I've read quite a bit about this roasting method and like the simplicity plus the larger batch capability so I decided to give it a shot.
I failed miserably!
Using a B&D 500/1000 heatgun and a 64oz dogbowl with 2 cups of green Columbian Huila Valencia, I set to work stirring and heating at the 500 setting until the beans began to pale. Then I switched to 1000 and continued heating towards first crack. I think this is where I messed up. At the higher heat setting I was afraid of scorching the beans so I kept the heat gun 4-5 inches away from the beans. I think this caused the roast to stall before first crack as after that I just couldn't seem to get them to crack. I should have reached first crack in about 10 minutes but as far as I could tell they never did. I stirred and roasted for about 45 minutes (way longer than it should have taken) and the beans did finally appear to be at about a city roast. Despite never hearing the crack the beans did enlarge in size from their green state.
They're not too bad appearance wise but they don't smell very good and they're not offgassing. I don't think I'll grind any of these to drink.
I plan to try again with less beans and a shorter gap between the HG and the beans.
I failed miserably!
Using a B&D 500/1000 heatgun and a 64oz dogbowl with 2 cups of green Columbian Huila Valencia, I set to work stirring and heating at the 500 setting until the beans began to pale. Then I switched to 1000 and continued heating towards first crack. I think this is where I messed up. At the higher heat setting I was afraid of scorching the beans so I kept the heat gun 4-5 inches away from the beans. I think this caused the roast to stall before first crack as after that I just couldn't seem to get them to crack. I should have reached first crack in about 10 minutes but as far as I could tell they never did. I stirred and roasted for about 45 minutes (way longer than it should have taken) and the beans did finally appear to be at about a city roast. Despite never hearing the crack the beans did enlarge in size from their green state.
They're not too bad appearance wise but they don't smell very good and they're not offgassing. I don't think I'll grind any of these to drink.
I plan to try again with less beans and a shorter gap between the HG and the beans.