Acceptable level of activity in secondary?

I just racked 5 gallons on top of 2.5lbs of blackberries in my secondary. I know I got some yeast in therefrom the primary, but my airlock hasn't been all too active. This is only my second batch so I'm not sure what I should be looking for activity wise.

While you have less yeast in there, I would expect that there should have been a secondary fermentation as the yeast attacks the sugar in the blackberries. Are they whole blackberries or dud you crush them some so that they are opened up? If whole, then I guess the yeast really cannot get to the sugars inside them.

I would think that the activity would be low initially until the small amount of yeast has multiplied enough. Plus, the amount of sugars in the blackberries may be low enough to defy a vigorous fermentation. Also, what temp is the secondary at currently?

Never worry about airlock activity, it means NOTHING. All that matters is fermentation, NOT whether or not your airlock bubbles or how vigorously it does. All it is is a vent, and a cheap one at that, it's not a gauge.

jdauria said:

While you have less yeast in there, I would expect that there should have been a secondary fermentation as the yeast attacks the sugar in the blackberries. Are they whole blackberries or dud you crush them some so that they are opened up? If whole, then I guess the yeast really cannot get to the sugars inside them.

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I mashed them before racking on top.

catdaddy66 said:

I would think that the activity would be low initially until the small amount of yeast has multiplied enough. Plus, the amount of sugars in the blackberries may be low enough to defy a vigorous fermentation. Also, what temp is the secondary at currently?

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That's what I thought, but I still expected to see some sort of activity. It's currently at 72 F.

Revvy said:

Never worry about airlock activity, it means NOTHING. All that matters is fermentation, NOT whether or not your airlock bubbles or how vigorously it does. All it is is a vent, and a cheap one at that, it's not a gauge.

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I was just worried and not sure what to expect.

Perspective: even if every gram of sugar in 2.5 pounds of blackberries was available to the yeast, that would still only constitute a bit over 3 ounces of sugars.

I just had eight pounds of sugars voraciously consumed by yeast in under four days. Carboy looked like a washing machine. Three ounces would barely catch the yeasts' interest - and not for long

Cheers!