eg
Neophyte
Posts: 47 
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Post by eg on Sept 3, 2015 12:05:35 GMT -5
I'd love some help understanding a particular flavor that emerges during roasting. With some beans it occurs over a broad temp/time spectrum, and with others the spectrum is more narrow. I would describe the flavor rubber, cleaning solution, chemically, pavement. It lifts in the nose the same way pine or mint can (I like that particular sensation in chocolate, but it has to be accompanied by great flavor, not rubber). It seems to happen mostly if the roast is too hot, but not necessarily to the point of scorching. Can anyone help with a scientific understanding of what's happening during roast that causes this?
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Post by Ben on Sept 3, 2015 12:11:22 GMT -5
Is this something you encounter with all/most beans, or just a specific one or two varieties?
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eg
Neophyte
Posts: 47
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Post by eg on Sept 3, 2015 12:13:10 GMT -5
HI Ben - yes, most beans, though more pronounced in some. I'm working on roasting (looking for my roast profile) of San Juan, and this flavor is really pronounced with these beans.
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eg
Neophyte
Posts: 47
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Post by eg on Sept 3, 2015 12:34:43 GMT -5
PS - with my super 'low and slow' roast test on this latest batch, this flavor has not emerged. It's not a burnt or sugary flavor when it does happen, but I wonder if there's some other reaction happening at higher temps. I don't associate this flavor with 'burnt' but perhaps that's what it is.
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Post by Sebastian on Sept 3, 2015 19:35:34 GMT -5
What origin beans are you working with to the best of your knowledge?
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eg
Neophyte
Posts: 47
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Post by eg on Sept 3, 2015 21:35:17 GMT -5
What origin beans are you working with to the best of your knowledge? Trinidad San Juan, either the 11/14 or 5/15 harvest. I'm roasting in a home oven (temp is consistent) and struggling to find a roast profile that does not have these unpleasant notes. Tried 300, 235, and 200 degrees, and the lowest temp has most promise. I haven't proceeded past the roast stage so I'm not sure how this flavor might evolve in the melanger. |
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Post by Sebastian on Sept 4, 2015 5:09:08 GMT -5
it's hard to trouble shoot flavor w/o having tasted it, but i suspect your beans were dried with the assistance of a fire, perhaps using burning tires. If that's the case, there's no removing it.
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eg
Neophyte
Posts: 47
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Post by eg on Sept 4, 2015 9:48:45 GMT -5
Thank you Sebastian. I don't think it's burning tires (though I can't rule that out), and it definitely doesn't taste smoky like fire might impart. I think - hope - it has to do with the evolution of the more fruity notes. On my low temp roasting tests, what was first a solvent/rubber air on my upper palate transformed into cherry and strawberry notes. This lasts just for a brief window, and with additional roasting it all just devolves into sour fruit or bitter un-ripe nut flavors, and I still sense that chemical or rubber taste here and there. I feel like I should trust the reputation of these beans - they have a somewhat storied reputation right? I haven't tried any bars I can think of recently made with these beans though... so don't have any other makers' chocolate to compare. Anyway, it's just a sample quantity of beans, so I'm going to try to nail the roast on this small batch at that point where the fruit was most prominent.
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Post by smoothchocolator on Sept 5, 2015 18:55:07 GMT -5
Hi, eg I make chocolate using Trinidad from San Juan estate as well. I think I kind of know what you mean by rubber taste...They have distinctive smell and taste but I never associated them with rubber smell..but now you said that it is a bit like that! San Juan beans in my personal opinion, make mellow chocolate that everybody seems to like. I know Dandelion(US), Palette de bine(Canada), Bright Chocolate(Australia) make chocolate using those beans if you want to get some chocolate to compare  |
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Post by Sebastian on Sept 6, 2015 8:17:42 GMT -5
Remember that each bean has it's own story. You can't rely on the legacy of a particular origin to contribute to the flavor of your specific bean. Beans from any origin can be made to taste like beans from almost any other origin, if you know how to do it. The details around bean health/disease, fermentation protocol, drying methods, and shipping condition are all critical in creating the end flavor you have. If you don't know any of these in detail, it can be very difficult to reverse engineer what happened without an expert and some expensive equipment, and perhaps not even then.
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eg
Neophyte
Posts: 47
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Post by eg on Oct 30, 2015 10:06:45 GMT -5
thanks Sebastian and smoothchocolator - I appreciate your thoughtful responses. I'm still learning how to pull out flavors and how to observe the results. With my most recent roasting tests, I compared identical roasts for different harvests, and did indeed discover that one harvest tastes horrible, while the other is great. So, moral of the story: trust my palate? |
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