Just transfered my Imperial stout to barrel, do i seal i with a bung?

My 5 gallon bourbon barrel came with a bung. I assume I just use that since fermentation is done?

Plug that bung

Done

Piece of cake.

Make sure you taste the beer every few days to make sure it doesn't get over oaked. I have been obcessed with barrel aged beers, especially RIS. I think I have 4 versions so far.

I was going to do my first sample after 2 weeks then every week after that. Do you think I should sample sooner? This beer is big and I added no flavors like coffee, vanilla, etc. so I desire to pick up a decent amount of flavors from the barrel.

Heh heh...you said bung.

I know, and technically I plugged the bung hole

How new is the barrel? How many batches of beer have gone through it? If it is new, and 5 gallons, it will impart a lot if oak flavor. It won't need more than 2-3 weeks and that might be too much. A 5 gallon has more surface area than a full size barrel. Every time you use it you will get less oak flavor. They are usually good for 4 or 5 batches. After that you will have to add oak chips, cubes, or spirals.

It was used to make bourbon from a distillery in Texas. They did 2 batches with it starting the first batch about 8 months ago dumping then doing 2nd batch about 2 months ago. It was sealed after they dumped their 2nd batch. I did not sanitize the inside because I didn't want to loose any of that bourbon flavor. How do you recommend storing the barrel in between batches? It will probably be another 4 weeks after dumping this first beer before I do another in it.

My Second barrel was a Whiskey barrel. I left it empty until the night before I used it. I pumped 180+ degree water into it, let it soak for about an hour and dumped it. I wanted to make sure it was sanitized. The first batch if Smoked RIS I put through it is one of the best beers I have ever made or tasted. There was a ton of Whiskey taste. I just put my 3rd batch of beer through it and it still gives good flavor. It just takes a little more time. When it starts to lose it's flavor, put a 1/2 gallon of whiskey in it and turn the barrel a little everyday. On new oak, I put a 1/2 gallon of Whiskey in and fill the rest with hot water.

I bought a small stopper and an airlock when I used my barrel, but I was paranoid about a tiny bit of fermentation going on and popping the stopper while I was away and carbonated imperial stout flying everywhere.

To store it, I filled it halfway with cold water, added some citric acid and potassium metabisulfite powder, then topped it off and sealed it with a sanitized bung. Stays that way for a few months, then has to be dumped and re-filled. Gotta love that evaporation/angel's share thing a barrel does...