Ramping up fermentation temps

[Jackhole]

I'm fermenting this recipe:

http://www.homebrewersassociation.org/homebrew-recipe/deschutes-chainbreaker-white-ipa-clone/

The recipe states to "Ferment at 66°F (19°C) for two days, then allow temperature to rise to 74°F (6°C), " I fermented at 18.9 C for two days and I bumped it up one degree C last night and will do the same tonight and tomorrow night, bringing it to 21.9 by tomorrow.

Issue is, I'm going out of town all weekend and won't be back until Monday afternoon. I don't trust the person checking on the house for me to not **** up the temperature change, so what do you suggest I do in this case? Leave it at 21.9 C/ 71F?

 

[BigFloyd]

Are you using a fermenter chamber? Letting it free rise or using a heat source? If you're letting it free rise, I'd set the temp controller to 74*F before leaving. It will take some time to drift up to that temp anyway.

 

[Jackhole]

Fermentation chamber. If I let it free rise, it would be there in an hour. Very hot here.


Posted from my  iPhone 5 using Home Brew.

 

[masonsjax]

Sounds like you'll be 4-5 days into fermentation by the time you leave. The important part is already done. Raising the temp only helps the yeast keep going to attenuate fully, there wont be any unwanted ester/phenol production this late in the game. It's not a high gravity wort anyway, it's probably done as it is. Just set it to the ending temp before you leave.

 

[dobe12]

+1 to the above statements. If by the time you leave you'll already be 4-5 days into fermentation, raising it up to 74F for the duration won't be an issue at all. My SOP is to do exactly what you intend on doing with most of my beers. I pitch on the cooler side and after 2-3 days of fermentation I start to raise the temp a bit each day. By day 7 I remove the fermentor from my fridge and let it sit at ambient temps (low to mid 70's) for the duration.

 

[DPBISME]

I think you will be fine.... Like most things Yeast manufactures want you to use the stuff at the optimum temps but from my reading over the last few years I have learned some commercial brewers ferment at high temps to finish quicker.

I mean if your yeasts range is 65 to 80 F, tossing the yeast in at 100 F is probably not a good idea, but a beer started at the correct temp and heats up to just over the recommended temps is fine.

That and like others have said,,, the majority of the work is done by then... it will probably just "CONDITION" faster...

DPB

 

[DPBISME]

Fermentation chamber. If I let it free rise, it would be there in an hour. Very hot here.


Posted from my  iPhone 5 using Home Brew.

...and if you are really worried... toss a cold wet towel over it....