Ramping up temperature over time

[Jackhole]

I'm fermenting this recipe:

http://www.homebrewersassociation.org/h ... 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 fuck up the temperature change, so what do you suggest I do in this case? Leave it at 21.9 C/ 71F?

[MJB]

It depends on how hot it is where you are, but I would think that setting your temp control at 74 would be fine. Then it will rise to that slowly on its own.

[crashlann]

Is your temp control unit keeping it cool or warming it to 71F currently. If it is cooling it to keep it at 71F, so your ambient temps are higher, then you could set it at 74F and let it free rise. If it is warming it because your ambient temps care lower, then raising it to 74F will happen within 24 hours. I think I would leave it at 71F and then incease it when you get back, you should still get the yeast activity to create the esthers I assume you are looking for. One thing I have learned, it is better to increase temps slower than quick otherwise you can get too much of a good thing. All in all, I think it will be fine either way though.