How a First-Crack Detector and AI Loop Are Redefining Roast Consistency
Real talk: coffee roasting has always been an art—and now, it’s becoming a science. For months, I’ve been testing a prototype first-crack detector paired with an LLM loop on my Hottop KN-8828B-2K+ to dial in roast consistency. The setup? A single USB mic pointed at the drum, a small model that flags 10-second windows with first-crack activity. It’s not a replacement for the ear, but it’s reshaping how I approach post-crack adjustments. The surprise? Consistency. I’ve been charging beans at 170–18, which is way hotter than the Hottop’s recommended 110°C range. Probe readings have likely drifted over time, so I…
