Hi everyone. I am new to the list and have learned alot since I started
roasting a couple weeks ago. My big question is about temperatures and roast
levels. I am using a Fresh Roast + (not the new version) and a Toastmaster
popcorn popper. I added a thermometer to both and noticed I get to 1st crack
around 390-400 and second around 440-450. Now looking at some roast
pictorals it seems a City roast is close to 426 according to the SM site.
So if I get to around 430 can I pull it and have it be near a city roast? Or
should I try to keep it at 430 for awhile before I stop the roast?

This is a multi-part message in MIME format.
Temperatures vary, but stopping your roast just as first crack is =
finished will be a true city roast. light brown and wrinkled finish.
first crack can occur between 375 and 400 degrees but 2nd usually does =
not occur before 425 up to 440 in all the poppers/and fresh roast I =
used.
I go by smell/sound/and time.
RK's simple rule
City (just as first stops)
Full City (just before  or a snap or two into 2nd crack)
City + (half way between the two above roast) 
Vienna ( stop when 2nd get going good nicely but not rolling)
French ( just as rolling 2nd crack starts to slow)
Like I said I go by smell/sound and Time
Your ideas may very and it just how I do it.
Cheers
RK

Stock FRs tend to roast very fast and can be difficult to get a fully
roasted lighter roast. The inside of the bean won't be as roasted as the
outside. You may find it beneficial to slow the roast at least approaching
and through 1st. For example big difference hitting 430 in 5 minutes versus
10 or 12 minutes with an air roaster. Huge difference.
Kona Konnaisseur miKe mcKoffee
URL to Rosto mods, FrankenFormer, some recipes etc:http://mdmint.home.comcast.net/coffee/Rosto_mod.htmUltimately the quest for Koffee Nirvana is a solitary path. To know I must
first not know. And in knowing know I know not. Each Personal enlightenment
found exploring the many divergent foot steps of Those who have gone before.
	From: homeroast-admin
[mailto:homeroast-admin] On Behalf Of Dan Hanson
	Sent: Thursday, July 27, 2006 2:17 PM
	
	Hi everyone. I am new to the list and have learned alot since I
started roasting a couple weeks ago. My big question is about temperatures
and roast levels. I am using a Fresh Roast + (not the new version) and a
Toastmaster popcorn popper. I added a thermometer to both and noticed I get
to 1st crack around 390-400 and second around 440-450. Now looking at some
roast pictorals it seems a City roast is close to 426 according to the SM
site. 
	
	So if I get to around 430 can I pull it and have it be near a city
roast? Or should I try to keep it at 430 for awhile before I stop the roast?

Dan, the Final Arbiter is your palate.
Roasting and brewing to achieve the Nectar of the Bean is an adventure.
Following a Martha Stewart recipe is a Charade, since two people with
different equipment, ambient temperatures and different batch sizes can
never duplicate results by trying to match numbers.
What does your palate tell you?
Listen out for the 1st and 2nd crack- the beans are talking to you.
The Fresh Roast can be a very fast roaster. You can slow the heat buildup if
you turn the knob to the Cool section for 5 seconds every 30 seconds. Blower
with no heat.
If you have the roaster unplugged, you can turn the timer knob and hear the
microswitch transfer between Roast and Cool. Notice it doesn't Click right
on the line.
With the roaster plugged in to the power, you actually can hear the blower
speed up when it switches off the heater in the cooldown region. Or, you can
hear it slow down as the heater is switched on going to "Roast" section from
Cool. It's handy, but it doesn't switch right on the line.
Get used to it and you can play it like a violin.
Do a double cooldown after each roast, and you can do consecutive roasts.
Cheers -RayO, aka Opa!
Got Grinder?

Thanks for the input. I am going to do some more roasts today and will try
to extend the time to first crack.