How to Make Water Kefir
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Rehydrating Water Kefir Grains:
Dissolve 4 to 6 tablespoons of sugar in 4 cups water (you will likely need to heat the water so the sugar will dissolve). Be sure to allow the water to cool to room temperature before proceeding to the next step. If desired, add a few slices of fresh lemon (not lemon juice).
Place the dehydrated kefir grains in the water and cover with a towel or coffee filter secured with a rubber band. Allow the mixture to sit for 3-4 days until the grains are plump and the mixture is slightly bubbly (if you watch your jar of kefir, you will occasionally see tiny bubbles rising to the top). Do not allow the mixture to sit for longer than 5 days.
Once the grains are rehydrated, follow the instructions below for making water kefir.
Making Water Kefir:
Dissolve sugar in a small amount of warm/hot water.
Add enough cool water to almost fill the jar leaving 1-2 inches of headspace.
When the water has cooled to room temperature, add the kefir grains and give the mixture a quick stir with a wooden or plastic spoon (not metal).
Cover tightly with a towel and rubber band to keep out fruit flies and ants.
Allow the kefir to culture for 24 to 48 hours. 24 hours will yield a sweeter water kefir. However, if you are sensitive to sugar, culture the kefir for 48 hours to give the grains a chance to consume a larger portion of the sugar. Stir once or twice a day while the kefir cultures. Do not let the kefir grains culture longer than 72 hours. As the kefir grains culture, you will notice tiny bubbles forming and traveling to the water surface.
Once the kefir has finished culturing, strain off the finished liquid into a separate container (don’t use a metal strainer) and cover with a tight lid. Finished water kefir does not require refrigeration, but can be refrigerated if you desire a cold beverage.
Add the grains to a new batch of sugar water and proceed with your next batch.
Important Information:
Water kefir can be flavored dried or fresh fruit, flavoring extracts or juice. Dried fruit can soak in the finished water kefir for up to a week. Fresh fruit must be changed daily. Other flavoring options:
Cream-soda type beverage: Add 1 T. vanilla extract to 2 quarts water kefir
Lemonade: Add ½ -1 c. lemon juice to 2 quarts water kefir made with evaporated cane crystals
1 cup fruit juice (we recommend blueberry-pomegranate)
Water kefir grains can be used with fruit juice rather than sugar water. I recommend caution, however, as some juices (citrus for example) can harm the grains. I recommend apple juice until you are accustomed to fermentation. Many people have success using grape juice although there have been reports of damage to the grains.
Water kefir grains are often reluctant to multiply. Even if the kefir grains do not multiply, they can be used repeatedly to brew water kefir.
Water kefir grains can sit directly in the liquid or can be contained in a large fabric pouch. Be sure the pouch is large enough to accommodate the multiplication of kefir grains should it occur. The pouch may need to be secured with a rubber band to ensure the kefir grains do not escape.
If you are culturing multiple products (e.g. different varieties of yogurt, buttermilk, kefir, Kombucha, etc.) be sure to keep a distance of at least several feet between cultures so they don’t cross-contaminate each other. Over time, cross-contamination will weaken the culture.
Troubleshooting:
After rehydration, you may not see very many (or any) bubbles forming in the liquid. That’s okay. Often the bubbles are so tiny and infrequent, you would need to watch very carefully for an extended period of time. Transfer the grains to new sugar water and proceed with making your first batch.
To determine if the grains are “working”, simply taste the liquid before and after the fermentation process. Although finished water kefir will still be sweet, it will not be nearly as sweet as the original sugar water.
Water kefir carbonation will vary greatly from batch to batch. A lack of carbonation does not indicate a problem with the water kefir grains. Factors influencing carbonation include the type of sugar used (using less processed sugars such as rapadura or adding molasses to white sugar will generally produced a more carbonated beverage). After fermentation (following removal of the grains), fruit juice can be added to the finished kefir and the mixture stored in a container with a tight lid for several days to improve carbonation (use caution when removing the lid!).
Best Sugar for Making Water Kefir
There are several options when choosing the best sugar to use when making water kefir.
The first is to use plain white sugar. White sugar yields a light tasting water kefir and makes the perfect background for most flavoring options (adding juice, etc. after fermentation is complete).
Second, you can use a whole sugar such as Rapadura or Sucanat which do not have the molasses portion of the sugar removed. Using a whole (less processed) sugar yields a stronger tasting water kefir that many people like.
I recommend against using honey as a the sugar when making water kefir. While honey does yield a light tasting water kefir and is less processed than white sugar, honey also presents a couple of significant issues. Water kefir grains are composed of bacteria and yeast. Honey is antibacterial in nature so over time, using honey will damage and potentially kill the water kefir grains. If you do choose to use honey, simply be aware that you will likely have to replace your water kefir grains every few months rather than keeping them for a significantly long period of time.
Best Water for Making Water Kefir
Water kefir grains benefit from culturing in water with a high mineral content. The best water options for kefir grains are well water or spring water.
Kefir grains can be cultured in tap water provided care is taken to remove the chlorine. This can generally be done by either aerating the water (leaving it out overnight or running it through a blender) or boiling the water. Check with your local water utility to determine if your tap water contains chlorine.
Never use distilled water for culturing kefir grains. Distilled water is devoid of mineral content and minerals are necessary for the health of your water kefir grains.
Encouraging Water Kefir Grains to Multiply
Q. How do I encourage my water kefir grains to multiply?
A. Encouraging water kefir grains to grow has several components. First, choosing a water with a high mineral content is important. Kefir grains grow best in well water or spring water. You are unlikely to see much increase in the number of kefir grains using tap water. When making kefir, never use distilled water as the lack of mineral content is very hard on the kefir grains.
Second, kefir grain growth is encouraged by using sugar with a high mineral content as well. When making kefir, the best sugars for growing kefir grains include whole sugars such as Rapadura, Turbino and Sucanat. You can also use white sugar and add a bit of molasses. We recommend 1/2 cup white sugar and approximately 1 t. of molassess for 2 quarts of water kefir.
Some people have success adding several tablespoons of fresh ginger juice (freshly squeezed, not the bottled variety which contains preservatives) and powdered eggshell when making kefir. Keep in mind that powdered eggshell should be avoided if you want to share your water kefir with anyone with egg allergies!
Finally, switching your kefir grains to fresh sugar water at least every 48 hours will encourage good health and growth.
Please keep in mind that there are no guarantees water kefir grains will multiply. Kefir grains can be reluctant to grow and multiply even under the best conditions. But the above tips should give you the best chance of seeing growth among your water kefir grains.
Rehydrating Water Kefir Grains:
Dissolve 4 to 6 tablespoons of sugar in 4 cups water (you will likely need to heat the water so the sugar will dissolve). Be sure to allow the water to cool to room temperature before proceeding to the next step. If desired, add a few slices of fresh lemon (not lemon juice).
Place the dehydrated kefir grains in the water and cover with a towel or coffee filter secured with a rubber band. Allow the mixture to sit for 3-4 days until the grains are plump and the mixture is slightly bubbly (if you watch your jar of kefir, you will occasionally see tiny bubbles rising to the top). Do not allow the mixture to sit for longer than 5 days.
Once the grains are rehydrated, follow the instructions below for making water kefir.
Making Water Kefir:
Dissolve sugar in a small amount of warm/hot water.
Add enough cool water to almost fill the jar leaving 1-2 inches of headspace.
When the water has cooled to room temperature, add the kefir grains and give the mixture a quick stir with a wooden or plastic spoon (not metal).
Cover tightly with a towel and rubber band to keep out fruit flies and ants.
Allow the kefir to culture for 24 to 48 hours. 24 hours will yield a sweeter water kefir. However, if you are sensitive to sugar, culture the kefir for 48 hours to give the grains a chance to consume a larger portion of the sugar. Stir once or twice a day while the kefir cultures. Do not let the kefir grains culture longer than 72 hours. As the kefir grains culture, you will notice tiny bubbles forming and traveling to the water surface.
Once the kefir has finished culturing, strain off the finished liquid into a separate container (don’t use a metal strainer) and cover with a tight lid. Finished water kefir does not require refrigeration, but can be refrigerated if you desire a cold beverage.
Add the grains to a new batch of sugar water and proceed with your next batch.
Important Information:
Water kefir can be flavored dried or fresh fruit, flavoring extracts or juice. Dried fruit can soak in the finished water kefir for up to a week. Fresh fruit must be changed daily. Other flavoring options:
Cream-soda type beverage: Add 1 T. vanilla extract to 2 quarts water kefir
Lemonade: Add ½ -1 c. lemon juice to 2 quarts water kefir made with evaporated cane crystals
1 cup fruit juice (we recommend blueberry-pomegranate)
Water kefir grains can be used with fruit juice rather than sugar water. I recommend caution, however, as some juices (citrus for example) can harm the grains. I recommend apple juice until you are accustomed to fermentation. Many people have success using grape juice although there have been reports of damage to the grains.
Water kefir grains are often reluctant to multiply. Even if the kefir grains do not multiply, they can be used repeatedly to brew water kefir.
Water kefir grains can sit directly in the liquid or can be contained in a large fabric pouch. Be sure the pouch is large enough to accommodate the multiplication of kefir grains should it occur. The pouch may need to be secured with a rubber band to ensure the kefir grains do not escape.
If you are culturing multiple products (e.g. different varieties of yogurt, buttermilk, kefir, Kombucha, etc.) be sure to keep a distance of at least several feet between cultures so they don’t cross-contaminate each other. Over time, cross-contamination will weaken the culture.
Troubleshooting:
After rehydration, you may not see very many (or any) bubbles forming in the liquid. That’s okay. Often the bubbles are so tiny and infrequent, you would need to watch very carefully for an extended period of time. Transfer the grains to new sugar water and proceed with making your first batch.
To determine if the grains are “working”, simply taste the liquid before and after the fermentation process. Although finished water kefir will still be sweet, it will not be nearly as sweet as the original sugar water.
Water kefir carbonation will vary greatly from batch to batch. A lack of carbonation does not indicate a problem with the water kefir grains. Factors influencing carbonation include the type of sugar used (using less processed sugars such as rapadura or adding molasses to white sugar will generally produced a more carbonated beverage). After fermentation (following removal of the grains), fruit juice can be added to the finished kefir and the mixture stored in a container with a tight lid for several days to improve carbonation (use caution when removing the lid!).
Best Sugar for Making Water Kefir
There are several options when choosing the best sugar to use when making water kefir.
The first is to use plain white sugar. White sugar yields a light tasting water kefir and makes the perfect background for most flavoring options (adding juice, etc. after fermentation is complete).
Second, you can use a whole sugar such as Rapadura or Sucanat which do not have the molasses portion of the sugar removed. Using a whole (less processed) sugar yields a stronger tasting water kefir that many people like.
I recommend against using honey as a the sugar when making water kefir. While honey does yield a light tasting water kefir and is less processed than white sugar, honey also presents a couple of significant issues. Water kefir grains are composed of bacteria and yeast. Honey is antibacterial in nature so over time, using honey will damage and potentially kill the water kefir grains. If you do choose to use honey, simply be aware that you will likely have to replace your water kefir grains every few months rather than keeping them for a significantly long period of time.
Best Water for Making Water Kefir
Water kefir grains benefit from culturing in water with a high mineral content. The best water options for kefir grains are well water or spring water.
Kefir grains can be cultured in tap water provided care is taken to remove the chlorine. This can generally be done by either aerating the water (leaving it out overnight or running it through a blender) or boiling the water. Check with your local water utility to determine if your tap water contains chlorine.
Never use distilled water for culturing kefir grains. Distilled water is devoid of mineral content and minerals are necessary for the health of your water kefir grains.
Encouraging Water Kefir Grains to Multiply
Q. How do I encourage my water kefir grains to multiply?
A. Encouraging water kefir grains to grow has several components. First, choosing a water with a high mineral content is important. Kefir grains grow best in well water or spring water. You are unlikely to see much increase in the number of kefir grains using tap water. When making kefir, never use distilled water as the lack of mineral content is very hard on the kefir grains.
Second, kefir grain growth is encouraged by using sugar with a high mineral content as well. When making kefir, the best sugars for growing kefir grains include whole sugars such as Rapadura, Turbino and Sucanat. You can also use white sugar and add a bit of molasses. We recommend 1/2 cup white sugar and approximately 1 t. of molassess for 2 quarts of water kefir.
Some people have success adding several tablespoons of fresh ginger juice (freshly squeezed, not the bottled variety which contains preservatives) and powdered eggshell when making kefir. Keep in mind that powdered eggshell should be avoided if you want to share your water kefir with anyone with egg allergies!
Finally, switching your kefir grains to fresh sugar water at least every 48 hours will encourage good health and growth.
Please keep in mind that there are no guarantees water kefir grains will multiply. Kefir grains can be reluctant to grow and multiply even under the best conditions. But the above tips should give you the best chance of seeing growth among your water kefir grains.
How to Make Water Kefir Lemonade
To make Water Kefir Lemonade, add ½ cup lemon juice to 2 quarts Water Kefir. Shake or stir to mix thoroughly and enjoy! Water Kefir Lemonade tastes best cold so be sure to store it in the refrigerator.
How to Make Coconut Water Kefir
Substitute coconut water for for water and sugar. Follow directions as for regular water kefir, without adding the sugar.
How to Make Apple Juice Kefir and Grape Juice Kefir
Substitute juice for the sugar-water mixture or the coconut water mixture and follow the same directions for making kefir.
