Above is a photo of my new water kefir grains to make my new fermented drink ~ kefir (pronounced kuh-feer or keh-feer)! Already the grain crystals have multiplied from when I first started using them.
There are both milk and water kefir grains and I decided to go with the water kefir grains at this time. Milk kefir grains are a strong consideration for a future purchase.
Since I only had a few tablespoons of kefir grain crystals to begin with, I started with a 1-1/2 pint sized jar. For the first batch I added one tablespoon of brown sugar and one tablespoon of granulated sugar along with two cups of water. After the first batch, I have only been using the granulated sugar.
What I like about the kefir is that it only takes 24 to 48 hours for the first ferment compared to the seven to ten days of the kombucha's first ferment.
The kefir grain crystals multiply a little each time you use them. My grains have been multiplying enough so that they are nearly doubled. I am now using a half gallon size jar and filling it halfway.
As with the kombucha, use a plastic or wooden spoon or a spatula for stirring; no metal.
The grain crystals sit at the bottom of the jar. Here is a photo of the grain crystals in the 1-1/2 size pint jar:
And here is a photo of the grain crystals in the 1/2 gallon size jar:
Here's a photo of the crystals after I strained them using a plastic strainer:
My stock of kefir on hand today:
Below are second ferment bottles of kefir with 1/4 teaspoon of added sugar each.
Doesn't look like much bubbling action going on in these jars, does it? I've upped the ante on the next bottles; however, I am still experimenting with how much sugar to add for the second ferment. There's a reason for this as you'll soon learn if you keep reading ...
Here's a story about my first bottle of second-ferment kefir that I opened:
So the sun is coming out. It's humid and its 81 degrees. Not sure what I'm supposed to be wearing. LMBO! Where's the refreshments? Let's just chill by a pool. Its summer time in NC!
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Yes, you read that right!! As I opened my first bottle, it sprayed all over my kitchen just like a bottle of champagne!! The cabinets, the countertop, the floor, my laptop and my son's tablet were all sprayed from the contents of the bottle!! I had to make a quick wipe down of everything. There was very little kefir left in that bottle to enjoy. And that's why I am experimenting with the amounts of sugar I add for the second ferment.
For the ones below, I added the juice from one grapefruit along with two teaspoons of sugar to 1/2 gallon of the water kefir, then bottled it up. A little more tweaking and it should be perfect!
There's more bubbling action going on in these jars so just may be perfect. Time will tell ...
Update:
After sharing my experience with a co-worker, her daughter came to my rescue:
"So, kefir is a 24-48 hour ferment. When you add flavor, for a second ferment, only like 12 hours. And sadly, they act like champagne!! A wider mouthed jar with an air tight lid would probably help the problem. The only reason to flavor later, during the second ferment, is so that you don't have to strain out the grains."
My family insists I have enough jars now, but with this new information, I set out to buy more jars with a wider mouth and found some really cute little half-pint size jars for a single-size drink. Since you're not supposed to use metal lids, I also invested in some more white plastic tops for them.
When I arrived home, I had a couple more of the flip-top bottles bulging from the pressure of the carbonation. I carefully (and skillfully, I might add) released the pressure and transferred the contents into the smaller jars. Perfect! I'll save the flip-top bottles for my kombucha!
Disclosure: The Excalibur Dehydrator link under "Other Sites" is an affiliated link. If you make a purchase using this link ~ you will receive free shipping, along with other specials. I also earn a small percentage to help support my blog. Thank you, your support is appreciated!!
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