I have been researching the idea of coffee roaster seasoning and wanted to see if anyone had any opinions on the matter. Is it necessary to season a coffee roaster? and if it is how does one properly season a roaster? I would love to see where this goes with so many brilliant minds. Best Regards, Eric Faust Homeroast mailing list Homeroasthttp://www.sweetmariascoffee.com/gallery/main.php?g2_itemIdx20">http://lists.sweetmariascoffee.com/listinfo.cgi/homeroast-sweetmariascoffee.comHomeroast community pictures -upload yours!) :http://www.sweetmariascoffee.com/gallery/main.php?g2_itemIdx20 |
Salt, Pepper, and a dash of sage! :>) I think it depends on the roaster that you have. My drum roaster was seasoned by first roasting 3 batches of low quality (by Tom's standard) beans just into 2nd crack. About every 10 roasts, I will run the tempature up and turn the fan on full blast to keep it nice and clean. With the Behmor, I followed the directions. Les On Tue, Dec 16, 2008 at 9:17 AM, Eric Faust wrote: <Snip> Homeroast mailing list Homeroasthttp://www.sweetmariascoffee.com/gallery/main.php?g2_itemIdx20">http://lists.sweetmariascoffee.com/listinfo.cgi/homeroast-sweetmariascoffee.comHomeroast community pictures -upload yours!) :http://www.sweetmariascoffee.com/gallery/main.php?g2_itemIdx20 |
Thanks Les. I do not know what Behmor recommends. Please send that along if you can. Eric On Wed, Dec 17, 2008 at 11:38 AM, Les wrote: <Snip> -- Eric Faust (651) 357-6272 1665 Hague Ave St. Paul, MN 55104 Homeroast mailing list Homeroasthttp://www.sweetmariascoffee.com/gallery/main.php?g2_itemIdx20">http://lists.sweetmariascoffee.com/listinfo.cgi/homeroast-sweetmariascoffee.comHomeroast community pictures -upload yours!) :http://www.sweetmariascoffee.com/gallery/main.php?g2_itemIdx20 |
With my Hottop I ran a pound of cheap beans to Spanish Roast and threw them out. I empty the chaff collector after every roast. After every 5th roast I remove the glass cover,clean it ,remove the drum ,remove any stuck beans in the mesh, But I DO NOT CLEAN IT, vacuum all chaff.After every 10 roasts I rinse off the filter. I know I have read before that the drum must be seasoned. On Wed, Dec 17, 2008 at 7:38 AM, Les wrote: <Snip> Homeroast mailing list Homeroasthttp://www.sweetmariascoffee.com/gallery/main.php?g2_itemIdx20">http://lists.sweetmariascoffee.com/listinfo.cgi/homeroast-sweetmariascoffee.comHomeroast community pictures -upload yours!) :http://www.sweetmariascoffee.com/gallery/main.php?g2_itemIdx20 |
I know nothing, but "seasoning" in my case refers to the current state of filth whenever I break out the heat gun and my Celtic Critic's stainless steel KitchenAid mixer bowl (HG/DB). The Fresh Roast has a glass chamber in which all roasting takes place. Needless to say, my response to "You Will..." is "Yas'm." A quick whisk with a scrubby sponge and Dawn gets me off the hook. Ditto the glass chamber. Unless my "seasoning" always starts at Zero, there would be no standard roasting filth level. If some is good, how much is that and how to control it? If "seasoning" is a valid phenomenon, the effects are detectable. The preceding roast would necessarily contribute its Tweet, tweet or Meow to the current roast. How much is enough? Air heaters, electric or flame, are completely immune to any so-called seasoning. Wonder why it's the Drum roasters that always extol the virtues of seasoning... Cheers, Mabuhay and Magandang Tanghali -RayO, aka Opa! To clean or let season- that is the choice. Homeroast mailing list Homeroasthttp://www.sweetmariascoffee.com/gallery/main.php?g2_itemIdx20">http://lists.sweetmariascoffee.com/listinfo.cgi/homeroast-sweetmariascoffee.comHomeroast community pictures -upload yours!) :http://www.sweetmariascoffee.com/gallery/main.php?g2_itemIdx20 |
I was just wondering about this - what others do, those who machine roast. I only rinse my pan out, and not even every time I roast. I'm convinced that the several years of roasting has seasoned it nicely, adding to the quality of the roast - but I have no proof. Lynne Homeroast mailing list Homeroasthttp://www.sweetmariascoffee.com/gallery/main.php?g2_itemIdx20">http://lists.sweetmariascoffee.com/listinfo.cgi/homeroast-sweetmariascoffee.comHomeroast community pictures -upload yours!) :http://www.sweetmariascoffee.com/gallery/main.php?g2_itemIdx20 |
I have found that when it comes to large purchases in the coffee world, it seems that buying a well maintained used unit is the way to go. Even with espresso machines; I think now I would buy a well maintained used la marzocco over a new one - they are way cheaper and they last a good while. My first commercial roasting job was at a local coffee shop that had just purchased a new dietrich, at 18 I was the assistant roaster and had fun doing all of the profiling and such. Nothing better than roasting and drinking a whole lot of coffee on someone else's dollar! The dietrich required hours of seasoning roasting. On the more homeroasting budget ::: A few weeks ago I purchased a Behmor 1600 and roasted on it while figuring it all out. I kept noticing a sour vegetable scent when I brewed the final product; almost like a bottle of v8 juice burning in a fire. The cup wasn't awful, but it was nowhere near what I demand. ... disappointed ... I examined the roaster to try to find a piece of plastic that was possibly buring and the beans were absorbing it during the roast. No plastic or anything. However with about 20 roasts under it, the smell is pretty much gone and roasted coffee it's producing tastes much closer to how it should. I think I read a review that said that the Behmor required no seasoning ... such is not my experience. I've had other roasters and none of them seemed to need that much seasoning. I would recommend one or two roasts on most (homeroasters), but apparently more on the behmor. I bet if you took a well maintained year old behmor and one with only two roasts on it, you would notice a huge difference and favor the older one's roast. Nevertheless seasoning never hurt ... just don't use paprika. ;-D Send e-mail anywhere. No map, no compass.http://windowslive.com/Explore/hotmail?ocid T_TAGLM_WL_hotmail_acq_anywhere_122008Homeroast mailing list Homeroasthttp://www.sweetmariascoffee.com/gallery/main.php?g2_itemIdx20">http://lists.sweetmariascoffee.com/listinfo.cgi/homeroast-sweetmariascoffee.comHomeroast community pictures -upload yours!) :http://www.sweetmariascoffee.com/gallery/main.php?g2_itemIdx20 |
I use the Behmor and I've noticed that the drums are starting to get a little browned from continued use. To my poor taste buds, I think the coffee tastes better now than when the machine was new, so I'll chock that up to "seasoning". I clean the inside of the roaster pretty regularly (wipe out after each roast, Simple Green + cleaning cycle every 5 roasts, polish with Bon Ami every 15 to 20 roasts (or after I burn something)). I never clean the drum, other then brushing out stuck beans and chaff. On Wed, Dec 17, 2008 at 2:37 PM, Lynne wrote: <Snip> Homeroast mailing list Homeroasthttp://www.sweetmariascoffee.com/gallery/main.php?g2_itemIdx20">http://lists.sweetmariascoffee.com/listinfo.cgi/homeroast-sweetmariascoffee.comHomeroast community pictures -upload yours!) :http://www.sweetmariascoffee.com/gallery/main.php?g2_itemIdx20 |
My theory on "seasoning" is that with a new roaster, the surfaces will reflect heat (infrared) somewhat differently than one with a layer of gunk on it. Thus, a new roaster will behave differently than a "seasoned" one. After a few roasts, you don't have any more changes in the reflectivity. just my theory... I have no facts to prove it. --mike On Tue, Dec 16, 2008 at 12:17 PM, Eric Faust wrote: <Snip> Homeroast mailing list Homeroasthttp://www.sweetmariascoffee.com/gallery/main.php?g2_itemIdx20">http://lists.sweetmariascoffee.com/listinfo.cgi/homeroast-sweetmariascoffee.comHomeroast community pictures -upload yours!) :http://www.sweetmariascoffee.com/gallery/main.php?g2_itemIdx20 |
Although I've noticed a difference from early roasts to now, it has not been unpleasant, like you are reporting. My early roasts lacked the brightness and fruit flavors on lighter roasts. I'd be perfectly willing to believe the difference was my timing and technique or it could be seasoning. I certainly did not have a V8 taste, though I remember the first roast (empty cleaning cycle) having a funny smell, which has since gone away. On 12/17/08, Gary T wrote: <Snip> Homeroast mailing list Homeroasthttp://www.sweetmariascoffee.com/gallery/main.php?g2_itemIdx20">http://lists.sweetmariascoffee.com/listinfo.cgi/homeroast-sweetmariascoffee.comHomeroast community pictures -upload yours!) :http://www.sweetmariascoffee.com/gallery/main.php?g2_itemIdx20 |