Items tagged with BASE PLATE

 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

Hey Shane-- just did my 50th roast last night.  I am really excited about the outcome.  The 1 and 2 lb roasts go a little fast, since my grill puts out a lot of heat.  But the 5 pounds are going about 15-17 minutes and the flavor is fantastic.  Great product.

 Hi Ron,
 
 I wish the forum had dates, so I could remember when I bought your  drum (#7 IS a lucky number).   Anyway, I'm still roasting away in Wyoming, and am still thrilled at
 the roaster and results I get from it.
 Bought a real espresso machine this summer, and maybe that is where the rubber hits the road, because I probably have the best espresso  and regular coffee in this whole state.
 I hope you are selling lots of these things, I'd hate to think others  are missing out.
 
 Thanks again for having such a great idea.

Brian Bircher
I've been meaning to write but I've been too busy roasting! The drum is working great and you were right, once it gets seasoned and "settled in" it just keeps getting better. I've also become more adept at controlling the heat and of course the movements of getting the drum in and out
quickly become more second nature as you go along. I've been turning out some excellent roasts and have been able to hit the roasts just where I want them whether it's for a dark roast or a beautiful City+ or Full City on an island coffee.
Taking the ceramic briquettes out madeall the difference in the world as far as being able to reach roast temps faster, bring my roast times down to where they should be and to better control temps during the roast. It's funny since I had thought it would be easier to do all that with the briquettes. I haven't gotten the steel plate made yet and am still using the cookie sheet. It's working fine so I may just leave it.

I'm an engineer--the drum is a work of art and the motor and mounts are terrific and the whole kit is well thought-out and it makes GREAT COFFEE!  I've done several roasts using your suggested profile for 1lb batches and I'm getting the hang of it!  I will graduate to larger batches when I decide what kind of beans I want to order in quantity.  The only bad thin.g about this setup is that I want to roast all the time and you need lots of beans in your inventory to have all that fun!

Thanks for your great products, and even more for your superb customer service! Keep up the good work