Home made Kefir water.

[Stroppymoo]

I've been making kafir water for several weeks now, it's trial and error, but the water 'beads' last indefinately. I have cracked the one flavour lemon. Supposed to be better than yakult (although I don't make the 'milk' version) Has anyone else heard about kefir and what are your thoughts?

[MhairiP]

I've been meaning to try making kefir! I bought the vegan starter online (we're both vegan in this household) but just haven't got around to trying it yet. How do you make the lemon kefir?

[Stroppymoo in reply to MhairiP]

I use two kilner or similar make, and remove the rubber seal, to avoid explosions! Put kefir grains into the jar. Make sugar water (sugar of choice), I use cubes or brown sugar. I forgotton the correct ratio/water as I just do by eye now. I think about 3 tablespoons for 800ml. Wait for sugar water to cool to luke warm and pour over the grains. I then put cheese cloth over the top and loosely close lid, pop on window ledge (as the weather gets colder will probably pop in airing cupboard), 2/3 days later, strain off into a jug and put into 2nd jar adding one dried apricot or peach - they must be the dark ones and sulphur free. Go to a health shop to buy. I then add only half a lemon slice - tried more, but too harsh. I like the fizz so also add a pinch of barcarbonate of soda. Close lid loosely and leave for another 2 days. Then I bottle it, minus lemon and apricot, and put into fridge. Use a tea strainer to serve into a glass as you don't want what is referred to as kefir poo. Meanwhile, you have hopefully kept the grains from the first strain? They are expensive, so you start all over again. I in the meantime and going away, so have added sugar water to my grains and stuck it in the fridge, this is hibernating them. Will strain when I get back, and throw that water away, keeping the grains and start the process again. Hope that helps. I'll try and send a link later.

[MhairiP in reply to Stroppymoo]

Thank you - that's really helpful. You've inspired me to give it a try!

How long does the kefir drink keep once it's made? When you strain the sugar water after 2/3 days what do you do with the bits? Is that what you mean by keeping the grains from the first strain? How do you store them? (Sorry for all the questions!)

[Stroppymoo in reply to MhairiP]

Yes keep the grains, they will be swollen up, but will die without a new sugar solution.

[MhairiP in reply to Stroppymoo]

Well, I've made some water kefir... and very nice it is, too! You're right - it is so easy to make. Unfortunately, a few months ago I thought I was buying the starter grains, but it was actually a starter culture that I bought, so there aren't grains to keep and use again (although you're meant to keep some of the kefir liquid to start the next batch). I'll see how the next batch works out, but I think I'll order some of the grains anyway, as I suspect I'm going to be making a lot of this!

[Stroppymoo]

Oh before the word sugar worries anyone, all the sugar is fermented out.

[PMRpro Ambassador]

I was wondering the other day if you can make vegan kefir and other "dairy" fermented drinks. (Not for me, for the daughter and granddaughter)

I've tried kefir a few months ago in Germany and sort-of liked it, strikes me as an acquired taste - but since it hasn't reached here yet and I'm lazy I haven't continued the experiment!

[MhairiP in reply to PMRpro]

I'm not sure where you are, but you can buy vegan kefir starter in the UK. It's not cheap, but it lasts a long time... I hope. Stroppymoo has really inspired me to get cracking and make this!

thekefircompany.co.uk/produ...

[scats in reply to PMRpro]

You can apparently make kefir with any nondairy milk but I haven't tried. To be sure the grains are vegan I suppose they would have to feed them with nondairy milk for a while before consuming. I am no expert.

[scats]

When I was first diagnosed I did an awful lot of reading to see what I could do to help myself. What came out loud and clear was the problem of leaky gut and the importance of fermented foods. I have been making sourdough for several years and found this has made wheat more digestable for me so I was willing to believe ferments may be the answer.

I strongly believe in making my own when I can so I obtained the necessary cultures. As I make wine and cider as well our kitchen developed it's own distinctive sound!

I tried both milk and water kefir and kombucha, all were facinating experiments.

Kombucha (fermented tea ) was amazing in many ways and grew fast. I liked the taste but produced more than I needed and found it gave me palpitatons so I stopped that.

Both forms of kefir did well and I found both an aquired taste. My main problem was persuading others to drink it so again I was over producing.

Further reading told me that milk kefir was one of the most readily available sources of calcium so for the sake of my bones I stuck with this.

I personally don't like to drink it so I use it more as a yoghurt replacement. Each night I soak granola in some to have with fruit next day which I have done now for about 3 years.

I have no facts to prove that it has helped in any way this is just my experience . I would say that it is something to start slowly and your gut may need to become accustomed .

My current ferment actually 'turned' in the thundery weather and is resting in the fridge as yours is.

This question has come at the wrong time. I have had quite a bad gut for a while and am right off any food, but I wouldn't blame the kefir as this is a very rare occurance for me.

Hope this of some help.

There are some very good books on the subject, and web sites.

[piglette in reply to scats]

I am so impressed. Did you make your own starter for the sourdough? Also for the kombucha and kefir.

[scats in reply to piglette]

sourdough, yes. I got it all from books in those days. The others I bought, but once you have it, with care, you have it forever. I got them on eBay. Not something I'd recommend to a novice. With food items you have to be careful who you are buying from, but with sort of thing there are people selling their excess grains just to ensure the practice continues.

Don't be too impressed. I had early retirement and had to ways of saving money, so I started making most of what we needed. It became a compulsion. It also kept me gainfully occupied!

[piglette in reply to scats]

My brother has become a bread fanatic, he goes through these phases,including yoga, German, fish gutting, cementing ..... He has been going on bread making courses and has that bible called Bread. The worst phase was when he decided to do an Open University degree in Quantum Physics! I now know an awful lot about it.

[scats in reply to piglette]

I haven't the patience for courses I always want to know NOW and they do tend to be expensive. I'm sure I'd know a lot more if I did had the patience!

[BeansHB in reply to scats]

Hi Scats! It sounds like we may be kindred spirits. I, too, have fermented all kinds of foods - sauerkraut, beets, pickles, water kefir, yogurt, kombucha, beer (once), and most recently plum wine.... I go through spurts where I'm fixated on fermenting. I truly believe that consuming lots of fermented foods helped me overcome/heal my Lupus several years ago. I really believe that diet has had a positive effect on my overall well-being. That said, it was on a very clean, gluten-free diet that I had my first PMR-GCA symptoms, so clearly there's more to address than diet. Even so, adding lots of fermented foods to your diet helps intestinal flora and can help heal a leaky gut. And, it's really fun to experiment! Lastly, I feel so frugal when making my own kefir or sauerkraut for free when it costs so much in the natural food store.

[scats in reply to BeansHB]

I was reading about leaky gut cos OH has IBS and when I found it was good fot the lmmune system I became more interested.

There is GREAT pleasure in making something for nothing, and not just food, it's been my main occupation since I retired.

[Stroppymoo]

I don't make the milk version but may progress to that later.

[Stroppymoo]

I always do a secondary fermentation with the peach/apricot and half lemon slice for 2/3 days, but this may give you some ideas culturedfoodlife.com/recipe...

[xdbx]

My OH makes both water kefir and komboucha. Our favourite flavours - made with a little fresh fruit - are raspberry, cherry, lemon and ginger. A cheap, delicious and refreshing way to get your daily probiotics!

I’ve recently started fermenting veggies too - sauerkraut and courgette kraut so far. Really yummy as a condiment.

For anyone just starting to add probiotics to their diet it’s important to introduce them very slowly as they can take some getting used to but they’re SO good for increasing good bacteria.

[xdbx in reply to xdbx]

By the way the raspberries and cherries make it a lovely rhubarby pink!

[BeansHB]

I've been a big water kefir fan for the past few years. I'm not currently making it as I got to the point where I had so much of it that there was no room for other things in my fridge! I love adding ginger and lemon to the second fermentation. The ginger gives a nice little kick, and as an anti-inflammatory and digestive support, it can be nothing but good for me. Strawberry flavor is also good. Hmmmm.... maybe when I return home from Jamaica, I'll start back up again. This is making me crave some of that pungent, sparkly drink!