Behmor Questions

RE*AC*TOR

I've had a 220V testing model of the Behmor for a few weeks now. All is going well with it, and I've gotten the ok to discuss it freely.

What I'm looking for though is an idea of what people are curious about with it. I'm definitely going to go in-depth reviewing it, but maybe there are aspects I have not considered...

brianthebard

...what is it?

europerson

This, Google informs me.

Khannie

RE*AC*TOR wrote: »

I've had a 220V testing model of the Behmor for a few weeks now.

Sneaky bollix!

Khannie

So....things I'd like to know: How it handles smaller beans (peaberry for example. I remember there being talk of different grate sizes for the drums before). What the batch sizes are like (same as US version?). How different batch sizes affect roast times. How consecutive batches affect roast times, in particular with the pre-set settings. Roast consistency. Chaff collection. Cooling. Average roast times to a consistent roast point, like 2nd crack for example. How easy the pre-set thing is to use. That kind of thing.

The big *big* one for me is smoke / venting. My wife seems to be basically allergic (at the very least has a very very strong aversion) to coffee roasting smoke. I've been roasting in the back garden on non crappy days.

Oh, pricing also. Availability date and where I can buy it.

edit: Last thing:

SweetMarias wrote:

A couple of important limitations: Out of the box, this machine is not for dark roasts, heavily chaffed coffees or small coffees. There will be a drum with a smaller grid available in the future to handle smaller beans, but all of these limitations need to be considered.

Your thoughts on that.

Mr Magnolia

Are you still planning on a purchase?

Would the quality of the roast from the Behmor mean you would be ordering [much] less roasted coffee?

Khannie

Hurry up plz. Thank you.

RE*AC*TOR

oh feck off

I'll briefly answer some questions now

Smoke from a 1lb roast seems on par with 150g roast on iRoast.

The cooling is slow, and the roast will coast on, unless you open the door, which speeds the cooling substantially. This leaves a lot of smoke out though. So there's a trade off. With the door closed though, the smoke is processed quite well, but is still present.

You could of course compensate for the slower cooling by killing the roast earlier. This takes practice though.

More details later.

Consistency of roast seems very good, and I'd rate the taste as excellent (far above the iRoast).

Gran Hermano

Need more of your feedback R !

I spotted your post on the Behmor thread on TMC so have read some of your thoughts already.

Am I correct in thinking can't see the beans as they are roasting?

I would love to see a detailed review and some pics.

How big is the machine physically? (Am thinking of the amount of
space left in the kitchen again!)

Khannie

MOAR! I needs to know moar!!! You mentioned a January release date when I saw you. Is that still on? What's the holdup? I'm sick to my breasts of the small amounts I'm getting out of the popcorn popper.

RE*AC*TOR

Sorry for the hold up gentlemen. I'll get cracking on some answers...

Not sure though of the release schedule...

TKK

They got the certification approval going by the email I received in answer to a query on the website.

Khannie

What does that mean? They're ready to ship them?

Mr Magnolia

I'd say it only means they have the design/model certified. They'll need to implement the design changes on the machines before releasing them to the European Market.

RE*AC*TOR

Hopefully have some idea of dates next week.

Khannie

FASTER! FASTER!

Ack....I don't mind really. Unless there's a crazy coup / civil war (not entirely unlikely) I'm off to Thailand for a month. They'd better be ready when I get back though. *shakes fist*

RE*AC*TOR

I hope I answered most of the questions here:

http://theotherblackstuff.ie/?p=224

If I missed any, please ask.

Mr Magnolia

Good stuff, I checked out the vid and was waiting for that.

Gran Hermano

I love the idea that this could be on sale for GBP 200 soon.
Has Steve given you any idea when he expects to have them on sale?

(I best keep that last bag of Cuban beans for the Behmor now!)

RE*AC*TOR

No indication of an exact date yet.

If he keeps it in and around GBP200 it will be super. But the currency thing will mean he and Behmor may have to shave their marigins a little or a lot to do that. I know Steve really wants to keep it at that level though.

Mr Magnolia

Great buy at £200. Really great review as usual RE*ACT*OR, I'll be digging that up again in the future.

Khannie

Man....I've been holding out and holding out and holding out. Is there any sign of this hitting the market any time soon? I'm tired of the popcorn popper (I drink more coffee than you can reasonably roast with the popper without getting a pain in your bumbum).

Savage review btw re*ac*tor.

edit: Actually, I'm going to give Steve from hasbean a poke....

Khannie

Unbelievable response time (< 2 minutes).....

Here's what the man says......

They are made and going through quality control. We hope they ship in the next few days. Then we will have a date (I hope) it is getting closer.

EXCITED!

SeaSide

Group buy - hand delivered by Steve?

TKK

Khannie wrote: »

Unbelievable response time (< 2 minutes).....

Here's what the man says......



EXCITED!

That's great...I too have been holding out for this...

Khannie

Just discovered that there's a hasbean mailing list that you can sign up to (specifically for the Behmor).

Click me.

Mr Magnolia

Speaking to Steve on Saturday and he reckoned these would be on the street in 5 weeks.

Khannie

Fup. That's depressing. I'm excited now. I thought his mail implied a much sooner launch. Thanks though. Good to know.

Gran Hermano

Interesting thread on the Behmor here including info on UK release.
Here's hoping they're on track with the launch date.

Khannie

Thanks. End of June seems like a long way away. Good to know though.

Gran Hermano

It was the delays that made me order the Silvia today, I had planned to order the two together.

Gran Hermano

So anyone have any updates from Steve? My i-roast is doing my nut in
lately, my profiles are a mess with the recent change in weather it means
my temperatures are too high with the higher ambient temperature.

Khannie

Haven't heard a thing. I'm signed up to that mailing list. So far nada.

Mr Magnolia

Nope, mailed him Monday and heard nowt back yet.

hshortt

I'm interested in one too.

Khannie

GO! GO! GO!

Gran Hermano

Order placed, along with a few kilos of the new Cuban beans


Now for a whole new learning curve...

Khannie

Cuban beans you say?

*yoink*

Gran Hermano

Khannie wrote: »

Cuban beans you say?

*yoink*

Yep, this Cuban crop.

Notification my order shipped today, here's hoping it arrives in time for me to have a play with it over the weekend.

Mr M, how are you getting on with yours? Is your time with the iroast any help?

SweetMarias as usual have some nice info/tips

Mr Magnolia

It's still awaiting it's maiden voyage with me. I've been busy of late and getting through the Black Cat so I haven't cranked it up yet. I'll be putting on a couple of batches Friday myself so I'll report back.

alastair

Mr Magnolia wrote: »

It's still awaiting it's maiden voyage with me. I've been busy of late and getting through the Black Cat so I haven't cranked it up yet. I'll be putting on a couple of batches Friday myself so I'll report back.

Don't forget your plug adaptor is here Mr M.

Mr Magnolia

Oops, that actually belongs to RE*ACT*OR. Thanks alastair.

Mr Magnolia

What an absolute pleasure to use in contrast to the iRoast. No noise, just a nice whirr and the clear sound of coffee beans cracking.

The guidelines suggest a small batch to begin with, naturally enough I max'd it with a 450g load of the cuban turquino larvado. I roasted it on the second profile and killed it about 3 minutes after the first crack, just before the second. I'll let it rest a couple of days before trying it.

I love the smell of roasted coffee around the house again.

Gran Hermano

Mr Magnolia wrote: »

What an absolute pleasure to use in contrast to the iRoast. No noise, just a nice whirr and the clear sound of coffee beans cracking.

The guidelines suggest a small batch to begin with, naturally enough I max'd it with a 450g load of the cuban turquino larvado. I roasted it on the second profile and killed it about 3 minutes after the first crack, just before the second. I'll let it rest a couple of days before trying it.

I love the smell of roasted coffee around the house again.

You're killing me Mr M, mine arrived today but was damaged in transit :mad:
Steve's on the case and shipping a replacement.

PS: See I'm not the only one who kept some of the Turquino Lavado
for old times sake and roasting comparisons.

Mr Magnolia

Gran Hermano wrote: »

PS: See I'm not the only one who kept some of the Turquino Lavado
for old times sake and roasting comparisons.

You're certainly not. I've around 2kilos I think. Going to put on another 450g this evening and go into the second crack with it to have as a comparison.

Gran Hermano

Mr Magnolia wrote: »

You're certainly not. I've around 2kilos I think. Going to put on another 450g this evening and go into the second crack with it to have as a comparison.

Can I ask what setting you used for the Cuban beans?
Have you tried the new Cuban beans Steve has? Different than the last
but I'm liking.

Mr Magnolia

Roasted them on the second profile.

Haven't tried those other beans yet, I will inculde some in the next order though.

Gran Hermano

The replacement has arrived

Top class service from Hasbean.



I've a feeling this will be a caffeine fueled week, probably not the best week to start shaving with a cut throat as I'd planned.

Mr Magnolia

How are you getting on Gran Hermano?

I am suitably impressed by the first batch of Cuban which I finished this morning, great for espresso, not so much for filter I've yet to try the darker roast, this evening beckons tough. I therefore needed a nice filter coffee, I went through the various bags of beans that kindly accompanied the Behmor and came across an Ethiopian Yirgacheffe, threw it on earlier in the week and tried it last night. Lovely stuff altogether matched the cupping description exactly. I roasted it on the first profile and knocked it off about 2/3 minutes early - I really have to start paying more attention to the time on the display through the roast, that behmorthing program will make me look after that.

Oh, don't under any circumstance leave it unattended, even for a moment.

Gran Hermano

Mr Magnolia wrote: »

How are you getting on Gran Hermano?

I am suitably impressed by the first batch of Cuban which I finished this morning, great for espresso, not so much for filter I've yet to try the darker roast, this evening beckons tough. I therefore needed a nice filter coffee, I went through the various bags of beans that kindly accompanied the Behmor and came across an Ethiopian Hararr, threw it on earlier in the week and tried it last night. Lovely stuff altogether matched the cupping description exactly. I roasted it on the first profile and knocked it off about 2/3 minutes early - I really have to start paying more attention to the time on the display through the roast, that behmorthing program will make me look after that.

Oh, don't under any circumstance leave it unattended, even for a moment.

I was just thinking this morning the couple of batches I ran on Tuesday
night should be degassed enough for a tasting after work.

I used P1 for the Cuban Turquino Lavado but it looks a tad lighter than
my normal, I probably should have left it for another 30 seconds.
Likewise with the Cuban Serrano Superior, I roasted it on P2 but again
the timer ran out before it was as dark as I like. The roasts look good
otherwise.

I need to run a few more roasts through it over the weekend and get
used to the different settings. You really notice the difference between
the iroast and the Behmor noise wise! The Behmor also does a great job
reducing the smoke/smell.

I also have various beans the iroast struggled with (particularly some
Asian beans) that I'm looking forward to roasting in the Behmor.

Having to leave an hour between roasts as recommended is the only gripe
I have, just means it'll take me longer to nail the right roast for a bean.

Fear not, I always keep an eye on the roaster when it's running.
I'd a near miss with the iroast in the past with a bean that produced
a lot of chaff.

Mr Magnolia

You'll notice more smoke as you go into the darker roasts*.

*Which reminds me, I promised Mrs Magnolia I'd install an extractor fan in the room at the weekend...