| Hello fellow roasters, old and new readers. I've been a silent lurker for the better part of a year now. Another hobby I picked up this year takes me back to riding - I bought my first Harley-Davidson. But this is a coffee list isn't it? Guess I'll get back on track. I purchased my iRoast 2 in December 2005 and have been enjoying Tom's selections ever since. The top to the roaster started falling apart and I had to order a new top in February of 2007. Earlier this year, my iRoast gained a mind of its own and decided to never actually shut off the fan, even when the cycle was complete. It would just quiet down to a low RPM. No problem says me, I just unplug it from the wall because it still makes a damn fine batch of coffee. Tonight it seemingly struggled to handle the average size load that I throw in there (just under a cup of raw). I abused the caffeine out of that iRoast 2. Normal roasting would consist of 2 full batches, twice a week, with a half hour cool-off period in between batches. Every weekend preceding the 3rd Thursday of the month, I would roast 8 full batches. Sometimes in one Saturday or Sunday, or I would divide it between the two days to tally 8 batches. So this iRoast has put out quite a bit. I've been totally satisfied with it. Then the miscellaneous roasting for friends and family. So it's time to order a new roaster. With my level of satisfaction with the iRoast, I thought I'd check out another one. But that Behmor 1600 caught my eye. For only $100 more, I can give up my two+ batches a week and enjoy a real drum-roast roast. I like lighter roasts, sometimes settling at the beginning of 2nd crack, so I think this will be perfect for me. I finalized the deal tonight. Hopefully, Tom and Co. will get it in the mail on Monday and I can be writing about how nice it roasts next weekend. -Walt -- Walter R Basil www.basilweb.net 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 |
| Congrats on your new Behmor, Walt! That seems to me to be a significant leap forward in roasting. As you know, the Behmor is very well thought of by people on the list. Let us know how things are going through your learning curve. Brian On Sat, Aug 23, 2008 at 11:58 PM, Walter R. Basil 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 |
| Walt, I also upgraded from the IR2 to the Behmor and I love it. The bigger batch sizes are great and the smoke suppressor is wonderful. I vented my IR2 out the window, using a dryer hose and my wife would still be bothered by it. With the Behmor, no problems. Though my IR2 still works, I have not fired it up since the Behmor arrived. One major difference for me was not being able to see the roast clearly. In the IR2, I watched the bean's change color like a hawk. With the Behmor, I roast by sound. Often, I'll read a book or magazine while waiting for the sound of first crack. I may try some of the mods suggested on the list, but I hate to cut up such a wonderful machine. :) Happy roasting! -Seth On 8/24/08, Brian Kamnetz 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 bought my first Harley-Davidson." The Milwaukee Vibrator. Way to go, Walter! Did they sell you the Screamin' Eagle pipes? EFI / Twin cams? If you want to have some fun, E-85 is 105 octane, so you could resculpt the heads with a fly cutter and port and polish the thing. Of course, you could mill out the exhaust valve ports, swage in some larger Stellite seats and make it Breathe! with some big tulip valves. " I purchased my iRoast 2 in December 2005" A Historical spreadsheet, or a cavalcade of errors- what? All the while, you could be drinking some 140 Horse Ethiopian Harar, with an espresso machine strapped to the sissy bar... Cheers, Mabuhay -RayO, aka Opa! Patch on jacket back: "If you can read this, fell off" 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 |