A Third Crack at Home Roasting

I’m determined to be able to produce consistently enjoyable coffee using my home roaster, a West Bend Poppery. I didn’t have great success with my first attempt, but the results were satisfying, because, of course, it was only my first attempt. Round 2 wasn’t all that wonderful either. There had to be something I could do to improve my […]
west bend poppery mods
✍ Written by: Garrett Oden
📅 Published: June 26, 2014
🗃 Filed under: PERSONAL

I’m determined to be able to produce consistently enjoyable coffee using my home roaster, a West Bend Poppery. I didn’t have great success with my first attempt, but the results were satisfying, because, of course, it was only my first attempt. Round 2 wasn’t all that wonderful either. There had to be something I could do to improve my amount of control and consistency.

Enter Mods

There are several resources around the web on modding the West Bend Poppery to dramatically increase control by separating the heater and fan and assigning variable control to each of them independently. So whereas before I simply turned on a switch to power the heater and fan, I now am able to control the amount of power delivered to each of them, thanks to simply adding a dimmer switch and plug to the fan and a router speed controller to the original plug (now connected only to the heater).

west bend poppery mods

The guides I found for doing this were not very clear at all, but I was able to piece together information. Maybe I’ll make my own tutorial in the future.

Roasting with Increased Control

For my first roasts with this new level of control I chose Rwanda Karenge Coffee Villages from Sweet Maria’s and gave two 115g batches a shot. Here they are:

First Roast

115g in, 101g out
First Crack: 12:15
Drop: 13:30
Cooling: 5:00

Temperatures
Preheated to 200F
0:30 – 153
1:00 – 172
1:30 – 181
2:00 – 186
2:30 – 193
3:00 – 200
3:30 – 205
4:00 – 216
4:30 – 227
5:00 – 238
5:30 – 250
6:00 – 264
6:30 – 281
7:00 – 300
7:30 – 313
8:00 – 318
8:30 – 325
9:00 – 342
9:30 – 357
10:00 – 374
10:30 – 390
11:00 – 402
11:30 – 415
12:00 – 421
12:30 – 426
13:00 – 430
13:30 – Drop

Results
Bitter citrus slight maple middle, minimal aftertaste, somewhat balanced but not great, on the right track

Rwanda Karenge Coffee Villages 1

Second Roast

115g in, 101g out
First Crack: 8:20
Drop: 9:30
Cooling: 5:00

Temperatures
Preheated to 200F
0:30 – 158
1:00 – 182
1:30 – 191
2:00 – 196
2:30 – 201
3:00 – 206
3:30 – 215
4:00 – 239
4:30 – 270
5:00 – 299
5:30 – 328
6:00 – 355
6:30 – 382
7:00 – 398
7:30 – 404
8:00 – 410
8:30 – 411
9:00 – 413
9:30 – 415, Drop

Results
Slight over-acidic front, muddy citrus apple middle, bad aftertaste

Rwanda Karenge Coffee Villages 2

Forward!

Initially I bought a bean sampler from Sweet Maria’s, but now I see that I will learn more from a 5lb bag of a single bean. 1lb just isn’t enough to get to know how a bean works and behaves.

I am optimistic that my skills will be able to be honed by my new ability to control and manipulate fan and heater power. Of course my beans won’t ever match those of Counter Culture’s, but I’m committed to getting as close as I can!

Garrett Oden

Garrett Oden

Coffee Industry Writer

Welcome, fellow coffee lover!

The entire purpose of this coffee blog is to empower you to explore the wonderful world of coffee. There’s much to learn and experience, so get to reading!

Recent Articles

Best Single Serve Coffee Maker

Best Single Serve Coffee Maker

With so many single cup brewers on the market today, you may not know where to begin. So, I took on the hard work for you. Find the best single serve coffee maker for you!

You May Also Like… 

Best Single Serve Coffee Maker

Best Single Serve Coffee Maker

With so many single cup brewers on the market today, you may not know where to begin. So, I took on the hard work for you. Find the best single serve coffee maker for you!

How to Clean a Burr Coffee Grinder

How to Clean a Burr Coffee Grinder

If you own a burr coffee grinder, you’ll need to learn how to deep clean it. This step-by-step guide will show you how to clean a burr grinder effectively.

How to Brew the Perfect Espresso at Home

How to Brew the Perfect Espresso at Home

I’ve put together seven essential recommendations for turning a meh espresso into an Oh Wow shot—if you’re making homemade espresso, you can’t pass these tips up for a perfect shot.

How Do I Clean a Chemex?

How Do I Clean a Chemex?

Regular deep cleaning and maintenance of the Chemex prolongs its lifespan and makes for a more enjoyable cup of coffee. Here’s how!

1 Comment

  1. Amit

    That is such a detailed guide about roasting. I knew the various levels of roasting part, but not in so much of detail.