HotTop Insulation for winter roasting

[mp]

All hail GC7!

   Thanks Sean.  I showed that to the wife and she laughed and said that perhaps I should move in with you. 

I continue to be impressed with this mod and the coffee resulting from my roasts. It's getting much colder here by the day so I hope the winter roasts continue with the same quality.

Haha, bring your grinder and espresso machine. ;-)

Hey, if that's all it takes, can I move in too?   

We'll have enough hardware, but if you bring a pound of homeroast you're in. ;-)

How about 2 turtle doves?

 

It's 2 jugs of milk, get with the program. ;-)

True ... what was I thinking ... turtle doves don't go great with espresso ... unless they are the chocolate kind.

 

[peter]

All hail GC7!

   Thanks Sean.  I showed that to the wife and she laughed and said that perhaps I should move in with you. 

I continue to be impressed with this mod and the coffee resulting from my roasts. It's getting much colder here by the day so I hope the winter roasts continue with the same quality.

Haha, bring your grinder and espresso machine. ;-)

Hey, if that's all it takes, can I move in too?   

We'll have enough hardware, but if you bring a pound of homeroast you're in. ;-)

How about 2 turtle doves?

 

It's 2 jugs of milk, get with the program. ;-)

Or eight maids a milking. 

We'd have enough raw milk that way.

[John F]

All I want to say is that you guys that are moving in better not be eyeballing my bug out corner of the basement up there...

Don't even think about it.

[staylor]

All I want to say is that you guys that are moving in better not be eyeballing my bug out corner of the basement up there...

Don't even think about it.

Always got your back, bro.

[John F]

Always got your back, bro.

Never in doubt... I was just letting the coffee zombies know what's up. 

[staylor]

Always got your back, bro.

Never in doubt... I was just letting the coffee zombies know what's up. 

When the actual zombies invade it's always handy to have a few friendly coffee zombies manning the gunports.

[John F]

"It is vital that you do not panic."

Shaun Of The Dead Trailer

 

[staylor]

Had a shot of the 5 day old Kenya Kieni at noon and it was really good. Sweet, tangerine, peach, honey, floral nose, syrupy with a bit of zip in the acidity. Think honey, tangerines and peaches placed in a small pan and reduced on low heat then poured into a cup.

Similar to pre-mod Kieni but with a bit more acidity (good acidity) and a it more clarity.

Me like.

[John F]

Similar to pre-mod Kieni but with a bit more acidity (good acidity) and a it more clarity.

So what do you see happening in the roasts?

Was the pre mod taking longer to terminate roast...reach 1st crack...what are you seeing that the mod has changed?

If my plans work according to plan I will be grabbing a HT in late Jan - early Feb and need to know what's going on with this mod. 

[staylor]

I think GC7 has a better understanding of what's happening from a technical perspective, all's I have is my nose and palate on some preliminary roasts. I've checked out the Kieni and a Senhora de Fatima shot and I like what I've got. Of course it's early days still.

I'll have a go at an Amaro Gayo in a day or two and then I'll be able to really get a handle on differences as I know that bean well.

One thing I can say, I'm running the heating element a bit lower so I'm not seeing any divots in the beans and I **think** the roasting chamber doesn't have as much opportunity to get smoke impacted. I'm running the heater at 10-20% less heat than previously and I'm keeping the fan manipulation at approx the same - the the smoke is probably clearing faster. Perhaps the reason for a more focused sound stage. A bit more reflective surface a little less velvet. ;-)

[John F]

I'm running the heater at 10-20% less heat than previously and I'm keeping the fan manipulation at approx the same - the the smoke is probably clearing faster.

I see.

Lower temps required to hit the marks because of the ambient/insulated difference.

Lower chamber temps and bean surface temps....

I can dig it.

[GC7]

John

I did 6 more roasts this morning with temperatures in the mid 20's on the porch.  I think Sean is correct and I would add that it appears to be easier to control the internal environmental temperature of the drum chamber as its not nearly as subject to outside temperature and wind drawing heat away from the beans. When the heat is drawn away you need to then add more power to the heating element and my belief is that can cause local burning or hot spots as you try to compensate.  The insulation helps to make the heat even throughout the drum (perhaps dependent on you choice of fan and airflow rathe then the outside weather conditions).

My profile (~170 gm load) - All temps from my bean temperature thermocouple)
Preheat from time 25 min at heat 7 and no fan to time 21 min 30 sec (3 1/2 minutes) when the beans are added at temperature ~330-350) - heat goes to 9.
When BT is 300* add the fan to 1 and continue till about 1 minute before expected first crack when heat is lowered to 5. This is 9-10 minutes after drop - I streatch this for espresso roasts and keep it about 91/2 for brew.
I then play with the heat settings (usually 3-5) to keep steady increase (watching the BT thermocouple readout) to finish about 3-3 1/2 minutes later for brew (mostly BT ~425* my city+) - for espresso I stretch to 4- 4 1/2 minutes. Second crack on my BT thermocouple is usually about 438-440*
This profiling is MUCH easier in the cold with the insulation.  In fact, I couldn't do it without it.