How to Make Water Kefir | Fermented Drink with Water Kefir Grains Starter Culture
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- Опубликовано: 29 сен 2024
- Water kefir is a lightly fermented drink that’s slightly sweet and bubbly. It’s also one of the easiest fermented drinks to make since it takes as little as 24 to 48 hours to make. You only need a starter culture called water kefir grains and we're going to show you how to grow an endless supply!
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Thank you for watching our water kefir video! If you want to turn this into a fruit drink, check out our next video! ruclips.net/video/fwqx_BoIMBQ/видео.html
Hi, can we use jaggery if possible?
Guys this was confusing because you had #1, #2, #3 and never told which was which. I ended up putting 1/4 c organic sugar, 1/4 c kefir grains and a pinch of salt. I stirred the sugar and dissolved in water then a pinch of sea salt and then added kefir. Did I do it right? I hope I didn't kill my grains??
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You two are so cute! Thank you for the thorough information and making this seem doable for us, especially us working people!
Thanks so much for the sweet comment! We're so happy you like our videos! ❤️
the grains as you were pushing on them reminded me of what a baby diaper looks like when it blows up :D .......lol
Ewww! 😂
That’s exactly what it looks like. The filling when the diaper has had enough.😂
I've come to realize that flavoring mine with strawberry is my favorite way to go! Not that pomegranate and cranberry each don't taste nice, but that strawberry almost taste like strawberry wine after the second day of second fermentation. I kid you not, my strawberry water kefir was only a day and so many hours into its second fermentation, and when I went to open the flip top bottle last night, the pieces of strawberry I had left in there went flying, some of it on the ceiling! I was using a Grabber and some wadded-up wet paper towels just to get it off the ceiling because I was afraid I'd fall if I tried to climb up on the counter! And that was with going half water kefir from the first permanent and half just water and the little more sugar added along with the 3 cut up frozen strawberries. I want to double the waterkeeper, so I split it up into two bottles and top them off with spring water and some more sugar, and man, I got some results! Those berries have a temper!
Ooo! Strawberry sounds delicious! Omg wow that's crazy about the strawberry flying to the ceiling. Wow! We're always extra careful when we're adding berries like in our blueberry soda. Thank you so much for sharing and happy fermenting! 😍
@FermentationAdventure yes, I've learned to just place the flip-top lid on top of the bottle without pulling the lever down. That way, I don't have to worry about an enormous amount of pressure building up unless I decide to set an alarm to remind me to burp the bottles. The blended _raspberries_ and water didn't even need sugar, and it popped after just a few hours! thankfully, it didn't go everywhere, but I've learned to be extremely careful with raspberries too!
@@Lavenderrose73 Whoa! Raspberries are the best! (Sarah's favorite!) As long as you're not trying to maximize the carbonation, leaving the tops slightly loose is a great way to let the excess gases escape!
please could you show how to make coconut milk kefir made from coconut meat or desiccated coconut? for people who don't like sugar
That sounds like a great idea! I bet coconut milk kefir would work. Not sure what the end result would be like after the fermentation process but sounds like an interesting experiment! 🥥
@@FermentationAdventure I on the adverts with the milk kafir starters they included that it can also be used for coconut and nut milks.
I drink milk kefir every day and I'm lactose intolerant. The milk kefir "grains" "eats" the lactose. Milk kefir is very low/no lactose depending on fermentation time. Water kefir grains do the same thing to the sugar they "feed" upon.
Oh that's awesome. Thanks for the comment!
@Gavin Byrne Yeah that’s the fermentation process. The scoby gets energy from the sugar and uses it to create bacteria. The longer you wait, the more potent and acidic it will be.
I’ve seen people use molasses but never as a substitute of sugar. They used some in the initial batch probably like a tablespoon.
I’ve been brewing this for a few days and it’s been an adventure. Tart cherry juice made a pretty good. I thought I’d let make the next batch ferment a little longer during the second fermentation. Wholly cow Batman! When I opened the bottle…. The gasket blew off the bottle and the Kerfir foamed out and almost emptied all over my kitchen! But the little bit left tasted great! 🤷🏼♀️ I’m trying it with ginger. I’ll use your squeeze bottle tester idea next time. I thought I could do it without.
So I just love your channel and have recommended it so times! You have really helped me with allll these fermented drinks...and my hubby LOVES it all!
My question is, with all this fermenting do you guys get fruit flies and if so, what have u found to get rid of them if you still ferment so can't get rid of their "food"
Awww! Thank you so much!! 💗 That is an interesting question... We don't really get fruit flies in our home, but we know they can be pesky little buggers! Perhaps it would help to use fermentation tops for your jars so that the smell is mostly contained. Like these silicone lids that let the excess gases escape, but without exposing your ferment to the air: amzn.to/2E86ryK Hope that helps!
You could try making a ferment and actually using it to make a fruit fly trap with a jar with a pencil sized hole in the middle of the top. It will attract them in and they cannot get out. Eventually they fall to the bottom and drown. Also, you can add a drop of dawn soap to it to make it so they don’t float on the water.
Hello you two. Another great video! One question though... Once the second fermentation is complete, how long is the drink good for? Can they be stored in the refrigerator like you can with ginger ale, or do I need to drink them quicker? I sure appreciate all your detailed videos. You guys are awesome!
Hello! Thank you for the great question! It stays good for a long while, especially when stored in the refrigerator - just like ginger ale. Of course we can't store it long enough because we just can't get enough of this stuff right now. A little at lunch, a little at dinner. Delicious!
Thanks so much for your reply. Mine didn’t last long either. Two bottles worth were gone in a day by the family. Lol
Great video and information. Which do you prefer water kefir or the ginger bug? Which one do you think is easier and more versatile?
Oh, that's a tough question Shawn! We do love both, but often we find the ginger bug to be a little easier to use. This is because you don't have to worry about the health of the kefir grains when it comes to different flavors. If you want a flavored kefir drink, you'll need to strain off the grains and go through a secondary fermentation stage with the fruit. For some people, the upside to using kefir grains is that it is much more delicate in flavor and doesn't turn to alcohol like the ginger bug does. Hope that helps!
Great an easy recipe. However should it have some bubbles or should I see some fermentation doing the process?
Yes you definitely want to see some bubbles during the process They can be a little small so try shining a light to see if you can see any after a few days.
I ordered the same ones you guys used and didn’t start the process until the eighth day after I received them. Of course they were in the refrigerator until then. So far I’ve only seen very small bubbles around the top after a couple days. What’s the longest they should ferment the first time around? Also, some say in a warm area with light and no direct sunlight. Others say in a warm dark place… does it matter? Thanks a mill
We've fermented for a month before and it tasted a little like a tangy lemon juice in a way. Usually though maybe a week or two would do it for us. We also notice that water kefir doesn't seem to be as active as the ginger bug is. Definitely keep it away from direct sunlight. We actually ferment right on the counter and cover it with a cloth to darken it a little bit. I hope that helps!
Can you combine ginger bug and activated water kefir grains in the first fermenation stage?
Since they both consume sugar, I would think they could be combined, but I'm not sure. 🤔
Thanks for the question! You could try it, but you may get varying results. The ginger bug and kefir grains are different types of starter cultures, so even though they both love sugar, they would both try to take over the culture in the jar and would be competing with each other. In our experience, our ginger bug seems to be a more resilient culture than our kefir. Hope that helps! Would be a great experiment!
@@FermentationAdventure Do you know the types of beneficial bacteria that a Ginger bug makes?
I looked online, but couldn't find anything. I did, however, find the strains that water kefir makes.
In thinking about the logistics of combining them, I think it may work if they both make similar strains of probiotics. And yes... some of the strains may be cancelled out by the ginger bug since ginger is anti-bacterial.
I currently have them separated for the 1st ferment stage, but I have successfully made 2 batches (in 1/2 gallon jars) of fizzy soda by combining 3 cups of finished kefir water, 1/4 cup ginger bug liquid, and 2-3 cups of freshly chopped Sweet Cicely (it's an herb we grow that tastes like licorice/anise). Topped off the jar with water. Didn't add sugar since it's already sweet enough for my taste. Very yummy!! 😋
We also grow Lemon Balm. I plan to try the same soda recipe with that soon, but it's still emerging from its winter sleep. Gotta wait for it to get taller to harvest some.
Thanks again for the awesome fermenting videos. 😀
...Dawne
Thank you for making this informative video! I have one question though. When I store the grains in the sugar-water mixture in the fridge, can I use the same cloth & rubber band to cover the top? Or should I close it tightly with a proper lid? Also, if I want it to be fizzy, do I need a bottle with a flip top? Can I achieve it by using a glass jar with a tight lid?
Thanks so much for the question epiphany! You could use the same cloth to cover in the fridge if you like. We like using tops that are porous so nothing funky gets inside. We also don't close it very tightly so it won't build up pressure. If you want to carbonate it, you'd definitely need something like the flip-top beer bottles or even a plastic soda bottle that's built for pressure. Definitely do not build up pressure in a regular jar since it might explode! I hope that helps and happy fermenting!
Great video but one thing I thought was wrong. Aren't u supposed to use a non metal strainers? I heard metal isn't good for them so u should only use non metal ones.
Thanks for the question! The metal issue has a bit of truth in it as long as you're not leaving your water kefir or your grains touching metal for long periods of time. The acids tend to leech bad chemicals from the metal if they were stored in it. Short period of straining shouldn't affect it though. Happy fermenting!
Thank you so much 😊 Queen & King! ❤️😊👆🏾
Wow! Thank you so much for the nice comment! We hope we've inspired you to create some delicious ferments and maybe even been a little entertaining in the process. Ha! Happy fermenting! ❤️
So helpful!! Some questions:
- What does using chlorinated water do? I’ve been using tap water filtered through a Brita pitcher.
- When it comes to adding flavor, can I use frozen fruit or will having cold ingredients stop the fermentation even if it’s kept at room temperature? Any other flavor ingredients to avoid?
- What are ways I can kill the kefir grains so I’m wary of them? My grains still seem to be fermenting my batches but I haven’t noticed multiplication. I’m going to try to add mineral to my next batch. I’ve let some batches (1st and 2nd fermentation) sit for even up to 5-7 days. Is that bad?
Chlorine kills anything living in our water so it makes it safe but if you're trying to ferment then it will stop the fermentation process. You can definitely use frozen fruit! It will thaw out to room temperature and get going fairly quickly. Using chlorinated water could kill your water kefir grains along with hot or warm water. Using juices that have preservatives could also hurt them so watch out! They grow very slowly and you might not even notice they're multiplying. Sometimes it can take longer to get water kefir to ferment if it's cold in your house or if you have a batch that's just not so active. Hope that helps! Good luck!
Interesting video! Will you make a video about milk kefir too?
Thank you! Glad you enjoyed it! We probably won't be making a milk kefir video because we don't actually drink cow's milk, which is what those milk kefir grains really need to thrive. But we do plan to make more water kefir related videos!
@@FermentationAdventure I see. Well, goat milk and such can be used too, but I presume you don't drink that either
i used to make a 25 litre batch of this every time and i found that if you fill the second stage bottles three quarters full they would explode but if you filled them right to the top they wouldn’t.. hope this helps..
Thanks for sharing! That's interesting!
You don't talk about water source. I have reverse osmosis so I have to add minerals correct?
Thanks for the question! We'd probably add some minerals if you have reverse osmosis water since it will at the very least make it taste better. Water kefir also needs minerals occasionally to stay healthy. Good thinking!
If you make a few bottles and put them in the fridge does this stop or slow down the process so you don’t have to worry about them exploding?
If you put them in the fridge it does slow them down a lot but they'll keep fermenting in the fridge so be careful! We've had bottles highly pressurized after a few weeks that we had to burp.
Hi,it’s ok if put room temperature boiling water to make water kefir? Thanks
You definitely want to make sure your water is at room temperature and not other or you will kill the water kefir! Thanks for the question Cindy!
Would honey be a good sugar source or would the probiotics in it effect the ferment.
It's possible you could use honey in your water kefir. It might end up slowing down the fermentation but you never know until you try!
Do you guys knows if I can use piloncillo as my sugar source every time? I’m in Mexico and just got some grains. They said they only use piloncillo
Yes, you can use piloncillos. We use piloncillos (1-2 per batch de aqua de bulgars). Drop them in the water/grains, and that's it! You don't have to mix it...the piloncillos will dissolve in the water. Buena suerte!
@zulemavelasco Yes, definitely you can use piloncillo! We actually just tested piloncillo and a bunch of other sugars in this other video to see how they ferment: ruclips.net/video/TTHom2VY2R4/видео.html. You'll see that piloncillo adds an additional flavor and color to the ferment, but it was delicious!
@tanfina8348 Thanks so much for sharing!
I would like to know how to do it in big bathes. Just 2 little bottle wont last lol
Haha!! 🤣 That would be amazing! I don't know what a water kefir bath would be like but in any case you'd just have to take the recipe and multiply it up to make a ton more.
What is that made? Where can I buy that crystal grains your holding
Thanks for the question Elvira! You can buy them here: amzn.to/3liJo4Q
What should be the TDS of water to avoid any addition of minerals?
Not sure on that one since everyone's water around the world is different. We just filter our tap water and add only a tiny sprinkle of minerals as recommended.
@@FermentationAdventure okay, thank you for ur reply
Keen to try this! Also probably just me, but you remind me of a hair free J P Sears 🥴🤔
It's good stuff! Haha!! J P Sears is a riot! 😂😂😂 I can't see the relation but we love his videos!
Thank you ❤
Our pleasure! Thank you for the love! 🥰
Why doesn't the sugar ferment into alcohol like with beer or wine?
Hi! Actually every fermented drink makes alcohol as the bi-product of the fermentation process. However sweeter ferments will ferment more quickly, therefore creating alcohol more quickly. Also some ferments like water kefir create very minimal alcohol compared to let's say, its ginger bug friend.
I need to know a clear recipe to know how much sugar content is left in the final product. A can is 330 ML or 11.15 Ounces, how much sugar content is there in this amount? Does anyone know?
First time here, the problem I see is how to know how much sugar is left after the fermentation? I don't want to make too sugary drinks and although this looks like a good replacement for diet soda (after all it's natural) I don't want to drink sugar.
I received my water Kefir grains on the 11th and its the 13th now, No bubbles yet. Do I have to have bubbles or do I just need to wait longer? I'm doing both water Kefir and ginger bug at the same time, thought I could wait but the package said use right away. So these two processes are different as where you use all the Kefir water and just some of the Ginger bug. I hope I don't confuse myself.
Water kefir is a sneaky ferment because you won't necessarily see bubbles. After 1-2 days, the grains should have started the fermentation process and you could drink it at any time, but we like to let it ferment at least another few days more. Although if you add fruit to it in secondary fermentation, you will definitely see some bubbles! Did you check out our follow-up video on water kefir?
Here's the link to our water kefir secondary fermentation video: ruclips.net/video/fwqx_BoIMBQ/видео.html
Hello u-2, from Quebec, Canada and here we do not sell water kefir, we kive them, its a partage from kefir brothehood, same in Europe !
Bonjour, Marc and bienvenue to our channel! You are the first Quebecois we've heard from, which is really exciting because Sarah is actually Quibecoise! Please share more about what this kefir brotherhood is - very interesting!
Can you use distilled water?
Absolutely! Distilled water should be non chlorinated.
@@FermentationAdventure
Thank you. All we drink here is distilled with added minerals. Are the added minerals ok?
I'm a diabetic - how much sugar would be into a water Kefir?
Thanks for your question! It all depends on how much sugar you start with and how long you ferment for. The longer you ferment, the less sugar will be less but you can always put less sugar. We hope that helps!
Can I use alkaline water?
You can definitely use alkaline water. It might affect different ferments a little differently but I bet the extra minerals would still work for your water kefir.
how can we make water kefir graines ??
Thanks for the question! Normally the process of making water kefir grains starts by getting the starter culture from someone else or buying a water grain culture from a good source. We've hear it originated from the sap from cactus in Mexico so you could research to go down that rabbit hole but it's way easier to just get some water kefir grains, make water kefir, and you'll have tons of them just from the process. It's good stuff! Hope that helps!
@@FermentationAdventure thank you for your clear response 💕🤲
What is the proper pronunciation of Kefir? I've heard it as ''kee-fer'' but I like the ''fancy'' pronunciation.
Haha! Oh man you're opening a can of worms there. We've heard it both ways before of "kee-fur" and "kay-fear" with both sides arguing hard for their version. 😅 Good luck with that one!
@@FermentationAdventure I know, right? 😅🤣 It's like people debating how to pronounce ''tomato'' or ''potato''. Is it ''tow-may-tow'' or ''tow-maw-toe''? "Poe-tay-tow'' or ''Poe-taw-toe''. I guess it depends on where you from. It's like the word ''schedule'' being pronounced as ''sheds-yo'' .
@@FermentationAdventure I do like the pronunciation: Ku-fear'' for Kefir, it has this particular vibe to it that I gravitate to. 🥰 I find myself saying it this way on a frequent basis.
My water kefir stop fizzing second fermintation. Is it because I did not add minerals to it?
There could be many reasons that your fermentation slowed down. If it's too cold or even if your water kefir needs a rest. Adding minerals every few batches is a good idea to keep it healthy. Keep trying and I'm sure you'll get a good one. Good luck!
@@FermentationAdventure I think my house is to cold I keep it 78. So I gave it a rest and my first batch still not working. You guys made it to easy
Wish you showed problems that can happen.
Can this be made keto?
I need water kefir grains... Price plz ?
Hello! We bought these water kefir grains: amzn.to/3liJo4Q. It was $10 USD. Hope you enjoy!
@@FermentationAdventure thank you
Someone PLEASE help me. My water kefir becomes too alcoholic for me to sustainably drink. What am i doing wrong? How do i alleviate this issue while still minimizing the sugar content?
Thanks so much for your question! You can always start with less sugar or ferment for less time so it doesn't go too alcoholic. Usually water kefir though isn't active enough to get too much alcohol in it but that's what we would do. Move it to the fridge once you like the flavor. Good luck!
@@FermentationAdventure well I must have accidentally discovered the secret to making water kefir alcoholic lol. Some of it is about 10 percent alcohol, but i also figured out how to negate this finally so thanks for replying
I've only cultured milk kefir before. It was extremely successful and my grains grew and multiplied like crazy. I eventually got out of it and they died, so I did have to buy more. Unfortunately, the ones I ordered took forever to arrive and smell really yeasty. The last batch didn't take as long to arrive (this was before the pandemic and shipping delays we've had) and smelled nice and fresh, not yeasty, so I'm trying to figure out the problem. I'm considering trying water kefir but I just want to be sure it has the same beneficial bacteria as milk kefir.
Everything I've seen and heard said about milk kefir said not to use any metal utensils with it, but I see you using a metal strainer. Apparently this is not the case for water kefir?
Hello! We wouldn't recommend using metals in ferments for an extended period of time as it could be harmful, but the concern is often overblown. We've used stainless steel for short periods of time (like the use of a strainer) or a stirring spoon, and have never had a problem. About water vs. milk kefir, we prefer not to have dairy, so we haven't gotten into milk kefir, but believe it may have some more strains of bacteria than water kefir. Still, water kefir is full of beneficial bacteria and we've been happy with the way we feel when it's in our diet. It may also be a bit easier to keep alive and well just because you don't have to worry about the milk aspect of it. A big benefit with the water kefir is that you can test out many fruit and herbal flavors too. Hope that helps!
You can use medicinal herbs in your second ferment. Lemon and fennel fronds make an absolutely delicious drink. Use moringa (fresh), use stinging nettle (fresh), and other herbs as well. Dandelion roots, burdock roots...you get the idea 🙂
Yum! I bet all of these would enhance the flavor quite a bit! We've always thought of growing moringa as a super food but haven't gotten around to it yet. Thanks for sharing!
Are you referring to moringa leaves? Or the fruit?
Where do you grow your Moringa? I bet deer like it too so I’d need to grow inside my deer fence. I’d like to forage for stinging nettles. Thank you for the suggestion!
Moringa doesn't have fruit. It needs a very warm climate to grow in. I have some in large pots and a couple in the ground. In winter, it's basically deciduous, even though our winters are mild. I tropical climates and arid climates, it's evergreen.
Look up on you tube...many interesting videos on this super food.
Using medicinal herbs is a no brainer.
The alcohol evaporates off the kefir as it ferments, because it is in an aerobic environment (it can breathe). In order for the alcohol content to really increase and remain in the kefir, we need to put it in a sealed container with an airlock during fermentation (anaerobic environment).
Hi! That definitely could help, but we've noticed that water kefir is a much lighter, slower ferment than say, a ginger bug. :)
That is not how it works, rather aerobic environment allows yeast to respirate while eating sugar- creating co2 and water. In an anaerobic environment the yeast convert sugar into co2 and ethanol.
Please help me. How do i completely minimize the alcohol content of the water kefir?
@@bannanaization at .3%, you'd have to drink about 160oz to get the amount of alcohol of 1x 12oz Bud Light (or any 4%abv beer). To minimize/ try to get below .3%, use a little less sugar (about 1/2 cup sugar / gallon of water vs. 3/4 cup), use very active real grains (not powder etc), and remove from fermentation, bottle, and refrigerate without a 2ndary ferment after 24 hours (vs after 48). You'll get a still sweet kefir water. Less acidity and fewer probiotics do come along with lower abv%/ shorter ferments.
@@seanwhiskey8217so the longer it ferments the more probiotics? Also can I use coconut sugar? I tend to be sensitive to Kane sugar. I wasn’t sure if I would still have that sensitivity given the yeast is feeding off of the sugar but I still want to try to be mindful of that.
I'm lactose intolerant, and I made milk kafir for several years. I was able to drink a gallon of milk kafir a week without issue because the kafir digests the sugar in the milk which is lactose. I've always been curious about water kafir and kombucha. I'm glad I found your channel.
That's interesting! Thank you so much for sharing about that. I'm sure there a many who have the same issue of not being able to digest lactose so maybe that will help. We're happy to have you here! 💓
FYI, I use to have a list of the bacteria and fungi that are in the water kefir, its over 40 different species, very exciting and very health promoting. IF you buy some water kefir at the store it is only (1) one species and expensive, not worth it at all, better to make it from the grains at home!
That's awesome to hear Marcella! Thanks so much for your comment!
Yeah, the only water kefir I can find in the stores here is "lightly pasteurized", with " live probiotics added."
Not sure if any commercial brands even sell raw water kefir.
Paul is correct is pronunciation. Kefir comes from Arabic word كفير which means “feel good” and it’s pronounced “kefiir” not “keefir”.
Thank you so much for your input! That's very interesting! 😊
I LOVE water kefir. I discovered it this summer. I usually use a brown sugar and supplement with molasses here and there. I got mine to grow to enough grain to ferment GALLONS at a time and finally cut back a lil. 😅 My fav recipes for the bottling stage are to add 1/4 cup grape juice concentrate - my kids fav grape soda. Another recipe is to add a bit of sliced ginger, fresh sliced tumeric, 2 tbsp of maple syrup and a pinch of pepper. YUM! ❤ you guys! 🙌
We love your ideas! Yum! Thanks so much for joining us on our adventures!
Thanks for yr input :)
Hello,Laser Lady,I love your originality and I asked this question before and waiting for the answer,well nobody mention about honey instead of maple sirup,or molasses because honey is so healthy and full of great enzymes? 🤷♀️Thank you
@@user-smart3 oh thanks! I have heard honey can decrease carbonation because of its antibacterial qualities, though I have never tested it. It's worth a try! 👩🔬
Power-Mom!!
I was told to use a plastic strainer? I do that for milk kefir grains but am curious if that applies to water kefir grains as well? Great video! I dehydrated and stored mine in the freezer for five years lol and started them again last night and they're still working! I know they were supposed to only freeze for a year but apparently they're still good lol!
Wow! That's amazing Seharris! That really shows the resiliency of some of these starter cultures. I think in general the metal vs plastic strainer question has been a myth. We've used both stainless steel and plastic strainers and they work great. The kernel of truth is that you wouldn't want a low-quality metal to stay in contact with an acidic ferment for very long since it would start to eat away at it and then you might have bad things leaching into your ferment. We haven't had any problems and don't give it a second thought since we use stainless steel and it very briefly comes into contact when we're straining. We hope that helps and that your ferments are doing well! 😊
I’ve been using water Kefir for more than 10 years… I love it!!! One way of keeping it for future use is actually freezing it… you can freeze it for 2 to 3 months…
Hello! Whoa, freezing it?! Wow. Pretty interesting. Do you have a few more details that could help readers in these comments? A few questions that come to mind... Do you free them in liquid? Do you thaw them on the counter at room temperature? Have you noticed that it takes longer for them to work in fermentation (to come out of hibernation?) than if it was just stored in the refrigerator while in hibernation? Thank you for sharing!
@@FermentationAdventure hi, it’s pretty incredible isn’t it??? This little wonders of nature are really unbelievable!!! I drain them and put them in little ziplock bags or plastic wrap, taking care to live them well out of air (almost as a vacuum wrap, but not so tight… just mostly out of air contact). To make them come back to “life” again I just leave them in room temperature until they unfreeze… after that just put them back in a sugar solution just as if you were going to do a fermentation… change this solution every 24h to 48h… it will need probably 2 to 3 sugar/water solution changes to get them going again… but they do comeback!!! :) I can put here the best Kefir information page in internet I found… it’s a really good source for getting information …
Thank you Bruno! Kefir grains are awesome. 😊
Hi Bruno was interested your method of freezing for so long the water kefir,but I wondered did you use glass jars or plastic because the glass could break easy in the freezer? Thank you for your time ,Gaby
@@user-smart3 hi Gaby. I have used both plastic and glass, and they both worked fine. For plastic I actually used a little plastic freezing bag (either ziplock ou normal plastic bags), and for glass, which I do prefer, I used tiny glass jars usually used for jams or jelly…
Mine is at almost 24 hour, and it is bubbling like crazy.I will do a 2nd fermentation using kombucha bottles. Do I still need to burp them?
I used to make it about 15 years ago, but stopped when one 64 oz mason jar exploded in my hands and shattered my stove.I got scared and stopped, and switched to kombucha. I am making both now.
Oh, btw, it is pronounced kuh-feer with a long R.
Wow! That's scary about the exploding bottles. You definitely have to be careful about the pressure. That's why we also use plastic soda bottles to test the pressure just in case. If you have a very active one we'd release the pressure more often. Thanks for the comment! 🙂
I just had a successful batch of water kefir and it tastes awesome! Funny how I had tons of issues using the wild ferment (ginger bug) but zero issues with the water kefir. Thanks for all the advice guys! Do kombucha next? :)
That's wonderful news! Kombucha is a great idea! We're actually brewing a batch now, just have to record it and publish the video. :)
@@FermentationAdventure Can't wait for the vid!!!
Oh, wait until you see the Scoby we grew! Video coming next week. :)
In your video u stated that if one is lactose intolerant the water keifer vs milk keifer is the way to go. That is a false statement because in the fermentation process of the milk keifer the yeast is feeding on the lactose (sugar) in the milk. So after the fermentation process is done no more lactose is present. Their for lactose intolerant people can drink milk keifer.
Hi! Good point! Thanks for weighing in on this. If someone was really sensitive to lactose, more like an allergy to dairy, then it still may be a better option to just go with the water kefir. But with milk kefir, one could try to ferment it all the way out to make sure there's no traces of lactose left.
Hello. I ferment a WKG and it's 3 days now but I don't see any bubbles from the jar, when I taste it. it's still sweet, not sour even little. Did I do wrong?
Thanks so much for your question! This could be a lot of things. Your water kefir starter might not be very active. Keep trying more batches to see if it recovers or "wakes up" if it hasn't been used in a while. Make sure to use non-chlorinated water, ferment at a warm enough temperature like above 70 degrees F. Or just try to ferment longer to see if it's just a slow ferment. We hope that helps and you get a good batch! 😊
I've been making water kefir for a couple months now, and have a few questions.
How do you know when a ferment is done?
I've watched a lot of vids, and read a lot, but all of the advice is loosly time based, with comments like, "shorter in the summer". I've been running my 1st ferment for about 48 hours, at 24°C. It's usually bubbling after 12 hours, and doesn't stop. I have no idea if I should go longer, or if I'm going too long, but my grains are shrinking, so I need to do something different. I've tried everything I've seen and read to help, slowly transitioning if changing sugar, or adding in sea salt, or baking soda. I've tried a variety of dried fruits, all with no preservatives, and have been careful to use water that's not chlorinated or too hot. Nothing's working - the just keep reducing a little more every time.
I'm also not sure when a 2nd ferment is done. They're bubbly, and taste good, but what's optimal? Again, the advice I've seen has all been vague, with 12-24 hours, maybe less in the summer. I'd love to know how the ferment will change if I've gone too long, or if there's something I should see/taste as a change that would indicate it's "done", or "optimal".
Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thank you in advance.
Thank you so much for your question Wildepix! You'll find differing advice on timing since it really is different for everyone. Temperature affects the ferment time. The vibrancy of the starter culture affects the ferment time. Also your personal taste will affect the time too. We've gone a few days with water kefir and liked the light flavor but we also had a batch that we let go for a solid month and we almost liked the tangy flavor even better than something like a strong kombucha. It's more of an art when it comes to the timing and the biggest factor is the flavor that you like. Sorry we couldn't nail it down more for you but flavor and what you like is the most important. Hope that helps and happy fermenting!
You can greatly slow down and almost stop the fermentation process by putting it in the refrigerator. You just have to try and that's it, and not focus on time, since it is always individual and depends on many factors. It's like eating - you don't have to rely on grams and milliliters when, say, you need to achieve a sweet and sour balance. Just try everything. As soon as you like couscous, put the bottles in the refrigerator and eventually work out your own individual order of time.
5:04 this part confused me a lil. I ordered kéfir gels and received them on Thurs and thought I need to do several batches before using it on fruits🤔 and do I need to do all these batches (molasses, baking soda .. etc) before using it on fruits? Thanks
Thanks for your question Mitty! To start you might want to make several plain batches to get it going. Then on one of the plain batches, after you strain off the grains you can add fruit. Every so often when you make the plain batch it might be good to add a bit of the other ingredients to give the kefir grains more nutrients. We hope that helps explain it a bit more! 😊
Wow brilliant video. I realise ive been doing my water jefir all wrong. I was wondering why mine was never fizzy. Thanks again. You just got yourself a new subscriber
Thanks so much for the love Lee! We hope your water kefir is bubbling along nicely! 💓
I am sure you guys do a great job but too long and too detailed for me. I like the old KISS principal. but you both present very well
Thanks so much for the comment! We have so many kinds of people finding us from all over so we try to be as detailed as we can. You can always go straight to the recipe on our website though! fermentationadventure.com/how-to-make-water-kefir/
Hi, plz give fruits list which can use or which fruit can we avoid to making kefir drink !
Thanks so much for your question! You should be able to use any fruit in your secondary fermentation. The primary is to make plain water kefir only and then secondary you can add fruit for good flavor. We hope that helps! 😊
I'm currently making kombucha for the first time after watching your videos on the subject, and this seems like a great project too! I would love to make cucumber and mint flavored water kefir. I bet that would taste great!
Oh yeah that sounds delicious Travis! 😋 That flavor combination would be great for the subtle flavor of water kefir. We hope your ferments are going well! 😊
Yum
We shouldn't use any metal utensils. That's what I know. Also organic sugar is better.
Thanks for the suggestions Elizabeth! We like to use high quality stainless steel. Low quality metal might leach chemicals into it but professional distilleries always have very large stainless steel vats that they ferment in. Organic is always better since it shouldn't have pesticides and herbicides!
I opened mine to get started after they arrived a couple of weeks ago and it has a kind of vinegar smell? is this normal or have they went off?
Interesting! I think I remember when we got ours it had a slight vinegar smell. It's possible it had been fermenting for a while but should still be good. Did you happen to make a batch of water kefir with it? We hope it went well! 😊
Hi everyone! We're excited to share this instructional video with you and hope you try it! Here's where you can get some water kefir grains: amzn.to/3liJo4Q
So water kefir grains do not have lactose but do they have milk protein in them?
No water kefir grains do not have milk protein in them. Milk kefir grains are a totally different culture and those have milk protein in them since they're used in fermenting milk kefir. We hope that helps! 😊
How do you know how much sugar is remaining? Is there a % of sugar you start and end with?
Thanks for the question! To know that you might have to get an instrument called a hydrometer. You'd measure how much sugar you have when you start and it will tell you how much you have at different points. We actually made a video showing it that you might find helpful: ruclips.net/video/86SwZyUbtF0/видео.html We hope that helps!
Great video guys
But milk kefir has more bio diverse strains and it's 100 times potent than any other cultured and fermented food
We are talking about 20 probiotic bottel in just a 8oz serving
Beside all of the other
And by the way milk kefir is safe for lactose intolerant patient
because the lactose is fermnted thus consumed during the culturing process
The alchohol in milk kefir is between 0.1-0.5 depending on the grains and many other factors such as tempreture if its double fermented or not
But guys If you adapt any lifestyle which dose not include any food category
in your case
dairy or any other catrgory just dont be biased against it because remember the truth will always prevail
😂 Yep, everyone is welcome to their own opinions and diets. I was even hoping that we'd be able to make milk kefir with non-dairy milk, but from what we've researched, that doesn't seem possible.
@@FermentationAdventure Coonut tin milk with higher sugar in. put into milk first for week than coconut milk for 2-3 days and back into milk for 24 hrs to keep it going.
Why is there no info on how to make kefir grains??? They have to be made somehow so do you know how to start from zero & make the grains??
There's a history of water kefir grains being made by the crystalized sap of a cactus that grows down in Mexico. You can definitely try to grow it from scratch but it's much easier to use a culture that's already established. Hope that helps!
How do you store left over grain until you want to make another batch? Thank you for sharing this video and your help. How often can you drink this?
We simply strain off the water kefir grains and store them in sugar water in the fridge. They stay good for a long time until we need them again. Thanks for the question! 🙂
I've tried doing water kefir but the result smelt like toe cheese. Is this normal?
It's possible that some ferments might smell different if they're either strained or reacting to something in the water. Usually water kefir smells very pleasant though so if you think it doesn't smell right, we'd throw it out and start over. We hope that helps!
Nice video, but a little bit confusing.
Sorry you found it confusing! We also made a video on using water kefir grains to make fermented fruit drinks: ruclips.net/video/fwqx_BoIMBQ/видео.html. This may help answer some questions, but let us know if you have any other questions!
How can I make my own water kafir grains. Or must I buy this.
You can't really make your own water kefir grains without a water kefir starter. The best way is to just buy some water kefir grains to start. These are the ones we bought in the video: amzn.to/3YIJHdF We hope that helps!
I would love to see your day to day eating! What you consume on a daily basis that contains theses ferments!
Aww, thank you! Maybe a future video? Although, here's a sneak peek... At lunch, we like to add something pickled to our meal, like pickled watermelon on the side, or homemade pickles on a tempeh sandwich. We also enjoy a fermented drink mid day, like ginger ale or water kefir. Then at night we're more likely to enjoy a tepache drink. We are also big fans of tofu, like a scrambled tofu. Yum, now we're hungry!
@@FermentationAdventure I am late in the game to be gluten and shellfish free (not by choice) and have tried very hard to like Tofu....however I do not..texture problems!
Here's another idea... Have you tried it in sweets? It makes a good chocolate mousse, or even adding some to a smoothie!
@@FermentationAdventure I have not tried it in smoothie! Great tip! I don't like sweets but I will definitely try it in a smoothie for a protein boost! Thank you for the suggestion!
When you tested the ABV did you test the bottled kefir too? Would it be lower? Also a video testing the ABV from a fruit juice fermantation would be cool, cant find it on youtube. Nice video!
Thanks for the question! Yes we tested the ABV after we bottled it also. Whether we bottle it or not wouldn't affect the ABV since it's still fermenting at the same rate. Great idea on testing the ABV of fruit juices! We'd love to see what the comparison would be on that also. Happy fermenting!
@@FermentationAdventure When I say fruit juices I mean water kefir made with fruit juice during the second fermentation, but you can do both obviously haha. Thank you for your response 👍
I'm so confused with the amounts. First, I'm in European, so, it's really difficult to understand cups and quart jars. But then, when I translate the amounts with google, it tells me different amounts than you state in your recipe. It would be so nice to find a European friendly (in miligram and gram) recipe that is precise.
So, for one liter (is it one quart, or 3/4 quart as you say in your recipe?) I take 50 mg sugar and 50 mg grains? Is that correct, or not?
On other pages I read it's 3 tablespoons of sugar and 6 table tablespoons of grains. And other guides tell exactly the opposite. I'm so confused. HELP!
I have been making water kefir for about a month now. While the fermentation is happening, the kefir themselves are not multiplying. Could it be because I have not been adding minerals now and then?
Once I make the kefir "soda", how long will it be good for if refrigerated?
Like how long do I have to drink it before it goes bad or until it's not good to drink anymore?
Up to a week
After we've finished fermenting out water kefir we've had it in the refrigerator for a long time even in the months. Usually though sodas we like to enjoy fairly quickly since they'll keep fermenting in the fridge and we want the flavor to taste good. Hope that helps!
The reason for boiling the water with the sugar is not just to dissolve the sugar, it’s to break apart the disaccharide into its constituent monosaccharides, fructose and glucose. Then, the bacteria will eat the fructose preferentially
I'm on the anti inflammatory diet. In the book "the inflammation spectrum" he recommends water or coconut kefir. The diet calls for no sugar so I'm not sure why he suggested this drink if it's made with sugar. If the sugar is eaten is it safe?
The grains I had bought recommended 1 tablespoon of molasses for the first batch then after they get going occasionally 2 teaspoons every few batches
I'm sure that would work out great. Enjoy your water kefir!
Thank you for making this video. I've been bugging ginger lemon water Kefir 40oz for $6.99-8.99, which is not sustainable for me. Great tip that I can make the base sugar water with a dash of mineral, and then later, after I strain the kefir grains out, I can add fruit for the flavor. QUESTION: can I make a Ginger lemon tea for the sugar water right off the bat?
I'm sure you could easily make ginger lemon tea right away. I'm sure it would taste good!
I started making Kiefer a week or so ago. So far, very little fizz at all. One or two batches, not bad, but the one I rebottled today had set for 2 days and flat, flat, flat!! I have a kombucha belt that I’ve been sitting it on next to the Kombucha and neither one have any fizz, in fact, I tossed the kombucha today and am trying to make another batch. I even have the heat set at 22C the past couple days and was very warm in the room, so, can’t for the life of me figure out why there is little to no fizz at all. Just sweet tasteless water. What am I doing wrong.
Sir, water kifer how much is its self life and for how long can we keep it maximum and can we keep it outside the fridge and can we keep it sealed in a plastic bottle and for how long can we keep it maximum?
Water Kifer. Can we keep it in a plastic bottle for 1 year? Plz. Ans
It should be able to stay for a long time but the flavor might get very sour. You'll also have to make sure to check for mold on top and that it smells and tastes good.
Why are ppl online saying theirs are molding in comments
Different ferments might develop mold if it has the right environment to grow. We try to avoid mold by using an airlock or using vegetables and fruits that are the freshest possible along with using water that's non-chlorinated. Hope that helps!
Can i mix the first batch eith the seconf one or so?
You definitely can! That will even out the taste if they taste slightly different. Thanks so much for your question! 😊
Thanks so much this video, I've recently started taking kefir and thinking about making some. So the calorific content is minimal? New subscriber
We're so glad you're joining us on this fermentation adventure! We love water kefir! As you know, it tastes light and refreshing. As far as calories, it will be less than the calories in the sugar you start with in the recipe since the kefir grains will eat some of the sugars during the fermentation process.
When keifer grains multiply, how do you use extra or do you keep using all the grains in your next batch?
We normally just keep using the extra until they multiply too much in the jar. Then we'll scoop some of them out into a different jar and make twice as much! They really do just keep multiplying.
My 2nd fermentation ginger kefir water got white color on top when come to 24 hours . Is it spoil ? The smell still good
Can I use dates in place of the sugar? I’m diabetic.
Thanks so much for your question! You definitely could use dates but we tried it one time and it does make the ferment a lot thicker with floating particles in the ferment. So yes but it makes it a little weird. You could also use less sugar and ferment much longer so there's less sugar remaining. 👍
@@FermentationAdventure , Interesting. Thank you.
Hey, how alcoholic are these drinks?
Thanks so much for your question! Water kefir usually doesn't get much more than 3% alcohol percent since it's not as active as something like a ginger bug. Just for comparison though we did a video testing the alcohol percent of ginger ale: ruclips.net/video/86SwZyUbtF0/видео.html We hope that helps! 👍
There is no way to make watet kefir grains at home?
Thanks for the question! I'm sure if you went back to the source which some people have said is the dried sap from a cactus you could probably make water kefir grains. If you try it let us know how it goes!
Recently discovered that water kefir was a thing. Thanks for explaining it and showing how to make it!
Wonderful! We're happy to be able to help you and others make water kefir! 😃🥰
Key Fear
we love our KEY FEAR 🤣😅
Tomatoe tomato 😆
Thank you for the video. But where can I get this grains?
Hello! Thanks for watching! We bought these grains and they worked out great! amzn.to/3YIJHdF Happy fermenting!
@@FermentationAdventure thank you ❤
Anytime! ❤️
I never heard anyone until now pronounce it “Kuh-feer” like a distinguished person. I’ve always heard others call it “key-fur” as in Kiefer Sutherland lol.
Tomaetoe, tomato I guess! 😆
Thanks for all the wonderful fermentation videos. Based on both of your experiance, what would you recommend for a beginner to try out judging from the most easy maintainable, sustainable, long term solution for beginner who love fizzy probiitic drink.(tepache, ginger ale bug, kombucha, kafir). Are all these process producing the same type of probiotic drink or we are ingesting different type of bacteria into our system. Just out of curiosity. Many thanks!
Thanks so much for the lovely comment! That's a great question! We'd recommend starting with fermented drinks made with a ginger bug. They're all full of probiotics but the ginger bug is so simple to get started. Just buy some ginger and you're on your way! The ginger bug culture also stays healthy in the fridge over years with minimal feeding it. We've had great success with ours (been in the fridge for 4 years). We also have lots of recipes and videos to choose from with the ginger bug. Happy fermenting! 🥰
Thank you! Wow! Delicious! Just drinking some, so refreshing! I will always make this.
We're so happy you're enjoying it Marianne! Happy fermenting!
very nice presentation. We have ordered kefir grains online and will be trying sooner. Still as a first timer, I am little hesitant. Since I wanted to watch this video again before I goof up, I kept the box of kefir grains in the fridge. Hummm, should i need to keep out the grains for some time to bring them at room temp.? Silly question, but will watch your video again tomorrow and proceed making sure I do it right way. Thanks for the video.
We're so happy you enjoyed the video Meera! You don't have to bring them to room temperature since when you get everything ready to ferment, it will naturally come to room temperature. We hope it's doing well for you! 😊
I was told when making water kefir to NOT use any metals like spoons, strainers, metal pots.
Hallelujah you pronounce kefir correctly!
Haha!! We still have people telling us we still pronounced it incorrectly. It makes us laugh every time since people say it differently. Thanks for watching Allyssa! 💓
@@FermentationAdventure I’m Russian, my husbands entire family immigrated here from Belarus, you say it correctly lol. I can’t stand when people say “key-fur” lol
😂😂😂 That's funny.
Hello guys! Thank you for the video! I am about to start experimenting with water kefir. A quick question. Do you think I can make a water kefir starter using a kefir soda product just like you did with KOMBUCHA sto grow your SCOBY? Thanks
Thanks so much for your question! It's possible that just using finished water kefir won't form any new grains the way you can make a kombucha scoby from finished kombucha. You could definitely give it a try but we've heard it's probably not going to work. We'd love to hear how it went if you tried it! 💓