When I hear that first crack, I stop
the roast.
CORRECTION...
I time 2.5 mins from that point, and then stop the roast.
Sorry, Mike

<Snip>
Ahhhh - thank you. That's what I thought, but I'm feeling so inadequate
right about now (on roasting with the Alp, I mean), that I'm really easy to
confuse...
I just tried that myself. Chickened out at 2 minutes, mainly because for
some reason it took 14:00 to first crack.
The coffee looks almost right; I'll know tomorrow when I drink some.
Suspect I'd like it more with about another half minute or so, though. But
this is the closest I've come. Progress!
I'm exhausted from all this roasting!
Kathleen

<Snip>
inadequate right about now (on roasting with the Alp, I mean), that I'm
really easy to confuse...  I just tried that myself. Chickened out at 2
minutes, mainly because for some reason it took 14:00 to first crack.
Kathleen,
You are more than welcome. However, as I said, I didn't come up with this,
Coffeenut did. Can understand how throwing the coffee away might get you
down.
Ok, try this... take out your FreshRoast and make a batch...with your eyes
closed! You don't need them. Just stop it the sec you hear a 2nd crack. See
how pleased you are with it. Then, take out your Alp and run a batch. Cut
it at 2.5 mins after you hear the first crack of first crack.
Don't chicken out. It's easy to hear how one might chicken out. There can
be a ~looooong~ pause between the very first crack of first crack and the
next one. One of my roasts was about 20-30 secs later...seemed like an
eternity.   I hadn't a clue what to do so I did nothing. Followed the
advice given me and the roast was fine. I was sweating it because it was a
half pound of St. Helena's. ;->)  It was fine. But, as the 2.5 mark
approached I almost went for another half minute. Who wants to throw away a
half pound of that stuff, now that Tom is running low on it!
Best of luck!   Regards, Mike