Quick Start Guide for Water Kefirs (Using Water Kefir Grains)

Quick Start Guide for Water Kefirs

How to Make Water Coconut Kefir

Items you will need:

Quart or larger mason jar

Wood or plastic spoon/spatula

Plastic/nylon strainer

Another quart jar or larger to store the finished kefir

¼ c water kefir grains*

4 cups fresh young coconut water

Directions:

Add 4 cups young coconut water

1/4 c water kefir grains

Stir with a non-metal spatula, gently

Cover with cheese cloth

Store out of sunlight for 48 hours

Strain through plastic sieve–this liquid is your kefir; add it to smoothies, flavor it, or drink it as is.

You can drink the finished kefir right away or store in a closed bottle to build carbonation.

Store in the refrigerator. Refrigerate for up to 1-2 days, serve chilled.

Repeat this process using the water kefir grains to make more coconut water kefir.

How to Make Water Kefir

Items you will needs:

Quart or larger mason jar

Wood or plastic spoon/spatula

Plastic/nylon strainer

Another quart jar or larger to store the finished kefir

¼ c kefir grains*

4 cups spring, mineral or well water

Directions:

Add ¼ water kefir grains to jar

Add 6 T of sugar. I use a mixture of 80% white sugar and 20% black strap molasses with great culturing success. You can also use white cane sugar along with brown sugar, dates, prunes or other unsulfured dried fruits.

Add 4 cups of spring, mineral or well water to jar (water should not be soft water, chlorinated, filtered or ran through a reverse osmosis filter. If you have a reverse osmosis machine, be sure to add the minerals back into the water you use for the water grains). Bascially, water should be mineralized to allow for good water grain kefir growth).

Stir gently (as to not damage the grains) to dissolve the sugar. Some undissolved sugar is fine.

Store out of sunlight for 48 hours

Strain through plastic sieve—this liquid is your kefir; add it to smoothies, flavor it, or drink it as is.

You can drink the finished kefir right away or store in a closed bottle to build carbonation.

Store in the refrigerator. Refrigerate for up to 1-2 days, serve chilled.

Repeat this process using the water kefir grains to make more water kefir.

NOTE: If the grains have grown, place only ¼ c of grains back into the jar and repeat the process.

I find that a ratio of 1/4 c grains to 4 cups water works best. Adjust this ratio up or down based on the amount of grains you have, and the amount of kefir you want to culture.

For example:

2T water grains: 2 cups water/coconut water

1/4 c grains (4T): 4 cups (1 quart) water/coconut water

1/2 c grains: 8 cups (2 quarts) water/coconut water.

Where I have purchased water kefir grains:

*www.yemoos.com

*www.culturesforhealth.com

General guidelines for working the water kefir grains:

Avoid metal utensils and metal containers. It is recommended that you use glass, wood and plastic when handling and fermenting. Metal can damage water grains. Water kefir grains are fragile.

Water grains can last indefinitely, with proper care and attention.

It is wise to go back to a basic nourishing recipe** every once in awhile to keep your grains in good shape. You may also want to store some in the fridge as your “reserve”.

Once your grains have increased in number (approximately 2 cups), you can divide them into 2 jars and begin to experiment with recipes and mixtures for flavor and fun. There are so many delicious ways of making water kefir, so be brave and experiment.

You are can also blend up the water kefir grains and add them to smoothies and kefir drinks for a boost in probiotics.

**Basic Nourishing Recipe for healthy water grains: from http://www.waterkefirgrains.com

1 quart of spring water, mineral or well water

1/4 cup water kefir grains
1/3 cup organic brown sugar
1 tsp of black strap molasses

Let grains enjoy this mixture for 48 hours, then rinse and repeat until grains develop a a sweat fermented smell–sometime they only to be rested and revived once, sometimes 2-3 times.

Live Life Optimally,

Kristie