coffee talk

Roasting in new location

Dear Friends,

I am roasting today in a new location. Socorro New Mexico. As some wise wag said recently ” The Land of Entrapment”. I think the opportunities are what we make of them

I left California over some serious issues.  So we are attempting a new life in a new place.  Today I got my 1.4 lb roaster out of it’s box in storage and put it on the back stoop of the house we are renting. I just roasted Papua New Guinea “Marenban Estates”. Biggest darn beans I think i have roasted in a while. They look a little like the Catarra variety of Arabica .  I also roasted a Motley Crew blend of Brazil “Cafelandia”, Tanzanian Micro lot, and Guatemala Robusta  Right now  ( pound # 3) is Carlos Roberto Serrano  Washed Guatemala roasted full city ++. Got a bit smokey. Thanks WWW.Sonofresco.com for your roasters and beans.  As is delivered or mailed price is $20.00/lb.

Next lb will be Uganda Organic for  a new acquaintance in my Bible Study Fellowship group. Then God and Sonofresco willing – Chiapas  Organic..

I sampled the PNG at 10 grams coffee to 200 grams water in an Aeropress .  WWW.aeropresss.com . Just a good cuppa Joe!

 

I started the profile roaster  for the Uganda RFA Organic,  and am tracking the roast in real time.

 

 

 

Moving on to new spots.

Looking to start up at a new locale. Hopefully I can get it together in a meaningful way. I am moving to a Southwestern city  at the southern end of the Albuquerque Metroplex. Actually an hour away from the edge of the Albuquerque Metroplex.  I guess I could say the Metropolitan Statistical Area or “Albuquerque MSA”.

 

Anyway I have an on-line offer to send some coffee out to a customer out west. plus one customer here in the Land of Enchantment. So Six pounds of finished beans by next week!

 

We have been here a week,  as of today starts our 8th day. I am seeking more customers local and on line. Gratitude !. I have been busy and not busy at the same time . Orders accepted . I have capacity for up to 5 lbs finished product at a time I roast.

 

Doing the Possible, the Impossible takes a bit longer.

Dear Coffee fans,

 

Had a moment of clarity that is my story not anyone else’s. I moved.

Left California for New Mexico. Maybe not the brightest idea I have had but am willing to give it a git go.

Praying to find a livable space and a work / job I can fulfill  with some pay. I have this crazy vision to open a coffee establishment here in the City of Healing. It may cost me everything, but I need to keep at it in spite of obstacles.

I left my late wife’s city behind after attempting to deal with  former family during the darkest year of my life. It has been like a divorce.

I have a spot in mind. The successful among us never give up no matter what obstacles present themselves.

I have to have an open mind.

I have to be honest, communicative and willing.

Will, with God’s help and Will , will be able to roast 5 lbs at once once my shop is set up. I am using Sonofresco brand roasters.  For more info check their website: http://www.sonofresco.com

New Options

Have purchased  a new  1.2 lb propane – fired roaster. It is a fluid – bed  roaster with a 3 lb an hour capacity.  I will be working with it this week attempting to get a feel for it. Since it will be an adjunct for my 2.5 oz air-poppers it will be a better use of my time.

 

Also new at this time is inventory:

Coffees in stock include:

Brazilian Peaberry,

Brazilian Grade A

Chiapas Organic

Costa Rica Terrazu Red “Honey Process”

Guatemala “SHB” ( Super Hard Bean grade)

Ethiopia Shikasu Natural

Ethiopia Rashid Abdullah Natural

Honduras Paca Vita Organic

Java Organic

Papua New Guinea “Marenban Estates”

“Zinnia Blend FTO” ( Central America/ Indonesia blend)

Yemen Sanani

And two varieties of decaf, Organic Peru SWD ( Swiss Water Process ) and Mexico “Royal Select” ‘Natural ‘ decaf

Finally, I will be featuring a “XX” blend with a bit of a kick in it.  Small quantity of Robusta beans will be mixed in a Central American-Indonesian Blend, resulting in an earthier higher caffeine roast.

The photo I am posting is green Brazilian Peaberry

All my coffees are meant to be drunk black at first, to see where you are on the like scale, then you can adulterate all you like afterwards.

Coffeemicro’s Origins

It all started  with inspiration from a former employer-Sam B. He started roasting his own back in 1998 using an air popper. I did not get started until 2014, and have been practicing ‘the art of roasting” since. Air is one of the best ways to roast coffee. Hot, electrically heated air.

I have yet to use the Whirly Pop often used by aficionados, as I do not wish to. My favorite air roaster is one I haven’t used yet. I am building my own air roaster using a stainless steel commercial double boiler with slots cut in the side of the insert and it will be heated using a heat gun through a hole cut in the side of the outside pot of the double boiler. Photos will be following-hopefully.  05-04-2017- ” May the Fourth be with you!”. Since writing the above, I have experimented with the heat gun approach in the double boiler. a bit weak. I am upgrading to a burner element directly under the boiler insert, and a vacuum cleaner used as a blower- to float the beans as they are being heated.  If that fails, then I guess off to Grainger for parts for a real fluid bed roaster. More next time.:)

 

Brewster

Welcome to Coffeemicro

Thank You for reading this blog. We hope to share adventures with you along the coffee bean trail..

A bit about myself:

 

My name is W. Brewster Bird, I am a coffee aficionado with out the travel outside the lower 48  some have had on the coffee bean trail. I tend to read a lot, and to research techniques and hobbies, Have a love hate relationship with science, love people, trains and coffee…

 

I aim to eventually sell my beans to you the reader. How I am going to do this is a tough one to figure out. But you can accompany me on my journey.. Ta Ta for now 🙂