Renewed airlock activity after moving to fridge for cold crash

I think I just need someone to tellme to RDWHAHB...

I have a copper ale that spent 21 days in the primary in the low 60s on US-05 and went from 1050 down to 1008 and had steady hydrometer readings for the last week or so. I moved it to my beer fridge yesterday to cold crash it at about 37 for the next week. When I moved it I set it down a bit hard (it slipped) and a bunch of CO2 shot out of the airlock. I didn't think much of it, except that it was still bubbling last night. Even this morning, at 41*, it is slowly bubbling (2 per minute?).

I *think* all that is happening is that I jostled the yeast cake good enough that it dislodged a bunch of CO2 from it and from the beer itself, and it's slowly working its way out of solution. Does anyone have any other theories on this that will set my mind at ease?

What you are probably seeing is the 'suck back' effect of cooling the container.

No, they are definitely going out not coming in.

I'm always a little skeptical when people talk about the benefits of cold crashing for 24 hours or whatever. I put a carboy of cider in the fridge for 24 hours to cold crash one time and it kept right on fermenting the whole time.

StophJS said:

I'm always a little skeptical when people talk about the benefits of cold crashing for 24 hours or whatever. I put a carboy of cider in the fridge for 24 hours to cold crash one time and it kept right on fermenting the whole time.

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The point of cold crashing isn't to stop fermentation. In fact, if you're using it for that purpose you're really asking for trouble.

In my case, fermentation had stopped nearly a week prior, with consistent hydrometer readings at 1008. I cold crash to drop the yeast and other junk our of the beer, causing it to have better clarity and keeping my kegs easier to clean when they are empty.

So, I can't believe the bubbles are from fermentation since there's almost nothing left to ferment and I'm a good 20* below the bottom end for US-05.

OP - With the renewed bubbling, what is your new fg? One thought - which would only explain initial gas out - is that there is some co2 in suspension and moving it could cause it to come out, however I think it would have stopped.

Jostling the carboy probably knocked some CO2 out of suspension (there is CO2 in suspension in the fermenter) and you're seeing it bubble out. It's fine, leave it in there for a few days (you don't need to cold crash a week) and bottle. To alleviate your concerns, take another hydro reading. I'd bet you're still at 1.008 (after you adjust for the low temp, of course).

Rdwhahb

You moved your fermenter, the beer has been sitting in stasis and you disturbed it. You kicked up the co2 sitting in the trub....

Usually in brewing the most commonsensical reasons are usually the truth.

Revvy! I was hoping you might stop by. Thanks, everyone. I'll relax, not worry, and I'm off to go have a home brew.

Sloshing beer around knocks co2 out of solution. Happens alllllllll the time. I wouldn't stress at all, especially after it's been at terminal gravity for a week.