Adapting to the beans: introducing Bean/Inlet Temperature profiles
Note: the firmware update with this new feature is due for release later this month
Our ambition at Roest is to make consistent and repeatable roasting as easy as possible. We know you can rely on our sample roasters to perform the same way each and every time that you roast - but sometimes, the green beans have other ideas.
Every batch of beans is slightly different, even if you pull them from the same bag. And the results can be even less predictable if you’re roasting a boxful of different samples back to back.
Green beans come in all shapes and sizes. Our BT/IT profiles can help you adapt.
The solution is a roast profile that adapts itself to how the beans respond by adjusting the amount of heat according to what stage of the roast the beans have reached. You can do this with Bean Temperature/Inlet Temperature (BT/IT) profiles, a new feature coming soon in our next firmware update.
We started work on this new profiling system based on feedback from Scott Rao and David Stallings, COO and Director of Sourcing at Osito. They pointed out that on a commercial roaster, they would change the gas settings based on what temperature the beans have reached rather than how long the beans have been in the drum. Why shouldn’t our sample roaster be able to do the same?
In a blog post last year, Scott described our BT/IT profiles as ‘the last piece of the puzzle’ in creating consistent and high-quality roasts. We’re very proud to finally be making this feature available to all of our customers in the next firmware update, due for release in August 2023.
What is a BT/IT profile?
Until now, all our roast profiles have been based on time. Each change in the profile happens a fixed number of seconds after the roast begins, no matter what is happening in the bean pile. With a BT/IT profile, each change in the profile happens when the beans reach a certain temperature, instead of happening at a fixed time.
Creating a BT/IT profile. Each setpoint is triggered when the beans reach a certain temperature.
Designing a BT/IT profile is simple. It works the same way as creating any other profile on the Roest, except that the setpoints are based on bean temperature, instead of time. You can learn more about how to create your own profiles in our guide to the Roest web portal.
In between each setpoint, the Roest smoothly adjusts the inlet temperature as the bean temperature changes. This enables you to apply precisely the right amount of heat to the beans the whole way through the roast.
Roasting with a BT/IT profile. The inlet temperature (green) varies smoothly between each setpoint, giving you control over the entire roast curve with just a few setpoints.
What are the advantages of BT/IT profiles?
If you are using the inlet temperature sensor on your Roest, then you already know the benefits of profiling a roast based on inlet temperature. And if you don’t, take a look at our blog post all about the inlet temperature probe.
Adding BT/IT profiling takes that a step further, giving you more control and making your roasts even more consistent. “Using BT/IT doesn't necessarily yield better roasts, but it offers better control and long-term consistency than any other profiling system I know,” Scott says.
Alongside Scott and David, some of the world’s best roasters have been beta-testing this feature for us over the past few months. We asked them to share their experiences with the new profiles.
The number one benefit that they all mentioned was the improved consistency the new feature offers. Jaroslav Tuček, founder of Doubleshot in Prague, relied on the Roest’s ability to replicate a profile exactly when roasting their coffee for Kamila Chobotova at the World Brewers’ Cup. “We had to consistently roast 5–10 batches to achieve the desired volume of 1–2 kg,” Jaroslav says. “It was amazing to see the differences in weight loss, colour and temperature fall in a minimal range for those 5-10 batches.”
Scott Rao’s BT/IT profiles, posted on his blog, showcase just how consistent this type of profile can be.
Wille Yli-Luoma, co-founder of Heart in Portland, agrees, saying: “[BT/IT] is really the only way you should control a roast to get the most consistency.”
Wille also appreciated how easy it was to get great results with the new firmware. “It’s very similar to our production roaster, but even easier to use.”
“We were able to create profiles that were close to what we wanted within a few tries — and sometimes on the first try. This program is the easiest and most intuitive of all roasting softwares out there.”
The other key advantage of BT/IT profiles for many roasters is that it replicates the way that they operate their commercial machines. This makes the Roest an invaluable tool for developing new profiles on production roasters. While you can’t translate a profile directly from a sample roaster to a production machine, the Roest can help you predict how a coffee will behave during roasting.
Roest machines can speed up the process of developing roast profiles for larger roasters.
“We discover the potential of a coffee by using the ROEST, and then strive to achieve the same on our production machine,” Yara explains. “You cannot compare the exact values between those two machines, but you can compare the final results and the way to achieve it.”
How to get started with BT/IT profiling
The new profiles are being released as part of an automatic firmware update — the machine will update by itself when you connect it to the internet via the WiFi connection. Once the firmware is updated, you’ll see the new options added when creating profiles in your web portal — or you could just choose an existing profile from the public profile library.
Some users report that BT/IT profiles are most effective for larger batches of 120 grams or above — but try them for yourself, and discuss your results with other users on our forum.
Of course, you can only use BT/IT profiles if you already have an inlet temperature probe installed. If your Roest doesn’t have an inlet temperature probe yet, you can install it yourself or, if you prefer, we can upgrade your roaster for you. If you need help, or you’re looking for a quote, then get in touch!
Important note: Only models with production numbers starting P11_ and higher can upgrade to the inlet sensor and use BT/IT profiles. You can check the production number on the sticker behind the magnetic plate on the front of your roaster.
