Winnower:  The winnower is apart, modified, and on the way back to being put back together.  Winnower V.1.2.  It has a more optimized flow path for both the beans and nibs and the introduction point is now optimized.  The plan for V.1.3 is the automated feed mechanism and closed catch basic for the nibs.  After that,  V.2.1 gets built out of metal, and I start working out manufacturing possibilities for the beta units.

Closing:  I will be out of town from June 22 to July 9.  E-mail will be very limited.  I will be in Florida dealing with my mother’s estate.  As always, I will leave the store open but no orders will ship until the week after July 9.  I will have all orders complete that are currently in house.

Refurbished Behmors:  I am about 3/4 through the waiting list.  Everyone who has asked to be put on or before May 30 has been notified of available units.  Check your email dates.  If you wrote me before May 30, but did not get a notice, please write me as you should have.  A number of people have not responded, so I moved on down the list.

Cocoa butter:  Deodorized Cocoa butter is available.  Unfortunately the supplier and Chocolate Alchemy are not working out, so this is only temporary.

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So, how many of you have been hoping for an announcement like this?  I know I certainly have been.  It’s all 2×4’s, plywood, plexiglass and dryer duct, but it works, and is letting me play around with subtle variations to optimize it.  The plexiglass is a must for seeing what is going on - plus it’s just plain cool.  Here’s a number of photos that really don’t tell you a whole lot.  I am keeping a few details under wraps until I decide the direction I am going to take this.  Be it general plans, paid plans, custom built winnowers or some combination of the above.

So, the cracked beans go in       “winnowing happens”.  Nibs come out.  like this

Husk gets captured   This is the husk from 40 lbs of test nibs.  I am particularly happy with this husk trap system.  Worked exactly as i wanted.  No husk into the blower wheel at all.  A touch of dust  but again, that is all the dust associated with 40 lbs of nibs. What is left is husk  and nibs .  In a nice close up, you can see virtually no husk in the nibs. 

I am getting anywhere from 72 - 80 % recovery, depending on the bean variety.  That translates to nearly perfect winnowing at about 1 lb/min.  And there appears to be no nibs at all making it into the husk trap.  Currently I am hand feeding the nibs, but I will be adding a Crankandstein to the top and hooking it to a variable speed dril.

What’s next?  Refine the design.  Make it in metal.  Probably offer up prototypes for sale to beta testers.  Drop me a line if you are interested.  I don’t have an ETA for that.  A few months at least.  In the short term I am going to hammer out the details of a Winnowing Service for Wholesale orders.  Under 5 lbs retail will still be free, but over that I will charge a nominal fee to produce the nibs (which I don’t even do right now).

On a slightly different, but related note, the Tanzanian cocoa  is in.  And in some tests yesterday I found out the raw nibs do not crack and winnow well.  Something about just a touch higher moisture causing the husks not to crack off well.  I am seeing about 50% waste from winnowing.  With that in mind, I will not be offering this bean as a raw nib.  It roasts up and winnows just fine that way, but not the other way around.

Filed under: Cracking & Winnowing | 2 Comments »

While roasting up my samples of the up coming Tanzanian cocoa (it’s in - look for it over the weekend), I noticed how picture perfect it roasted up.  They went from a slightly rough surface to a nice smooth surface.  Just what you want to aim for.  Also, unlike coffee, note there is not really any color change.  It is virtually all texture.

If it isn’t obvious, the roasted is on the left.

And, just to see the more in context, here they are just out of the Behmor.

 
This time the roasted is on the right.  And for those that want to know, this was done on P1, 1 lb setting, 16:15 minutes on the Behmor.  2.25 lb roast size.

Oh, and to comment about the Behmor, the refurbished units, the waiting list, etc.  I have a stock of roasters in.  I am about 1/2 way through the waiting list.  I have plenty of parts.  Due to increased shipping costs, I am only offering for free either beans (coffee and cocoa) or a small grid drum.  Not both.

Related to when Behmors will be available again to everyone who wants one, I will be out of town from the 22nd to July 10 to handle my mom’s estate.   No shipping or repairs during that time.  Limited email.  Very similar to when she actually died and I had to shut down.  Behmors should be available mid July.

Take care folks.

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I have a decision I am trying to make, and would like your input.  Customer and non-customers alike.  Please head over to the Forum and let me know what you think.  I am here for you and don’t want to offer or do something that goes against the grain.
Thank you.

Refurbished Behmors will be available this weekend.

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I don’t take advertisements, and the following isn’t per se(no money exchanged hands), but  I am tossing in my support for it.  Have a look.  It could be lots of fun.
Last Minute Special Offer: Come explore the origins of chocolate in Belize at Cotton Tree Lodge’s Chocolate Week. I live in New York and am a part owner of Cotton Tree Lodge in Belize and will be leading the May 17-24 Chocolate Week trip. Since we still have some availability, I am offering a severely discounted last minute special rate (40% off) to my fellow Chocolate Alchemy members. There are currently 6 spaces available. Check out http://www.cottontreelodge.com/belizetours/belize-tours-chocolate.htm for more details. Flights to Belize City are also extremely reasonable right now. I have found fares from $272-452 round trip including taxes from most US cities. Feel free to contact me directly at 212-529-8622 or jeff@cottontreelodge.com for more info. Hope to see you in Belize! Jeff

Just to re-iterate, this is from Jeff Pzena, a long time Chocolate Alchemy customer.  Please contact him, not myself - I don’t know any more than the above.

Have fun.

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I am back from my mother’s memorial service, and like is (mostly) back to normal.  All orders that have come in since we were closed should go out Monday.  Thank you again for all your understanding.

So far, I like the results of the flat rate pricing for the Peru beans.  With that in mind, I have put up special for the month of May for Papua New Guinea.  Flat rate, at a reduced rate.   $8.95/lb regardless of quatity.  I hope you enjoy them and the price.

Refurbished Behmors will be available sometime this week.  Just keep an eye. I suspect demand to be high, so turn around time may lengthen a bit.  If it is too high, they may go temporarily out of stock just so I can keep up.  If you wish to be on a waiting list, feel free to let me know and I will be glad to queue you up.

Happy chocolate making.

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