have read too much American texts about it. Do we have a European standard, and do we use it on TMC? Judging from the color, most of these beans cannot quite have reached second crack, even though I thought I heard it. It tasted fine, but I would like to try and get a darker roast before characterising the taste in more detail. This batch is strong, a little high in acidity for an espresso, and spicey. The pour looks good and has some tiger striping, the crema is rich enough and a little mottled. It was not hard to get a good looking double.

What kind of Toraja? I don't know! It only said Sulawesi Kalosi Toraja on the bag, and she (the shop owner) said it was good. I'll take some pictures of both green and roasted next time I roast.

by **tisri** » Wed Mar 23, 2005 8:44 pm

When I first roasted Kalosi I aborted the batch because despite not hearing any sign of first crack the beans looked charred. I posted pictures of the beans here and a couple of people said they were underroasted. So I tried again but forced myself to ignore the fact they looked charred and pushed them to the first pops of second. They still looked a little uneven but tasted fine.

by **zix** » Wed Mar 23, 2005 10:41 pm

Thanks, tisri. They do seem to reach first and second crack rather late. I have heard cracks, but not all beans have cracked so I could hear it - on the other hand, this happens with many other beans too, and doesn't necessarily mean they roast unevenly. The colour is another thing - some of my beans look charred, which makes me want to stop roasting, just like you did.

I did a new batch earlier today, this time in the good old oven. I wanted to bring them to second crack and be sure of it. This was a better batch, I think, but I took images of it to show you how it looks. I did nothing to the colour or contrast here because the white points looked OK, except for the green beans image where something had happened and where I neutralised only the highlights.

by **zix** » Wed Mar 23, 2005 10:46 pm

I am not good with the attachments... The two first images didn't make it, here they are.

by **wang** » Fri Mar 25, 2005 11:55 pm

I thought you were oven roasting for a second there. I use a saucepan and wooden spoon, and find the quicker I stir the more even the roast, but that only really applies to nice even wet process beans like Ethiopian Yirg. 1st crack is very focused and defined with that in comparision to dry process beans like SM's Poco Fundo and Ethiopian Harar.

by **zix** » Sun Mar 27, 2005 6:12 pm

I *am* oven roasting. When I am not using the heatgun or the popper. So you roast a lot of Yirg too, wang? It really works out well with the heatgun for me, best method of the three I use.

The second batch, the darker (oven roasted) one which I took pictures of, was definitely the best one for espresso. Same taste as before, but less acidity and a little of that "roast taste" that always comes with the darker roasts.
Perhaps it would be better off in a blend with some good quality robusta, though - I would like a bit more body and sweetness. I´ll try the popper next and see if it can squeeze some more bright taste notes out of it.

by **tisri** » Fri Apr 01, 2005 12:28 pm

Looking at your pictures it looks like your green beans are possibly a slightly (but only slightly, if at all) lower grade than the ones I'm using. I stop the roast somewhere between the last two pictures of your first selection.

At the end of first crack some beans will look charred - I've found that to be entirely normal when I roast it. Keep pushing it so it goes into second crack, my preference is to let second crack get underway but not to wait until it peaks - get it popping reasonably regularly rather than going crazy and then stop the roast. My experience is that the areas that look charred end up looking perfectly normal when the bean has roasted more evenly.

(Sorry for the delay getting back, been away from the forum for a few days)

by **zix** » Fri Apr 01, 2005 5:40 pm

Thanks, tisri. Next time I will try a tad lighter - I think the second roast was indeed a little bit too much. A little thinnish in the "body" and the roast taste starting to come out. Still, better than the first one.
I tried a dark popper roast with these and santos peaberry today. Strong! Would be good with a bit of milk I think. Perhaps a cubano.