Brewer’s Cache

The primary fermentation has completed when the gravity of the beer has stabalized. Using your hydrometer, start checking the gravity of the beer after you no longer see any activity in the airlock for at least 10 minutes. Make sure you follow all of the proper sanitation steps! Take additional hydrometer readings one a day for the new two days. If the beer’s gravity has not changed during the two day period, the primary fermentation is complete.

I suggest, however, that you forego the testing process and just be patient. You don’t have to rack you beer to the secondary fermenter immediately. I have never had a fermentation that has lasted longer than three days–I haven’t tried barley wines or meads yet, and I typically wait 7-10 days before raking it to the secondary. If you just relax for a week or more, you can avoid the risk of contaminating your beer when taking the hydrometer readings, and you can still be assured that your fermentation is complete. You will not see any activity in the airlock the last couple of days ( some CO2 might escape if you move or bump your fermenter though ).

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