Should I Increase the Fermentation Temp
 

So, I have a batch of robust porter going for about a week now. I have seen that a lot of people start to ramp up the temperature towards the end to give the yeast a last hurrah, is this something that would benefit me with a porter? Right now I am fermenting at 64 degrees.

Depending on the type of yeast but I'd say no. I'd keep it at 64 degrees unless your recipe calls for some of the esters produced by the yeast from ramping up the temps like in a Belgian Ale.

Nah, I am using S-04. I just didn't know if that was a general thing to do to help them finish at the end. Definetly don't want any esters in my porter lol. Thanks for the reply :)

High temperature at the start of fermentation will produce esters. It's tied to cell division. high temperature at the end of fermentation will aid in reabsorption of fermentation byproducts by the yeast, such as dactyl. (known as a dactyl rest). that being said, 64 is high enough for reabsortion, so I would leave it. If you were lagering you might want to bring it up toward the end of fermentation.

Is 64 high enough for reabsortion for all yeast strains?
Generally speaking, how long do you need to artificially keep the temp. bumped up to complete reabsortion and/or fermentation? I'm currently doing my first temperature controlled fermentation and it seems like I've prolonged the fermentation for about 1 day due to bumping up the temperature a few degrees. I'm not sure when to call it quits and let it quit, and get cold.

Thanks,
Andy

Personaly I haven't explored the effects of different temperatures and different yeast strains for diacetyl rests. Two or three days at something at or about 65°F work for me. For more inforamtion search for "Noonan Palmer diacetyl rest"

Here is a link:
http://www.howtobrew.com/section1/chapter10-4.html

Also, in my previose post I wrote "dactyl" that should have been "diacetyl"

Awesome! I learned something new about the ester production being only at the start of fermentation when the yeast is dividing to increase cell count. This would also be a really good reason to use large yeast starters, and that's why it's even more important in a lager as the temps are even cooler around 50F

Yes, a large starter, or another way of pitching enough yeast cells. Pitching 1/5th of a slurry is normally adequate. If you want to reduce esters, then it's better to over pitch and ferment cold. The converts is true if you want to increase esters such as in many Belgium styles.