Diedrich IR-5 Analysis by Doris Garrido and Chris Kornman
Doris’ approach to this dense, dry Ethiopia was to pump the gas early on, extend Maillard slightly, and pull off a light roast with good sugar development, and the curve here could not look better.
Starting with a decently high 390F charge temperature and 85% gas right out of the gates, Doris then opened the airflow fully before the bottom of the turnaround. Full steam ahead straight into Maillard in a trim 4:30, her gas settings gradually reducing along the way with a brief 50% baffle during color change and then back to 100% anticipating first crack allowed for a smooth 35% of total roast length at just over 3:00. A couple of deft heat adjustments at the end of the roast allowed the beans to coast easily to a 51.7 Colortrack (ground).
Doris notes that in addition to shortening her drying time overall, the coffee didn’t appear to take color until a little later than usual. The airflow agility and relatively steady application of heat allowed her to really fly into first crack and confidently back off the burner power without risk of stalling. The cup was juicy and expressive, with orange blossom notes lifting an otherwise citrus-focused coffee into candy-like territory.
We strongly recommend using a hot charge temperature and generally keeping an open airflow for this coffee, particularly early in the roast.
