Accompanying article: Kefir
Considered by many to be the most healthful of fermented foods, effervescent kefir tastes tangy and fresh. How lovely that you’ll make your own as commercially available kefir only approximates the real thing (see my Kefir Article for details).
As you work with kefir, you quickly develop a feel for the process and of how it varies according to the room temperature and the type of milk you use. Also, you can increase its thickness by using more grains; and you can increase its tartness by increasing the fermenting time.
As you continue to re-use these grains, they will multiply and you can share grain starters with friends. If you’ve a supply of milk “straight from the animal”, allow it to age in the refrigerator for a day or two prior to making kefir.
1 tablespoon kefir grains
1 scant quart milk (goat, cow, pasteurized, raw, reconstituted, skim or full fat)
Place kefir grains and milk in a quart glass jar. Tightly cover and set out at room temperature for 12 to 24 hours (in hot weather, it ferments faster) but not in direct sun light. Shake the bottle a couple times during fermentation.* After shaking, release any CO2 gas buildup by opening the lid, then tighten the lid once again. (A tight lid produces a lightly effervescent beverage. To eliminate effervescence, just rest the lid on the jar rather than tightly closing the lid.)
The kefir is ready when the grains coagulate at the top of the jar. To separate the newly made kefir and to retrieve the kefir grains, pour through a strainer or colander (stirring as necessary to prevent the grains from clogging the strainer).
You may drink the kefir as is, or you may refrigerate it for up to three weeks. Or, as per below, you may further ripen the kefir. But, and this is important, don’t discard the grains.
To make a new batch of kefir, add these retrieved grains to fresh milk and repeat the process. Or, to refrigerate the grains until next use, place grains with kefir to cover in a tightly closed jar. They’ll hold for several weeks. To hold longer, place grains in quart of fresh milk, refrigerate for up to a month (shake the container several times a week).
Ripened Kefir (optional)
I recommend ripening kefir for a day or two prior to consuming it. Fully ripened (48 hour) kefir eliminates lactose from the beverage and increases some of the B group vitamins. Folic acid, for example, increases by at least 116 % in comparison to fresh milk or freshly stained kefir.
As the kefir ripens at room temperature, the thick creamy kefir floats above the watery whey. Shake or stir to blend the ingredients. Or, separate and use the thickened kefir as sour cream and the whey in baking, for drinking or in other fermented foods.
*Shaking the fermenting kefir prevents the formation of yeasts and acetobacter colonies from forming on the surface. If colonies form they will appear as a light-brown wavy film. Skim this off, discard the film and use the kefir. Should you ever loose a batch of kefir (or your grains) to rampant overgrowth, your nose and taste buds will unerringly inform you to toss it.
May you be well nourished,
Rebecca Wood
Hi,
Just wondering if kefir is fine to put straight on skin as moisturiser?
Thank you for your time.
Donna
Have you used water kefir? Do you know how to make it? Thank you!!!
I’ve used kefir grains or tibicos but I found the standard kefir grains easier to use both for milk and other ferments. Your best bet is to do an online search for a source ato purchase them and your source will provide directions.
While living and traveling with the Bedouin of Egypt our camels’ milk was re-cycled through bladder’s tied to humps, saddles, slung over shoulders, gently rocking and swaying throughout the days into star filled nights. This ever available beverage remaines impregnated within organs and inner lining, and as far as I know the cultures’ within are as continuously old as a thousand caravans passing through generations, each giving birth and moving on since time-and-memorial!
Caravans of yak-and-camel, goat-and-pony crossing steps, spanning deserts, passing through forests, over mountains and tossing oceans, always destine to places never before heard of, for generations unseen.
These growing colonies evoke such images and answer such questions as; From where, and from when did this wonderfully tangy-and-tasty treat originate and is it the same in variety and character as human cultures? Does it vary as greatly as do we, in its taste and colonial heritage…
Kefir is an undying treat from pantry shelf to village hut and outward bound into a sea of culinary possibilities!
Anthropologist, Caril Ridley
Hi, here are some questions I have:
1. I was just given kefir grains with kefir yesterday for the first time. All I did to seperate them in the morning (24 hours), was use a fork to extract the grains and start over in a new mason jar. Is that wrong?
2. When I opened the fridge to see my finished product I saw a big, long, rubbery substance with what looked liked grains inside? I assumed it was kefir grains that I’d missed & added it to my new batch. Can the grains take on a different appearance when reproducing? And when reproducing do they seperate or just get bigger?
3. Are there benefits to seperating the whey from the kefir and is using one over the other more beneficial? or should I just mix or blend it all together?
A lot of questions, I know. I’m really new at this & quite nervous about trying it. Thank you for taking the time to answer.
Q. # 1….sounds right. #
#2. I haven’t a clue
#3. Both are good;; however, kefir is typically separated from the whey.
Just keep on working it and you’ll soon have it down.
Two questions:
1. Still confused about refrigeration once Kefir is made. Have read that orgianlly when cultrued in goat stomachs, herdsmen simple stored without any cool storage. Is this because they drank it in a matter of days and therefore no problems as with other milk products?
2. I put NuStevia in my kefir for taste. Will this alter the probiotic action of the drink?
Once kefired, the product continues to ferment and eventually reaches a point where it is too sour to be taste good.
To retard fermentation, refrigerate.
Flavor your kefir as you wish.
Kefir grains are not readily available where I live in Canada. I can however get at kefir culture starter for milk. How will that work to culture grains or is it the same thing?
It might be. If the starter replicates itself so that you can use it indefinitely then you’ll know it’s the real thing. Look again at my article and the various resources and I’m sure you can find a way to get kefir grains in Canada.
Hi ,
I have been making keifer awhile. I am wondering if a keifer that is more than 48 hrs would still be safe. Do you know if there is a limit of time to keep at room temp ? Thanks
As long as it tastes good, it is good.That’s the beauty of lacto fermented foods, they’re safe. However if left out too long, the flavor becomes overly sour and not pleasant to drink.
When making almond milk kefir would it be advantageous to cycle the kefir grains w/ milk kefir…meaning…make almond milk kefir then feed the grains w/ milk and back to almond milk? Would this cycle keep the grains alive?
It might do so. Perhaps you can give it a try and let us know.
Can you use almond milk?
Almond milk will kefir faster than milk, be more fragile and the grains won’t replicate.
You said it’s good to ripen the kefir for 48 hours at room temperature. But I understood that you are supposed to change the milk every 12 to 24 hours. I’m confused about that. Should you leave the grains in the same milk for 48 hours to ripen and what about the 24 hours? Did I miss something?
Thanks.
I’ve been changing the milk every 24 hours and then refrigerating the results which have been very tasty. The first “batch was very thin which I threw out but the second was very thick and the 3rd and 4th batches have been in between the first two.
Hmmmmm, I’ve never heard of changing the milk every 12 to 24 hours. Keep it out until it has the flavor and consistency that you enjoy which is a matter of personal taste. Not to worry, before it can go bad it will taste more sour than you’d like.
Hi,
Do you boil the pasturized milk before making Kefir?? Like when you make yoghurt we do bring the milk to a boil, was wondering whether its the same with Kefir
No need to boil or heat milk prior to making kefir. Add the grains to either cold or room temperature milk.
My kefir came out very thin. I have made it in past and was as quite different, and much more delicious. I used a very small nylon strainer. Might that have beent the problem?
Thank You,
Audrey
Can I make kefir by using kefir? I use yogurt to make additional yogurt and buttermilk to culture more buttermilk. Can I use kefir in the same way? If so, how do I do this? Thanks for your help.
You can make a lousy and not so tasty approximation of kefir using just kefir. But why bother? Get the grains and you’ll have a great and sustainable beverage.
Thankyou for your time
can I use the same grains for making your apple drink as I do for milk kefir
Yes, kefir grains will kefir both juice and milk. With milk the process is sustainable and produces more grains. In juice, the grains do not increase and their life span is limited.
i would love to make some kefir milk can i get the kefir grains at a health food store and what are the best ones to get thank u very much, rita
My questions: How do you determine
1. when the kefir fermentation has finished?
2. how long do the grains last and how many times can they be re-used?
3. from where do you obtain the grains?
Thank you for your time and assistance.
I’ve answered your questions in the article that accompanies the kefir recipe
My Mom used to let some of her fresh milk sit and “clabber up”. She then drank it or used some in baking. what is the difference between it and Kefir?
Thanks
You’re describing naturally soured or clabbered butter milk which, indeed, is tasty.
Kefir is even tastier. It is incubated with a specific culture which provides invaluable probiotic. Also, depending upon how you make it, kefir can be pleasingly effervescent.