Roasting Light Coffee On The Gene Cafe

Roasting light coffee on the Gene Cafe has always been something not associated with this roaster. In today's video we talk about the challenges home coffee roaster people have with whatever type of coffee roasting machine they might be using. Each machine seems to have limitations of what typr of roast they are good at. We talk about how to get creative with our roasters to achieve our roasting goals. What type of questions do you have about home coffee roasting. Roasting light coffee on the Gene Cafe is possible and can produce some wonderful results.
Thank you to the Captains Coffee for letting me borrow his roaster and for donating some delicious Honduran coffee to roast and enjoy!
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Video Timeline
0:00 - Roasting Light Coffee On The Gene Cafe
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[@TheCaptainsCoffee]

GREAT job Mike! Of all the attempts I've seen at light roasting on the Gene, this might be the best one I've seen! You nailed it in your intro: all roasters can do pretty much anything well, you just need to make some accommodations if you want to push the boundaries. You've provided an awesome sample profile here and I can't wait to experiment with it when we get our Gene Cafe back from you 🤣🤣. Don't rush, though, I want to see what else you can do with it! Quick note on the coffee: we've been roasting a lot of anaerobics lately and across the board they benefit SO MUCH from a lengthy rest time. They are tasting ok to great at about a week post roast, then suddenly at around 14 days they just blossom like a flower! Glad you liked this Honduras, it's been one of my favorites since we got it in 🥰

[@VirtualCoffeeLab]

Thanks for the comments David & for letting me borrow your roaster. Can I borrow your car next week? Just kidding. Seriously, I really do appreciate you letting me use your roaster..... really cool. I may do two more videos. One for a darker roast and the other may be a comparison video between the top consumer home roasters. We will see. Thanks for the tip on the Anaerobic's. I've got a tasting left of the Honduran I will try in a few more days that should be around 14 days old.

[@TheCaptainsCoffee]

@@VirtualCoffeeLab I just realized I had a big typo: your approach is the "best" I've seen so far, not the "first" hahaha

[@lesakre]

Awhile back I asked you to try a Gene Cafe so we could benefit from your roasting expertise using this machine. I was tickled when you released your last episode with this machine. This episode is even better. It's such fun to see this machine in your hands because you have such an understanding of the process. For example, taking on a light roast and understanding the need to reduce the amount of beans in the batch, for starters. Your explanation of not only the "hows" but also the "whys" so enhances our understanding. Thanks for all of that. Side note: I believe the temp fluctuations you are seeing with this machine are simply the way the heating elements switch on and off. Search the web and you will find mods that have been used to work around this...mainly from the UK, I believe. (Yet another rabbit hole to explore ;)).

[@VirtualCoffeeLab]

Thank you for your kind comments. I'm glad my video(s) are helping you and others understand the roasting process. It really does make the roasting hobby we have more fun when we can be intentional in our roast profile and create some unique and wonderfully roasted specialty coffee. Thanks for the mods tip suggestion and for being a subscriber to my channel!

[@billgrubbs9316]

Love the video I had mine for about 20 years now and it still works great for me I like to do a longer roast on 9.5 oz I warm up to 390 just get the metal warmed up after the beans go in I set it to 300 for 3 minutes then raise it to 446 for 7 min then raise to 465 to 9 min then 482 til 1st crack for I hit cool down around 11:30 min. I have tried a lot of profiles and this one works best for me keep up making great videos thanks.

[@VirtualCoffeeLab]

Thanks for subscribing, watching, and sharing your roast recipe Bill. Glad you enjoy your hive!

[@paullehmor982]

I just lifted the hood off my six years old Gene CBR-101 to do a visual inspection, and some cleaning. The machine measures temperature in the air flow. There is one sensor in the heater outlet (to the right), and one in the exhaust channel (to the left). I don't know how the two measurements are weighted, but it is clear that the actual bean temperature is not measured directly. Maybe it can be estimated from the difference between the left-right readings. The heater is either on or off. The fan is always running, at constant speed I believe. It spins up a little during the cooling phase though. So when you drop the temperature with the red knob, the heater goes off almost instantly. The air temperature drops only seconds later. What the temperature is inside the beans, and how quick it drops, we can only guess. To get a quick view of the parts I mentioned, check out images of the spare parts. It seems that most parts of the Gene can be replaced, which is nice.

[@VirtualCoffeeLab]

Thanks for sharing your experience with the Gene Cafe Paul!

[@luigicollins3954]

Nice job Mike, getting the Gene Cafe to roast light. I know from experience how difficult it is to get a machine that does one thing fairly well to do something else well, too. But you pulled it off! I (and several others) will someday like seeing a video on getting the Behmor to consistently roast light. I got some light roasts on my Behmor, but they were difficult to get consistently.

[@VirtualCoffeeLab]

You are right Lou, there are others that want to see a light roast on the Behmor. I'll add that to my list. Thanks for the encouraging words!

[@cricocoo]

Hey Mike, interesting video, especially to give me a new way to look at roasting with the Gene Cafe. On the heating element, last week I did an experiment with an IR thermometer: in the heating phase it was a lot behind the GeneCafe measurements, but in the cooling phase it quickly became spot on, as in the same exact measurement between what Gene Cafe tells me, and what IR sensor says about external cassette temperature. In my interpretation, this implies that when heat element is off, what GeneCafe reports as temperature is a good proxy for the temperature inside of the cassette. I have now done a one off experiment with halting my roast mid roast and opening the cassette to get an IR measurement of the beans and that was 'only' 10 degrees higher than the externally measured cassette temperature. So there you go, you could probably quickly turn the temperature down, let the heating element switch of and get a better bean temperature measurement if you feel lost in your roast :)

[@VirtualCoffeeLab]

Nice. That makes sense. Thanks for sharing that tip!

[@jlantz3691]

Hi Mike. Really appreciate the way you emphasize principles (phase %, events, roast plan, color, etc) that are applicable to any roaster. I usually adjust weight based on the way the bean was processed. Dry and honey create more chaff, so I normally reduce the weight slightly. Do you think the reason you had temp variation was because of the reduced weight of this roast? Did you experience as large a variation when you roasted more bean weight last time?

[@VirtualCoffeeLab]

I’m glad you appreciate the principles I share that apply to almost any roaster J. I intentionally do this. Although the title says “Gene Cafe”, it could really have almost any roaster name in the title. As far as charge weight goes, processing is one variable that might cause me to adjust my weight. Mostly it is the profile requirements. There would be no way for the Gene Cafe to do a light roast done right in 9:30 at a half pound of beans. Especially since I used a lower charge temp than in my previous video by 100 degree. The temp variation seems to be to be caused by the roaster heating element turns off when it reaches the target temp and then turns back on after a period of time or a degree decrease from target temp. Not sure which. I think more bean mass would cause the speed decline rate of the temp decreases a little slower but still A 20 degree difference. It would go down 20 degrees in 15 seconds and then go back up in 15 seconds. I think you can see it in the video. Thanks for your comments and for watching.

[@Restfulcooking]

Thank you so much for this video ! I just got a gene coffee and some green coffee to roast and I was just thinking how to roast profile for light roast. My problem as a noobie is hearing first crack .. cause most of time you hear the gene machine and most of time I just lower the time to late but this video is very helpful.

[@VirtualCoffeeLab]

Perfect! I'm glad it was helpful for you. Enjoy your Gene Cafe & thanks for sharing!

[@user-ze9vu2gv2r]

How have you bean? :). Just finished watching this. Just purchased and received my First Coffee Roaster, The Fresh Roast SR800. Mainly because of you and The Captain I have accelerated my motivation to start a new venture into home coffee roasting. Just for me and friends. It's like fishing to me. It's not if I catch or don't catch, it's about going and enjoying the day of fishing. I am hoping that is what coffee roasting will be. I am waiting on some beans I ordered from Sweet Marias, a sampler. I have no doubt that I will be binge watching you and The Captain daily. I really hope that I can gain even 1/2 the knowledge you have and have fun doing it. Thank you and I look forward to roasting away with you... God bless.

[@VirtualCoffeeLab]

Congrats on your SR800. It is a fun hobby that you can grow into. There is a learning curve and you will Need some patience. If you enjoy fishing you must be patient ;-) One of the fun aspects to home roasting is learning what you like. I’m talking about coffee origins, processing and roast style/level. Focus on sensory stuff like smell, color, and taste. Chart your roasts. Pay attention to how much time is spent in each of the phases. Your gonna have some fun. Enjoy!

[@luigicollins3954]

Great attitude Roy. I’m quite sure you will enjoy this hobby. Welcome!

[@user-ze9vu2gv2r]

@@luigicollins3954 Thank you so much, I am getting more excited by the day :).

[@seejayfrujay]

My GC stays within 7-8 degrees of the setpoint as it cycles the heating element with the cover down. I would like to get a 240 VAC model. That is really the problem with ALL electric home roasters in the USA--coffee roasters require a lot of power for heat. 120 VAC @ 15 amps is just baby getting the beer. When I first got mine, I couldn't help but notice that the GC did twice as much beans in twice the time of my old Fresh Roast. I have to reduce the charge weight to that of the FR in order to get a good light roast--around 120 grams. I can get a very good city/+ roast with 210g of washed beans to first crack in 10 minutes. So yes, absolutely the only way to get a good light roast with this machine is to back off on charge weight.

[@VirtualCoffeeLab]

Thanks for sharing @seejayfrujay . How are you managing your temperatures for your city + roast with 210 grams and what is your total roast time?

[@seejayfrujay]

@@VirtualCoffeeLab 210 g charge for a city/city+ roast: Preheat at 360 for 10 minutes (the countdown timer's best use, lol).Charge temp is 340 for 1 minute. Then to 420 for the dry phase and start of mid. Depending on the bean, the exit air temp of the drum is around 400-420 at the five minute mark. I go to 475 at the 7 minute mark, with first crack just after 10 at 465-475 with most beans. I am just learning how to "round the curve" at first crack with this roaster. I usually dump at the 11 minute mark with a short cooldown, then emergency stop.

[@VirtualCoffeeLab]

Thanks for sharing. I’m going to try this and see how the roast turns out.

[@naif6821]

Hey Mike, great video I’ll definitely try it. I have noticed that changing weight makes much more of an impact than heat. I thought of doing this to do a light roast but I wasn’t sure how much to reduce my temperature, this video will give me a great guide. I tried the profile of your last video and got similar results, I was able to pick up fruity notes but was slightly muted and had a little more roast flavour than I would have wanted. It was great nonetheless and I am excited to try this. Thanks again and keep up the good work!

[@VirtualCoffeeLab]

Thanks for watching and your comments Naif. I'm glad it was helpful. Yea, charge weight has a huge impact on the roast performance. Because there are fewer room temperature beans, the roaster can increase temps quicker. There is also less mass in the bean pile of room temperature beans touching each-other. That is a good thing for performance BUT it is also a challenge on some roasting machines because it is harder to slow down the roast later in the roast. Not with the Gene Cafe. It seems to be able to cool quickly. The other consideration as you mention was charge temperature. I chose that temp based on the bean size, density and process type. I wanted to target a 5 minute dry time. So, if you do a roast trying to follow my recipe, the charge temp may need to be increased or decreased based on what time you find yourself getting to the dry end event. Let me know how it goes.

[@naif6821]

@@VirtualCoffeeLab I tried it with a Brazilian naturally dried coffee and I got dry end at 5:35 FC at 7:29 and drop at 8:52. I couldn’t hear the crack as well as I usually do so not sure if FC is fully accurate, development phase was 15.5% weight loss 11.5%. This is the first time I was able to go this light without having an underdeveloped taste. I this this will work great with an Ethiopian or a fruity washed coffee. I will order some soon and try this again.

[@VirtualCoffeeLab]

ok so based on your times, you would need a little more heat during the dry phase, and a little less head during the middle phase which would give you more time to get to first crack. Did you lower your heat during this roast? Possible your brazil beans are lower density and they tend to take move quicker once the heat has penetrated the bean. How does it taste? It may be "tart" tasting based on your times but i'm curious to see how it turned out.

[@naif6821]

@@VirtualCoffeeLab Yeah definitely need to adjust my heat for the dry phase and middle phase. I started at 198c ~388f target for 3:20 minutes then switched to full heat until 10 seconds into FC then reduced my heat to 226c ~ 438f till the end. There’s some tart/pungent flavour but not overpowering, still a smooth cup with hints of tobacco and cinnamon. These beans aren’t the best quality they are low density ~1000 masl natural Brazil Rio Minas, pretty cheap I bought a couple of kilos to practice on my gene as it was a new machine to me, unfortunately I ran out of the good beans so I have to wait for a new order. My best roast with these beans was 226g green beans > preheat 250 for a few minutes > put the beans in at target temp of 205c for 2:45 minutes > 245c till FC > 231c till end giving me dry 5:15 55% FC 7:47 26.5% end 9:12 18% development 15.4% weight loss 14.2 with 194g end weight. Very tasty in milk based drinks but lacking flavour in filter/french press. In addition, the colour was more medium than light. Overall, the tart roast had some flaws and lacked flavour in milk based drinks but was flavourful when using a v60, the medium roast was the exact opposite. It really showed me how much a roaster can influence the end result. I apologise for the long comment but wanted to share my experience with you as I am a big fan of your content and learned very much from your channel.

[@VirtualCoffeeLab]

Comments are really helpful as they help fatten up the conversation and explain what happened in th roast. Yep, those tart pungent notes are most likely because you rushed the browning/miallard phase. If you would have gone longer, the tart pungent would have morphed into a more plesant acidity like citrus or whatever those beans are capable of.

[@slam854]

I have used a Gene Cafe for years and roasted some amazing 5-6 bean roasts. My later experience was each bean type roasted individually. I think temp fluctuation was do to moisture expulsion/evaporation. Love this roaster as it is amazingly even, you just never know actual bean temp. Found a local roaster, Rimini in SLC, that has an incredible light roast offering. Baldoria & Purugia are my favorites. Gene Cafe is a worthy machine but it is a small batch roaster. You have to study what's going on and observe. Try... and learn pay off.

[@slam854]

I was a batch Pig and loaded the machine with 240g of each bean type. At those volumes this machine cools slowly. I would do my roast at 3 temps and when done, emerg stop and dump beans into a colander with a fan below. Bean temps came down quickly that way with agitation to prevent carry over. A secret from Evergood is to use 8-10% by weight fermented Brazilian coffee. This unlocks favors in the other beans which you do not taste without this.

[@VirtualCoffeeLab]

Thanks for watching and sharing @slam854 !

[@dennisyorimoto5051]

Wow thank you for this video. I never thought about weight being a major factor for reaching targets. I was never able to roast light with my Gene Cafe. I also never thought of holding the 390 temp and then going straight up to 482. I’m interested in trying it out.

[@VirtualCoffeeLab]

Depending on the density and size of the bean you may need to make some minor changes with the timing of the temps. I’m glad my video was helpful. Thanks for watching!

[@dylankennedy8140]

The temperature surfs when it hits the target temp. The thermostat turns off the heating element until the temp falls and then switches it back on. The machine cycles through this until you move the target temp. You can modify the machine - Google 'dimmer switch mod' - that will gibe the machine much better control. I live in Ireland, and I had to change out the heater from a 240v to a 230v - this made the machine much more responsive. In the end, I sold on my gene cafe. It was a good starting point but I wanted more control similar to your mill city roaster.

[@VirtualCoffeeLab]

Thanks for sharing that info on the temperature surfing. That was happening to me as well. I wasn’t aware of the dimmer mod. That sounds really helpful!. What roaster did you end up purchasing?

[@dylankennedy8140]

@@VirtualCoffeeLab Yeah, that's all Gene Cafes - factory default. I moved to a cormorant 600 gas drum roaster. Really enjoying it. Have learnt lots from your videos and applying the theory to my machine. Cormorant is very neat with lots of options to control and experiment and log roasts.

[@VirtualCoffeeLab]

ahhh, cormoront. I watched a video comparison between the bullet, cormorant and the Kaliedo roaster. You have the roaster that tips to empty the beans right? Pretty cool.

[@ToddParker]

This is an excellent video. I have been roasting for years: popcorn popper, stir crazy, modded ronco, and now a behmor 1600+. the Behmor is about to go, temp surfing has become so ridiculous that the batches don't even finish. So I am in market for a new roaster. If I am being honest, I am frustrated with the market; I don't see anything I like. Couple reasons: I want a 1lb batch size potential which is why I got Behmor to begin with. I however want a modern roast, light and bright. I agree that knowing your roaster and having a roast plan to manipulate off of the roaster's natural abilities (so to speak) is important. Yet, correct me if I am wrong, an air roaster will still offer an easier (perhaps natural) way to roast light than a drum roaster, right? Tools are tools and we don't pound nails with a screw driver. I am asking strictly from a buying decision standpoint since that is the moment I am personally in. Then whatever I get I will learn so I can use the tool the way I want to use it. I don't know where a stir crazy fits in that regard. A lot of the air roasters are small batch sizes. So coming full circle you now know why I am frustrated. Past that it takes thousands to buy something that does everything I want and I cannot justify it. So, it seems you have multiple roasters and have tried many; do you have advice on the direction I should take? I was thinking low entry like the sweet Marias popper since I am not happy with anything...why pay more for something that falls short? I saw also there seems to be a new Kickstarter that has promise. I could also upgrade to a fresh roast but to not know if the extra hundreds is worth it in comparison to popper? Again my goal is light roasts to medium roasts. I accept begrudgingly that my batch sizes will be low since I can't afford an expensive machine. Anyone with any thoughts?

[@VirtualCoffeeLab]

Hi Todd. I'm sorry you are frustrated with the lack of affordable "larger capacity" coffee roasters. Typically, home roasting involves pretty small batch sizes. Yes, manufacturers like Behmor say their capacity is 1 lb but realistically, as far as performance for a variety of profiles under 12 minutes for 1 lb, it is a stretch (my humble opinion). The fact that you are having power issues will make that roasting time even longer. Hot air roasters will be more affordable than a drum roaster and even hybrid DIY breakmaker/heat gun type roasters are used by some that like DIY or are on a budget. I think the KKTO/stir crazy type home-built roasters might be a good option for you if you are slightly creative and handy at cobbling something together. I'm not comfortable saying an air roaster will offer an easier (perhaps natural) way to roast light than a drum roaster. You would have to explain that idea a bit more for me if you want. Natural, as in no emissions? Anyway, even the light roast statement is something I have not worked through with my SR540 to my satisfaction but I am working on it. I am leary of Kickstarter for roasting coffee. Also, their capacity doesn't seem to fit your need for 1 lb. The popper can do a decent job roasting but the capacity is a factor. Even the fresh roast sr540 is limited. Are there people roasting 1 lb of coffee on the 540? The 800 might handle that but you would need the extension tube. It is a tough one trying to figure this out. You may need to go down the DIY route Todd. I'm not sure my comments were helpful. I do appreciate you watching my video and for sharing your dilema and question and for subscribing to my channel. Let me know what you end up deciding.

[@ToddParker]

@@VirtualCoffeeLab I appreciate your feedback. Natural as in one roaster being more inclined to do something more capably than another...kind of like a fastball getting thrown down the middle in the batters "wheel house." If that makes sense. The reason I struggle is my experience. I went from a modded Ronco showtime drum roaster that hit 450 temp to a behmor that safety shuts off at 330 and is now failing. To be honest, I have never understood how behmor roasts instead of bakes if common roasting rules of thumb put roast temperatures anywhere between 356 and 482. I am sure there is a scientific reason, but I have always thought my roasts on a behmor are too long and the safety feature angers me; it is a stressful roast and I have lost plenty of batches over the years. So, my point is in agreement; if the market demands $500+ on machines that I do not grade highly based on experience than the modded route is the way to go but if I am being honest that is insufficient and frustrating. What is the point of saving money to get great roasts as a home roaster if the minimal entry point for a machine is cost prohibitive? I mean, what is the least expensive 1 pound possible roaster with capability out there and how long would it last? Are we saving money, spending more, or breaking even? I am all for a fun hobby and will find a way to continue, yet I think the roaster market is lacking....big time. Sorry for my rant, you are gracious with your time as I try to understand where I fit inside it all.

[@dazpower1234]

Good job buddy

[@VirtualCoffeeLab]

Thanks for watching and being a subscriber Darren!

[@KellyanneGill]

Hi Mike, I find doing a charge roast of 100grms for a new coffee and my standard charge temp is 200 degrees Celsius

[@VirtualCoffeeLab]

Thanks for sharing. Are you doing that for a light roast? 200c is like 400f i think. How long is your total roast time using your charge weight? What type of coffee are you roasting? Are you happy with the taste? I'm curious to know. Thanks.

[@KellyanneGill]

@@VirtualCoffeeLab I do that as my charge temp, then increase it up to 245-250 degrees Celcius for the full roast, total roast time is about 12-15 mins, plus 10min internal cool down

[@kensafranek2306]

Great Video Mike I struggle with beans that don’t want to crack very loud,,doing some Costa Rica now and only faintly hear a few cracks I’m using a Fresh Roast roaster with exrention tube

[@VirtualCoffeeLab]

Ken, are you having the same difficulty with every coffee? I have found that some coffee is hard to hear but most of them are clear. As I get older I am noticing that higher frequency sounds are getting more difficult to hear, especially when there is other ambient noise in the room. The Gene Cafe people are using a paper towel tube as a resonator. They place it up against the exhaust vent to listen to crack taking place in the roasting drum. I wonder if a similar concept could be used with the fresh roast? Maybe experiment with the tube up near the base of the glass chamber?

[@kensafranek2306]

no, just on some beans ,,,these Costa Rica beans are pretty small…a lot of inconsistency in size too,,,I just asked because on your latest video, you mentioned you couldn’t hear a crack,,,,just wondering how you knew when to start the clock for development ,,,,just by site and smell?

[@VirtualCoffeeLab]

Hi Ken. starting at 11:56 i talked about this. "I could not hear first crack, hardly at all". I was able to hear some faint cracks. That is how i knew first crack had started. It was very difficult to hear first crack. On my drum roaster I could refer to the temperature as another reference when first crack starts BUT i am not able to use the temperatures to know about when first crack takes place using the Gene Cafe or the Fresh Roast as a precise measurment. Color can sometimes be helpful to determine first crack as well. There is a guy who records the sounds using a microphone up close to the freshroast. I'm wondering if ou can useHave you tried the paper towel tube trick to hear first crack on the Gene Cafe? Place the tube up near the exhaust vent and listen for crack. Don't put it in the direct stream of the hot air or you could burn yourself. Another interesting option. i hope to demo in an upcoming video is using a "Sound Spectrum Analyzer". It is basically an app you can use on your cell phone that displays sounds on a graph and where there are clicks, snaps, etc.. that occur within the other noise, they display on the graph. This could be a visual option for first crack but i have not experimented with it yet. You might want to look into that.

[@kensafranek2306]

thanks

[@kg-Whatthehelliseventhat]

​@@VirtualCoffeeLabthat would be a great idea. You are so awesome

[@ProduceDLT]

Awesome video! Which home roaster would you say is the best to do light roasts on? Something like a kaffelogic with fast temperature changes and easy profiling?

[@VirtualCoffeeLab]

Thanks for watching. That's a tough question. Actually, I am doing a livestream tonight about "which is the best home coffee roaster?". We are going to be focusing on the roasters under 800 dollars like the Gene Cafe, FreshRoast, Behmor, Popper, and Hive. Depending on the criteria used to determine "which is best" really determines the answer. I don't have any experience with the Kaffelogic, but I have watched a roast in person and drank the coffee of a "Link" which has the same mechanical parts as the Kaffelogic, just different software I think. The roast I saw was a medium roast level. I have not seen one do a light roast. If you are looking for automation to do the light roast, the only roaster in the 800 or less is the Behmor. Even that isn't fully automatic. The Bunafr is the roaster to watch when/if it actually comes out. higher capacity, manual or fully automated. That roaster seems do it all. I loved the Gene Cafe for light roasts. It was pretty easy to get the roast I wanted (very light) but I had to sacrifices by roasting a lower charge weight to achieve the light roast. I plan to talk more about that tonight. Sorry I didn't give a definitive answer about what is the best roaster for light roasts. Any of the roasters i listed above can do a light roast with some effort.

[@ProduceDLT]

@@VirtualCoffeeLab That's a very good answer! A lot of useful information! Thank you very much!

[@danielcondon3611]

Hi Mike - great video, thanks a lot! I tried this profile on my GC and the results were really good. I'm having an issue with the machine/beans (Chiapas, Washed), where no matter what I do (change weight, start temp, time etc.) I end up with beans that don't shed their chaff. Any advice on what might be causing it/how to fix? Thanks, Daniel

[@VirtualCoffeeLab]

Hi Faniel, Chaff hanging into the bean can be more frequent in washed, lighter roasts. Commercial roasters using a large drum find less of this and also time spent in the stirring/cooling tray promote this chaff to rub off. So, find a way to cause some friction on the beans and see if that helps.

[@saeedh7525]

Nice show. Never came to my mind to reduce the quantity. Should try it

[@VirtualCoffeeLab]

Thanks for watching. I Also lowered my charge temp to 375 on this roast compared to my first rust that was Higher and still ended up with a shorter total roast time.

[@saeedh7525]

@@VirtualCoffeeLab good day Mike. This time i did a batch of 140 grams and used the heat settings as you indicated. First crack happened at about 8.10 and dropped at 9.30. Still had some beans that are very light orange color. I think i should change the beans.

[@VirtualCoffeeLab]

depending on the bean quality sorting quality and the process type, you will get some "quakers". I've picked out as many as 15 beans on a 150 gram roast.

[@saeedh7525]

@@VirtualCoffeeLab this is it, about the same number. I'll tase the coffe in a couple of days. Hope it tastes good.

[@VirtualCoffeeLab]

Keep in mind that some coffee's are better in lighter roasts than others. Each coffee is different. I have roasted some others coffees that are higher density and the roast time changes which will require slight modifications to heat adjustments. Each coffee is unique and requires some adjustments. Enjoy!

[@user-sg9gn6pk2k]

Hi Mike Great video on the Gene cafe rooster. Just watched your video that you did on the 6/7/23 at 8:47am. Can you tell me what the phase one graft meant, eg. 5.03, 53%, 55%, -00!10.5 Just want to understand how you came up with those numbers. Thank you for your help, Tim (Australia)

[@VirtualCoffeeLab]

Hi Tim. I entered my target goals for the total roast time, the phase percentages for dry, browning (Maillard), and development before starting my roast using this timer my son is developing. 5:03 is the total time of the dry phase 53% is the dry phase percentage of the total roast 55% was my target dry phase percentage -00:10.5 is how much time from my target dry end event. I was about ten seconds earlier than planned to reach that event.

[@orojas235]

Nice video, I tried but the result was medium roast, not light. What maybe I'm doing wrong? It was a Castillo anaerobic.

[@VirtualCoffeeLab]

Thanks for watching and for being a subscriber. Not seeing the bean or knowing how old it is, there are a few variables. Regardless, the way to correct this would be by managing your heat. Did you reach first crack around the same time I did? There is a good chance you reached first crack sooner. So, that means you would lower your power a little. Look at your roasting events and compare them to mine. Make adjustments to the heat to match the time of the events (dry, first crack, and drop). If you did reach first crack at the same time, then lower your temperature about 10 degrees f when first crack begins and see if that helps.

[@orojas235]

@@VirtualCoffeeLab Thanks Mike!. Finally after 3 attempts I did it. The beans that I was using were smaller than the last attempt.

[@jeffsouthern8994]

Been using a Gene Cafe for about a year and a half. Still learning how to tease the most flavor out of my beans. Your videos are very helpful…I tend to get stuck in a routine and this helps to try other profiles. How can I get a copy of the roasting profile app your son made?

[@VirtualCoffeeLab]

Hi Jeff, It is easy to get stuck doing the same thing over and over. I'm glad my videos are helpful for you. The app i was using in the video isn't available for public use. Sorry about that. There is a free coffee roasting timer app on github. do a web search for that and you will find it. It runs in a browser.

[@dennisyorimoto5051]

Any suggestions for a roast profile for Geisha coffees on the Gene Cafe? Would it be the same as this video?

[@VirtualCoffeeLab]

Like any profile, it all depends on what your goal is for the cup. Light, fruity, sweet, juicy, balanced, darker notes. These points equate to phase times/percentages, total roast time and drop temperature along with moisture loss percentage. Consider these things and then understand how the coffee will respond to heat. Think about density, bean size, process type. With that info you can put a plan together. Was that helpful? I don’t know about your particular coffee details so my suggestion wouldn’t be very helpful. Sorry about that. Check out my video about how to create and execute a coffee roasting plan here - kzbin.info/www/bejne/ZpKTZZJqqt-Sqas

[@Brooke-Eisen]

Can you please do a similar "how to" light roast for the Behmor? I'm a beginner struggling. I can only preheat to 250 before cut-off. And, even when in P5, temp B will automatically hold only up to 320. Then, at 7min exhaust fan, temp A will climb past 320. I cannot seem to get a good light roast and welcome any suggestions you may have. Thanks!

[@VirtualCoffeeLab]

The Behmor is different. It generates heat using the quartz elements. In general you can preheat to 200 if you were doing a lighter load. You should also consider using the 1/2 lb setting so the fan turns on at the 5 minute mark, not the 7 minute that happens when you use the 1 lb setting. Remember, your roast time is going to be shorter since you will be using less coffee. I am assuming you will be roasting in the manual mode. You don't need to go over the 320 temp, although you can after the 5 minute mark using the 1/2 lb setting. Keep in mind you will need to slow your roast down as you approach first crack. If you don't, the middle phase will be too short, especially with the lighter load. I do plan on doing a light roast on the Behmor but it may be a while. Experiment with a lighter load using the 1/2 pound setting. The fan will naturally lower your B temp at 5 minutes so crank up the power about 20 seconds before the 5 minute mark to keep your temps from dropping too much. Then after you get past the fan event, monitor temps and start to move to lower power settings to time your first crack event. Also keep in mind that you don't want to go into first crack too fast. If your cracking is really fast and intense you are going too fast and your roast will be too dark. I realize this is a lot for you since you are new to roasting. I would suggest you watch the playlist "Home Coffee Roasting Essentials" as it covers basic concepts about the things we just talked about. Thanks for your comment and for watching Brooke.

[@Brooke-Eisen]

@@VirtualCoffeeLab Great advice as always and makes complete sense! I'll try the 1/2 setting. Also, yes, I have been getting a violent first crack, so I'll try to heat down BEFORE first crack. Thanks so much for your support!

[@nickr9784]

I have a video suggestion. Could you make one on how to store coffee during rest and after?

[@VirtualCoffeeLab]

I will put it on my list. Are you roasting more than one type of coffee each week? How much are you roasting?

[@nickr9784]

@@VirtualCoffeeLab I’m just getting started so not sure yet. My guess is 12oz a week

[@flipflopsleica]

Hi, What's the link for your IOS roasting app? Thank you

[@VirtualCoffeeLab]

It is an app my son is making and is currently in development. It isn’t available yet.

[@dazpower1234]

I never hear first crack I have to go by smell and colour how are you hearing it

[@VirtualCoffeeLab]

It isn’t always easy to hear first crack with the Gene. Have you tried to use a paper towel roll (empty) to listen for crack through the exhaust vent? Other Gene Cafe users use methods like this to listen for crack.

[@dazpower1234]

Good idea

[@dazpower1234]

Can I email you I’d like to send a pic of my beans I roasted

[@VirtualCoffeeLab]

bean color isn't really helpful for me to see unless you have questions about roasting defects. That is something I see others do. They share a picture of the beans but the important thing is for you to taste your roast and determine what you would change to improve your cup. Was it too dark or too light? Does it taste roasty, woody, charred? These are all subjective results but in the end it is all about what you are trying to do with your roast. You can reach out to me on the virtual coffee lab facebook page if you like.

[@kimsrensen8926]

Hello. What program do you use for your movies? Own a Gene Cafe CBR-101

[@VirtualCoffeeLab]

I use Camtasia for my video editing software.

[@kimsrensen8926]

@@VirtualCoffeeLab Thanks

[@jerryhubbard4461]

I am still doing a lot of research as to which roaster I want to purchase soon. Today is 4.17.2024. Gene Cafe or Fresh Roast sr800?

[@VirtualCoffeeLab]

If you are looking to drink a variety of coffees at different roast levels then the fresh roast might be a good choice. If you like medium to darker coffee with a roaster that is a little easier to use (in my opinion), the Gene might be a good consideration.

[@jerryhubbard4461]

@@VirtualCoffeeLab I keep going back to the Fresh Roast. I am building a place for it in my shop now. I can't find the dimensions for the 800 with the ex-tube. Interested in height. Also worried I will miss the sale. I keep watching. The latest says end of this month. Thanks Mike for your input.

[@jerryhubbard4461]

@@VirtualCoffeeLab I am to the point where I just don't know where to invest. I have watched so many videos and price is another thing. This will be for me only. Not many in my family drink coffee and my next door neighbor uses one of those K crap things. I like the idea of being able to play with the machine as you do. In the past months I have learned so much about coffee. Most people have no idea what it takes to make a real cup. I like the learning process. I have even thought about the Kaldi wide with the thermo couples. That would make me have to buy a computer. I am a Mac person and my roasting will be in my shop. Even purchasing a cheap computer would add another $300 or so to the cost. I am going to wait on the Fresh roast 800 and hope I can get one before they sell out again. Watching you video on the Gene, I do not want a machine that takes that long or does not give me any control. You of all people know that being able to control the roasting is what it is all about. Thanks again for reading my comments.

[@VirtualCoffeeLab]

No problem Jerry. I know this can be overwhelming. The fresh roast is a great choice. Take it one step at a time and then as you grow and master the control of the fresh roast you can decide if you want to build on your hobby with a different roaster. For now, just enjoy the journey & challenge.

[@josephgerhardt4828]

How can I use that timer your son is working on?

[@VirtualCoffeeLab]

Hi Joseph, unfortunately the timer has some issues and needs work so he hasn’t made it public. Sorry about that.

[@return2earthvideochannel]

Very frustrating - couldn't watch the video because of a stream of silly adverts at the beginning.

[@VirtualCoffeeLab]

Thank you for watching my video. Are you enjoying your Gene Cafe? KZbin determines how the adds play before the video. Advertisements are how creators are paid for their work. I hope the video was helpful for you

[@return2earthvideochannel]

@@VirtualCoffeeLab You don't seem to understand my comment - with respect! You can create your own KZbin Chanel for free and without any adverts that have absolutely no relevance to your topic. When I clicked to watch your video, the adverts started to stream before your content began. I was not prepared to watch an unknown number of commercials before KZbin allowed me to watch your video. Do you get my point? I have a number of channels and wouldn't dream of allowing commercial ads to interfere with my content - I am happy to share useful information with anyone who is interested - and without having to be paid for it! p.s. what exactly is a 'creator'?

[@VirtualCoffeeLab]

My channel is monetized. The very little earnings I receive go to pay for supplies and other resources used to make my videos. That is why you see ads. KZbin calls people who make video content “creators”