Behmor

Brett H · November 2012

on 1353608188:

I'm thinking of buying a Behmor. Are they a goer or not?

I still use mine and I've got a KKTO! Easy to use, easy to maintain and good results. I bought mine from Ministry of Grounds and received excellent after sales support!

Divey · November 2012

on 1353643198:

I still use mine and I've got a KKTO! Easy to use, easy to maintain and good results. I bought mine from Ministry of Grounds and received excellent after sales support!

I have just had a search of their web site and can't seem to locate the Behmor. How long ago did you buy yours. :question:

Brett H · November 2012

Sorry mate, years! http://blog.ministrygrounds.com.au/blog/2010/09/28/why-behmors-are-no-more-at-ministry-grounds/ Why not go the KKTO!

Divey · December 2012

Okay, I've bitten the bullet and bought a Behmor. I should have it early next week.

Can someone give me a rundown and tell me what settings I should use for the first roast. :question: Without listing all the green beans I have (far too many), I have a fair amount of India Elephant Hills AA Grade, Brazil Pulped Natural, Brazil Yellow Bourbon Especial (one of my favourites), Peru Ceja de Selva Estate. Do I have different settings for the listed beans or all the same setttings :question:

Jonty · December 2012

Divy, Play around and explore the Behmor as it seems each unit is slightly different, based on voltage at your powerpoint. Suggest if you are electrical savy or have a sparkie friend, measure the voltage of your power point so you can best adapt the unit to it - its all in the set up when you read the instructions. Programs, again have a play - I have explored and suggest a bean mass of 250g to 300g, I have settled on 300g lately as suggested by RM as the consistency is much better at this volume. I always use 1Ib setting regardless and P2B, P2C or even P3C. P2B will bring you into a roast time of around 17min or so. I dont have a probe at all in the unit but do a prewarm on P1 for a couple of minutes without drum and then using gloves kick the unit off. So I suggest start with 300g, 1IbP2B with a prewarm and with Elephant Hills or Peru CDS you cannot go wrong - just keep yourself some notes as you go - simple things like settings, weights, 1st crack, rolling 1st crack, 2nd crack and pull time. Enjoy the experience! Jonty Edit (PS): Make yourself an external bean cooler - that way you can dump them quickly and cool ultra quick!

Brett H · December 2012

Spot on Jonty. My experience exactly. My sweet spot is 330g and 1lb, P2, B -1 to 2 minutes seems to be the safe start point on my unit. Just ensure that every 5 roasts you do a roast without beans and every 6 months I take the covers off the sides and vacuum out the chaff. Welcome to the journey. Next stop, KKTO or perhaps even the CCR :thumb:

LaSanMarcoMelb · December 2012

I can't go past 1pound p2 B, it just works! I also stick the brush in the door to stretch between 1c and 2c, usually cool at first few snaps of 2c. I have been experimenting with blending in some slightly lighter beans (just pre 2nd crack) just coz I can. That's the fun of it, experimenting

LaSanMarcoMelb · December 2012

I'm down to the dregs of my green beans so this is a mix of Kenyan Murangi, Tanzanian blackburn estate and Colombian Volcans roasted together (about 110gms of each) just to early 2C in the Behmor. Now, what greens to order next.......

Divey · December 2012

on 1354340491:

I can't go past 1pound p2 B, it just works! I also stick the brush in the door to stretch between 1c and 2c, usually cool at first few snaps of 2c. I have been experimenting with blending in some slightly lighter beans (just pre 2nd crack) just coz I can. That's the fun of it, experimenting

What is the story here :question:

LaSanMarcoMelb · December 2012

Seems a lot of Behmor users do this. Once 1st crack starts, open the door a little (the brush handle will keep it open). This will make sure that you get a definite 1st crack and 2nd crack without them rolling into each other. I usually close the door once 1C is finished. It will give a longer period between 1C and 2C

Divey · December 2012

Fairy nuff :exclaim:

mycuppa · December 2012

on 1354367749:

Seems a lot of Behmor users do this. Once 1st crack starts, open the door a little (the brush handle will keep it open). This will make sure that you get a definite 1st crack and 2nd crack without them rolling into each other. I usually close the door once 1C is finished. It will give a longer period between 1C and 2C

The technical term is called "roast development", where many believe it is the most important period in the entire cycle of roasting. Too short a timeframe between 1C and your dump (bean exit) and the bean will lack character and "development". Likewise, an exaggerated, drawn-out time between 1C and dump runs the risk of the roast stalling (rate of rise stopped or falling) and you can expect baked outcomes with a flat, boring, non-descript coffee (amongst other things that are wrong, or just plain shite). No fixed rule here - anytime between 2 and 7 minutes with a suggestion you play closer to the shorter end rather than the long end (which should only really be done by those with the right sort of control over their commercial equipment!). IMPORTANT CAVEAT - This information pertains to roasting technique and it not intended to be a guide for Behmor.

LaSanMarcoMelb · December 2012

A much better description than my beer infused midnight ramblings. Cheers mycuppa

Rider · December 2012

Hey Divey, All the above is great advice and also quite interesting... My par value is 315gm beans, 1lb, P2B setting. Go figure... we are all around the same vicinity. The variances are going to be due to your local power supply. Crack the door as suggested to extend the time between 1st and 2nd crack, though with mine I always get 3.30 to 4 min without cracking the door. Some suggest asbestos glove dump to cool, however I have always opened the door at the cooing cycle and placed a pedestal fan in front of the machine to accelerate cooling. Works quite well. Play around, have fun and tell us what you think Cheers Rider

Divey · December 2012

Thanks folks for all the great advice. :thumb: I have one of the USB Temperature Data Logger's I bought from CS, is it possible to use this with the Behmor :question: :question:

Kevohere · December 2012

on 1354450838:

Some suggest asbestos glove dump to cool,

Asbestos glove ??? Food handling ??? I'm sure you meant a well insulated glove Rider. :D A good oven mitt easily does the job (safely) for me. If you got your USB TDL from CS, you should have seen the threads on application/installation for the Behmor. As others have said; experiment, keep notes and best of all, enjoy the results. :coffee2:

Divey · December 2012

on 1354482145:

If you got your USB TDL from CS, you should have seen the threads on application/installation for the Behmor.

I've had a look and can't find it :'(

UNM · December 2012

Take a look at <a href=http://coffeesnobs.com.au/roasters/29974-measuring-temp-behmor.html>; this thread </a> There is a picture of the drilling template for the thermocouple placement in that thread. You would probably be best to roast logger, rather than the CS software. More people here seem to use it and it is supported software.

Lacehim · December 2012

SS, Regarding your Behmor issues have you seen this website? http://www.behmor.com/error5.php and this http://www.behmor.com/error6.php It does give a little info about the errors and the cause, and I hope you don't get an error 1.

Divey · December 2012

I have done quite a few roasts of many different beans on the Behmor now and I'm rather pleased with the results I'm getting.

Extremely even roasts. :thumb: I am rather concerned that there is a very short period of time between 1st crack and 2nd crack. It seems to me that the very first crack you hear is immediately followed by rolling 1st crack and then seems to roll straight into 2nd crack. I'm thinking of tilting the machine forward nearing first crack so the beans are further away from the elements in an attempt to keep the beans from heating too quickly. Has anyone tried this :question: I feel that it would be beneficial if you could reverse the rotation of the drum at this critical stage of the roast.

UNM · December 2012

I don't know the behmor, but would not expect tilting to work as well as you might like. Presumably heat transfer to the beans occurs through drum contact, radiant heat and hot air in the roaster. An extra few centimeters from the radiant heat source is the only difference you will make. Lowering power to the elements is, I suspect, the best way to slow it down. Next best would be to increase airflow in the roaster to lower internal temperature. Please note, this is just an educated guess.

shape_shifter · December 2012

Divey I know you have tried the open door method, it seems to be the only way to get the extended time between first and second crack. I actually open it to the first place where it supports itself rather than using the brush, sure a little bit of chaff but that's what vacuums are for

UNM · December 2012

Surely turning down the heat is the most obvious solution? I had to install full manual control of my heater elements in the hottop because the programmed profile was crap, but if the only issue is with reducing heat as it nears first crack, that is easily accomplished with a pwm control circuit between the existing heat element output wires and the elements themselves. Normally it would be at 100% power, then reduce to a lower value just before first crack, then potentially back to 100% once first crack finished. Benefit if wiring like this is all existing safety features remain in place

lemoo · December 2012

on the behmor you do not have control over the power for the elements they run set presets and programs

UNM · December 2012

on 1355289245:

on the behmor you do not have control over the power for the elements they run set presets and programs

My point is that adding control to limit element power is easy.

Divey · December 2012

There is a section ( PartV: 8 )) in the Manual that I must of glossed over or failed to read.

Adjusting profiles by time additions and subtractions at proper times can be used to slightly alter the pre-programmed profiles. You can shorten or lengthen the middle leg of a profile or end leg of a profile in terms of percentage to total time. The adjustments can be made prior to or just after starting the roast cycle. Example: P5 is 33% of each power application throughout the entire roast. Thus if your were to set the timer at 6:00 minutes each leg of the profile would last approximately 2:00 minutes. However, if you were to set the timer to 6:00 minutes to begin with, then upon starting a roast, add 2:00 minutes you will have immediately reduced the middle legs total percentage to 25% versus the original 33%. Conversely, let us say you want to lengthen the middle leg and shorten the end leg of the roast. Before starting press the timer to read 10:00 minutes. The system then reads it is to run approximately 3:20 per leg. Once starting however reduce the time to 8:00 minutes and you will have the first legs of the roast at 3:20 each and the final leg at 1:20. If you wish to shorten the roast middle leg percentage to total and lengthen the end leg, reduce the times to start, then once started add the time back. If you wish to lengthen the roast middle leg percentage to total and reduce the the end leg, add time to start and then once started reduce the time back.

I reckon this is the section that the Behmor owners have to get their heads around.

Brett H · December 2012

Yep, you got it Divey! I gave up operating like that some time ago because I'll admit i had very little repeatbility and frankly as a home roaster I prefer the KKTO option of lying by the seat of my pants! Just a question RE voltage, what are the buttons again for changing the voltage?

Divey · December 2012

on 1356777344:

Yep, you got it Divey! I gave up operating like that some time ago because I'll admit i had very little repeatbility and frankly as a home roaster I prefer the KKTO option of lying by the seat of my pants! Just a question RE voltage, what are the buttons again for changing the voltage?

I'm sure there is enough roasting options and modifications to the roasting options that you must be able to find what suits you using the Behmor. At the moment, I have not used the what I have set out above as I have quite a bit of roasted coffee on hand. One thing I really like about the Behmor is the evenness of the roasts. To answer you question re the voltage, if you power supply is 220 volts hold in the 'A' button on and then switch on the power, for 230 volts hold in the 'B' button and for 240 volts hold in the 'C' button.

Brett H · December 2012

Cheers Divey! I too like the evenness of the Behmor. I tend to stick with the 1lb P2 330g for my unit and get great results especially if I use the door cracking trick. I'll have a go at a modified program and get ack to you.

LaSanMarcoMelb · January 2013

I'm curious of anyone who has been roast logging the behmor. I know that it's not recording bean temp but I would like to see some others roast profiles as the results weren't anything like I expected. I'm just not sure how beneficial it is to put the temp probe into the behmor due to the lack of actual control over the temperature / fans etc. ....... I'm getting that upgraditis tingling feeling again I think

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