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Honest opinion of BBQ roaster
6eight
Top  #1 Print Post
Posted on 11/01/2010 10:01 AM
I am new to the homeroasting community and need an honest opinion. My long term goal is to build a drum roaster for the house, but as most of you know that takes time, money, and...time. In the meantime I would like to retire my popcorn popper and move to a roaster that can handle a larger batch size (.5# - 2# and most importantly one I can afford. There has been a lot of information I've come acrossed about bbq drum roasters and being I currently own 5 grills (it's the chef in me) I thought this might be the best short-term alternative.

What I would like to know is how good is this method and can it produce good coffee. I am sure much of it depends on the temperature the grill can reach, the type of drum, and the qualtiy of the beans. All of this aside I am more interested in the flavor that is achieved roasting beans this way.

Thanks!
Edited by 6eight on 11/01/2010 10:45 AM
?I cook with wine. Sometimes I even add it to the food.? ? W.C. Fields
 
seedlings
Top  #2 Print Post
Posted on 11/01/2010 12:16 PM
I have tasted fantastic coffee from BBQ roasters, and there are a great many successfully roasting right now. Though, in my attempts I couldn't recreate their success for myself. If you live in the midwest or north, roasting outside in the winter can be rough. If you want to roast 1 to 1.5# cheaply and repeatably, you should also consider the heatgun + breadmaker.

CHAD
Roaster: CoffeeAir II 2# DIY air roaster
Grinder: Vintage Grindmaster 500
Brewers: Vintage Cory DCU DCL, Aeropress, Press, Osaka Titanium pourover
 
6eight
Top  #3 Print Post
Posted on 11/01/2010 12:36 PM
I picked up a bread maker about 6 months ago and I already have a heat gun. I may have to reseach that setup a bit. Thanks!
?I cook with wine. Sometimes I even add it to the food.? ? W.C. Fields
 
John Despres
Top  #4 Print Post
Posted on 11/01/2010 1:47 PM
Everything I've heard about BBQ drum roasting has been very positive.

RK Drums are very good and I've heard nothing but positive things about them.

http://www.rkdrum.../index.htm

In truth, it's not the roaster that makes good coffee, but the roaster. Shoot, some of the members here are making excellent stuff with $40.00 worth of hardware tools while others are making excellent roasts with $5,000.00 machines.

I imagine you'll have no trouble with a drum roaster. There's a learning curve and a 10 pound batch of coffee is a lot to throw out, but the experience will pay off no matter what happens.

Have fun!

John
Respect the bean.
John Despres
Fresh Roast 8, Gene Cafe, JYTT 1k, Quest M3, Mazzer Mini, Technivorm, various size presses and many more brewers.
 
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6eight
Top  #5 Print Post
Posted on 11/01/2010 2:54 PM
Thanks John! I think I am going to give it a shot. The guys up in the shop where I work are going to put together a drum for me. I showed them the pitcure of the RK and they thought they had enough material floating around to make something similar. In the mean time I am going to break out the bread machine and heatgun and see what happens.
?I cook with wine. Sometimes I even add it to the food.? ? W.C. Fields
 
endlesscycles
Top  #6 Print Post
Posted on 11/01/2010 3:09 PM
I think the real goal is to increase your available time instead of batch size. There's just too much to learn (and taste)! I'd like a 1 ounce roaster with precision control, personally.

BBQ drums offer no airflow control nor temperature monitoring. I wouldn't bother with them unless I was merely a budget minded caffeine fiend.
-Marshall Hance
Asheville, NC
 
6eight
Top  #7 Print Post
Posted on 11/01/2010 7:51 PM
Marshall it's good to see another carolinian. You must be roasting the mountain coffee up there with all that control. I think I am looking for batch and control. Several of my co-workers have asked if I could roast their coffee. This is a great oppurtunity to share the expense of trying new beans, profiles, and roasting practices. It would be beneficial to be able to roast a pound or two at a time so I am not doing twenty 3oz batches a day to keep up.

Keep on roasting!
?I cook with wine. Sometimes I even add it to the food.? ? W.C. Fields
 
JETROASTER
Top  #8 Print Post
Posted on 11/02/2010 7:26 AM
Again, welcome to the neighborhood.
I worked the line (saute) for some years back in the 80's, I understand your desire for something other than just a 'clean' roast.
Having said that, and me being an air-roaster, my 1.5 cents is; If I were to build a drum, my only deal breaker would be chaff removal. I can't imagine that scorched chaff would ever be a flavor worth imparting.
Have Fun!! -Scott
 
6eight
Top  #9 Print Post
Posted on 11/02/2010 7:46 AM

Quote

I can't imagine that scorched chaff would ever be a flavor worth imparting.


Scott, great point. I hotwired my bread machine yesterday so I am going to start there. Fresh burnt chaff does have a nice ring!
?I cook with wine. Sometimes I even add it to the food.? ? W.C. Fields
 
grumpyod
Top  #10 Print Post
Posted on 06/29/2011 1:34 PM
I am new to roasting but I use a hand crank popcorn popper modified to allow some airflow and chaff removal, also a hand crank BBQ drum made from a 6lb 10oz fruit can. The holes drilled in the can allow more even heating and the installed mixing vanes in mine help to break up the chaff and force it out the holes. My grill has three tube burners and I have no problem reaching roast temp. I probably have 30 bucks tied up in hardware including the 20 for the popper plus you get to help your cholesterol when you eat the can of fruit.Roflmao
grumpyod attached the following image:
fruitcan.jpg
 
6eight
Top  #11 Print Post
Posted on 09/15/2015 9:01 PM
It's hard to believe I started this post almost 5 years ago. I experimented with lots of roasters and today I finally tried the drum I have had for almost 4 years. It is a 5lb drum (I think it's an RK but it has been a while). It took me a couple days to figure out how to turn it knowing the rotisserie motor wasn't going to cut it. I attached a couple 3/8" stainless bolts to each end to allow the drum to sit on the brackets. Then all it took was a cordless drill with a 9/16 socket (trigger barely engaged) to turn the beans at a nice rate of speed.

I also wasn't sure about how high to dial the heat, but I estimated based on the little roasting knowledge I have and settled in med-med low which had my gauge reading a bit below 500f. I only started with a pound so I didn't mess too much up. I heard the first signs of first crack around the 6:45 mark and was well into the crack by 7 min. First crack lasted much longer than in my other roasters, but I took that as a positive. I dumped the roast just shy of 10 and it hadn't started the second yet. By the color I would say it's full city. I was very pleased with the evenness of the roast which let me know I had set the right rpm's on the drill. I also thought the timing was pretty good. I still have a long way to go figuring this basket out, but I am excited to keep trying.
?I cook with wine. Sometimes I even add it to the food.? ? W.C. Fields
 
BobbyM15
Top  #12 Print Post
Posted on 09/16/2015 4:52 AM
I am roasting on a BBQ for now until I get my dedicated drum roaster finished. It roasts very well.


http://homeroaste...ad_id=4584
Coffee is a language in itself.

Jackie Chan
 
6eight
Top  #13 Print Post
Posted on 09/16/2015 9:02 AM

Quote

BobbyM15 wrote:

I am roasting on a BBQ for now until I get my dedicated drum roaster finished. It roasts very well.


http://homeroaste...ad_id=4584


Bobby what motor are you using? I'm trying to source an inexpensive 40-60 rpm motor so I can save my drill and not have to have clamps laying around while I roast. I read somewhere (I don't think it was here) that someone used a motor from an ice cream maker. I may have to make my rounds to the local thrift shops this weekend to see what I can find. I don't remember what type of motor was in my old bread machine either.
?I cook with wine. Sometimes I even add it to the food.? ? W.C. Fields
 
BobbyM15
Top  #14 Print Post
Posted on 09/16/2015 6:12 PM

Quote

6eight wrote:

Quote

BobbyM15 wrote:

I am roasting on a BBQ for now until I get my dedicated drum roaster finished. It roasts very well.


http://homeroaste...ad_id=4584


Bobby what motor are you using? I'm trying to source an inexpensive 40-60 rpm motor so I can save my drill and not have to have clamps laying around while I roast. I read somewhere (I don't think it was here) that someone used a motor from an ice cream maker. I may have to make my rounds to the local thrift shops this weekend to see what I can find. I don't remember what type of motor was in my old bread machine either.


I got mine from Surplus City but they come and go. You just have to search for what you need.
Coffee is a language in itself.

Jackie Chan
 
6eight
Top  #15 Print Post
Posted on 09/17/2015 8:15 AM
I stopped in at the local Goodwill and found an old ice cream maker. The inlet works great with the attachment system I am using. I have to figure out a bracket and wire in an on/off switch, but I think the motor will work well. I also want to see what's out there for thermometers (other than what is secured in the lid).
?I cook with wine. Sometimes I even add it to the food.? ? W.C. Fields
 
David
Top  #16 Print Post
Posted on 09/17/2015 10:08 PM
Hi 6eight, How fast does that ice cream motor turn?
Too slow and the some of the beans will be scorched and others hardly brown at all.
 
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