[mick wolfe]

Anyone here have experience/success with this machine?  I've had mixed results and some real flops FWIW.

[mresseguie]

Hi, Mick.

There's a pretty long thread discussing coffee roasting (not limited to the 500) that must be in this circle. It may be inside another thread.

[jaywills]

Hi, Mick, Jay Wills here.

I've been using one for several years now with reasonable success (plus, it's a good excuse for me to sit out on our screened porch and drink beer).  A couple of things to watch.

The ambient temperature is important, it's hard for me to get uniform roasts much below 60-65 outside, as well as when it's over 90.  It also is important not to fill the glass roasting chamber with too many beans.  I get the most repeatable, uniform roasts when the beans are about 1/16" shy of the bottom of the metal band around the middle of the chamber (the chamber will be full after roasting).

I start my roast at max temp and airflow, setting the timer at ~9 minutes.  After I begin hearing the first crack (somewhere around 5 minutes, depending on the ambient temperature), I reduce the airflow so that there is still good bean movement at the bottom, but less frantic, usually 1/3 to 1/2 speed (again, depending on the outside temp).  I leave it there until I get into the second crack as far as I want, which is usually when I start seeing an oily sheen begin developing on the beans (watch the top for light smoke, if you see some, start cooling immediately).  At that point, I hit the "cool" button, run the airflow up to the max and reduce the temp to the minimum.  The cooling cycle shuts off by itself.

Because I am a fan of island mountain coffees, I usually roast Kona or Jamaica Blue Mountain beans, which I typically buy directly from the plantation.  Peaberry beans seem to be harder for me to roast uniformly than the beans graded "extra fancy" (the former has only one bean per berry, while the latter has two).  Roasting to the point described above gives me a dark bean that develops a sheen over the 3-4 day degassing period and makes one of the best cups of coffee that I know how to make.

Of course, YMMV.  Good luck.  Cordially,

[S Clark]

I used the similar Nesco roaster for several years before upgrading to the Behmor roaster. It did a nice job, but had to be used outdoors- and was very sensitive to ambient temp.  If you roast regularly, move up.  The Behmor has a larger capacity, more consistent roast, and is more flexible.  I gave my Nesco to a friend and never looked back.

[gab]

Because I am a fan of island mountain coffees, I usually roast Kona or Jamaica Blue Mountain beans, which I typically buy directly from the plantation.

Please tell us U.S.A. folks how to source Jamaica Blue Mountain beans directly from the plantation.

gab

[jaywills]

http://wallenford.com/about.php#our-farms-and-pulperies

http://www.clydesdalebluemountain.com/index.html

http://www.bluemountaincoffee.com/index.cfm?method=AboutUs.CoffeeFactory&

I've had satisfactory results with each.  Cordially,

[gab]

http://wallenford.com/about.php#our-farms-and-pulperies

http://www.clydesdalebluemountain.com/index.html

http://www.bluemountaincoffee.com/index.cfm?method=AboutUs.CoffeeFactory&

I've had satisfactory results with each.  Cordially,

Thanks! gab

[Bendingwave]

I have not tried Jamaican blue mountain coffee....but I love my 100% Pure Kona coffee in fact I am drinking a cup right now.

[mresseguie]

Jaywills and Bendingwave,

Question for you:

I've never roasted beans, so this is a little OT. Every time I've drunk Kona or Blue Mountain coffee, I've been terribly disappointed with the flavor. My assumption is that I drank poor quality coffee, or it was fake.

Where can I buy 12 oz of freshly roasted (either variety) whole Kona or Jamaica Blue Mountain beans that are of the quality that you mention?

Thanks,

Michael

P.S. I typed the above without first clicking on any of Jay's supplied links as I was in a rush. I will check them now. Thanks, Jay!

[gab]

Jaywillis and Bendingwave,

Question for you:

I've never roasted beans, so this is a little OT. Every time I've drunk Konavor Blue Mountain coffee, I've been terribly disappointed with the flavor. My assumption is that I drank poor quality coffee, or it was fake.

Where can I buy 12 oz of freshly roasted (either variety) whole beans that are of he quality that you mention?

Thanks,

Michael

Michael - I will let you know in a week or so. Bought an 8 oz tester bag of the "medium roast" from bluemountaincoffee.com. I have had real JBMC in Jamaica before and I hope this is close to that experience. But I'm not getting my hopes up too high. Kinda like buying a speaker kit IYKWIM......

gab

[FullRangeMan]

Jaywillis and Bendingwave,

Question for you:

I've never roasted beans, so this is a little OT. Every time I've drunk Konavor Blue Mountain coffee, I've been terribly disappointed with the flavor. My assumption is that I drank poor quality coffee, or it was fake.

Where can I buy 12 oz of freshly roasted (either variety) whole beans that are of he quality that you mention?

Thanks,

Michael

Michael you will envy me, I have found a local coffee seller-not a company, which sells the best coffee I have drink, he had 3 quality levels. quality 1 & 2 are cheap.
Flavor are much better than this other famous brand below, but it have low cafeine:

[jaywills]

I can't really speak to roasted Jamaica Blue Mountain beans as I only get them green.  I have found that I like a lighter roast with the Jamaica than the Kona (barely get to the first crack), so you might try comparing a lighter roast with a darker roast if you can find a place to source each.  A friend of mine owns Kona Cloud Coffee, which is where I usually get my Kona beans.

JBM can be a tricky roast, but when done properly can produce a wonderfully flavorful cup of coffee.  Wish I could be more helpful.  Depending on where you are, I can ship you some of my next roast to try if you're interested.  Cordially,

[mick wolfe]

Thx to Jay and all who have replied. Yes, I had the original Fresh Roast 8 and ambient temp. is critical as mentioned.  Of all the roasting methods I've watched on YouTube or read on various coffee blogs, Jay's method sounds about as sensible as any. Yes, and if you're looking for a good light roast, probably best move up to a more advanced roaster. Some of the best coffee I've had recently have been lighter roasts from specialty roasters. A friend recently sent me some samples from Blue Bottle that were excellent. Their Hayes Valley roast was superb. The beans were light brown in color, but espresso from these beans was about as good as it gets. For now however, I'll continue to muddle along with my 500 and the roasting method suggested by Jay.

[Bendingwave]

Like audio gear, coffee taste comes down to personal preference.....hence why a lot of places that serve coffee make there own signature BLENDS....Most places that use Kona coffee only use 10% due to 100% kona coffee being too expensive....Although I do enjoy a cup of pure 100% Kona coffee from time to time I tend to favor the blends more because I can custom make them exactly to my taste....it also comes down to what one puts in there coffee and since I use cream I prefer the darker roast for that richer bolder coffee taste.....I do use sugar but I only use BROWN SUGAR as IMO it has a more subtle taste and does not change the coffee taste as much as white sugar....OH and its not the common type of brown sugar used for cooking/baking...its the raw natural brown sugar called Turbinado.