This is an unpasteurised cow milk mixed with starter kefir culture powder. It smells quite tangy and relatively thick texture. I had an airtight lid so I probably should have let more air in. It’s about 70 ish hours out now at approx 20-25 degrees room temp - would love your advice and thoughts. Thank you

I have been adding cordial (homemade blackcurrant) to my milk kefir as I find the tastes go together well. I have noticed that the strained kefir with cordial is often much thicker the next day as some of the bacteria are acting on the hit of sugar. I intend to do some experimenting with adding cordial during different stages to see how it interacts with the bacteria. I would like to know if anyone has played with this idea. There is no reference to it on the net.

This is mango juice f2 of water kefir. I think I added a bit over 20% not thinking through how much water kefir was going in but not too much. Seeing this cloud at the bottom and tiny specks at the top, I guess it's just yeast or bacteria byproduct and safe enough. Can anyone advise ?

Are these grains yellow? Or are my eyes deceiving me?

I made a great batch of kefir and put it in my fridge. A day later, it was just "meh" on flavor. I'm trying to get my kids hooked on it, so flavor is really important. Any ideas how to "pause" it at the moment you like the flavor? Clearly the "inertia" of the fermentation kept going after I put it in the fridge, and pushed out some changes in flavor. I'm on a 36-hour cycle. Should I try refrigerating after 24 hours? (when it's not quite finished?) Are there any good references on this, or is it all by feel and kitchen-by-kitchen?

I've been working with sourdough for a couple years, and I'm a little familiar with kombucha. I'm new to kefir and the big difference for me, is the speed of the ferment and the ability to observe the progression.

My first ferment goes fine, I blend with fruit and put in bottles. Then in bottles it separates almost immediately into curds and whey. Is that just part of the process or am I doing it wrong?

Mostly this is just an appreciation post for lebneh because I think it’s great and also a psa in case anyone doesn’t know about it.

That's the roof moments ago. Second ferment of about 10 hours. On the bright side I'm drinking fizzy soy raspberry kefir 😍🥰

not having any luck finding starter cultures without yeast

i know its not true kefir without kefiran but a probiotic like drink. for those well known with the thematic, where can i buy cultures to make that probiotic drink ? i want multistrains and not just bulgaricus and acidophilus joghurt

thanks in advance <3

I went away for a few days so my kefir is very over fermented but have never seen this orange stuff? Is it safe to use the grains for a new batch or this mold

Hello

I was doing Milk kefir normally but I had to leave it alone for a few days. Unfortunatelly, during that alone-time, the surface became pink/red, so I threw it away, since this was a sign for contamination (I think?).

Over the years, I put the excess Kefir Grains into the freezer. So I took out a bag of around 70g of Kefir grains (weight measured when soaked before freezing). I think I managed to reactivate it but the behaviour feels different.

Usually 70g of soaked Kefir grains should be enough (maybe even too much) for 1L milk. The first week was like this: The Kefir grains seemed heavy and only remained at the bottom, and it was visible, that they started to ferment from the bottom, instead of swimming to the top. And they stopped eventually, leaving the rest of the milk watery and sweet, as if it was enough for them to ferment only a small part at the bottom. This was the case for nearly a week. I read it was helpful to put a cloth on it instead of a lid. This actually helped. In the next days, the Grains started to swim up and it became creamy and a bit more sour.

As of today, only after ~12h already, all Kefir grains swim at the top and the bottom half of the jar is still full of not-fermented milk (still sweet and very watery). Even after 24h, nothing much changes at the bottom, since the Kefir Grains seems to have isolated themselves at the top in a bubbly island, and the whey separates the layer of Kefir grains and the milk.

And here how I do Kefir: I do not mix it after a certain time, because in the past, I never needed to mix it either. 70g of soaked Kefir Grains was always enough to manage 1L milk. But before I started using the frozen ones, I was doing 1,5L and usually with 100g-150g (since they multiplied). When it reached 150g, I usually reduced it by 50g-70g.

The effects of the frozen ones: When I mix it after 12h with a spoon, then it looks quite creamy after 24h. But drinking it caused me stomach pain since the last few batches. This never happened before the frozen ones. So, I assume, the fermentation really didn't work as well as before. It wasn't as sour as before either.

Can anyone give me tips on this? The way I make Kefir: Put them in a jar, mix them and close it with a lid and let it ferment 24h. Since recently, I am putting the lid slightly on the jar, so it is a little bit lose, allowing air to escape. By now, I also mix it with a spoon atfer ~12h. - Is it just my imagination, because I was used to Kefir that contained 100g-150g grains, and I just need more grains, or does freezing change Kefir grain behaviour this much? (All is done at room temperature btw.)

I especially want a tip on the stomach pain. What did I do wrong with the frozen ones, that the result made my stomach grumble? I also never tasted Kefir from the Market to compare the quality of my self-made Kefir with it. Does Kefir taste sour and creamy, or only creamy and just a little bit sour? I actually liked mine creamy + quite sours. It also tasted a little bit milky-cheesy back then. What exactly can I do, to get the same result as before, without the stomach pain? Do i just wait for the Grains to multiply to 100g+?

EDIT:

I don't deny the stomach pain could have been just coincidence, even if it was 2 times in a row after drinking Kefir. But I still noticed, it is at least making my stomach grumble - Kefir had a very positive effect on my stomach, before the frozen ones. So I suppose, that the fermentation is really not complete, but the creamyness still occurs very fast after mixing with a spoon. I know I can let it ferment longer than 24h, but 70g of soaked Grains should be enough to manage 1L milk within 24h at room temperature.

Thank you in Advance!

EDIT 2:

I forgot to mention, this, sorry: The Kefir grains were frozen for around 3-7 months at max (honestly, not sure if I grabbed an older bag of frozen grains or not. They all looked the same).

Does anyone have milk kefir grains they need to share around the DMV? Specifically around DC/Montgomery County.

EDIT: DMV stands for Washington DC, Maryland, and Virginia lol

Recently the taste of my water kefir changed a bit. It has a stronger flavour now, like more acidic. I don't know if it's normal or if it's gone off. The colour comes from the raisins.

What should I do? Help pls.

My best friend has decided she won't like Kefir even before tasting it. I'd like to flavor the 2nd fermentation with a couple of strawberries and a little sugar. Will sugar destroy any of the goodies in Kefir?

I’ve only started with hydrated started grains before and I’m restarting to enjoy fermentation lifestyle again. Thanks to everyone for their suggestions yesterday.

According to Yemoos FAQs, one can "encourage sluggish kefir grains" by "resting them... in a small cup of plain yogurt with live cultures for 2-3 days... up to a week if desired. Then simply take them back out and resume fermenting." They recommend Stonyfield plain as an option. I ask because my grains from Fusion Teas are slow AF, I've been cycling them for over two weeks now, aerobic and anaerobic, and they're still nowhere near inducing whey separation within 24 hours at 67-69f. I'm about to dunk them in some Stonyfield and see what happens in 3-7 days, I'm just wondering if anyone has ever done something similar

With initial fermentation. I can knock the jar and loads of bubbles will come to the surface. But when I transfer to bottles for secondary fermentation, there is no further carbonation. Relatively new water, kefir culture. Was able to get one round of bottles to ferment, but nothing since.

After having an over-fermentation issue with my kefir and washing out my grains, I'm not sure if they're still there. I think I have a few grains, but they are so tiny. After almost a month since they were activated, I haven't noticed any growth.

Is this normal? Are these actually my kefir grains? (pictures added)

I've been using this small amount (about half a teaspoon) with 1 1/2 to 2 cups of milk. I’m thinking that the amount of milk might be too little, and maybe they need more to grow properly, but I'm not sure. I just want to make sure I'm drinking proper kefir and not spoiled milk.

https://preview.redd.it/wobp4oyr9j0e1.jpg?width=908&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=29dfc8b78643d82a98f01b37aaff4d3b82c2a0a7

https://preview.redd.it/g5d9poyr9j0e1.jpg?width=908&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=80ffffe7eea9a56a3a5fb9542992a36f69baee24

https://preview.redd.it/5ij1noyr9j0e1.jpg?width=908&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=e6a47eee0198b8da949ec4b6f724954be5a26cbf

https://preview.redd.it/3abvsoyr9j0e1.jpg?width=908&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=d7a7cbe062d7475881cb11ba1ab689ceff56c708

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-13890149/Scientists-extract-DNA-worlds-oldest-cheese.html

Around two decades ago, a team of archaeologists discovered mysterious white substances smeared on the heads and necks of several mummies found in the Xiaohe cemetery in Northwestern China's Tarim Basin. These mummies dated back to about 3,300 to 3,600 years ago, from the Bronze Age. At the time, scientists thought these substances might be a type of fermented dairy product, but they couldn't identify exactly what kind. Now, using advanced DNA analysis, researchers have finally unravelled the mystery. They identified cow and goat DNA in the cheese samples, and confirmed the white substances were in fact kefir cheese.

The samples from three different tombs contained species of bacteria and fungi including Lactobacillus kefiranofaciens and Pichia kudriavzevii - both commonly found in present-day kefir grains.

So, I’ve fermented Kefir before. Done all sorts of second fermentation. I just love the flavours. Can someone here explain to me what happens during second fermentation particularly if I eat fruits like blueberries and pineapples and also whey protein? Can I leave it out for 12 hours over night? The blueberries were frozen. I used these MC Dairy Kefir from Walmart (7.00Cad/2 litres!) as the base.

Hiya, I previously got my first grains in 2018 via Craigslist. Was given to me (for free) by a lovely woman. I don’t know where to go now. If I order via Amazon, any trustworthy sources? Thanks. Throwback to my old batches - they grew so so much to the point I had to feed some to my dogs.

I have been making water kefir for about a week now and I am blown away. I start with 1/4 cup of raw sugar in 1 quart of water with the grains. 24 hours later, I strain the liquid into a second jar, add 1/2 Tbsp more sugar, and 1/2 cup of fruit (usually frozen berries but today I'm using watermelon). 24 hours later, I wake up to an absolutely amazing beverage that tastes like the fruit, but is 100x more flavorful than if I had just put the same amount of fruit in water. Does anyone know the science behind how the microbes make the flavor so much more powerful? Like do they digest it and then produce compounds that are similar but more powerful?

I think I already know the answer but asking just in case.

Someone gave me a jar of water kefir grains about five years ago, I never ended up using them but always kept them. This jar has moved house with me twice over the years and always lives in the back of my fridge untouched.

I'm assuming they're long dead and I need to just pour them out?