Secondary fermentation

Ok I don't always use a secondary, but I'm making a whiskey barrel stout. Several hours ago I rack the beer over the whiskey barrel chips. When I walked in the closet I noticed the airlock is bubbling pretty good. I haven't see the airlock move in over a week now. Is this normal?

dhelegda said:

Ok I don't always use a secondary, but I'm making a whiskey barrel stout. Several hours ago I rack the beer over the whiskey barrel chips. When I walked in the closet I noticed the airlock is bubbling pretty good. I haven't see the airlock move in over a week now. Is this normal?

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It's possible that it had not finished, and that the rousing of the yeast, the added oxygen in the transfer, or CO2 coming out of solution may be creating the airlock activity. I wouldn't worry, personally.

Ok thanks, I wasn't too worried I was just wondering. I have secondaried two or three times before and never seen this! In the recipe it said to rack before it was finished completely fermenting.

dhelegda said:

Ok thanks, I wasn't too worried I was just wondering. I have secondaried two or three times before and never seen this! In the recipe it said to rack before it was finished completely fermenting.

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That would account for some of the bubbling, then, and the chips may also offer nucleation sites for the CO2 to come out of solution.

I was once told to not add oak chips until fermentation is complete. I don't think it's a hard-and-fast rule, but the "Taking CO2 out of solution" theory seems to me to be a good one.

I highly doubt it will effect the beer. How much longer do you plan on aging it over the oak? I'm planning on doing something similar sometime soon.