Has anyone made home made kefir ? Interested in making this but don’t know where to start or which website are safe advice . TIA

[Mitch70]

Kefir

[Nanaedake]

We have tried making it from an organic farm source. It has produced good kefir that I've shared with friends. Look for an organic farm source on the Internet. It can be sent to you by post.

[Mitch70 in reply to Nanaedake]

Thanks for that , it’s a good place to start . 😉

[Jazzw]

Poppy_the_cat can you help?

[Fruitandnutcase]

I tried making water kefir - I don’t like milk. I got a kit from amazon and it worked well - only thing was we couldn’t keep up drinking the amount of kefir I produced, it all got a bit much in the end so I gave up.

[MMaud in reply to Fruitandnutcase]

Fruitandnutcase, you can freeze, or dehydrate, your kefir grains, to have a pause, but retain the grains.

[Mitch70 in reply to Fruitandnutcase]

Thank you for your response Fruitnutcase , I like milk so hopefully I’ll get a batch going to enjoy drinking .

[Mickeydooley in reply to Fruitandnutcase]

If you have too much kefir slow the process down by putting the unfermented milk and grains in the fridge until you’re ready to make the next batch.

[Mitch70 in reply to Mickeydooley]

As so take it you don’t keep it in fridge the whole time then ?

[Mickeydooley in reply to Mitch70]

When I make a new batch I put it on the counter or in a cupboard for maybe 12-24 hours (depending on how warm your kitchen is) and just when it starts to separate I strain the kefir and start the process again. The kefir then goes in the fridge until you drink it. You can slow the process down a bit by putting the new batch in the fridge until you want to start the fermenting again. Hope that makes sense.

[Mitch70 in reply to Mickeydooley]

Ah right your only straining small increments at a time , so storing in fridge for when u want to drink it , then fermenting outside again , straining then fridge .. is that right ?

[Mickeydooley in reply to Mitch70]

I only make about 500mls at a time. It ferments at room temperature and when it’s strained then it goes in the fridge until you drink it. The strained grains get put back in fresh milk and you ferment the next batch (or if you have too much kefir already made up pop the new batch into the fridge until you’re ready to start fermenting again) Do have a look on YouTube.

[Mitch70 in reply to Mickeydooley]

Thank you . I will have a look on YouTube now .

I have just been in Amazon and purchased my grains .. woohoo exciting times lol

[Mickeydooley in reply to Mitch70]

When you get your grains you will need to revive them for a few days. Put 1tbsp of grains into about 250mls of fresh milk and leave at room temp for 48 hours or so. Then strain off and discard that milk. Start the fermenting then.

[Mitch70 in reply to Mickeydooley]

Hi mickeydooley just received my grains . Have followed your advice as above , thank you . Fingers crossed they work . 😋

[Mickeydooley in reply to Mitch70]

You’re welcome. Good luck!

[Mickeydooley in reply to Mickeydooley]

youtu.be/xlZrlm9tsrw(Not working as expected?)

[glochessum in reply to Fruitandnutcase]

That’s exactly what happened to me. The stuff multiplied like crazy.

[MMaud]

I have a small amount of home made kefir daily; in an effort to perk up my digestion.

A friend gave me some grains to start me off. Every so often I have to either eat or ditch some grains, as they can go a bit feral.

In my experience, kefir grains can make themselves high maintenance, if you all. It to.

[Mitch70 in reply to MMaud]

Thanks for that MMaud . I intend to start off gently too . Was good you had a friend to donate you grains .

[Fruitandnutcase in reply to MMaud]

High maintenance - that totally sums up my first effort at water kefir production. I felt like I was producing it on an industrial scale - just shows how easy it was though.

[Mickeydooley]

I make kefir and drink it every day. It’s easy and it has helped me. I bought grains from amazon and you can look up how to make it on YouTube. Only takes a couple of minutes a day and not much equipment required. Mason jars, plastic sieve and spatula. You should use full fat organic (if possible) milk. The grains grow very quickly and you can use the excess in smoothies or freeze them or give them away. When you start taking it begin slowly with a small amount and increase the quantity gradually. Good luck!

[Mitch70 in reply to Mickeydooley]

Thank you so much mickeydooley for all this info . Hadn’t thought of Amazon tbh , probably looking too much into it , , had thought I had to try organically but Amazon sounds good starting place , May even be able to buy a kit !

Will keep you posted on my efforts.

Thanks again 😌

[Mickeydooley in reply to Mitch70]

You’re welcome! I’ve been making it for a long time so if you have any queries just ask. It really is very easy and quick and it’s very difficult to destroy the grains so don’t worry! It’s a very cheap way to get your gut back in shape.

[Fruitandnutcase in reply to Mickeydooley]

You’re right, it is really easy to make - trouble for us was it was so easy to make we couldn’t keep up with drinking it. I should have made smaller quantities.

It got to the stage I felt like I was in that scene from the Sorcerer’s Apprentice where the water won’t stop. I was forever releasing the caps on my bottles in case they blew up the fridge.

Thanks for all the information. Next time I’ll try making less.😉

[Mickeydooley in reply to Fruitandnutcase]

No problem! I was like that at the beginning too! Make smaller quantities and stick the fresh milk and grains into the fridge until you’re ready to make the next lot

[Mitch70 in reply to Fruitandnutcase]

Haha that’s made me laugh 😂

Tip no 1 make less i’ll bear that in mind . Thank you ;))

[Mickeydooley in reply to Mickeydooley]

Sorry! I meant Kilner jars

[endomad]

There are several fb pages where everyone shares kefir grains, just pay postage. Lots of good info on them. Iv been doing milk kefir and kombu cha (fermented tea) for 4 years, I make smoothies with kefir and fruit as it provides pre and probiotic in one drink. Also inulin fibre if I'm not sleeping well.

I had wretched ibs for few years when under medicated and the kefir made a huge difference. I always share my spare grains, look for someone local to give you some.

[Mitch70 in reply to endomad]

Good advice thank you . Glad to hear your health is in a better place ;))

[MMaud]

Mitch, I probably actually make kefir twice a week now.

I take the "suspended" grains from the fridge, and empty them into a larger kilner jar, top up with milk (I quite like my kefir quite tart), stir with a plastic spoon, then ignore it for a few hours. During the fermenting stage, I leave the rubber seal out of the kilner, so that air still comes and goes from the jar.

If I think about it, I still the brewing mixture after a couple of hours, to ensure good mix and maximising the grain efficiency.

When it loops adequately gloopy, I strain off the grains; puting the grains into a smaller (0.5ltr) jar and just cover with milk and close the lid tight. Without oxygen, they won't thrive, but won't die either. Longest I have suspended has been about 2.5 weeks when I didn't want any).

The fermented kefir, I keep in a jar or jars, depending on quantity, with the lids down tight. They ferment a teenie, tiny bit at this stage, but not massively.

I sorted out not doing it ever day, as I felt I was becoming a slave to the grains (OK, that's rather melodramatic). It works for me.

[Mitch70 in reply to MMaud]

Lots of good info there , brilliant ! Thank you so much ☺️ Twice a week for me defo sounds duable .

Thanks again ;))

[Cooper27]

I bought water kefir grains from eBay. There are lots of people with good reviews there.