Second Crack

Notes from a popcorn popper, a thermometer, and too many green beans.

Slowing down the last two minutes

October 2026

Stretching the time between first crack and drop by forty seconds took the sharp edge off the Sumatra without flattening it. The fan stays on high, so the only lever left is the voltage, and a cheap dimmer has turned out to be good enough. The batch still smells of cedar the next morning, but by day four it opens up into something closer to dark cocoa.

Resting is most of the recipe

September 2026

I keep drinking beans too early. A side-by-side of the same Ethiopian natural at two days and at eight days was not close. Day eight had blueberry that I would have sworn was not in the bag. New rule: nothing gets ground before day five, however good the kitchen smells.

Recent batches