First Roast Chronicles: Nyeri Ndaroini AA At The Edge Of Light

Here’s what you need to know about the first roast that danced on the line between light and dark. A Washed Kenya (Nyeri Ndaroini AA from Sweet Maria’s) met its match in a SR800 with Razzo chamber, and the results? A delicate balance of ambition and uncertainty. The brewer aimed for a lighter roast, yet the final profile leaned toward Full+ or French, a revelation that’s as much about perception as precision. Colorblindness complicates the visual cues, but the aroma told another story—dark, roasty, with whispers of caramel.

The roast followed a precise arc: preheated for two minutes at 4/4, then a sharp drop to 9/5 for three minutes (280°F). By minute three, the profile shifted to 8/8, with the fan dialed back early. The thermometer, a cheap meat probe in the Razzo chamber, maxed out at 387°F, leaving the first crack at 9:20. Cooling began at 10:40, with temperatures dropping to 140°F by 14:45. The final weight loss? 13.5%, a number that surprised even the brewer after comparing the bean’s color to local lighter roasts.

The second, third, and fourth images offer a reference point—local beans on Full City and Full City+, with the Kenya placed on French. Yet the aroma’s darkness suggests a deeper roast than the color implied. Is it common for a batch to smell darker immediately post-roast, only to mellow as it off-gasses? The brewer’s question lingers: How do you reconcile visual cues with olfactory reality?

Key points: Colorblindness complicates roast level judgment, but aroma can reveal more. Thermometer accuracy is critical—cheap probes can skew perceptions. Off-gassing may mask the true roast profile, making post-roast evaluation tricky.