So I've been noticing that it seems the Behmor is more recommended as thus more often selected as the first major 'upgrade' rather than the GeneCafe here on the list.... Granted it is $200 cheaper or thereabouts.... Let me just say, however, that after 3 months with my GeneCafe, I could not be happier. I absolutely love it and have had not a single solitary issue. More importantly, I am roasting better coffee that I ever thought possible. My old stomping grounds, the local gourmet coffee shop (that 'roasts' their own beans) is now a sad, sad replacement for my own brew. The Gene Cafe is fast, easy and is giving me unparalleled flexibility. The 1/2 pound limit simply allows me to tinker even more often. What is truly amazing, is that I can know truly TASTE the difference between a citi roast, a full citi, full citi plus, and even french and vienna. Wonderfully, I have found (as predicted) that I now prefer my coffee roasted below french. I love trying the same beans roasted over the spectrum and enjoying each and every sip. Can you accurately control the roast to this degree and reproducibility with the pre-programmed roast (only 5????) profiles in the Behmor??? Because you sure as heck can with the GeneCafe (limitless!!!)... I can now roast my beans EXACTLY as I like anywhere along the spectrum. I can hear the first crack clearly, the second crack as well.. I can observed the color of my beans clearly throughout the entire roast process as well... Everything you need to watch your roast, follow your roast, control your roast, and truly enjoy the entire process.... And it is so amazingly tasty.... Go GeneCafe!!!! Ken Windows Live SkyDrive lets you share files with faraway friends.http://www.windowslive.com/skydrive/overview.html?ocid T_TAGLM_WL_Refresh_skydrive_052008Homeroast mailing list Homeroasthttp://www.homeroasting.com/gallery/main.php?g2_itemIdx20">http://lists.sweetmariascoffee.com/listinfo.cgi/homeroast-sweetmariascoffee.comHomeroast community pictures 9upload yours!) :http://www.homeroasting.com/gallery/main.php?g2_itemIdx20 |
I'll second the recommendation by Ken. Additionally I would emphasize how direct and simple the controls are. I read people discussing how to tweak and hack their roasters to get the results they want. With the gene cafe, you want hotter, you turn it up. You want cooler, turn it down. You want longer... just wait longer etc. I feel like the only limitations are me, not the equipment. -Peter On May 3, 2008, at 6:38 AM, Ken Knott wrote: <Snip> Homeroast mailing list Homeroasthttp://www.homeroasting.com/gallery/main.php?g2_itemIdx20">http://lists.sweetmariascoffee.com/listinfo.cgi/homeroast-sweetmariascoffee.comHomeroast community pictures 9upload yours!) :http://www.homeroasting.com/gallery/main.php?g2_itemIdx20 |
Good to hear this, Ken! I've enjoyed stove-top roasting, and while I've enjoyed using my little IR2, it's the lack of control that makes it difficult for me. Fortunately, since my pocketbook roughly equals the method I'm currently using to roast - I'm happy. But it's good to read about different roasting methods - just in case things change. At any rate, I'm happy that you've found a good roasting method that pleases *you*. Lynne (giving Ken a virtual high-five. :>) Ken Knott said: <Snip> and: <Snip> Homeroast mailing list Homeroasthttp://www.homeroasting.com/gallery/main.php?g2_itemIdx20">http://lists.sweetmariascoffee.com/listinfo.cgi/homeroast-sweetmariascoffee.comHomeroast community pictures 9upload yours!) :http://www.homeroasting.com/gallery/main.php?g2_itemIdx20 |
I'll second the recommendation by Ken. Additionally I would emphasize how direct and simple the controls are. I read people discussing how to tweak and hack their roasters to get the results they want. With the gene cafe, you want hotter, you turn it up. You want cooler, turn it down. You want longer... just wait longer etc. I feel like the only limitations are me, not the equipment. -Peter On May 3, 2008, at 6:38 AM, Ken Knott wrote: <Snip> Homeroast mailing list Homeroasthttp://www.homeroasting.com/gallery/main.php?g2_itemIdx20">http://lists.sweetmariascoffee.com/listinfo.cgi/homeroast-sweetmariascoffee.comHomeroast community pictures 9upload yours!) :http://www.homeroasting.com/gallery/main.php?g2_itemIdx20 |
I am happy as well. In fact purchase two of them. One for the US and the other for Shanghai (can't find a good cup there). Question though... Have you noticed how much voltage impacts the process? The beans roast much faster than expected. I took it to a friend's house and it didn't roast as hot. In fact, I couldn't get it past 470 degrees. I checked the circuits and found that I have 123v in my house and 118v in my friend's house. I also noticed that the voltage dropped from 118v to 111v when the roaster was turned on. Anyone have similar experiences? This coming week, I will be roasting in Shanghai. Voltage is 220-240v. Another challenge is finding green beans in Shanghai. Probably will be taking them with me. Morris |
Although it might be a topic for another thread, I must say that drum roasted coffees are different from fluid/air roast. I started with the IR2 and see it's limitation being predictability, size of batch, and variable results. But, when it roasts nicely, it gives a great cup. The coffee is bright and delicious. With the drum roaster, the resulting coffee tastes different. It is not as bright and more "mellow". The GeneCafe is (simply put) a great machine. I love it. I wish there was a more controllable and larger model of IR. Then it might be a tossup between the two. Sometimes I'll mix some IR2 roasted coffee with the Genecafe to give a bit of lift to the resulting combined roast. Phil |
"The Gene Cafe is fast, easy and is giving me unparalleled flexibility. The 1/2 pound limit simply allows me to tinker even more often." The above quote begs for some editing, but if you're happy, I'm happy for you. I know nothing about the Gene Pool, but suspect I've saved the $200, including all the heat guns and bread machines I've ever bought and destroyed over the years. My Fresh Roast has a diminutive capacity itself, so it, too, forces me to tinker even more often. A heat gun and 5qt mixer bowl have given me the total roasting profile range, and I've roasted from 50g to 900g of beans with the set up. Unmodified bread machines don't like to go that low- the paddle doesn't touch many of the beans, stirring is stunted. Since one can hit the button any time on the Behmor, flexibility doesn't seem to be a point of comparison. Rather, the capacity of the Gene Pool doesn't allow so much as it forces the roasting of batch after batch, with the Disneyland results that would give. How would you like to paint a house using 1 Pint paint cans from the hardware store? The HOA would gig you for the Paisley print paint job, guaronteed. Cheers, Mabuhay -RayO, aka Opa! Got Grinder? Otherwise, the wonderfulsomeness of the Gene Cafe, such as it is, is wasted. On Sat, May 3, 2008 at 7:38 AM, Ken Knott wrote: <Snip> -- "When the theme hits the bass, I dance the Jig!" - -Virgil Fox at the Mighty Wichita (ex- NYC Paramount) WurliTzer- 1976 Homeroast mailing list Homeroasthttp://www.homeroasting.com/gallery/main.php?g2_itemIdx20">http://lists.sweetmariascoffee.com/listinfo.cgi/homeroast-sweetmariascoffee.comHomeroast community pictures 9upload yours!) :http://www.homeroasting.com/gallery/main.php?g2_itemIdx20 |
Seems the point may have been missed some home roasting people don't want larger batches but rather prefer having variety roasted at all times. Such was my case and my Frankie Rosto 1/2# batch "limitation" was in fact not a limitation at all. If it had been I would have upgraded to whatever I wanted. At the time I had the money to buy any roaster I wanted including the likes of USRC .5k if I'd really wanted one. Pacific Northwest Gathering VIhttp://home.comcast.net/~mckona/PNWGVI.htmKona Kurmudgeon miKe mcKoffee www.mcKonaKoffee.com URL to Rosto mods, FrankenFormer, some recipes etc:http://www.mckoffee.com/Ultimately 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. Sweet Maria's List - Searchable Archiveshttp://themeyers.org/HomeRoast/ <Snip> Homeroast mailing list Homeroasthttp://www.homeroasting.com/gallery/main.php?g2_itemIdx20">http://lists.sweetmariascoffee.com/listinfo.cgi/homeroast-sweetmariascoffee.comHomeroast community pictures 9upload yours!) :http://www.homeroasting.com/gallery/main.php?g2_itemIdx20 |
I'm agreeing with miKe here. The best part of roasting coffee, for me, is the variety. I can't really see buying 20 lbs of a coffee because I really like it when I could have 20 different coffees. My problem is that I've come to the sad realization that I can't possibly try them all. Tom's new coffees come in too fast. I'm the only coffee drinker in the house. Unless I start giving it away, I wont be able to try everything :-( -Peter On May 4, 2008, at 12:19 AM, miKe mcKoffee wrote: <Snip> Homeroast mailing list Homeroasthttp://www.homeroasting.com/gallery/main.php?g2_itemIdx20">http://lists.sweetmariascoffee.com/listinfo.cgi/homeroast-sweetmariascoffee.comHomeroast community pictures 9upload yours!) :http://www.homeroasting.com/gallery/main.php?g2_itemIdx20 |
This is precisely what I do. I roast 3 or 4 coffees a week, and the ones I don't wow over, I gift to friends I know appreciate it. The ones I really like, I buy more of! -F On Sun, May 4, 2008 at 10:16 AM, Coffee wrote: <Snip> Homeroast mailing list Homeroasthttp://www.homeroasting.com/gallery/main.php?g2_itemIdx20">http://lists.sweetmariascoffee.com/listinfo.cgi/homeroast-sweetmariascoffee.comHomeroast community pictures 9upload yours!) :http://www.homeroasting.com/gallery/main.php?g2_itemIdx20 |
I can send you my address if you fee a need to give coffee away. It's the least I can do so you can buy as many varieties as you like. On Sun, May 4, 2008 at 10:16 AM, Coffee wrote: <Snip> Homeroast mailing list Homeroasthttp://www.homeroasting.com/gallery/main.php?g2_itemIdx20">http://lists.sweetmariascoffee.com/listinfo.cgi/homeroast-sweetmariascoffee.comHomeroast community pictures 9upload yours!) :http://www.homeroasting.com/gallery/main.php?g2_itemIdx20 |