5 lb. BBQ Drum ROASTING INSTRUCTIONS

Fill up the drum with up to 5 pounds of beans.  If this is your first time roasting we suggest that you try a smaller amount at first - about 1/2 pound, till you get used to the drum.  Or use the 1/4 pound of beans we supplied.

Turn your grill on and heat to approx 525 degrees Fahrenheit.  Make sure you have the grill in a VERY WELL VENTILATED AREA (OUTSIDE!), as it will produce a lot of smoke due to the roasting process.

CAUTION: DO NOT OPERATE IN VERY WINDY CONDITIONS! OPERATING A GRILL ROASTING COFFEE BEANS IN WINDY CONDITIONS CAN CAUSE A BEAN FIRE!

Also try to make sure that the flames from your grill get deflected enough with your flame deflector shield that should be part of your grill. 

Now this is where it gets a little tricky.  You need an accurate temperate reading, so you should
purchase a good grill thermometer (at Home Depot) that reads out in Degrees (up to 700 degrees).
Put this thermometer toward the bottom of the grill hood for the most accurate roasting reading.
Too much toward the top it will read too high.

I also use an infrared thermometer and scan the outside of the grill where the burners are located to see if there are any discrepencies in the amount of heat that a particular burner is putting out.  If one is too high then I will adjust accordingly.  Even heat throughout the bbq grill is important for an even roast!

After you get your grill at the right temperature, put in the Coffee Roasting drum attached to spit. First make sure that beans are level in the drum by shaking side to side on the level. This will assure that all beans are at the same height, no low spots or high spots. This will assure a more even roast.  Follow directions for your Rotisserie to assure proper function of unit on the motor.  Turn motor on immediately after placing coffee roasting drum in the grill.

Close grill hood, and listen for the cracks of the beans.  Your grill will have cooled down a bit, but it will
go back up to 525 degrees in short time.

For the first few minutes the bean remains greenish, then turn lighter yellowish and emit a grassy smell.
The beans start to steam as their internal water content disipates.

The steam becomes fragrant. Soon you will hear the "first crack" (approx 15 minutes), an audible cracking sound as the real roasting starts to occur: sugars begin to carmelize, bound-up water escapes, the structure of the bean breaks down and oils migrate from their little pockets outward.

After the first crack, the roast can be considered complete any time according to your taste.  Upon completion of "First Crack" we generally have a City Roast.

There will then be a short period of hardly any cracking, then you will hear a sharper "second crack" (approx 18 minutes) sounds.  At this point we are entering what is called a Full City Roast.  Much more smoke starts now, from the oils of the bean breaking down into various components, and the sugars in the bean carmalizing and burning.

Nearing completion of second crack we generally have what is called a French Roast.

As the roast becomes very dark, the smoke is more pungent as sugars burn completly, and the bean structure breaks down more and more.   The bean will first become an Italian Expresso Roast, further becoming a very very dark Spanish Roast, then basically charcoal.

When you get to the point that you desire, it is very important to turn off the Rotisserie and remove the Coffee Roasting drum, swinging open the end cap side by loosening the thumb screw on the prongs that are on end of the rotisserie rod that has the swingable cap on it, unhooking the enclosure spring attached to the cap, and pouring out the beans into an aluminum pan, or equivalent that will not melt or break.

CAUTION!!  MAKE SURE YOU USE HEAT PROOF MITS TO HANDLE THIS
VERY HOT DRUM and all of its parts, rotisserie spit and all!

After dumping out the beans be sure to stir them continuously until they have cooled down completely.  Remember that they are still cooking, and that due to such you need to stop this cooking process by cooling them off as such.

You will notice "chaff", or bits of dry flakes that have dropped into the bottom of your grill.  Most will likely have burnt up.  The stuff that did not you should sweep out.  You will also notice such in the coffee beans you have stirred.  Please try to remove this chaf by either blowing on it outside, or vacuuming it up by holding a nozzle over the beans in the pan.  Be sure not to suck any beans up!

Now you must let your beans "age" for a day (4 hours at the least).  Try to make only as much as you can use in 4 days ... any longer than that and your freshly roasted beans are not considered fresh any longer!

Any questions please email me at:  len@coffeeroastersclub.com

GOOD ROASTING!