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
About RK Drums
RK Drums has been providing roasting advice for coffee aficionados and small business owners for over 15 years. We specialize in making coffee roasting accessible to anyone who wants to roast, and sell complete solutions to roast coffee using a barbecue grill.
