How do I make water kefir?

Kombucha, sodas, water kefir, rejuvelac, kvass, and more...

Moderator: Christopher Weeks

How do I make water kefir?

Postby vortexforest on Mon Jan 07, 2013 1:42 am

I just got a batch of water kefir grains. And I want to know, once and for all, do I cover it with a cloth or a lid? Every website contradicts itself.

Does it not matter? I just did my first batch with a napkin rubber banded over it, but I want to know what works best for you.
vortexforest
 
Posts: 18
Joined: Mon Jan 07, 2013 1:36 am

Re: How do I make water kefir?

Postby Ninevah on Tue Jan 08, 2013 3:43 pm

I don't really think it matters much. My grains are thriving covered. The first vessel I used had a plastic screw on cover, the one I'm using now is a glass cover. Neither of them is particularly airtight, but much moreso than a cloth or paper cover.
Ninevah
 
Posts: 7
Joined: Thu Nov 29, 2012 5:02 pm

Re: How do I make water kefir?

Postby Tim Hall on Tue Jan 08, 2013 5:13 pm

Ninevah wrote:I don't really think it matters much.

Ditto. For what it's worth I keep mine in a bail-top glass jar with the rubber ring removed...not air tight either. Same thing with kombucha.
Tim Hall
Long-Lost Keeper of the Keys
 
Posts: 1013
Joined: Wed Jul 09, 2008 4:18 pm
Location: N32.75 W97.34

Re: How do I make water kefir?

Postby vortexforest on Wed Jan 09, 2013 3:44 am

Wow, really! You can do that with kombucha???
vortexforest
 
Posts: 18
Joined: Mon Jan 07, 2013 1:36 am

Re: How do I make water kefir?

Postby Tim Hall on Wed Jan 09, 2013 9:25 am

vortexforest wrote:You can do that with kombucha???
That's the way I've always done it. Doesn't hold fizz real well, but it ferments just fine.
Tim Hall
Long-Lost Keeper of the Keys
 
Posts: 1013
Joined: Wed Jul 09, 2008 4:18 pm
Location: N32.75 W97.34

Re: How do I make water kefir?

Postby vortexforest on Wed Jan 09, 2013 8:05 pm

My issue is that I have the grains in sugar water, but the water is just staying sugary. It doesn't taste bitter like fermented food. So I don't know if it's done anything.
vortexforest
 
Posts: 18
Joined: Mon Jan 07, 2013 1:36 am

Re: How do I make water kefir?

Postby taborda on Sun Jan 27, 2013 12:42 pm

vortexforest wrote:My issue is that I have the grains in sugar water, but the water is just staying sugary. It doesn't taste bitter like fermented food. So I don't know if it's done anything.


i have the same problem, the water remains really sugary, another thing i noticed was that my grains almost ever grew...the guy who passed me these grains said his grains grow 30% every new batch...mine don't......

recently, i tried to revigurate my kefir grains using this guide: http://www.culturesforhealth.com/rehabi ... fir-grains and start adding half pasteurized egg shell for minerals as suggested there...

i only made 3 batches since the "rehabilitation" and keep believing they will recover...
taborda
 
Posts: 17
Joined: Sun Jan 27, 2013 8:55 am

Re: How do I make water kefir?

Postby taborda on Sun Jan 27, 2013 1:34 pm

is there ny trick to make the kefir grains multiply better?...

the guy who passed me the kefir grains used to make it with water+sugar+lemon+raisons, he said he did it like this for years and the grains would multiply fast...

because i cound't remember the ratios he used i look on internet and everywhere it says to just ferment the grains in sugary water and make a second fermentation with othere stuff while you don't have a surplus of grains...

is it possible that adding lemon would make it multiply faster?...
taborda
 
Posts: 17
Joined: Sun Jan 27, 2013 8:55 am

Re: How do I make water kefir?

Postby ralph on Wed Feb 06, 2013 8:57 am

try new grains, mine nearly double so much that i have to throw some away, also if they're left to hibernate in the fridge they tend to contract whereas healthy grains that are used all the time are quite wide and bigger. both seem to work and they produce a yeasty kefir kick. not overly bitter either unless you leave them to brew for a week but unmistakeably kefir. the dried apricot seems to flavour the kefir. i think if you add half an egg shell they multiply even more.

also at this time of year, just screw the cap on or do up the catch on the lid with a rubber seal. i think if it gets hotter or your kitchen is boiling hot you may have to cheesecloth them because more warmth can produce more activity - ie more co2 gas which may cause trouble when undoing it or could overpressurise.

are you using bottled or tap water?
ralph
 
Posts: 8
Joined: Mon Nov 12, 2012 8:37 pm

Re: How do I make water kefir?

Postby taborda on Fri Mar 29, 2013 9:57 am

i recently put my grains in the fridge as sugested in the reovering grains guide and didn't try them again... i'm now using fresh source water not botled neither tap... i heard that should be the ideal water.. i also tried before with boiled tap water and got the same taste and no reproduction...

will try to wake my grains again this week after almost a month on the fridge and hope to post updates... they do seem more shrink probably from the cold....
taborda
 
Posts: 17
Joined: Sun Jan 27, 2013 8:55 am

Next

Return to Tonic Beverage Ferments

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 9 guests