That changed recently when I found my poor neglected grains at the back of the fridge and decided to see if I could resurrect them. After about a week and three or four sugar water changes, they looked pretty good again and I've been 'playing' around with them since.
The water kefir grains look a bit like sugar crystals. Mine are
stained brown from the rapadura sugar I use, and they are
usually larger in size but I have not been cultivating mine for very long.
Like dairy kefir grains, water kefir grains - also known as Tibicos - are a symbiotic mixture of beneficial bacteria and yeasts, and when placed in a mineral-rich sugary liquid, they convert the sugars to lactic acid, ethanol (i.e. alcohol, at less than 1% of the final beverage) and carbon dioxide. The production of the carbon dioxide is what gives it it's nice fizzy quality, similar to commercial carbonated drinks (sodas). The grains also leave behind a nice mixture of probiotic bacteria which, like dairy kefir, is very beneficial for our gut. I've read that it is similar to Kombucha tea, but I've not yet tried Kombucha myself.
Also like dairy kefir grains, water kefir grains must be obtained from another batch of kefir. I don't know anyone with water kefir grains so I ended up ordering mine online, as dehydrated crystals.
I've not had much of a chance to experiment with flavouring yet, I've been concentrating my efforts on replicating my home made ginger beer, and I have to say that I have now ditched my ginger beer plant and am sticking to ginger-flavoured kefir!
Fermenting water kefir with slices of fresh ginger.
Kefir grains like lots of minerals apparently, so I am using the least refined sugar I have in my pantry which is organic Rapadura sugar (evaporated sugar cane juice). As Rapadura has a distinctive taste which many people don't like, adding the shell of an organic egg to the fermentation can help add beneficial minerals when using more processed sugars. The grains do not like chlorinated water, but using filtered water does not contain enough minerals either, so you could use either boiled and cooled tap water or filtered water with the eggshells added. I don't much like the taste of our tap water so I tend to use filtered water + eggshells from our hens.
My technique so far has been to dissolve ¼ cup Rapadura in 1 litre of water, and then add the water kefir grains in a reusable, open-weave muslin bag (I made my own but I have seen similar bags sold as bouquet garni bags in health food shops) and about a 1" piece of fresh ginger, sliced into slivers. When I have lemons, I will add some lemon peel too. I was covering the jar with muslin but found that bugs were still getting in, so I just put the lid on loosely now (I am using an old Moccona coffee jar).
First fermentation on the right and second fermentation
on the left - notice the difference in colour due to the conversion of the sugars.
After a 36-48 hour fermentation, I remove the grains and the ginger. It depends how hot the temperature is as to how fast the fermentation takes place - you'll want to stop fermentation when the sweetness of the final beverage is to your taste; a shorter fermentation for a sweeter drink and a longer for a less sweet one. I then add about ¼ cup of lemon juice, pour the mix into a flip-top, Grolsch-style bottle, seal and allow it to ferment for a further 12 hours or so, until it's a little fizzy.
W.o.w. It's really delicious! One of my girls loves it and although the other two are indifferent, I think it's more because they aren't huge ginger fans. It's so much easier and quicker to make than my traditional ginger beer, PLUS it contains probiotics!
Do any of you lovely readers use water kefir? What are your favourite flavourings? Do tell! I gather that grape juice is very popular in the US but grape juice/ grape soda must be an American thing as I've not seen fresh grape juice for sale anywhere over here.
For more information on water kefir, check out:
GNOWFGLINS,
Nourished Kitchen and
Dom's Kefir In-Site.
Kefir grains can be ordered via Dom in Australia, or I've heard good things about Cultures for Health in the US.
Cheers,
21 comments:
Hi Julie,
I wouldn't recommend ordering anything from Dom's site (although the information there is good).
I ordered stuff from him last year and paid, but have never received anything in spite of repeated requests for either the goods or a refund - they seem unable to supply the goods, and have refused to give me a refund. I think it would be safer to shop elsewhere.
I just recently started experimenting with water kefir too. I tried milk kefir for awhile and just couldn't get it quite right, plus, it was rather expensive to do. So, I decided to switch to water kefir and have been really happy so far.
I have to use filtered water since I don't want to use tap water b/c there's no way to get rid of the fluoride, and I don't have access to fresh spring water. I was told on the Cultures for Health forum that you can also add sea salt or molasses to your water kefir to add minerals, if you don't have access or want to use egg shells.
So far, my grains haven't really multiplied, but I am only on my 4th batch, so I am hoping that they're just a little sluggish right now. I just started a new batch with ginger in it tonight. The first three batches, I added lemon juice after I strained the grains out and then let it sit out on the counter in some of those Grolsch-style bottles before refrigerating. It was DELICIOUS - very lightly fizzy, but very refreshing! I actually got my husband to drink it too, which was a MAJOR accomplishment! :)
Well this certainly sounds like something worth trying so I've ordered some grains from Cultures for Health then will try your method. Thanks for the good information!
The cultures for life is great w/ their goods & video instructions. I've yet to activate the water kefir grains I've got from them. Thanks for writing about your experience with flavoring with ginger. It's also good to know how you can keep the grains going. I'm looking forward to getting a batch going.
I just started playing with Water Kefir too. Actually that picture looks very similar to my set up. I am now in love with my labeler..anyhoo. That pic is what brought be to your blog as I saw it on someone else's blog feed. ;) I love the muslin bag trick. I just use reusable tea bags and I have separated them so that eventually once they multiply a bit more I will pull one bag out to use for juices so I don't weaken my original grains. I will have to try the ginger beer. The only thing I have tried so far is adding a couple pieces of dried mango. I really like it. I want to get some fancy bottles to make it feel like I am really treating myself. Do you know if you can put milk kefir grains in a muslin bag too? I really hate straining them and feel like it ruins my kefir structure.
Thanks Julie, I've never heard of water kefir before. It certainly sounds easier and quicker then regular ginger beer, that's for sure
oh this is so on my list of things to do! i need to get going with it. interesting comments though - need to find a local source perhaps. great blog - got stuck here for a while!
Hi Margo,
Oh dear, that isn't good news, sorry to hear that! I'd only heard on one other person ordering from his site and it was OK, but slow, so I think you are right, people should shop elsewhere.
Hi Jessica,
Yes, I gather that water kefir grains multiply much more slowly than dairy kefir - mine have been going for a few weeks now and have only noticeably increased recently. Thanks for the tip on the sea salt, I wonder what sort of taste that would add to the drink? Interesting!
Hi Christina,
I hope you have fun with them :-)
Hi Michelle,
Cultures for Health have some great information, don't they? Have fun with your grains when you get them going.
Hi Kate,
Welcome :-) The reusable tea bags are the same as the bouquet garni bags I was talking about but we don't seem to sell them as reusable tea bags here is Australia (not that I can find anyway). Yum, the dried mango would be lovely, I must try that. I have heard of using dried apricots too. I gather that dairy kefir grains need more liquid circulating around them than do water kefir grains, so if you do use a bag you'd want to try one made from something with a very open weave, and give them a shake to stir them around more frequently while fermenting. I'm like you though, my dairy grain structures are very small compared to some I've seen online (which are huge!) and I suspect it's because of my straining. Let me know how you go if you do try using a bag :-)
Hi Bee,
It's super easy! No more feeding the plant all the time and making up sugar syrup and then bottling, so much faster (and better for you).
Hi Umatji,
Thanks - I meant to leave a comment on your blog to say that I'd linked to you but I got, er, distracted before I did... sorry :-) You'd have fun with the water kefir if you can find a source of the grains - perhaps try Freecycle?
Cheers,
Julie
I have recently been experimenting with water kefir too. My favorite recipes so far are as follows:
1) Raspberry Kefir
After the initial fermentation, strain out kefir grains.
Add about a tsp to a tbsp of maple syrup per 500ml or so.
Smush up some raspberries (I just use defrosted frozen ones I can get cheaply on sale) and pour the mush in with the liquid.
Let sit for a couple days (I just stick it in the fridge so it is chilled when I want to have some)
Drink!
2) Ginger Ale
After the initial fermentation, strain out kefir grains.
Add about a tsp to a tbsp of maple syrup per 500ml or so.
Add in a few chunks of fresh Ginger.
Grate a chunk (about the size of the end of a pinky finger) right into the liquid.
Let sit for a couple days to allow the Ginger to mellow a bit.
-Marie
Wow, I've never tried water keffir before and am intrigued, sounds fantastic with the ginger! Thanks for sharing your experiences!
Ally
www.happyearth.com.au
I want to try this, I have a few cultures that I grow, but haven't heard of this one....off to Cultures for Health website for more info....thanks for sharing. love your blog. keep up the good work
Hi all,
I have also ordered from Dom's Kefir page at http://users.sa.chariot.net.au/~dna/kefirpage.html and that was in 2008.
I waited a whole one year for him dna@chariot.net.au ( Dominic N Anfiteatro ) to deliver on his promise because he said the summer destroyed his kefir batches. Then he told me he didn't have access to his computer and so didn't get the chance to check his email. Those are just some of his excuses. Finally I got sick of it all and demand a refund, but, he offered to throw in a freebie instead. Again, nothing happened after that email and that was it.
This is such a shame as I really thought of him as a really good person based on his informative website. I have even subscribed to his Kefir_making and Real_Kefir_making Yahoo groups. But unfortunately, he ended up scamming me and many others e.g. http://curezone.us/forums/am.asp?i=1744142
This is a warning to anyone who wishes to order from this Dom's Kefir site. Do NOT buy from that Dom’s Kefir!
I got mine from http://www.yemoos.com/
They ship internationally, but dried not fresh (I think)
I am experimenting now with ordinary grocery store grape juice concentrate and they are fizzin' away
be well,
Tom
Your blog is so very helpful and such a great resource-well done-you are an inspiration to us all!
Best Wishes
Sonja
wow i've always wondered what goes on with this weird ingredient. it looks like fun and a much easier method of making ginger beer. i have to try it now! :P
ps. i've seen keffir grains for sale at thelostseed.com.au i've bought vegie seeds from them a few times and they've been pretty reliable so far
Hi there,
I have recently been given water kefir grains and am loving it :) I add a combination of organic sugar and Jaggery sugar to mine, so if I use 7 TBSP of grains then I put 4 TBSP of organic sugar and 2 TBSP's Jaggery sugar (extra minerals)then I add a few slices of lemon, a few raisons and a few cranberrys. I only leave mine for 24 hours and that is enough to take the sweetness right out and it fizzes like crazy. I am not sure why this combination works so well to not make it sweet and to add extra fizz but it does :) My only flavours so far have been to add frozen blueberries once I have strained off all the grains, lemon, raisons and cranberries and then I put it in the fridge or I just add lemon.
All the best
Jo-Anne
Dom's Kefir record at www.curezone:
http://curezone.com/forums/fm.asp?i=1836566#i
It is a SCAM
Julie,
What a wonderfully unique post about Tibicos (kefir grains). Like most of us, I’ve a rudimentary knowledge of the benefits of dairy based probiotics and their beneficial influence on our health. However, non-dairy sources are a whole new avenue for me to explore and I couldn’t be more excited! Probiotics, when you get right down to the heart of the matter are nothing more than micro-organisms. (friendly bacteria, fungi, yeast) Their natural ability to protect against bad bacteria is well documented.
Now bacteria and micro-organisms are not your most welcome topic while sitting at the dinner table, but they are arguably a critical part of our over all health maintenance. I have been encouraging people to begin organic gardening for years now and one my incessant rants is the need to have these micro-organisms present in the soil and that we need to feed them. Is it any coincidence that our soil needs to be alive with healthy micro-organisms to grow healthy food? My mind is already reeling with the experiments my girls and I can get into! All the best to you and yours, Greg Traver
I have read that Dom has been very ill, maybe he has passed away.
Julie, what you are doing would make a good article for my Living Green section, published every Monday in the Newcastle Herald. Drop me an email if interested.
Stephen Willaims
swilliams@theherald.coma.u
Hi there,
I ordered milk kefir grains from Dom's Kefir site, and although I had to wait several weeks I received both my fresh and dehydrated grains in good condition, and well packaged.
I find it sad that people are calling it a scam, because I personally had a good experience with them, and would recommend them. Anyway, I'm sorry some of you had such an offputting experience with them.
I absolutely love my milk kefir grains, they grow like crazy and are big and healthy. (I use a big metal strainer and don't ever rinse them) I always end up with plenty spare to experiment with. I've converted some of them to water kefir, using both sugar and malt during the transition, and they seem to do the job very well. I'm keen to try the ginger in it now, and I think apple juice might be nice too.
I've found that extra milk kefir grains are well liked by my chickens as a treat, and keep them healthier.
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