Safe to bottle? Whats going on?

My batch has been in secondary two weeks following a full 7 days in primary. I moved it around a minor bit in brew cupboard to make room for another primary bucket. I then removed it from cupboard and place it on raised table for siphoning to bottling bucket the next day,it sat over night and much of today. I took hydrometer reading early this morning and it was the same as the day I racked it to secondary. Hours later I'm sanitizing my bottles and stuff, when I looked over and seen the air lock move, I cant believe it. It wasnt a single movement it moved three more times before I ran to my computer to ask what you think. I noticed it had bubbles simular to a head on the top. The hydrometer sample seemed to have carbonation as well. Did I re-activate the fermentation by the movement? I'm going to assume I'm not bottling tonight? Whats do you think?

What are you brewing and what was the SG reading? If it is around the FG, the shaking just disturbed the yeast. Don't go by the bubbling in the air lock.

You likely just kicked up some CO2 that was in solution in the beer. The wort will release some when things are moved around. If the beer is finished fermenting then you will be OK.

shertz said:

What are you brewing and what was the SG reading? If it is around the FG, the shaking just disturbed the yeast. Don't go by the bubbling in the air lock.

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Brewers best American Amber SG was 42, FG was 14. I've found that with muntons I'm always short of the final gravity. I figured this batch is done due to the gravity remaining the same after two weeks in secondary. what do you think I should do, bottle or wait?

Papinquack said:

Brewers best American Amber SG was 42, FG was 14. I've found that with muntons I'm always short of the final gravity. I figured this batch is done due to the gravity remaining the same after two weeks in secondary. what do you think I should do, bottle or wait?

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bottle it. It was some co2 still in suspension that was released either because of the movement, or because of a change in the weather.

Trust your hydrometer before you trust your airlock. Every time you move it a little it will gas off, but the hydrometer doesn't lie.

Thanks guys! I'm going to assume the little bit of movement and the temperature change from a steady 68 to 70 degrees was the reason for the airlock movement. I'll bottle it later after work

No need to assume; it's 100% accurate. It's what you call "off-gassing".

Tell you what - try an experiment on a smaller scale. Pour yourself a tumbler of soda about half-full. Let the foam settle, then swirl the glass. See all those bubbles come out? That's how motion impacts off-gassing.

CO2 does not like to stay in solution. That's why you get bubbles in carbonated beverages. When it's stored under pressure, no foam. But when you crack the top, and agitate the fluid by pouring, the bubbles come out.

Temperature has an effect, too. The amount of CO2 that will stay in solution is dependent on things like pressure and temperature. Off-gassing can be observed when the temperature changes, as well as barometric pressure changes!

I'll echo the others, just for emphasis: Never, ever rely on your airlock as an indication of anything. The only time you can use the airlock for indications of fermentation is if there is beer and foam coming through it because your fermentation is vigorous.. The only instrument in your arsenal that can accurately gauge the extent of fermentation is the hydrometer. You dig?

Cheers,

Bob

Yeah I dig. I do trust my hydrometer thats why I was so shocked to see airlock movement. My readings were the same when it left the primary and the same after two weeks in secondary. I just freaked because I've never had that happen before.

Papinquack said:

Yeah I dig. I do trust my hydrometer thats why I was so shocked to see airlock movement. My readings were the same when it left the primary and the same after two weeks in secondary. I just freaked because I've never had that happen before.

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Oh, we know what you mean! With more experience, though, you'll see alot more "weird ****" and just shrug it off. I've seen weird floating things, strange colors, colored bubbles up the airlock, big gobs of thick stuff, new bubbling, strange smells, etc. Usually there is a reason for what you see (change in barometric pressure, a particularly flocculant yeast, temperature changes), but not always. It's still almost something that we've seen before and usually doesn't impact the beer at all.

This just goes to show why so many of us use our hydrometers.

YooperBrew said:

Oh, we know what you mean! With more experience, though, you'll see alot more "weird ****" and just shrug it off. I've seen weird floating things, strange colors, colored bubbles up the airlock, big gobs of thick stuff, new bubbling, strange smells, etc. Usually there is a reason for what you see (change in barometric pressure, a particularly flocculant yeast, temperature changes), but not always. It's still almost something that we've seen before and usually doesn't impact the beer at all.

This just goes to show why so many of us use our hydrometers.

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I'm sure I'll get to the point where I can shrug it off but I still only have four batches to my credit, 3 beer +1 wine (your welches recipe X 4 is still in fermenter). I come up old school, the teachers I had growing up always said "The stupid questions are the ones that are never asked!" So I ask! I would like to thank you personally though, you have responded to pretty much everything I've posted and you have been very patient as well as informative. Your opinion always trumps everyone elses in my book. thanks again