- Put half a cup of milk in a glass jar or jug. Put the grains in the jar of milk. Cover it loosely. Leave at room temperature and not in fridge. In 12 to 24 hours the milk should thicken at least a little.
- Take out the grains from the milk. Use a strainer as some of your grains will be small. Taste the milk. You can drink this but it will be under fermented.
- Put the grains in fresh milk– half a cup if they are not active, a full cup if they are active.
- After 24 hours take the grains out again and put them into a fresh cup of milk. The milk from which you take them out is your kefir. You can drink it straight away or keep it in the fridge for later.
- Once the grains are active and thickening the milk you can add more milk until you have kefir (the fermented milk) that has the thickness and taste that you like.
- Important. Use organic milk if possible. Use clean utensils. Wash away all traces of detergent. Plastic strainers are better as they are softer. Stainless steel is okay. Cover jar loosely with chux, coffee filters or plastic lids. Organic milk is best as milk that is not organic may contain traces of antibiotics and pesticides. You can use raw, pasteurised, homogenised or unhomogenised milk.
If you would like to know more about kefir in general, below you will find some information. They are responses to questions I have been frequently asked.
What is kefir?
Kefir is the fermented milk that is made when kefir grains are left in milk for 12 to 24 hours. Kefir has the consistency and taste of drinkable yogurt.
What are kefir grains?
Kefir grains are made up mainly of milk proteins and complex sugars. They provide the home for the beneficial bacteria and yeast to live and grow. Their role in the fermentation of dairy milk is similar to that of barley in the production of beer. They look like cauliflower florets and are spongy to touch. Kefir grain is the starter culture that you can use again and again to make kefir.
How long do kefir grains last?
If cared for properly, the grains will last indefinitely.
Can I eat the kefir grains?
Yes kefir grains can be eaten. After you have produced kefir for a while you will have excess grains. You can eat these excess grains. The grains contain a beneficial bacterium known as Bifidobacterium psychraerophilum which is not present in the kefir that you make. This is perhaps because it is found in the centre of the grain.
What is kefir or kefir milk good for?
Kefir is a probiotic. It is mainly associated with gut health. It is said to have antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties. The full range of benefits cannot be listed here. Gut health is associated with some of the most common health issues today.
Milk kefir contains a wide range of beneficial bacteria and yeast. The combination of bacteria and yeast found in batches of kefir fermented by different people in different parts of the world can vary considerably. Below is a list of bacteria and yeast species that has been commonly found in kefir and kefir grains.
| Beneficial Bacteria Species Lactobacillus Lactobacillus acidophilus Species - Bifidobacterium Bifidobacterium psychraerophilum
Species - Streptococcus Streptococcus thermophilus Species - Lactococcus | Species - Leuconostoc Secies - Enterococcus Enterococcus durans Beneficial Yeasts Candida kefyr C. firmetaria |
(The list above indicates what research has found in some kefir grains tested. It is for general information only. It is not a list of the strains in the grains sold in this listing. To find the strains of bacteria present in a particular batch of grains, that batch needs to be tested.)