So I have been meaning to write this for 2 month now. Sorry to those who could use this as just ONE point or place to start getting/keeping your profiles on track.
Many roasters like myself do not have the privilege of roasting in a climate controlled facility nor in tempered climate. Talking with several unnamed fellow roaster about how things were going, a few were noticing cup profile shifting while they have adjusted the heat/air application to compensate for ambient temperatures.
Something that may seem so basic to some folks, be it that they learned it on their own via cupping roast, adjusting one thing at a time, or from a fellow roaster. Be it that there are many things to keep in mind in order to stay ahead of the roast in changing weather conditions which influence how heat and air application need to be assessed and applied, the one thing I am touching on here, from talking to those who have had such large shifts, is not taking into account that is the indoor ambient tempurature will effect post roast- the time it takes to cool the beans once discharged into the cooling tray. Beans in a 60 degree warehouse in the winter cool much more quickly than in the summer when it is 100+. Post development time, understanding that the beans are still roasting/developing after they are discharged. Example, if you, by profile, discharge normally at say 407 degrees to the profile you follow that may have been created in warmer conditions where your cooling time is 3 minutes, in cooler conditions, depending on how cold it is you may want to drop that a degree or more further, OR extend you development time during the roast either pre or post crack. Every bean (origin/lot) may prefer using a different method mentioned above or a combination of either. The main controlling factor you the compensation to your roast and or profile should be to your roasting/tasting/quality control/company preference/profile wants or needs.
Now always keep in the back of your head that there are many many more things to take account when firing up you roaster for your first batch of the day, humidity, outside temp, wind, barometric, raw bean temp, music playing in the back ground, ect. The intent was not to teach nor preach all roasting here, just one thing, a big thing for cold roasting, to help ANYONE who this may reach that did not take this into consideration, or for those who do not have the ability to just play with coffee, roasting, experimenting on their own time and with their employers raw product.
-Mike / Bean Slave