HomeRoast Digest


Topic: DB question - Come on - Do it - Theory is THEORY only! (6 msgs / 254 lines)
1) From: Peter Morrin
Hi,
 I have added comments within the response email:-.
<Snip>
YOUR BOWL IS:- likely too small! or TOO FULL (see my later comment on HG
direction of air flow too).
<Snip>
IF YOU *<"ARE">* indeed stirring the beans they will move aside without
scorching.
If scorching the beans does occur your heat is likely too high for that
period!!
OR you do not have the HG nozzle  ENOUGH to get the heat through
the bean mass to (and some of it flowing over) the DB base.
<Snip>
I CAN (and do) COUNT ON IT as I have found the position where it DOES work
well!!!
Your own TECHNIQUE (maybe) is wrong (and the bowl is likely TOO small /too
FULL.
<Snip>
a mass.
So What!!  You did not say he could get his hand too hot - burned!! That
would be worse than NOISE???
The bowl is likely too FULL in this case too ( ie. stirring is needed):
and others like to make LOTS of NOISE anyway.
Give a kid a pot and spoon and he (especially) will be happy for longer than
adults are for sure.
<Snip>
WELL!! If anyone is happy with DOING it with whatever (a metal spoon even)
simply wait for the yell of pain when they grab the wrong part of the
spoon!!!
If they try changing spoon ends they will do that once only unless they are
slow learners!!!
I direct the heat (almost vertically) down on (through) to the DB BASE and
not almost horizonally on to (over the top of) the beans themselves.
In other words I am getting the heat UNDER the bean mass as much as
possible. This method does work well I can assure you.
The 25% maybe 20% (better for me anyway) fill of beans in the bowl works
well.
More beans than that for sure discharges beans from the bowl especially when
using a STIRRER!!.
Peter.
<Snip>

2) From: Mark Tosiello
Hi,
I guess I'm confused as to the tone of this reply.  Martin is, after all, a
recognized expert HGDB roaster, and has tried more combinations than I care
to think about.  I don't mean to be offensive, but some of us might be
rather put off by the seemingly arrogant tone of this reply, not to mention
the frequent "shouting" via the use of capitalization.
I have no intention of starting a long, drawn out arguement here, but I do
think that even with the opinions expressed in mind, they could (and should)
have been more politely presented.
That said, my own experience with HGDB roasting (my only current method)
leads me to believe Martin's information, and to discount most of what was
written in this reply.  YMMV..... but I don't think so.
Mark
My name is Mark Tosiello and I approved this E-Mail

3) From: Peter Morrin
Hi,
Maybe I mistake the roastings messages in some way. I guess it is a response
to being told that what I do successfully does not work!!!
Worse that others are being discouraged from trying something different and
what could be of benefit also.
I have found this site very valuable. Possibly too in ways not expected by
contributors. Previously also what I have have found to work has been
commented on here as not the way to do things.
Maybe I should let things be more and cool it. I will try.
Peter.

4) From: HeatGunRoast
Thanks for the nice words, Mark, though LOL at "recognized expert." Knowing how much
variability exists in techniques and preferences, I've tried to distill the most
essential elements and rationale that guide my roasting, and pass those along. 
There's a bunch of us who've been exchanging HG/DB experiences over time, and it's
safe to say that we all differ more and less in our techniques and preferences. I
also think that we are mindful that HG/DB is a package of technique and tools: can't
talk about "best" bowl in isolation of stirring, heatgun, batch size, blend, and so
on. And even then, my best and another's best can be quite different, holding
everything else constant. Further, there's a kind of "imprinting" that seems to take
place in our experiences. However we get our first bunch of great roasts seems to
stick with us as the preferred or best way of roasting.  Hard to change from that. 
I began early on HG roasting over a slow bbq grill.  I think I have empirical
evidence that my roasts are better if I do.  Would I bet the farm or my Basset Hound
on that finding? No way!
It's a dilemma trying to pass along useful information to new HG roasters. On the
one hand it's easy to be overly prescriptive, specifying brand of HG, size of bowl,
what to stir with, and so on.  On the other hand, simply to say "do whatever you
want" isn't so helpful either. I actually wouldn't mind reading Peter's views on
roasting if he'd post something where his main message didn't seem to be that he was
pxxxxd off at me.  Peter?
Martin
--- Mark Tosiello  wrote:
<Snip>
=====
Martin
Do you Yahoo!?
Take Yahoo! Mail with you! Get it on your mobile phone.http://mobile.yahoo.com/maildemo

5) From: HeatGunRoast
Thanks for the nice words, Mark, though LOL at "recognized expert." Knowing how much
variability exists in techniques and preferences, I've tried to distill the most
essential elements and rationale that guide my roasting, and pass those along. 
There's a bunch of us who've been exchanging HG/DB experiences over time, and it's
safe to say that we all differ more and less in our techniques and preferences. I
also think that we are mindful that HG/DB is a package of technique and tools: can't
talk about "best" bowl in isolation of stirring, heatgun, batch size, blend, and so
on. And even then, my best and another's best can be quite different, holding
everything else constant. Further, there's a kind of "imprinting" that seems to take
place in our experiences. However we get our first bunch of great roasts seems to
stick with us as the preferred or best way of roasting.  Hard to change from that. 
I began early on HG roasting over a slow bbq grill.  I think I have empirical
evidence that my roasts are better if I do.  Would I bet the farm or my Basset Hound
on that finding? No way!
It's a dilemma trying to pass along useful information to new HG roasters. On the
one hand it's easy to be overly prescriptive, specifying brand of HG, size of bowl,
what to stir with, and so on.  On the other hand, simply to say "do whatever you
want" isn't so helpful either. I actually wouldn't mind reading Peter's views on
roasting if he'd post something where his main message didn't seem to be that he was
pxxxxd off at me.  Peter?
Martin
--- Mark Tosiello  wrote:
<Snip>
=====
Martin
Do you Yahoo!?
Take Yahoo! Mail with you! Get it on your mobile phone.http://mobile.yahoo.com/maildemo

6) From: ptr
Hi,
No I need to appologies I am happy enough with comments.
I do not look to see the "who" of the message and therefore
may miss the need for suitable defference(s)! - LOL
Our electric power is 230v here and that may make a
difference to results and abilities too. So far I have no
"handle" on this to guage what differences that may make.
I do take on board what is said generally and then try
things out anyway.
All the coffee roasted here disappears without complaint so
something is OK.
You more than any will realise that things vary a lot and
going "beyond" can give surprising and even unexpected
results.
It could be that our HG have more power output. I can push
the temp to 1200=b0F and have been no way near there yet. I
am not sure of air flow volume. But there is enough to not
need a prod or stir. Similar it seems even to a Rosto unit
that I no longer use.
More power to your roasting!!
Peter.
<Snip>


HomeRoast Digest