Quick Barrel Pressure Question

Discussion in 'Homebrewing' started by Jake_Ramrod, May 8, 2018.

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  1. Jake_Ramrod

    Jake_Ramrod Initiate (0) Feb 19, 2013 Kentucky

    I filled a five gallon barrel with a high gravity stout on Sunday. I had brewed that stout about ten days before that and I assumed that it was done fermenting. I racked that stout into the five gallon barrel right after I had transferred a different stout that was in there for five weeks into another standard fermentor to age for a while (first barrel aging attempt). There was definitely some trub/yeast left in the barrel, but I ddin't want to wash it out. Here's the deal, yesterday I noticed that a small amount of the wort was seeping through the top two staves of the barrel which it had not done on the first stout. I just took the rubber bung out to investigate and it "popped" as I took it out because of the pressure that was in the barrel. What has happened? And, is it bad?

    I'm assuming that it is possibly just off-gassing from the trub/yeast that I disturbed and racked on top of. Is this normal? I guess a secondary fermentation could be taking place, but I didn't see any signs of it when I took the bung off and I'm pretty sure it was finished. Thoughts?
     
    #1 Jake_Ramrod, May 8, 2018
  2. Jake_Ramrod

    Jake_Ramrod Initiate (0) Feb 19, 2013 Kentucky

    It was a pretty big beer. 1.132 OG. Five packets of S-05. Looked to be finished after about five days.
     
    #2 Jake_Ramrod, May 8, 2018
  3. PapaGoose03

    PapaGoose03 Grand High Pooh-Bah (6,057) May 30, 2005 Michigan
    BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah

    I think "assumed that it was done fermenting" is the crux of your problem. That would have been a huge task for the yeast to finish a beer that big that quickly, but maybe all of that yeast did the job. Did you take gravity readings at the end to confirm it was done?

    It is interesting that the barrel is leaking at the top staves, but if the previous beer did not fill the barrel, it possible the wood dried out a bit and shrank. Is there any headspace in there now or is the leak probably creating some so that the leak will stop?
     
    #3 PapaGoose03, May 9, 2018
  4. Eggman20

    Eggman20 Crusader (433) Feb 14, 2017 Minnesota

    So you don't have an airlock on it? You really should have an airlock instead of a rubber bung on it. Could be some fermentation going on with it or just some CO2 was caught in the trub layer and is being released.
     
    #4 Eggman20, May 9, 2018
  5. EvenMoreJesus

    EvenMoreJesus Initiate (0) Jun 8, 2017 Pennsylvania

    #5 EvenMoreJesus, May 9, 2018
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  6. Jake_Ramrod

    Jake_Ramrod Initiate (0) Feb 19, 2013 Kentucky

    Correct! The previous beer didn't get to the top of the barrel, so it is quite possible it is dry there. Also, the previous beer did not display any of the same pressure issues, via a potential secondary fermentation or simple CO2 release from the unsettled trub.
     
    #6 Jake_Ramrod, May 9, 2018
  7. Jake_Ramrod

    Jake_Ramrod Initiate (0) Feb 19, 2013 Kentucky

    I didn't put an air lock on the last one and had no issues, so I had no plans on using one this time. Obviously, something is going on in there, so I'll take your advice and use one now if I have one that fits.
     
    #7 Jake_Ramrod, May 9, 2018
    Eggman20 likes this.
  8. PapaGoose03

    PapaGoose03 Grand High Pooh-Bah (6,057) May 30, 2005 Michigan
    BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah

    I suspect that the leakage is krausen from the continuing first fermentation, and maybe the liquid will reseal the gap in the leaking staves. It's likely that when the fermentation is finally complete that the leakage will stop too. If you can hook up an airlock as suggested above, that will certainly relieve pressure and make the leakage stop.
     
    #8 PapaGoose03, May 10, 2018
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