Les Albjerg of Thor Tampers Profiles
Roasting profile for 1 to 1.5 lbs
Cinnamon
Roast
“What is
that?” you might ask. This is a roast I
developed by accident 18 years ago. It
was a mistake that took me almost 3
years to figure out with a popper to do
it a second time. It is easy to do with
a RK Drum. When you grind this light
roast, it looks like cinnamon it is so
lightly roasted. It isn’t grassy
however. It is the way to get the most
radical varietal flavor out of a bean.
I love Kona, Island, and Central coffees
roasted this way. I don’t drink these
as straight espressos, but as brewed or
Americanos. So, I am going to share my
secret. The secret is you have to start
HOT. You need to get the heat in the
bean fast and ramp down.
1. Preheat
for 5 minutes I take mine to 560
degrees.
2. Load the
drum with a pound of beans during the
preheat. Put drum in BBQ
3. Leave the
heat on high and run the temp up to 520
within 2-3 minutes.
4. Turn your
nose on and when you smell the grassy
smell it is time to ramp the heat down!
5. Cut you
heat in half until you are down to about
450-470. Hold that heat until you hit
first crack. It should happen at around
8-9 minutes.
6. When
first crack starts, cut you heat down to
barely on.
7. As soon
as first crack starts to slow look at
your timer and wait 30 seconds.
8. Kill the
heat
9. Dump and
cool
10. Let it
rest for 3 days and enjoy!
City Roast
The standard
roast that most of my coffee is done to.
1. Preheat
for 5 minutes. I take it to 500
degrees.
2. Load the
drum during the preheat with a pound of
beans. Put drum in BBQ.
3. Ramp the
temp back up to 470-480 within the first
3 min. of the roast.
4. Watch the
temp and keep it there. 1st
crack will start between 8 and 9 min.
5. Cut the
heat as the beans are now putting off
heat. You want a good 2-3 minutes
between 1st and 2nd
crack. Don’t turn the heat all the way
off however.
6. As soon
as I hear a snap of 2nd crack
I dump and cool.
City Plus
Same as
above, but I take it 15 seconds into
second crack
Vienna Roast
This roast
is like the big boys. You can’t just
add more time and toast the beans.
(Unless you like Charbucks.)
1. Preheat
for 5 minutes. I take it to 500
degrees.
2. Load the
drum during the preheat with a pound of
beans. Put drum in BBQ.
3. Ramp the
temp back up to 470-480 within the first
3 min. of the roast.
4. When you
smell the grassy smell cut the heat back
to 450 until 1st crack .
(very important)
5. You will
notice the heat rise during 1st
crack, cut your heat back some more.
You want to have a 3-4 minutes between
1st and second crack. This
roast is going to take about 16-18
minutes instead of the normal 12-14
minutes. Keep the heat at about 470
degrees and go 30 seconds into second
crack.
Bright Roast
This roast
will give you a nice city roast that is
bright like a hot air roaster. You need
the 57 rpm motor to do it.
1. Preheat
for 5 minutes. Preheat the drum too! I
take it to 500 degrees.
2. Load the
drum with a pound of beans. Put drum in
BBQ.
3. Ramp the
temp back up to 500 degrees within the
first 3 min. of the roast.
4. Hold this
heat through the grassy smell
5. Ramp down
to 470
6. Hold this
heat until 1st crack. It
will happen at about 6-7 minutes.
7. Turn heat
down to maintain the 470-480 through 1st
crack.
8. Stop
roast at first sign of 2nd
crack.
Les Albjerg
