- Call Anytime!!! - 404-787-7125
Friday, 18 May 2012
This is a write up by Oaxaca Charlie,
A commerical roaster located in British Columbia Canada
It was posted on Sweet Marias mail list on 9/5/03
I got one of Ron Kyle's roasting drums for gas grills. Just a
little one, 8" in diameter and 12" long. All stainless
steel-perforated with little holes, with solid end plates and
big stirring vanes inside. I had him put the holes for a
roticery connection in the endplates, in case I want to use it
in a gas grill instead of just on the roller system I have in my
brick oven.
First roast-I'd finished roasting my orders for the day, and the
oven was down to max. temp of 450 degrees, so I just put
From: "Mike Smith"
Subject: My first run with my RK Drum BBQ Roaster
First off, I'm in no way connected to the production or manufacture of this
fine product. Although, I wish I were. What follows is a description of my experience
setting up for my first roast with my RK Drum, that I received...yesterday.
Upon opening the well packed box, I was impressed with the heft, and build
quality of this all stainless drum. Anyone that has worked with stainless steel, knows what
a bear it is to work with. All of the cuts are clean, no burrs, and all of the welds have
been ground and smoothed. A very well executed construction. The height of the stirring
vanes kind of surprised me. All of the other drum designs I had seen, as on my Alp, the
vanes were a fraction of an inch tall. On this drum they are at least a full inch high.
They stir a large load 2 pounds or more very well. For the grill, I purchased a I was having to look into the bottom of the grill from underneath to see the
burner so that I could adjust it down as low as possible to maintain 435, and still have a
flame. At 10 minutes first crack started and I could tell by how " all at once " it was, that
second was going to follow very rapidly. I was right, by 11 minutes I was into one heck of a rolling second crack. I cut the heat, grabbed the spit, and dumped and cooled the beans.
I had sort of mélange roast, with most of the beans a very full city, with
slight oil showing, and some french, with about 10 % city. I had observed
the good mixing action of the vanes, and knew that this unevenness was not
due to poor bean movement. I surmised that it was a result of too rapid of a
bean temp rise.
I decided to load up a larger batch. I loaded up 1 and 1/2 pounds of La Manita, and started again.
This time the temp recovery after drum insertion was much slower. I think that the larger load
actually made the temp more stable, and a lot less ticklish. This time first crack started at about 14 minutes, and started much more gradually. Second crack followed after a
little added heat at 17:30 and I pulled the roast immediately upon onset of second. I usually like LM right before second.
Anyhow, this roast was MUCH more even, and easier to control. I really like a more mellow taste,
hopefully this won't be TOO mellow.
I am thoroughly pleased with the drum, and it will make my roasting much less involved than 6 or 7 Alpenrost roasts a week. I think I will look at putting a cast iron griddle in the bottom of my grill, to more evenly distribute the heat and flame, and to act as sort a thermal mass. I think that a load of about 1 pound is as small a roast as a beginner BBQ roaster should try. That
1/2 pound roast was just too hard to control. The larger batch tracked along a profile almost
exactly like my Alpenrost.
The drum is by far the best investment in my roasting that I have ever made, and I am grateful
for such a quality product. The drum is easily worth the price of an Alpenrost.This thing is built as well as anything I've ever seen. I have fabricated a few gadgets in my life, as I have been a
homebrewer. It is much like coffee roasting in that you have to build everything
if you want a nice setup without spending thousands.
To replace my BBQ roaster would cost $6000 for a San Francisco sample roaster, and the end result is every bit as tasty. Until someone decides to sell a computer controlled, commercial style drum roaster for under $2000, I've got THE best setup out there for us that don't like being tied to 3 hours of 8 oz roasts once a week.
Mike Smith
flyin' hillbilly BBQ RK Drum roaster
just a satisfied customer
I echo everyone else's comments on the extremely professional quality of this drum. Ok, we all agree on that of course, one look and even a fairly non tech/mechanical person such as myself can see that level of quality you ensure.
I usually experience some form of "buyer's remorse" on large purchases, I don't know why, but that's me. Not so on the RK Drum though! I am so glad I finally bought this! I thought my SC/TO would be the one and only, (as I roasted my 12oz smugly, thinking of those "other" 3 or 4 oz roasters)
Roasting coffee with the RK Drum is like "printing money"! The RK Drum paid for itself fast.
Your customer service, attitude and willingness to answer questions, make suggestions about everything from roasting to buying beans to bags etc. You return civility and customer service to a professional level seldom seen anymore.
You even took time out on your Alaska trip to "talk me down" during a difficult roast. I was using a different motor than the one you offer and you made several suggestions that helped me overcome a problem.
I am sure I will one day get your motor after I tire of I have now been using the RK Drum for 6 months or so and still getting an even roast with my average of 5 -6 # is now routine for me. Roasting the sometimes fussy Dry Process greens is now a pleasure, the RK Drum tosses the beans
Hi Ron
I couldn't be more pleased with my drum. I finally got it set up last
weekend and have only run 5 roasts through it, but I'm already quite
pleased. You have a great product. Thought I'd send you a picture. you're
welcome to put it on your website. I went with the brinkmann 45k btu grill
from walmart. Great grill. It will hold a temp steady with very little
adjustment. I haven't needed to roast in cold temperatures yet, but I'm
sure it has the power. I keep it at 500 with the three burners at med-low
in ~50 degree ambient temps
-Chris
in Arlington, VA
Every once in a while, the blind hog finds an acorn. Such was the case when Ron Kyle offered one of his RK Drums as a "Tradition" gift on the Sweet Maria's Homeroast mailing list. The Traditions are one-string-attached gifts where the giver offers some item(s) free including free delivery. Usually there is random choice involved in selection of the recipient. The only "string" is that the recipient is obligated to offer a Tradition of his own.
In Ron Kyle's tradition, he offered one of his custom-made RK Drums for coffee roasting. I WON! All I had to do was add my own gas grill and rotisserie. Ron sold these drums for $210 through his website.
First roast with my RK Drum was 16oz of Rwanda Masaka "Seven Lakes" from Sweet Maria's. I really like this coffee and had
