Neil:
Thank you so much for coming out of the closet...
and into the reality of this list.
Alfred has brought out many a lurker today to share his love of Elizabeth, life and coffee...
this is way cool.
ginny

<Snip>
Sitting, eating lunch at work somewhere in a Sydney suburb.<<<
Gary:
Welcome and thanks for letting us out you.
I have a La Val and love it, great machine. my morning horse cafe crema was so good.
blueberry, blueberry heaven.
Make sure you sign up for the "GATHERING raffle"
ginny

Gary:
I am sorry. The raffle hasnotbeen generally announced yet. Assoon as it is you will see the post.
Don't search yet.
lots of prizes.
ginny

<Snip>
no sex, why would there be coffee?
Now, downstairs, I reckon we will have coffee...and the whole roasting 
problem solved!<<<
I see no reason at all there willnot be 
Holy Roast  around.
ginny

you must stop this car talk...
one of my favorite rides was my 1966  396 Chevelle Super Sport, fire engine red convertable with white leather.
oh, it would lift off the ground before it went forward...
ginny

<Snip>
mind French ++++.)<<<
ain't that the truth.
g

yes Walt, just like you.
ginny

Mike, welcome!!!!!! I have learned a GREAT deal about
roasting and coffee from this list. It is by far the best list I have
been on.Luck. Steve
At 01:33 AM 5/29/00 -0400, you wrote:
Mike,  Welcome to the list.  If you
roast coffee at home, you'll find
discussions on this list a great help.   I have subscribed for
many months
-Bryce

Hi all...please allow me to introduce myself. My name is Mike. I live in
St. Louis, and have lurked the list for about a week. Dave Clark led me to
SweetMarias and to this list.
Have been grinding beans for 3 decades. Until next week  my fav coffee has
been Peet's Major Dickason's.
Looked into roasting once, about 15-20 years ago and it was pretty archaic
for the home roaster back then. So, I was amazed and stunned when Dave led
me to you guys, your community, and the amount of sophistication and
knowledge available to the home roaster today.
Placed an order for roaster, grinder, Davids' home roasting book, and
several different beans with Maria last week and will start making roasting
mistakes by the end of this week. 
Thanks for reading this...
Mike

<Snip>
mr> Hi all...please allow me to introduce myself. My name is Mike. I
mr> live in St. Louis, and have lurked the list for about a week. Dave
mr> Clark led me to SweetMarias and to this list.
Mike, welcome to the list & homeroasting.  You won't be disappointed!
-- 
Tim Culver
Chapel Hill, NC ... popper ... trespade ... press pot

Welcome, Mike.
It's always nice to see new folks.  We've all gained from participating
here.  Besides, these guys and gals are great!
- Anthony O.

Mike,  Welcome to the list.  If you roast coffee at home, you'll find
discussions on this list a great help.   I have subscribed for many months
-Bryce

OK, Mike,
Tell us which roaster you bought, so we can all tell you how not to make
mistakes!  heh, heh.  Looks like you're jumping in with all the right stuff.
Have fun!
--Hugh

= Tell us which roaster you bought, so we can all tell you how not to make
= mistakes!  heh, heh.  Looks like you're jumping in with all the right
stuff.
= Have fun!
Hi Hugh,
Starting with the Fresh Roast...figuring on messing up a lot of roasts
learning how to get to the "adequate" stage. As that little puppy doesn't
hold much, it's going to be self-limiting.
Once I get a clue as to what I'm doing, I want something with the capacity
to roast a pound or a half pound at a time, for whatever becomes our
current daily brew.  And, probably something between the two for making a
full 12 cup pot at a time, for other varietals and blends that we like.
Ordered the Solis electric grinder to try and achieve some consistency, at
least with the grind and the water and the pot. Was using a whirly bird
grinder, and it's almost impossible for me to repeat an exact grind for
testing purposes.
We're using a Braun 12 cup drip for the convenience of it. Any pot
recommendations, especially for the testing stages provided by the small
size of the Fresh Roast?
Mike

= my household). If you're planning to brew less than a full pot, a French
= press is probably your best choice. Vacuum pots are another option
Thanks, Mark. This brings up a question: A FP will generally make a far
more "saturated" cup (won't it?) than a drip maker?  That be the case, what
would generate a finished product closer in properties to a drip maker in
order that when I taste it, it will resemble what I'd get were I using the
drip maker?
Mike

 
<Snip>
Hi Mike and welcome to this great list,
Use a Melitta.  You can get one of the small brewers ("four cups" - it 
takes #4 filters).  That's basically what I use most days, splurging on 
vacuum-brewed coffee on weekends.  (By the way, Tom also offers the Bodum 
Santos vacuum brewer. It's the one I use and have been very happy with.)
Moving from a Braun automatic drip pot to a Melitta will let you monitor 
the temp of the brewing water too, which is a good thing, as I'm not sure 
those automatic pots always get the water hot enough.  Get a cooking 
thermometer that goes to like 220F or 110C (past boiling point of water), 
and brew your coffee when the water hits about 200F.
You'll also need to rinse the filters (which you should also try with your 
Braun).  There's a papery smell that comes off them when initially wetted, 
and I think it affects the coffee flavors, so I always rinse my filters in 
hot water after I put them in the plastic cone, before I add the coffee 
grounds and brew.  Rinse until the worst of the wet-napkin smell is rinsed 
away.
Finally, if you can't brew to the exact strength you want, always err on 
the side of brewing stronger coffee.  You can always add a little hot water 
to dilute the coffee if it's too strong, but if you brew too weakly, you've 
just wasted some coffee.  I guess this is just common sense.
The Melitta will give you filter coffee that should resemble what you'll 
get when using the automatic drip maker.  But beware - after having that 
type of control, you may never go back to the automatic!
-- garyZ
Whirly-drip-black
        & vacuum

Gary,
= Hi Mike and welcome to this great list,
Thank you, and thanks to each of the others of you who welcomed me.
= Use a Melitta.  You can get one of the small brewers ("four cups" - it
= takes #4 filters).
Shall do. Should be easy to find.
= The Melitta will give you filter coffee that should resemble what you'll
= get when using the automatic drip maker.  But beware - after having that
= type of control, you may never go back to the automatic!
I'm sure you're correct...there is zero control with a drip maker.
Mike

At 09:48 AM 5/29/00 -0700, you wrote:
<Snip>
For smaller quantities the old Melitta-style filtration method works very
well also. Just be sure to grind the coffee very fine and pour the water
through as quickly as possible. I use a paper filter so if you use a metal
filter you will have to use a coarser grind to avoid plugging up all the
holes. Bring the water to a boil and then pour it through as soon as the
bubbles quiet down. This method is far superior to any automatic
coffeemaker since the water is hotter and the process is quicker (the
grounds don't have time to release their unpleasant flavors).
Don

Since I just resigned up to the homeroast like I guess I should reintroduce
myself.
I've been home roasting on & off for several years, using a West Bend corn
popper, a WB coffee roaster, and now a RoyalMax 2.2 lb. drum roaster.  I run
a small coffee service where I work and roast some of the coffee that I use
there.  The rest is purchased from a local coffee roaster in the Milwaukee
area.
I'm 45 years old, have two daughters, one of them is in college in Boston.
I presently work as a die cast technician.  My wife is a legal secertary.
Mark Beckman

Hi Mike,
I'm new to the list (about a month of lurking here) and new to roasting,
also.  I've pretty much got the same setup as you do.  I bought a Freshroast
coffee roaster so that I could get the basics down.  And I bought several
half pound varieties from Sweet Marias (I love the recommendations from this
list!), and I'm slowly going through them.  I also bought a Solis grinder
(it's wonderful) and am currently using my Cuisinart Auto Grind & Brew
coffeemaker.  I just got a nice Cory vacuum brewer with accessories from
eBay, so I'm looking forward to using it when I get it.
I like the Freshroast roaster because I'm the only coffee drinker in the
house, so one roast per day provides my coffee for the following day.  After
reading the notes on letting the roasted beans sit for a while, I usually
roast mine in the morning and set them out in an open cup to use the
following morning.  Right now I'm still working on how to produce the
different roasts by both watching and listening.  I drink regular coffee in
the morning and decaf at night, so I've been working on getting a good city
roast for the morning coffee and a darker roast for my evening decaf.
I really enjoy this list and the good information that I get here.  The
people here are great and very helpful.  They can be very imaginative, too
when it comes to acronyms and rhymes :-)
Leigh

Welcome back, Mark.
So what's the RoyalMax drum roaster like?  Do you run the coffee service for
fun or profit?
Sorry for all the questions.  Coffee is terrible here at my work and quite a
few people ask what I'm up to when they see me running hot water through my
single-cup filter.  I've been thinking of offering real coffee.
- Anthony

Hello all,
I've been lurking here for a while and thought I'd do an intro.  I've been a
coffee fan for years, looking for taste to match the promise the aroma of
fresh brewed coffee gives.  It is very elusive, but I hit it a few times
here and there, but never consistently.  I started home roasting in February
with the purchase of a Gourmet from Hearthware and an order of beans from
Sweet Maria's.  Ah, now were talking coffee!  Then 2 weeks ago as I fire up
the roaster with a batch of Finca La Tacita, I notice that the Gourmet is
blowing nothing but room temp air.  Got on the phone with HW and they sent
me out an new PC board which fixes the problem, but I am without home roast
for a week. :8{  Then to top it off as I was cleaning my Silex vac-pot my
hand slips and the bottom pot smacks into the side of the sink and it
cracked.  Now until I find a replacement, I am using an old drip machine...
If anyone has a wide-mouth Silex 8-cup bottom pot that they want to get rid
of, let me know.
The thing I really like about home roasting is the variety of beans that are
available, I'm fairly certain I would never get to try some of the coffee
I've had if I didn't home roast.  My current favorites are Yemen Mokha
Ismaili, Ethiopian Yirgacheffe and Bali Shinzan.  Thanks to Tom and Maria
for the high quality and great selection!
Anyway, back to your regularly scheduled programs...
Regards,
--Dave
Roasting and brewing in Hillsboro, OR.
homeroast mailing listhttp://lists.sweetmarias.com/mailman/listinfo/homeroast

Dave,
    Welcome to the group and to our wonderful fixations.  I don't think
there is a person on the list who doesn't feel your pain. Most of us have
gone through at least part of your woes.   Tom & Maria don't carry the Silex
parts - although they do carry several vacuum pot systems and parts.   If
you don't find somebody on the list that has your part you might tryhttp://www.culinaryparts.com/store/productsearchgrid.asp?f=0  Also you
might want to check on EBay - they have Silex systems almost all the time.
    I'm a Cona vacuum pot fan and constantly worry that part of it is going
to break.  However I have a myriad of backup systems.  It would take a
direct hit with a good sized bomb to take out all my coffee stuff :O)
Good Cupping - and better fortune!
John

On Tuesday, June 18, 2002, at 11:36 AM, Nielsen, Dave wrote:
<Snip>
Welcome to the list Dave.  I know how difficult it can be to loose 
access to the tools you use to make good coffee.  But over time you will 
probably reach the point, like many on this list, where you have at 
least one back-up for roasting, grinding, and brewing.
You can often get vacuum pots on eBay, but that takes a while.  You 
might want to look for a economical French-press to tide you over until 
you can get your Silex going again.  I use the French-press as my travel 
brewer and sometimes a  back-up for when we don't have electricity and 
the espresso machine does not work.
Jim Gundlach
roasting over pecan wood fires
in La Place, Alabama
homeroast mailing listhttp://lists.sweetmarias.com/mailman/listinfo/homeroast

Welcome.  Your love for variety has found the right place to rest.  It
was that same interest that brought me to home-roasting over two years
ago.  I accidentally landed upon Sweet Marias while seeking more variety
in vendor-roasted beans.  Actually, I was seeking someone who roasted
Sulawesi which I rarely could find in local roasters offerings.  I could
find it at *$'s, but didn't like the way they roasted everything to the
same dark level.  Now I've got plenty of variety...and some might say
too much.  
Coffenut  :^)

Jim,
Thanks for the welcome!  I think it was just the fact of loosing them both
so close together that made it worse.  The roaster is back online and I'm
still looking for the Silex part.  I tried a french-press a few years ago
and didn't care for it.  Now that I know better I suspect that experience
was soured by 2 factors, the coffee itself I was using at he time and the
grinder, a whirley-blade, just added too much powder.  I'll have to try it
again.
Regards,
--Dave

John,
Thanks for the welcome, there is a wealth of experience here and I don't
mind tapping into it!
I'd love to get a Cona, but finances don't favor that right now.  If I can't
find a bottom pot for my Silex, I will start my backup collection with a
Bodum Santos from Sweet Maria's and keep looking for a Silex bottom.  Then
I'll have two and that's how a collection starts.
Regards,
--Dave

Dave,
Too bad we can't get together on this.  I broke my Silex top, the
bottom is fine.
However, when I picked up a Cory vac pot (ebay), the gasket wouldn't
seal, so my best vac results come from a mongrel set up -  Silex
bottom, silex gasket, Cory top, "new cory" rod.
Welcome to the group.
Dave	Westerville, OH    just 25 minutes from SweetMaria's
<Snip>
homeroast mailing listhttp://lists.sweetmarias.com/mailman/listinfo/homeroast

"Nielsen, Dave" wrote:
<Snip>
dave, Try ebay.  I was just on it yesterday, and they have a lot of silex parts
there.
-- 
For the conservation of the Tibetan Lhasa Apso,
Regards, Cathy http://lists.sweetmarias.com/mailman/listinfo/homeroast">http://www.lhasa-apso.orghomeroast mailing listhttp://lists.sweetmarias.com/mailman/listinfo/homeroast

On Wednesday, June 19, 2002, at 12:48 PM, Nielsen, Dave wrote:
<Snip>
You can go to this site put up by Tom to get some tips on using a french 
press.
  http://www.sweetmarias.com/brewinstr.frenchpress.htmlI find them to be the most economical alternative to brewing a good 
coffee that you can get almost anywhere.  with a cheaper one, the key is 
to not press all the way down, leave about 1/4 inch of additional space 
below the plunger and you can get a good brew.
Jim Gundlach
roasting over pecan wood fires
in La Place, Alabama
homeroast mailing listhttp://lists.sweetmarias.com/mailman/listinfo/homeroast

Thanks!  I agree on the *$'s roasts, I tend to like lighter roasts, but used
to stop by on occasion for an Americano while doing my grocery shopping,
it's the convenience thing working.  But now, I am boycotting them over the
Black Bear Coffee affair.
Regards,
--Dave

Dave (nice name by the way),
Thanks for the welcome. 
So from the info you provided can I assume that the silex gasket fit the
Cory top but wouldn't fit the Cory bottom?
Regards,
--Dave
However, when I picked up a Cory vac pot (ebay), the gasket wouldn't
seal, so my best vac results come from a mongrel set up -  Silex
bottom, silex gasket, Cory top, "new cory" rod.
homeroast mailing listhttp://lists.sweetmarias.com/mailman/listinfo/homeroast

Dave wrote:     >Thanks!  I agree on the *$'s roasts, I tend to like lighter roasts, but 
<Snip>
<Snip>
<Snip>
That made me curious because I'd never heard of the Black Bear Coffee affair, so I emailed Dave. He gave me the website of  the Black Bear coffee roasting company in New Hampshire to check out the story. It's an interesting story in it's own right, but I was quite impressed on the information page they have about roasting the coffee. Very clear and concise. I found it easier to understand and it gave me more tips on improving my roast profiles than the 2 day roasting seminar at the Diedrich factory. It's not the last word on the subject, of course, but more informative  than any other roastery's web site and it might help some of us who are trying do do more perfect roasts with less roast defects, even if it's just to impress ourselves. Since Black Bear doesn't advertise any green beans  or homeroast machines etc.I hope it's ok for me to  paste the website here:      http://www.blackbearcoffee.com/index.html         Thanks, Dave
Charlie
---------------------------------
Do You Yahoo!?
Sign-up for Video Highlights of 2002 FIFA World Cup

Charlie,
    I'm glad you posted that URL so I see what's going on.  I think this has
to wind up with Starbucks winning. The court system must protect the
trademark system.  Granted, this was tongue-in-cheek but I'm betting that
they were first sent a letter of demand before it went legal. I called
Starbucks and gave them my opinion of how pathetic their actions were going
to be viewed by the coffee drinking world - all of whom call them Charbucks
for a reason. Its a lose/lose situation.  I can't boycott them however,
there isn't one in this end of the state!
John - wondering if its OK to say that I roasted at 8 o'clock

Yep, it's one thing to joke about the term "Charbucks" and quite
something else to make that term a part of a product in Black Bear's
business.  Especially when that business is roasting and selling coffee.
Companies invest mega-bucks in developing/promoting a trademark and
these trademarks are actually ranked in terms of the most valuable.
They don't take it lightly when someone does anything to tamper with
their trademark (be it direct or indirect).  I expect if they had
consulted an attorney before marketing the product with that term, good
advice would have been "not to do it".
I'm not a Starbucks defender, but I'm not at all surprised at what
happened in this case...it was predictable.  I'll still get a cup there
when I'm outside the home, because most other restaurants do such a
hideous job of making coffee.
Coffenut  :^)

--Apple-Mail-1--948106086
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
Content-Type: text/plain;
	charsetO-8859-1;
	format=flowed
On Thursday, June 20, 2002, at 01:18 PM, Charlie Herlihy wrote:
<Snip>
<Snip>
it's 
<Snip>
<Snip>
I went to the Black Bear page and, to steal some of their information, I =
found the following passage most interesting:
"We refer to this as LINKED TEMPERATURE ROASTING or LTR.  The theory =
behind the process is simple: When an object is cool, its surface can 
handle very high temperatures for a short period of time.  This is 
because the temperature at the surface of the object is quickly 
conducted to the much cooler interior of the object.  However, as the =
interior of the object absorbs more and more heat, the rate of heat 
transfer from the surface progressively decreases.  As the object =
heats 
up, the surface becomes more and more vulnerable to the heat."
This explains why I like the beans that I start with high heat and slow =
agitation and end with low heat and fast agitation.
Jim Gundlach
roasting over pecan wood fires
in La Place, Alabama
--Apple-Mail-1--948106086
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
Content-Type: text/enriched;
	charsetO-8859-1
On Thursday, June 20, 2002, at 01:18 PM, Charlie Herlihy wrote:
He gave me the website of  the Black Bear coffee roasting
company in New Hampshire to check out the story. It's an interesting
story in it's own right, but I was quite impressed on the information
page they have about roasting the coffee.
I went to the Black Bear page and, to steal some of their information,
I found the following passage most interesting:
"Times New =
RomanWe
refer to this as 0000,0000,8080LINKED
TEMPERATURE ROASTING or LTR.  The theory behind the
process is simple: When an object is cool, its surface can handle very
high temperatures for a short period of time.  This is because the
temperature at the surface of the object is quickly conducted to the
much cooler interior of the object.  However, as the interior of the
object absorbs more and more heat, the rate of heat transfer from the
surface progressively decreases.  As the object heats up, the surface
becomes more and more vulnerable to the heat."
This explains why I like the beans that I
start with high heat and slow agitation and end with low heat and fast
agitation.  
Jim Gundlach
roasting over pecan wood fires
in La Place, Alabama
=
--Apple-Mail-1--948106086--
homeroast mailing listhttp://lists.sweetmarias.com/mailman/listinfo/homeroast

Cathy,
Thanks, I got the original on ebay and have a few bids in.  So far I gave up
on several after the bidding exceeded what I was willing to pay.  I'm not
cheap, just realistic.  I bought my original for $10.50 plus shipping and I
am currently giving up as the price exceeds about $25, depending on the pot.
I had one sniped out at the last minute this past weekend, I had the winning
bid at around $19 for several day and within 30 seconds of the auction
ending the price was over $47.  I'm not complaining, mind you, if someone
wants to outbid me, more power to them, but I set a maximum that I am going
to spend and will not exceed it.  Keeps me from going buy-crazy!  If both
pieces (top and bottom) had broken, I would have already ordered the Santos
from Tom, but since I have a top in great condition, I'd like to use instead
of discarding it.  The seal is in very good condition and the glass is
perfect except for a cosmetic flaw, an air bubble preinstalled by the
factory.
Regards,
--Dave
dave, Try ebay.  I was just on it yesterday, and they have a lot of silex
parts
there.
-- 
For the conservation of the Tibetan Lhasa Apso,
Regards, Cathy http://lists.sweetmarias.com/mailman/listinfo/homeroast">http://www.lhasa-apso.orghomeroast mailing listhttp://lists.sweetmarias.com/mailman/listinfo/homeroast

So, basically, the center of the bean acts like a heatsink, absorbing heat
from the outside of the bean until the center itself gets hot, then the outer
part of the bean heats up more quickly.
Sounds logical.
Regards,
Ed Needham
ed

My question now pertains to burr grinders.  I am leaning
 towards the Solis Maestro 
Hey Rick,  The Rocky is a really good grinder,as Jim mentioned, but if =
your budget doesn't permit, the Innova conical burr grinder, is just a =
few more dollars then the Solis, I think it can be bought for 155 bucks, =
and will do a good job, for a longer period of time, even grinding =
espresso daily.
I remember this discussion a few weeks ago, it was lengthy.
check the archives. Good Luck  
PS Tom offers some hand grinders that are excellent grinders and cheaper =
then the Solis.
Ron Kyle
Anderson SC
rnkyle
<Snip>homeroast mailing listhttp://lists.sweetmarias.com/mailman/listinfo/homeroast

Hello fine coffee folks,
Time for an intro.....my name is Rich Adams.  I am was born and raised in
Elizabeth NJ and currently live in Kansas City for work at Road Runner
(ISP).
I make my own kefir and colloidal silver and own vintage Toyota Land
Cruisers and I am owned by two Dalmatians who are on a raw meaty bones diet
and doing wonderfully.
I have been enjoying coffee for many many years and the time has come to up
it a notch, home roasting.  (Actually, two notches, see below regarding burr
grinder).  Ken David's book is on order and I currently found a West Bend
Poppery II to mess with.  Seems I have read many times in many places the
popper method is ideal for the home roaster beginner.
My question now pertains to burr grinders.  I am leaning towards the Solis
Maestro at the moment but was wondering if there is a "general consensus"
grinder this group leans towards?  I do not make espresso but a French press
and a vacuum Bodum unit are my maker choices.
Any and all suggestons/recommendations re: grinder or popper or anything
else are of course appreciated .
Respectfully,
Rich Adams
radams
homeroast mailing listhttp://lists.sweetmarias.com/mailman/listinfo/homeroast

< [mailto:homeroast-admin]On Behalf Of Rich Adams
< Sent: Wednesday, December 11, 2002 3:35 PM
<
< Time for an intro.....my name is Rich Adams.  I am was born
< and raised in
< Elizabeth NJ and currently live in Kansas City for work at Road Runner
< (ISP).
Welcome!
< My question now pertains to burr grinders.  I am leaning
< towards the Solis
< Maestro at the moment but was wondering if there is a
< "general consensus"
< grinder this group leans towards?  I do not make espresso but
< a French press
< and a vacuum Bodum unit are my maker choices.
That's what I use, and I believe that goes for a number of others here
as well.  The real hardcore among us will probably wax poetic over the
Rancilio Rocky (and maybe one or two others), but the Maestro is imho
the best bang for almost too many bucks.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Lee / San Diego
---------------------------------
homeroast mailing listhttp://lists.sweetmarias.com/mailman/listinfo/homeroast

Rich,
     When considering the grinder, you need to ask if you intend to move 
to espresso in the future.  If so, the Maestro will not hold up.  It 
seems to do well for french press and vac port for a years or so but 
they only seem to hold up for a couple of months doing espresso grind 
well.  If you check the archives you will find a long discussion of 
this.  I currently have the Rocky having gone through a Solis 166 but 
then I do espresso almost exclusively any more.  I have found that 
there is no better way to get the flavor and aroma  out of coffee than 
espresso.
Jim Gundlach
roasting over pecan wood fires
in La Place, Alabama.
On Wednesday, December 11, 2002, at 05:34 PM, Rich Adams wrote:
<Snip>
homeroast mailing listhttp://lists.sweetmarias.com/mailman/listinfo/homeroast

Rich,
Don't make the same mistake I made!  Go for at least a Rocky!  I have been
careful with my Maestro, and it is starting to go after just a year of
careful use.  I did the replacement of the one burr that can be replaced,
but in my book, spending the extra on a Rocky only makes sense!  The prices
go up from there!
Les

Hi Rich,
First ditto the welcome to the group. As a fellow 'propeller head' (HP
formerly Compaq formerly DEC - same job, multiple buyout/mergers:-) you'll
most likely love roasting your own coffee. Virtually unlimited choices in
greens and roast.
As a current Solis Maestro owner, which replaced the Solis 177 (after less
than a year) which replaced the Capresso 550 (after less than a week) which
replaced a Braun burr grinder after a couple years drip/press use I'll say
if you NEVER EVER NO WAY ABSOLUTELY IMPOSSIBLE CAN NEVER HAPPEN CAN'T MAKE
ME INCONCEIVABLE will NEVER EVER even contemplate stepping up to espresso
(which would mean wonderful Cafe' Cremas and Americanos never to tantalize
your taste buds let alone a ristretto to make the Angels sing:-) and FOREVER
stay with vac' and press then the Maestro MAY do for a couple years.
Otherwise go for Rocky or all the way for a Mini Mazzer (ok, maybe Innova).
I believe a SS Rocky will be here for Christmas:-) Maestro though very user
friendly just doesn't cut it. Burrs go dull too fast and only one of two are
replaceable meaning not much help! BTW, it was about a year after
homeroasting and taking brewing as far as I could that I went "off the deep
end" and somehow convinced my better half Miss Silva made sense. Hooked big
time. Only regret didn't get her sooner!
MM;-) aka Kona Krazy miKe mcKoffee
Variable Variac Rockin' Rosto Roasting
Miss Silvia brewin'
From: "Les & Becky" 
<Snip>
prices
<Snip>
homeroast mailing listhttp://lists.sweetmarias.com/mailman/listinfo/homeroast

Have you looked at the Zassenhaus mills that Sweet Marias sells? 
 Relatively inexpensive and very well made, no good reason why it 
shouldn't last forever, not for people with tennis elbow.  Not as good 
for espresso as a Rocky, but it works, and does as good a job as 
anything for French press and vacuum brewers.
Andy Lynn
Rich Adams wrote:
<Snip>
homeroast mailing listhttp://lists.sweetmarias.com/mailman/listinfo/homeroast

Rich,
     Keep in mind that Mike McKona is very reserved in his opinions.
         Jim Gundlach
On Wednesday, December 11, 2002, at 09:16 PM, Mike McGinness wrote:
<Snip>
homeroast mailing listhttp://lists.sweetmarias.com/mailman/listinfo/homeroast

Hi everyone, 
I notice there are a lot of newbies lately, so I thought I'd come out of
lurkdom for a second and introduce myself. I'm actually not a newbie, it's
just that I read the list and simply don't post. I get the digest version
so when I have anything to comment on it already has been commented on ad
nauseum by the time I read it, so that's why I don't bother. I've actually
been reading the list and home roasting for almost 3 years now, and I've
tried about every coffee that Tom offers, plus coffees from other places
(Tom's are better). I've also tried many different methods of brewing,
pretty much everything except turkish and cowboy coffee, which I will
eventually get around to trying. I've also tried different methods of
roasting and I have an Alp, but what I've found to be the best for me is a
stovetop popper, and no matter what I try I always come back to that. 
Anyway, one reason I wanted to delurk for a moment here was because a few
new people recently have mentioned that they aren't getting coffee as great
as they expected from their home roasts, and I think one mentioned that the
first batch was wonderful and nothing else has been. Back when I first
started roasting I recall that the first batch I roasted was absolutely
heavenly, NEVER tasted better coffee (if I had that same coffee now I'm
sure it would taste like crapola...lol). Over time though I experienced the
same issues as some of the newbies have mentioned, I couldn't get my coffee
to taste as good as I wanted it to. Either that or it would be wonderful
one day and just awful another day. I would go crazy constantly adjusting
things, the type of water I used, how I roasted it, how much coffee I used,
the type of coffee, etc., etc. However, over time I realized what it was I
liked and I started to stick with that. I narrowed down the types of
coffees I realized I really enjoyed (though I still try new ones!), I
discovered exactly how far I like my beans roasted, what method works best,
and so on. For me I prefer the stovetop method, but even that took many
batches to get right. I prefer to brew in a french press as no other method
seems to bring out the full flavor of the coffee, and again, it took
experiementation to get that the way I like it, i.e. the grind, the amount
of coffee, and the steeping time. Even so after all this time there are
days the coffee just doesn't taste right but those days are the exception
and not the rule. For the most part every cup is excellent, and even the
bad ones are better than anything in the coffee shops. So I guess my point
is for all you newbies just starting, it does take time and
experimentation, quite a lot of it. You can follow different guides, get
different opinions, but ultimately you have to just experiment and see what
works for you. Whatever you do, don't give up, it's so worth it, and I for
one will never go back to buying pre-roasted. I can't even imagine it! 
Okay back to lurk mode. I'll try and stop in once in a while though if you
guys ever slow this train down long enough for me to hop on. 
Regards, 
Teresa

On Aug 19, 2004, at 10:03 PM, pointerspoint wrote:
<Snip>
Teresa,
      That won't happen.   If you move from digest to single email you 
might catch an item you would like to respond to before someone else 
does.  I find a dedicated email account allows me to be timely on some 
items yet control when important things like coffee and take precedence 
over things like work.
        Jim Gundlach

Teresa,
Thanks for jumping in!  Contribute more often.  What you shared was a good refresher for a 20 year homeroaster!
Les
 wrote:
Hi everyone, 
I notice there are a lot of newbies lately, so I thought I'd come out of
lurkdom for a second and introduce myself. I'm actually not a newbie, it's
just that I read the list and simply don't post. I get the digest version
so when I have anything to comment on it already has been commented on ad
nauseum by the time I read it, so that's why I don't bother. I've actually
been reading the list and home roasting for almost 3 years now, and I've
tried about every coffee that Tom offers, plus coffees from other places
(Tom's are better). I've also tried many different methods of brewing,
pretty much everything except turkish and cowboy coffee, which I will
eventually get around to trying. I've also tried different methods of
roasting and I have an Alp, but what I've found to be the best for me is a
stovetop popper, and no matter what I try I always come back to that. 
Anyway, one reason I wanted to delurk for a moment here was because a few
new people recently have mentioned that they aren't getting coffee as great
as they expected from their home roasts, and I think one mentioned that the
first batch was wonderful and nothing else has been. Back when I first
started roasting I recall that the first batch I roasted was absolutely
heavenly, NEVER tasted better coffee (if I had that same coffee now I'm
sure it would taste like crapola...lol). Over time though I experienced the
same issues as some of the newbies have mentioned, I couldn't get my coffee
to taste as good as I wanted it to. Either that or it would be wonderful
one day and just awful another day. I would go crazy constantly adjusting
things, the type of water I used, how I roasted it, how much coffee I used,
the type of coffee, etc., etc. However, over time I realized what it was I
liked and I started to stick with that. I narrowed down the types of
coffees I realized I really enjoyed (though I still try new ones!), I
discovered exactly how far I like my beans roasted, what method works best,
and so on. For me I prefer the stovetop method, but even that took many
batches to get right. I prefer to brew in a french press as no other method
seems to bring out the full flavor of the coffee, and again, it took
experiementation to get that the way I like it, i.e. the grind, the amount
of coffee, and the steeping time. Even so after all this time there are
days the coffee just doesn't taste right but those days are the exception
and not the rule. For the most part every cup is excellent, and even the
bad ones are better than anything in the coffee shops. So I guess my point
is for all you newbies just starting, it does take time and
experimentation, quite a lot of it. You can follow different guides, get
different opinions, but ultimately you have to just experiment and see what
works for you. Whatever you do, don't give up, it's so worth it, and I for
one will never go back to buying pre-roasted. I can't even imagine it! 
Okay back to lurk mode. I'll try and stop in once in a while though if you
guys ever slow this train down long enough for me to hop on. 
Regards, 
Teresa

pointerspoint wrote:
<Snip>
Welcome, ever try an americano?  Press pot is my road method. Vac is 
nice, but its more work and a bit picky.

Thank Jim, I'll look into that. Sounds like a good idea. 
Teresa
<Snip>
Teresa,
That won't happen. If you move from digest to single email you 
might catch an item you would like to respond to before someone else 
does. I find a dedicated email account allows me to be timely on some 
items yet control when important things like coffee and take precedence 
over things like work.
Jim Gundlach

Wow that's a long time! And I thought I was a veteran at 3 years....haha. 
Teresa
Date: Thu, 19 Aug 2004 20:45:23 -0700 (PDT)
From: Lesley Albjerg 
Subject: Re: +Intro
To: homeroast
Reply-To: homeroast
 
--0-1292764595-1092973523=:24546
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
 
Teresa,
Thanks for jumping in! Contribute more often. What you shared was a good
refresher for a 20 year homeroaster!
Les

Ben, 
I've not tried an americano as I don't do espresso (ducking thrown
objects). I know, I know, unheard of! I've been drinking coffee since I was
about 12 though so that counts for something, right? ;o)  Plus I have a
Rocky grinder so at least I have good taste!  
I have, however, tried vac pots and I do like coffee brewed in them but it
just can't compete with my beloved french press. They are interesting
though and their fun factor beats the press, which is not all that
entertaining to watch. 
Teresa
From: Ben Treichel 
To: homeroast
Subject: Re: +Intro
Reply-To: homeroast
 
pointerspoint wrote:
 
<Snip>
Welcome, ever try an americano? Press pot is my road method. Vac is 
nice, but its more work and a bit picky.

pointerspoint wrote:
<Snip>
Its not espresso if you water it down. It simply uses pressure to fully 
extract the coffee. Now with that said. You could be disapointed if you 
go into a coffee shop and ask for an Americano. The reason is that they 
use coffee that has been blended and roasted for espresso. I use single 
origin for my coffee.
<Snip>
-- 
Ben Treichel
Program Manager
S.E Michigan
SwRI
248-232-7365 (o)
248-935-6845 (m)

Please come out more often.

And Les is a newbie!!  I started home roasting in a steel frying pan in
1968 - the big problem then without the Internet was finding beans.  I
had ONE source in Pima Arizona and roasted nothing but Mexican for a
LONG time.   I didn't become a CSA member until I joined this list.   
Life is good as long as the coffee is good!
On Fri, 2004-08-20 at 01:50, pointerspoint wrote:
<Snip>

Unfortunately, I haven't found even one coffee shop anywhere in central
Florida that can brew a decent cup so I don't have high hopes for their
americanos. It could be that I'm just too picky though after years of good
coffee. I do drink coffee when out but just for the social aspect of it,
definitely not for the taste! The worst is to go in a restaurant, order a
cup of coffee, and notice you can see straight through to the bottom of the
cup. 
Teresa
Date: Fri, 20 Aug 2004 10:11:36 -0400
From: Ben Treichel 
To: homeroast
Subject: Re: +Intro
Reply-To: homeroast
 
pointerspoint wrote:
 
<Snip>
Its not espresso if you water it down. It simply uses pressure to fully 
extract the coffee. Now with that said. You could be disapointed if you 
go into a coffee shop and ask for an Americano. The reason is that they 
use coffee that has been blended and roasted for espresso. I use single 
origin for my coffee.

I am in Palm Beach County. My work takes me into central Florida quite
frequently - from Canaveral to Tampa and as far north as Palatka. I have a
daughter in Ocala. I am always looking for an educated (experienced) critic
of my roasts.

John,
My one source was Sivetz.  Life was good when you had more than one variety in the stash back then.  I then moved to Wisconsin.  I found two roasters that would sell me beans.  We have never had it so good!
 
Les
John Abbott  wrote:
And Les is a newbie!! I started home roasting in a steel frying pan in
1968 - the big problem then without the Internet was finding beans. I
had ONE source in Pima Arizona and roasted nothing but Mexican for a
LONG time. I didn't become a CSA member until I joined this list. 
Life is good as long as the coffee is good!
On Fri, 2004-08-20 at 01:50, pointerspoint wrote:
<Snip>

Great post.  
---------------------------------
Do you Yahoo!?
New and Improved Yahoo! Mail - 100MB free storage!

This is a multi-part message in MIME format.
pointerspoint wrote:
<Snip>
Actually, the worst is when you can see right through and there is 
something other than the bottom.  I had a really awful experience at a 
local truck stop diner (don't even ask why I was there).
Stay de cloaked, Teresa.  We need nice thoughtful people.
Michael
<Snip>

Okay I'm gonna have to agree with you on that one, Michael! That would most
definitely be worse. So why were you at the truck stop diner? Oh you said
NOT to ask....k never mind then. ;o)
Teresa
From: Michael Guterman 
To: homeroast
Subject: Re: +Intro
Reply-To: homeroast
 
<Snip>
Actually, the worst is when you can see right through and there is 
something other than the bottom. I had a really awful experience at a 
local truck stop diner (don't even ask why I was there).

Nothing but praise from me Tom.  Great roast you provided to me when I was
stranded down there without good coffee.
*******************************
Ed Needham
"To absurdity and beyond!"
ed at homeroaster dot com
*******************************

Hmm, French is right... 
I haven't introduced myself either...
My name is Neil - passed down from no one in particular.
I'm a full time pastor in an evangelical church in Sydney, Australia.
Married to Robyn, with four boys ranging from 22 > 16 years.
The coffee obsession has grown slowly since the days when last amounts were drunk as part of being in full time youth ministry in churches.
Started roasting about 2.5 years ago with a popper or two, then an Imex and now a great BBQ drum roasting outfit - largely courtesy of Mr R. Kyle.
I have owned dear Sylvia for three years now, but also make a lot of French press and lately more vac-pot. Last year a Mazzer Mini joined the stable and is much valued as very much the key to my more consistent shots.
I love trying all sorts of beans, and don't really have a 'staple' bean as such. We don't have anything like an SM in Australia, so many homeroasters buy small quantities of greens for the few retailers here who sell them - but most of them do not cup, nor provide any origin information. You get descriptions like 'New Guinea' or 'South American'! These retailers are often expensive too - up to $24 per kilo
The other option is to form a loose co-op with other homeroasters and buy bags from a willing wholesaler. 
This is what Gary B (on this list) are doing. Higher risk of buying sub-standard beans, but very affordable at between $3.50-10 per kilo.
Enjoying this list and the very warm atmosphere that seems to pervade...
Regards
Neil Atwood - Sydney, Australia
    
You know when you're addicted to coffee when...
You can jump start your car without cables.

Welcome to the list.  Although the Pastor types on the list are some
of my favorites I keep wondering.  What is with all the Pastors and
home roasting?  I can see that a priest might have something to
sublimate but not most Pastors.  Jared : )
On Thu, 17 Feb 2005 08:37:46 +1100, Neil Atwood
 wrote:
<Snip>

Why thanks ginny... ;-)
Neil A.
Sydney, Oz 
<Snip>

Hi Neil.
I don't know where I'd be without Sweet Maria's.   Yes
I do, still drinking coffee from stale beans.  
Welcome to the list.
french 
Do you Yahoo!? 
All your favorites on one personal page – Try My Yahoo!http://my.yahoo.com

Perhaps it's because we *know* what *the* drink is in heaven, and we're just getting an early start on it... ;-)
Neil A.
Sydney, Oz 
<Snip>

Nice, now I wonder what bean and roast God would have on stock?  Once
again welcome to the list.  Jared
On Thu, 17 Feb 2005 09:10:18 +1100, Neil Atwood  wrote:
<Snip>

Glad to have you as part of the list.  I'm drinking French Press while
listening to Hillsong... That Darlene Z sure can sing...
Gregg Talton
Birmingham - and packing to move to Charlotte, NC or somewhere close
(Waxhaw and Concord are on the short list)
On Thu, 17 Feb 2005 08:37:46 +1100, Neil Atwood
 wrote:
<Snip>

Eeeek. I've been outed ;)
Oh well, go with the flow.
Name: Gary. Not named after anyone.
Occupation: Bean Counter. Ah, err, Accountant.
Family: Married, 4 children.
I attend the same church as Neil.
Coffee-drinking history: I stopped smoking about 18 months ago and
apparently figured I needed something to:
a) spend money on; and 
b) salve my tastebuds with.
I started with a Lux grinder and Gaggia Baby. Still run the Lux but
the Gaggia is relegated to dust-catching in the garage after buying a
La Valentina/Arte di Vittoria/Diadema junior lever at the end of last
year. The La Val is a very nice machine but I fear I don't get
anywhere near the best out of it. I use a plunger/press at work.
Roasting commenced in a couple of now-melted and discarded poppers,
progressed to an Imex Caffe Rosto and then a Heat gun. I'm in between
Heat guns at the moment and so rely on the Imex.
Bean-wise, most of my latest purchases have been through a co-op, but
the quality seems fine: Kenya Masai, Cuban, Pearl Mountain Ratnagiri.
I've been subscribed to this list for about 3 months with sporadic
posts. I enjoy the camaraderie, some of the OT posts, but primarily
the experience and expertise in coffee and related matters.
Regards, Gary
Sitting, eating lunch at work somewhere in a Sydney suburb.
On Thu, 17 Feb 2005 08:37:46 +1100, Neil Atwood
 wrote:
 
<Snip>

<Snip>
I find the notion that there might be coffee in heaven dubious.  If there's 
no sex, why would there be coffee?
Now, downstairs, I reckon we will have coffee...and the whole roasting 
problem solved!
Gene Smith
not likely to ever be seen sporting fashions that bear any resemblance to 
choir robes...rather fond of Celtic harps, though

 Jared Andersson  wrote:
 Nice, now I wonder what bean and roast God would have on stock?  
Answer:All of them!
Or at least keeping the good stash at Thom's place, for safekeeping!
;-) Gary

Thanks Ginny,
I've had a bit of a search but can't find anything on the 'Gathering
raffle'. I may sign up for it, but could you tell me what it is first?
Thanks, Gary
On Wed, 16 Feb 2005 17:50:51 -0800 (GMT-08:00), ginny
 wrote:
<Snip>

I would assume "downstairs" would only have Italian, French and
Spanish roast available.  Jared
On Wed, 16 Feb 2005 20:30:55 -0600, Gene Smith  wrote:
<Snip>

<Snip>
Well, Revelation 22:1-3a proclaims thus:
  Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, 
  as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and 
  of the Lamb down the middle of the great street of the 
  city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, 
  bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. 
  And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. 
  No longer will there be any curse. 
After considerable study of the original Greek (ok, perhaps I really
meant "no" study of the original Greek) and intense theological
reflection (ok, read that as: "eisegesis") I have come to the
conclusion that the ever-bearing tree of life which extends down the
glorious river in heaven must NATURALLY be a heavenly form of coffee
tree.  The fruit, of course, both edible and (when dried) roastable. 
The curse, is UNQUESTIONABLY a first century reference to folgers.
As for sex in heaven, I don't know of any passage that denies the
possibility - after all, heaven is (in SO many ways) a recreation of
what the Garden of Eden was - presumabely Adam and Eve were "intimate"
prior to the fall.....
Anyhow, consider that my quota of heresy for the day.....
Grace and Peace,
 `tim
-- 
Rev. Tim TenClay
Dunningville Reformed Church (www.dunningville.org)
Knots & More Tatting Supplies (www.knotsandmore.com) NATA #253

On Thu, 17 Feb 2005 09:53:42 -0500, Tim TenClay  wrote:
<Snip>
Rev. Tim...
I don't have my concordance handy here at work, nor do I purport to
have it all memorized, but isn't there a passage stating that there
will be no marriage in heaven?  How would that square up with the idea
sex in heaven?
Safe Journeys and Sweet Music
Justin Marquez (Snyder, TX)http://www.justinandlinda.com

<Snip>
I guess it'll be Free Love in heaven, Justin.  And, if that's the case, 
then I'll believe there will be coffee there, too!  Otherwise, I'm betting 
the best you can hope for is decaf.
Gene Smith
riding the wild learning curve, in Houston

Tim TenClay  wrote:
<Snip>
extends down the
<Snip>
As a devout Orthodox Infidel, I heartily endorse Tim's theology.
(By the way, Divine Revelation shows that God drives a Cadillac-engined
Fiero -- when He's not riding his Campy-equipped bicycle -- and sips
espresso from a Europiccolo operated by Saint Caffeina.)
God does not mess around.
Larry P.
Atlanta

<Snip>
Why would the Deity, with a presumablly infinite choice of powerplants, 
ruin a perfectly good Fiero with a Cadillac engine?  Now, my Fiero came 
with the very agricultural 4-banger...but I always had my eye on the 
supercharged version of the small V6 used in the Fiero that showed up in 
one of the bigger Pontiac offerings.  Now *that* would be sweet!
Gene Smith
who misses his Fiero greatly, in Houston

Seems plumb to me... but this notion of a non-ideal caffeine quotient is
cumbersome.

Kinda like me;<0
Walter (Weird Wally Geezer Geek)

Thanks Gregg...
I'm not really a fan of Hillsong and Darlene - but they are only about 5k's up the road from here... ;-)
Neil A.
Sydney, Oz 
<Snip>

<Snip>
Yeah, but the problem is: it will all taste like Charbucks!
Neil A.
Sydney, Oz 
<Snip>

<Snip>
And Vietnamese Robusta... ;-)
Neil A.
Sydney, Oz 
<Snip>

okokokokok that did it - I'm converting, which one of you guys espouses the one
true brew?
Bob / Parker, CO

Me, me!
Neil A.
Sydney, Oz 
<Snip>

<Snip>
Oh, ALL of them, Bob...you have but to ask.
Gene Smith
part-time cynic, in Houston

I point them all in the direction of todays [02/17/2005] comic at :http://www.sinfest.net/d/20000117.html[grin]  back to my flock 'o beans">http://www.sinfest.net/ orhttp://www.sinfest.net/d/20000117.html[grin]  back to my flock 'o beans
Bob ~ Parker CO

<Snip>
Nice one, Bob...thanks for the link.
Gene Smith
riding the wild learning curve, in Houston

On Thu, 17 Feb 2005 09:37:34 -0600, Justin Marquez  wrote:
<Snip>
Justin,
 You would, of course, be correct.  My guess is that you are thinking
about Mark 12:25....certainly things will be different; marriage, as
we know it, will not exist.  My point is a little more basic: sex is
not sinful.  There are sinful expressions of it (duh! :-), but at the
core, it's not a sinful action/behavior/etc.  With that basic
assumption, I am willing to assume that the possibility exists in a
new heavens and new earth for a perfected expression of it.
Obviously not a fully defined doctrine; just a few thoughts!
I'm willing to state that anyone claiming to truly understand the
afterlife is blowing a certain amount of smoke; there are some things
we just can't know... (Consider me no exception :-) )
Along with the afterlife - consider this: the other thing I seem yet
incapable of knowing is how to make a good Turkish coffee....oh will
the tortures of this existence never end!?
Grace and Peace,
 `tim
-- 
Rev. Tim TenClay
Dunningville Reformed Church (www.dunningville.org)
Knots & More Tatting Supplies (www.knotsandmore.com) NATA #253

I certainly agree that anyone claiming to know exact details of the
afterlife is blowing smoke.
My comment was based upon my opinion that the Bible generally seems to
endorse sex within marriage.  Or, at least most teachings done by the
church lead us in that direction anyways.
An interesting thought that you have put forth that maybe there is
"something better" coming for us along those lines, too.  The
traditional view of marriage is "until death do us part".  Maybe that
means after death there IS "another deal".
Safe Journeys and Sweet Music
Justin Marquez (Snyder, TX)http://www.justinandlinda.comOn Fri, 18 Feb 2005 07:25:11 -0500, Tim TenClay  wrote:
<Snip>

Well here goes...
Regarding the afterlife, there are many people who have a perfect
understanding of it...
...but they are no longer reachable for comment...
On the other hand, one has been there and returned, at least that's
what the historical documents indicate.  And he explained it pretty
well, although those listening may have heard or recalled different
bits and pieces of the conversations.  I don't know them personally,
but I continue to read their writing, and make my best guesses to
applicability...
I believe Tim got it right when he said there is likely a purer, more
elevated expression that correlates to what we know as sex in this
life...  I seem to recall Paul mentioning that it hasn't entered into
anyone's mind what God has in store for those who believe...  My take
is heaven has unknown, un-thought-of delights which we may not even
fathom...
Brett
On Fri, 18 Feb 2005 07:25:11 -0500, Tim TenClay  wrote:
<Snip>
-- 
Regards,
Brett Mason
 HomeRoast
      __]_
   _(( )_  Please don't spill the coffee!

P.S. - so obviously there must be an even better bean, a finer roast,
a truly God-Shot ....
On Fri, 18 Feb 2005 09:23:00 -0800, Brett Mason  wrote:
<Snip>
-- 
Regards,
Brett Mason
 HomeRoast
      __]_
   _(( )_  Please don't spill the coffee!

I have been lurking here for a while and thought I would introduce myself.
The first I knew of home roasting was quite a few years ago when my
wife and I were invited to spend a few weeks on a friends 80' sailboat
cruising the Gulf Islands. He would roast everyday and the coffee was
wonderful. At the time the only roasters available to us were 220 volt
and as we were living aboard our own boat in a rather old marina in
Southern California, this was not an option.
When we finally moved back to a house, I bought a Caffe Rosto and used
it for about five years until it gave up a couple of months ago. I now
am using an i Roast 2.
I learned about Sweet Maria's a few years ago while sharing a table
with some folks in a diner in Death Valley while on a motorcycle trip.
They have been our only source of beans and equipment since then.
We have brewed in a press pot, pour over, percolator, and an
inexpensive Capresso expresso machine. Currently using a Solis Master
5000 and a KMB.
This list has been a wealth of information so far and also very
entertaining. I hope to be able to contribute a bit in the future.
Jim Anderson
Long Beach, CA

Jim,
Welcome to the list! You had a rather colorful introduction to home
roasting!
You have good experience. Glad to see you "de-lurk"!
Cheers,
Geary
Contra California

Welcome to the list Jim.  It is nice to have you on board.
Les
aka Dr. Crema
from the State of Jefferson
On 1/23/06, Jim Anderson  wrote:
<Snip>
.
<Snip>
ribes) go tohttp://sweetmarias.com/maillistinfo.html#personalsettings<Snip>

Welcome to de-lurking mode. Just curious, what died on your Rosto? (My guess
is the fan motor, I've replaced two in five years. You used to be able to
buy replacements from Brightway for like $10, don't know if you still can.)
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.
<Snip>

welcome, glad to hear you have came out of the lurking mode, to share some
experiences with us.
RK

On 1/23/06, mIke mcKoffee  wrote:
<Snip>
ess
<Snip>
.)
miKe,
At first, it just started slowing down. Less bean movement. So, I took
it apart and cleaned all the chaff out of the foam and around the air
inlet. Seemed to help for a while. Then it started making an
intermitent noise like a belt slipping. Very loud. When this noie
became a full time feature, I decided it was time for something new
before it just quit.
Jim

Jim,
Since there is not all that much going on inside a Rosto, it sounds like th=
e
sleeve bearings need lube or the fan is scrapping against the side. Mike's
idea of replacing the motor is not a bad option if they are still available=
,
but, unless the bearings are trashed, it may be repairable with a little
effort.
I really like roasting in my Rosto, especially with variac, speed control,
pid .... 
IF you decide not to fix it - I can't speak for mike but I have 2 Rostos (a
primary and a backup) and new parts to rebuild another and while I wouldn't
turn down a third backup I'm betting there are other roasters on the list
who might not be as well situated as I am. Maybe you could offer it up to
one of them for a backup...
Good luck,
Marc
On 1/24/06, Jim Anderson  wrote:
<Snip>

<Snip>
 (a
<Snip>
't
<Snip>
Thanks for the ideas, Mark, but it is gone.
Jim

Hi everyone,
I'd like to introduce myself to this list. I've been a
customer of Tom and Maria for about a year. Before that, I
hated coffee entirely, but I love the stuff I brew and
roast myself. I'm also a decent cook, home
brewer/winemaker, and learning about bbq and smoking meat.
My roasting is usually in 100gm batches in a cast iron
skillet. I also have done the heat gus method, but in a
face to face cupping I preferred the skillet. I primarily
brew Turkish style, and I've written notes that Maria will
post soon on how to tame/control it--there's quite a bit of
rubbish out there. I also brew press for others. My wife
and I consume 20-30 g of beans per day.
I'd like to mention my new sex toy: an infrared
thermometer. They are about $80 at Sur La Table. I use it
to measure bean surface temperature, and I feel that it
totally make the difference for the skillet method, which
otherwise is too wild. I still haven't perfected my
roasting profile, but I have a spreadsheet and roast while
looking at it. Afterwards I plot the actual data to see how
close I came.
Finally, I'm an engineer and have some ideas about how  to
build a better espresso machine (without owning one, yet).
Basically, it would have extremely good temperature and
pressure control to produce the same cup time after time.
Once I work out a few more details I wonder if its a market
worth getting into. 
best to you all,
raj in Palo Alto, CA
Do You Yahoo!?
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raj,
I for one look forward to your Turkish tips.
Brian
On 1/31/06, Raj B Apte  wrote:
<Snip>
ll post soon on how to tame/control it--there's quite > a bit of rubbish ou=
t there.

<Snip>
Welcome.  I won't do to you what I did to poor Gerald when he "de-cloaked" ;-).
<Snip>
I look forward to reading those notes.  I had my first Turkish coffee 
recently, prepared by a Turkish gentleman at a Russian grocery store. 
I thought I was going to die, and the locals got a good chuckle out 
of my reaction.  Unfortunately, the gentleman who prepared the coffee 
spoke no English, so I couldn't learn much from the process.  I will 
try it again, but at home, where i can experiment.
<Snip>
Since this sounds like a gourmet store, is there anything about this 
unit which is different than the units commonly used for industrial 
and HVAC applications?  I have wondered if these were useful with 
open drums, but haven't bothered to try mine with my roaster because 
I figure the glass would screw up the readings.
<Snip>
Not to rain on your parade, but every tech head on this list has a 
secret set of plans for the perfect  espresso machine and perfect 
roaster - myself included.  What we lack is capital, a marketing 
channel, and a general public willing to buy enough uncompromising 
"coffemakers" to let you recoup your investment.
It took me a long time to learn that if you want to get rich,  think 
"Coffee On A Stick".  If you want to build something beautiful, 
wonderful, and perfect, do it for yourself and maybe a few others, as 
a labor of love.
YMMV ;-), and I hope it does.
Looking forward to learning about what you're doing.
Best Wishes,
Randy

Ditto welcome to the List.
Quite probably the current ultimate in espresso temperature AND shot
pressure profile control has already been done. On the fly shot temp
adjustable within 0.1F shot pressure within 0.5bar. Check out the Versalab
M3 Espresso Machine. "Only" asking $9800 plus shipping;-)
miKe
<Snip>

Raj, welcome to the list.  I can see you have a lot of innovative ideas and
will add a lot to the list.  Mike thanks for your great links.  It is fun t=
o
see stuff I haven't found before.  I wonder how the versilab keeps
everything at brew temp.  Like the group head for example.  I believe it
(mostly).  I just don't get it.  Jared
On 1/31/06, mIke mcKoffee  wrote:
<Snip>
b
<Snip>

What area of engineering?
I am in materials science and engineering
There are  few chemists and chemical engineers here and I believe at least
one physical chemist.
A couple electrical engineers and probably mechanical is also covered.
On 1/31/06, Raj B Apte  wrote:
<Snip>

mIke mcKoffee wrote:
<Snip>
Yea, but if he could do all that and sell them for under $100.00, then 
he would be rich! ;-)
-- 
Rick Copple
Marble Falls, TXhttp://blog.copple.us/?sectionid=5

Although I get the humor, I think the statement would
be entirely true if the number was moved to $2,000.  
Rodney
--- Rick Copple  wrote:
<Snip>http://sweetmarias.com/maillistinfo.html#personalsettings<Snip>">http://lists.sweetmarias.com/mailman/listinfo/homeroast<Snip>http://sweetmarias.com/maillistinfo.html#personalsettings<Snip>

Raj B Apte wrote:
<Snip>
Wlecome. Sounds like alot of people here. Have you ever noticed that if 
a Micro Brew place as good beer, that also have great food. I think that 
we are a crew that appreciates taste more.
<Snip>
You use a blending valve to acheieve temp control, and a ip or vp for 
pressure.
<Snip>
-- 
There is a theory which states that if ever anyone discovers 
exactly what the Universe is for and why it is here, it will 
instantly disappear and be replaced by something even more 
bizarre and inexplicable.
There is another theory which states that this has already happened.

Can't be any more ignorant than some of the things
I've asked!  This is a great bunch of helpful folks!
Welcome Aboard!
Eddie Dove
--- Bob Brashear  wrote:
<Snip>http://sweetmarias.com/maillistinfo.html#personalsettings<Snip>">http://lists.sweetmarias.com/mailman/listinfo/homeroast<Snip>http://sweetmarias.com/maillistinfo.html#personalsettings<Snip>
Do You Yahoo!?
Tired of spam?  Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com

Just wanted to say hi and damn glad I found you. I've been using a 
Melita Hot Air Roaster for ten to fifteen years. I can see I've been out 
of the loop for a long time.
I've got a lot to catch up on so please forgive the occasional ignorant 
post.
Bob Brashear

Welcome Bob!  This is a fun group.
Les
On 8/7/06, Bob Brashear  wrote:
<Snip>

welcome bob, good to have you onboard
On 8/7/06, Les  wrote:
<Snip>
-- 
"Good night, and Good Coffee"
www.onthisjourney.typepad.com

Welcome.
Now you have to tell us how you got the Aromaroast to
actually roast coffee.
--- Bob Brashear  wrote:
<Snip>http://sweetmarias.com/maillistinfo.html#personalsettings<Snip>">http://lists.sweetmarias.com/mailman/listinfo/homeroast<Snip>http://sweetmarias.com/maillistinfo.html#personalsettings<Snip>
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Andy Thomas wrote:
<Snip>
With a very careful eye and ear. Learned quickly that filling to the 
"full" tab and letting her rip did not produce anything worth consuming. 
After several weeks, I finally got a handle on the beast. It did well 
toward the French roast regime, but you have to watch it to stop the 
beans at a Full City roast. The machine does not agitate the beans 
adequately. You have to shake the thing several times during the roast 
to get the beans moving and keep them moving.
Now that I found you people. I can progress from my pre-adolescence 
stage and do some real roasting.
Bob Brashear

Bob,
You're in a world of trouble now.
*********************
Ed Needham®
"to absurdity and beyond!"
ed at homeroaster dot com
(include [FRIEND] in subject line to get through my SPAM filters)
*********************

Ditto Welcome to the List. 
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.
<Snip>

I saw this somewhere- "...in knowing know I know not." That's me in
Technicolor, Bob!  The only ignorant question is the one you don't ask.
Just think- if you start out on a bad assumption and ask the ignorant
question, you might start some New Technology if enough folks think, "Why
not?" instead of "Hell, no!"
Cheers -RayO, aka Opa!
Where's the Coffee?

...bbbzzzzzzzztttt...  
First, hello and huge thanks to all of you for allowing me to visit here for
awhile, soaking up a wealth of information. Your combined knowledge and
experiences are awesome, and the sense of community, even family, here is
very welcoming!
Second, let me introduce myself to the group. I'm an engineer, live in
Alabama in the vicinity of Birmingham, and have been drinking coffee for 40
years more or less. The members of this list have gone a long way towards
opening my eyes to how much better coffee can be.
As the only coffee drinker in my household, I've done most of my recent
brewing with an Aeropress and an occasional French press. I use a Trosser
manual grinder.
I've been home roasting for about three months. So far, I'd have to say the
results of maybe twenty or so small roasts have been good, though I'm the
first to admit my taste buds are strictly novice. I envy Tom's and others'
abilities to detect the nuances of specialty coffee. In fact, my own ability
to rate coffees hasn't evolved much beyond the binary states - "yea" or
"nay".
As I was thinking about trying home roasting, I first intended to try an air
popper. After many futile searches of local thrifts, I decided I could more
easily round up what was needed for the heat gun bread machine method.
Though I had to make a few minor mods to the bread machine, I'm glad I went
this route. I really appreciate the flexibility, control, and variety of
batch sizes offered by the HG/BM.
Again, thanks.
John
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Hmmm, an odd day on he list - just got about 12-15 posts as far back as 
last Saturday... Anyway,
Welcome, John, that was you lurking there in the dark. Glad you joined us!
This is indeed fun, and your taste buds will grow into those nuances the 
more you try. I suggest reading Tom's notes as you try a cup and see if 
you can find any of his flavors. Kinda like where's Waldo with your 
taste buds!
Do you have a favorite coffee, yet? OK, that's unfair... They're all 
faves. Especially the one in the cup.
John
John Grubbs wrote:
<Snip>
-- 
John A C Despres
Hug your kids
616.437.9182
Scene It All Productions 
JD's Coffee Provoked Ramblings
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Thanks, John D. All I can say so far is that I've yet to roast a coffee that
I don't like!
John
On Tue, May 27, 2008 at 2:38 PM, John Despres  wrote:
<Snip>
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Welcome, John.  Glad you have come out of the fog of shyness and now 
allow us to learn from what you have to share, also.  Trust me, you 
know more than you think you do and there is much more to learn, as I 
have learned.  I have been doing this since my first roast, not quite 
a year ago - July 19, 2007.  I too lurked for a few weeks before 
stepping into the light and am I pleased I did so, as you will be.
I too am the only coffee drinker in the house, boy, it does make it 
tough to go through lots and lots, but that is just fine.  I am at 
the point where I roast two half pound batches a day apart; thus, 
giving me a choice for each morning until is time to work on another 
roast.  I also have given my fair share to friends, but have to 
admit, I am kind of stingy with it, I just love it too much, even the 
ones I know I messed up on.  I can say that fresh roasted coffee 
makes great holiday gifts for clients.
I started my roasting on an IRoast2, which I loved (still do, I still 
use it sometimes) and now on a Behmor1600, which I just totally 
love.  Though, either way is fine with me, as long as I can get in 
there, smell the beans, see the beans and hear the beans, oh, what a 
feeling it brings to one's soul, seriously, it really does, for me.
Well, enough of that, you probably think I am nuts, but it is just 
that I have found something that I have a passion for, which I feel I 
am on two teams with it - one is everyone on this great list, the 
other team is the farm and the bean, then the processing team and 
then Tom and S&Ms,  and the many I am sure I left out.  I get to 
taste the results of all of their efforts.  At the very least I want 
my roast to acknowledge the work they have done, but I shoot for it 
to truly honor them.  After all, it is due to their hard work that I 
get the opportunity to roast the very special beans that Tom and his 
team bring us.
Stephen
At 06:27 PM 5/27/2008, you wrote:
<Snip>
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John,
welcome to the list.  As you've seen, there are lots of people here who are
a wealth of information!  And as another John noted, you will develop your
tasting skills over time.  I'm not even close to that, but I can definitely
tell more nuances in a coffee now than I could before...
And the really nice thing about the HG method is that it gives you lots of
flexibility in the heating profiles of the beans, much more than a popcorn
popper.
Best of luck, happy roasts!
bill in wyo
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Welcome, John!  Glad to see you have such a great sense of humor.  We do
enjoy good humor here...and great coffee too!
On 5/26/08, John Grubbs  wrote:
<Snip>
-- 
Dave Kvindlog
iHomeroast
Cedar Rapids, Iowa
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