I did a deep clean after I’ve had my R1 for about one year- 80 one pound roasts. I always roast 1 lb at a time. I’ve noticed that everything is happening at lower temperatures since I’ve cleaned the roaster. First crack used to happen at about 200 C, now it’s low 190’s. I’ve also been ending the roasts at lower temperatures. I am now ending the roasts at about 205 C, I used to stop it closer to 220 C.
I will say I have been happier with the outcomes. I am noticing more nuanced and fruity flavors since that cleaning. I roasted on a Boehmer for about 15 years before upgrading to the Aillio. My roasts were immediately better than the Boehmer, now they are even better. Yes, enjoying my coffee more is the bottom line, but this is puzzling to me. Has anybody else experienced this? Does anybody have any thoughts on what is going on?
I have not. But it makes sense.
What do you think were the main factors in the improvements in flavor?
I do not even own a Bullet at this stage, but have been reading up a lot about it.
Could it be that you failed to clean the IBTS sensor after initially seasoning of your Bullet?
I believe the seasoning process has the potential to really muck up that sensor with oils (given that you are literally aiming to “blacken” your shiny new roasting drum with the seasoning process).
I am currently roasting on a Gene-Cafe… I am sooo jealous!!!
See also: Lesson Learned - Clean your IBTS
Usually, a dirty IBTS will read lower than it should. Although the manual considers a low crossover to be around 190, I’ve never ever experienced a crossover roasting a 500g batch, or in your case 1lb, which is marginally less. I’ve also looked at your roasts, and the crossover thing is recent. Your previous roasts are normal.
Anyway, I do think that you might not have cleaned it properly, and I do not like the crossover. Other causes might be in the reassembly. Check if all the screws are tight and that the faceplate doesn’t have any gaps. You might have pinched the cable, which is very easy to do, and the faceplate isn’t sealed properly. Check the pulley behind and see if it’s in its proper position. Since this is your first deep clean, as you’ve said, it might have moved. It’s the one under the chaff collector with the motor belt on it. Push it in towards the drum.
Also, when cleaning the IBTS with rubbing alcohol, be sure to turn your cotton swab around and pass it with the dry part after, because you don’t want stains from natural drying. It is true that it’s 70% alcohol, and that will evaporate, but 30% is still water.
that is certainly plausible. Based on the next response I got, it seems I need to clean it again and adjust some things. Thanks for your input.
Something similar happened to me after I cleaned it. The readings were off and I had to clean the probe every 3 roasts or so. I had actually inadvertently displaced the rubber cache around the IBTS sensor and thought I put it back correctly but it was not the case. Eventually I had to open it from the back and replace it properly and now the issue is solved. You can check this video on the probe assembly which might help.
If you didn’t touch the rubber base your issue might be different though.
From reading other posts on RW, it seems to me that a number of people might be having similar problems with the IBTS probe and it seems related to the seasoning process.
I wonder if it is worth considering for Aillio to facilitate completely removing/blocking the IBTS probe during the seasoning process (it would require blocking its port with a blank of some sort if the probe was removed or having a silicone cover to put over the sensor to block it from the smoke/oils during seasoning).
This assumes that the Bullet can operate without the IBTS (might require a software override) and roasting is driven primarily by observing bean temperature and visual inspection of beans.
I hate the idea of mucking up my new clean sensitive IBTS probe during the seasoning process. Somehow I feel that that should not happen.