What type of water to use in Kefir Water?
- Tap water or well water is generally best.
- Use highly mineralized water- hard water is better than soft water here!
- Filtered water, reverse osmosis water, or soft water or highly chlorinated water can actually inhibit growth or even lead to the kefir grains dying.
- Bottled water tends to lack nutrients that feed the kefir grains.
How to make homemade water kefir?
- Using a fine-mesh strainer or clean cheesecloth, strain the water kefir into a clean bowl or jar. You can use your tibicos again right away, or you can store them.
- To store tibicos, you will set them up to ferment again with water and sugar. ...
- You can drink your water kefir as is, simply pour it into a clean bottle and refrigerate it. ...
How many times can I use water kefir grains?
Water kefir needs to be fed at least every 48 hours (every other day). Kefir grains need to be strained every 24-48 hours (24 hours being hot summer weather, most of the time they can go to 48 or even another day in the cold winter months) and put in a fresh mix of water and sugar. If you or your grains would like to take a break, stick them in ...
What is water kefir [benefits and uses]?
Reasons Why Water Kefir is Good for You
- Promotes a Healthy Gut. Water kefir is teeming with beneficial bacteria. ...
- Combats Infection. A healthy gut has a balance of both good and bad bacteria. ...
- Boosts Immunity Levels. ...
- Lowers the Risk of Diabetes. ...
- Aids in Weight Loss. ...
- May Help Reduce Asthma and Allergy. ...
- Heals Your Skin and Wounds. ...
- May Reduce the Chances of Cancer. ...
Can I Eat my Water kefir grains?
You can also eat the grains of water kefir (just as you can milk kefir) and get a mega dose of probiotics! Some people decide neither beverage works for them, but the grains themselves do! What's the difference between milk kefir and water kefir?
How do you encourage water kefir grains to multiply?
WAYS TO ENCOURAGE WATER KEFIR GRAINS TO MULTIPLYGive the Water Kefir Grains Adequate Time. ... Feed the Water Kefir Grains Regularly. ... Culture in Sugar Water. ... Use Proper Ratios of Sugar, Water, and Kefir Grains. ... Choose a Warm Culturing Spot. ... Keep the Water Kefir Grains Out of the Refrigerator.More items...•
How often should I feed water kefir grains?
every 24-48 hoursWater kefir needs to be fed at least every 48 hours (every other day). Kefir grains need to be strained every 24-48 hours (24 hours being hot summer weather, most of the time they can go to 48 or even another day in the cold winter months) and put in a fresh mix of water and sugar.
How do you keep water kefir grains alive?
Add water kefir grains to 1 quart fresh sugar water (¼ cup sugar dissolved in 1 quart water). Put a tight lid on the container and place in the refrigerator (when storing the grains, if possible the sugar water should be changed out each week). The water kefir grains should be safe and healthy for up to 3 weeks.
What can I do with water kefir grains?
Water kefir is a probiotic beverage made with water kefir grains. Water kefir grains can be used to culture sugar water, juice, or coconut water. A powdered Kefir Starter Culture may also be used to culture coconut water or fruit juice.
How do I know if my water kefir grains are working?
To find out if your water kefir grains have died, you can test them by making them ferment a new batch. If the grains are dead, the water will remain very sweet and there will be no sign of fermentation. Another sign is the appearance of mould on the surface.
Should I rinse water kefir grains?
Never Rinse Them in Water You should NEVER EVER EVER do this. It damages them and rinses off the protective bacteria that makes them thrive. So many times they will either die, or stop reproducing or not make kefir very well after rinsing.
What happens if you leave water kefir too long?
It will become more curdled and you will see separation happening. The liquid whey will separate from more thicker kefir. Additional fermenting time will also change the taste, it will become more sour. Water kefir will not change much in appearance.
Can you drink water kefir everyday?
Drinking 1–3 cups (237–710 mL) of kefir daily can be a great way to boost your intake of probiotics. Certain people may need to limit their intake, including people with diabetes or autoimmune disorders and those following a low carb or ketogenic diet.
How long can kefir grains survive without milk?
Grains that have been sitting at room temperature can survive for about 2-3 months before it gets extremely hard to revive. To revive, simply separate them from the milk in a strainer, give them a rinse with some clean cold, preferably non-chlorinated water, and put them in a little new milk.
Can water kefir make you gain weight?
Kefir is rich in protein which helps you feel full for long periods of time. Although, drinking too much kefir can hinder weight loss and even lead to weight gain.
How much sugar do I put in water kefir grains?
Water kefir grains tend to do best with a ratio of 1/2 cup sugar to 2 quarts water (6% sugar solution). We strongly recommend not changing this ratio.
How long should water kefir ferment?
24-48 hoursWater kefir generally takes 24-48 hours to culture. The exact time will vary depending on environmental factors, the most important of which is temperature. Allowing the water kefir grains to culture for longer than 48 hours puts you at risk of starving the grains and potentially damaging them.
How quickly do kefir grains multiply?
Water kefir grains can reproduce rapidly under the right conditions and with some luck. They will grow anywhere from 5% – 400% within 48 hours.
Why are my water kefir grains getting smaller?
The water kefir grains are likely very hungry after more than 48 hours without fresh food. Change the sugar water out every 24 hours for the next few cycles until the water kefir grains start behaving normally again. If it has been longer than 6 days, the odds of saving the water kefir grains are significantly reduced.
How long can kefir grains survive without milk?
Grains that have been sitting at room temperature can survive for about 2-3 months before it gets extremely hard to revive. To revive, simply separate them from the milk in a strainer, give them a rinse with some clean cold, preferably non-chlorinated water, and put them in a little new milk.
Can you over ferment water kefir?
It fermented too long. Allowing your kefir to ferment for longer than necessary (24 to 48 hours, or up to 5 days if the temperature is cool) can encourage an imbalance of yeast to grow, resulting in a slimy, thick, syrupy beverage with a yeasty smell or taste.
What Are Water Kefir Grains, and How Do You Use Them?
Making water kefir is one of the easiest, most cost-effective ways to get tons of live probiotics to your gut.
How to Make Water Kefir Without Sugar
Despite what the directions on the kefir grains say, I don’t EVER use sugar to make my coconut-water kefir grow. There are enough natural sugars in the coconut water for the kefir grains to “feed” on and ferment them into a great probiotic base for your drink.
Masterclass to Rehabilitate Your Gut Health
And if you don’t know WHY you want to culture foods to rehabilitate your gut health, you really need to join us for my FREE VIDEO MASTERCLASS going on right now. You’ll also learn about:
Kefir FAQs
Q: What if I have to leave town for a week? Can I put them in the fridge?
What is Water kefir?
Fermented, fruit-infused water, similar to kombucha in that it’s slightly fermented and effervescent-but water kefir is fermented with live water kefir grains, which actually come from a cactus.
How long does it take to make kefir water?
It takes about 3-4 days to make Kefir Water, with only 15 minutes of hands-on time!
What are Water kefir grains?
This is what water kefir grains look like. They are soft and gelatinous “grains” from a cactus plant. They grow and multiply when healthy and fed. They are thought to originate from Mexico where it thrived in the sugary water of the Ountia (prickly pear) cactus.
Where does the sugar go?
From Yeemos: “Kefir grains are an amazing symbiotic matrix of bacteria and yeast that work together to feed off the natural sugars (and sometimes proteins and fats too, especially in the case of milk kefir) found present in the sugar-water and dried fruits.
What kind of sugar to use
Bee shared that using a mixture of organic cane sugar, coconut sugar and sea salt is a really nourishing combination to the kefir grains- the pinch of sea salt add healthy minerals! Mix 1 cup cane sugar, 1/2 cup coconut sugar, 1/4 teaspoon sea salt. Then take your 1/4th cup from this mixture.
Kahm Yeast and Trouble Shooting
If you see a white yeast on top of your second ferment, it is most likely kahm yeast. Kahm yeast harmless but will affect the taste in an unpleasant way. If you have Kahm yeast, make sure to rinse your kefir grains in pure clean water before storing in a clean jar with no soap residue. Cover with clean water and feed.
How to Maintain or Grow your Kefir Grains
The kefir grains that you strained out earlier can be stored in a smaller jar, in the fridge in sugar water or the extra water kefir, you will have after you merge the two jars into one.
Where Do I Get Water Kefir Grains?
I used Google to find my supplier. Many people have too many grains and would be happy to give them to you for free. Find free water kefir grains on sites like Kijiji and fermenting groups on Facebook.
How to Grow Water Kefir Grains
The process is rather simple. Much simpler and faster than growing a scoby ( which took me 6 weeks! – grrr Canadian weather ).
How Do I Know My Water Kefir Grains are Fermenting?
If you have any experience fermenting stuff you know to check for air bubbles.
Things to Keep in Mind
Do not use a sugar substitute instead of sugar. The grains feed on the sugar. Use a sugar that is minimally processed like organic cane sugar.
Resources
I found this book very helpful for learning how to ferment various foods.
Fermentation Fases
When making water kefir, there are generally two phases of fermentation. During each phase, the probiotic concentration of your kefir increases and the sugars you have added decrease as they are consumed by the kefir cultures. Kefir fermentation is anaerobic, which means that no oxygen is required for your cultures to work their magic.
What Kefir Grains Do I Use?
First off, make sure you get WATER KEFIR grains. There is a difference between milk kefir and water kefir grains, and they are not interchangeable.
Re-hydrating Kefir Grains
If you’ve purchased dehydrated water kefir grains, you will need to “activate” (aka rehydrate) them first.
Basic Water Kefir Recipe
Now that you have your live, hydrated water kefir crystals, it’s time to make your first basic water kefir! (I'll be making one of my favorites - a refreshing fig-lemon-goji berry tonic.)
Water Kefir Flavors
Now that you have the basic recipe for making water kefir, it’s time to start experimenting!
Maintaining Your Kefir
Its aroma is irresistible. So many people cannot imagine starting a day without it. Is coffee flawless in its perfection? Like a modern-day beverage of the Gods... or should we consume it mindfully?
