Sonofresco sample roaster

[Tex]

It looks like they simply divided the roast chamber into three segments. It should be simple to fabricate a similar device.

[John F]

Man that is weird.

I guess you roast all 3 samples at the same time and suck them out with that vac at various intervals...

Trippy.

[Tex]

I believe the idea is to roast three different beans at the same time for cupping? The problem I see with that is, based strictly on my own observations, different beans arrive at a given roast level in different times.

??

The vacuum is cool.

[John F]

I believe the idea is to roast three different beans at the same time for cupping?

 

I like my idea better. 

It would be kind of fun to roast a bean in one batch and be able to sample it prior to second crack, right at second, and a third point all in one swoop.

Roasting 3 different beans in one batch in separate chambers does not seem very useful to me unless you can profile them independently and need to produce individual 1# blends for some reason....it's odd.

[Tex]

I believe the idea is to roast three different beans at the same time for cupping?

 

I like my idea better. 

It would be kind of fun to roast a bean in one batch and be able to sample it prior to second crack, right at second, and a third point all in one swoop.

Roasting 3 different beans in one batch in separate chambers does not seem very useful to me unless you can profile them independently and need to produce individual 1# blends for some reason....it's odd.

It does seem odd, doesn't it? They must've tested it out before marketing it, but I just don't see the advantage. Ya think I might be missing something?

[J.Jirehs Roaster]

The problem I see is getting the beans out separately.   The value I suppose is that you can try three new samples at the same Sonofresco automatic setting.   If you are smart and pay attention to the roaster and turn it off when you get to the roast you want then yes it would be a silly way to sample roast but if you are finding roast settings to train the monkey to roast at then it would be great...   The frustrating part for me (when I was helping the coffee shop set up) was that the vendor would give us enough green for one roast and you could try it at only one level... this way I could get three samples and try it at three levels...

[Tex]

The problem I see is getting the beans out separately.   The value I suppose is that you can try three new samples at the same Sonofresco automatic setting.   If you are smart and pay attention to the roaster and turn it off when you get to the roast you want then yes it would be a silly way to sample roast but if you are finding roast settings to train the monkey to roast at then it would be great...   The frustrating part for me (when I was helping the coffee shop set up) was that the vendor would give us enough green for one roast and you could try it at only one level... this way I could get three samples and try it at three levels...

Or, for a tenth of the cost you could get three variac-equipped air poppers that would do the job better?

This is a solution in search of a problem.

[J.Jirehs Roaster]

Or, for a tenth of the cost you could get three variac-equipped air poppers that would do the job better?

This is a solution in search of a problem.

Yeah I started down that path.. matching that profile and timing is not too easy

[mattquist]

Hello everyone!!

Been lurking around here for a while (actually I initially signed up 3+ years back, but that's a long story & I can't remember my original screen name).  Anyhow, I just purchased a refurb unit from sonofresco that should be here tomorrow (downgrading from my toper 2.5 Kg).  I asked about the sample roaster, as it had just popped up on their website the day after I placed my order.  Seems a different burner configuration from the 1 pounder.  Here is the response I got:

Greetings, Matt!

Your roaster is enroute to you and is scheduled for delivery on Friday,
March 27.  The roaster that you purchased as a refurb has a different
burner configuration and a few other modifications in order to
accommodate the ability to roast 3 different coffees at once.  The
outward appearance is the same as the roaster uses the same exterior
components as the standard one pound unit.  I believe that we will have
a posting on our web site shortly with more details on this package. 

Contact me again with further questions.  I would look forward to
hearing from you!

Best regards,
Liza 

[John F]

The roaster that you purchased as a refurb has a different
burner configuration and a few other modifications in order to
accommodate the ability to roast 3 different coffees at once. 

Can you terminate the roast/remove those beans at 3 different times?

[Tex]

The roaster that you purchased as a refurb has a different
burner configuration and a few other modifications in order to
accommodate the ability to roast 3 different coffees at once. 

Can you terminate the roast/remove those beans at 3 different times?

It looks like you'd have to shut the roaster off, remove the chaff collector & screen, then use the vacuum to suck out the beans. Say it takes a few minutes to do that & get the roast going again; what would an interruption like that do to the roasting of the other beans?

[John F]

what would an interruption like that do to the roasting of the other beans?

Ruin them...

Unless there is some other information to come...  ...It's going to be a rare day that you will be roasting 3 different beans that have similar enough density and moisture content that roasting them all together to one point is going to be super useful.

I don't understand why they did this. 

[Tex]

MB should take the family to see the tulips and maybe stop off at Coffee Kinetics for a look-see?

I'd sure like to know how this works?

[peter]

If you could tell which of the three beans was at which stage in the roast, I would think it might work.  I would do away with that silly vacuum, and fashion a disc out of wood or metal that has a knob on the top in the center, and one third of its surface removed.  Then you could slip the roasting chamber out, put the disc-thing on top with the open section over the beans that are being dumped, and dump. 

I don't know if the other two sections would roast properly with that dumped section empty.  It may need beans put back in balance out the airflow.

[milowebailey]

MB should take the family to see the tulips and maybe stop off at Coffee Kinetics for a look-see?

I'd sure like to know how this works?

I could easly stop by next time we are up at Camano Island... about 20 minute drive to Sonofresco HQ..

Is MP up in this neck of the woods..?  I thought he was in Canada...somewhere