You must have JavaScript enabled in your browser to utilize the functionality of this website. From where water kefir grains come from to how water kefir is made to what exactly is in that final bottle of water kefir, there are many misconceptions when it comes to a kefir drink. We'll bust some common myths and show you just how easy it is to make a kefir drink at home! It's true that water kefir and kombucha have much in common. They are both probiotic beverages. They both can be carbonated and flavored with various fruits and sugars through a second fermentation.
The amount of time it takes to culture each drink is vastly different as are the microorganisms involved in culturing. While both fermented drinks are great digestive aids, they each contain different levels of acids and bacteria.
The flavors are quite different, too. Kombucha has a tart zing, while water kefir is sweeter in flavor. Even after a second fermentation, many prefer to drink one over the other. You can learn more about their differences in Water Kefir vs. As it cultures, the grains consume the sugars and convert them to carbon dioxide carbonation , acids, bacteria, and yeasts. If you are trying to avoid sugar, allow your kefir drink to ferment until it is just a little bit sweet on the first fermentation.
When bottled, it will still have enough sugar, with the addition of fruit or fruit juice, for carbonation but will have a lower sugar content once the second fermentation is complete.
Using water kefir grains to culture coconut water is another way to create a probiotic drink with less sugar. Just make sure you alternate between culturing in sugar water and coconut water to keep your grains healthy! Water Kefir Starter Kit. Water Kefir Grains. Milk Kefir Starter Kit. Milk Kefir Grains. It is true that alcohol is a by-product of fermentation , even for lactic acid-based ferments like milk kefir and kombucha.
Water kefir is no different. Because water kefir does not contain as much acetic acid as kombucha, its flavor does not have as much of a tangy punch. Any alcohol present is therefore slightly more noticeable in water kefir since it is not masked by the tangy zip that is present in kombucha.
Get Ready. Glass mason jars and a thermometer if used should be thoroughly clean and dry. Set out coffee filters or clean cloths and rubber bands to cover jars. Make the Water Mixture. Remove from heat and cool for ten minutes. Transfer the warm sugar water to mason jars, dividing evenly between jars if using more than one.
Add additional non-chlorinated water to the jars to fill, leaving a small space at the top to prevent spills. Check the Temperature. If necessary, allow the mixture to cool. Add the Water Kefir Grains and Cover. Cover the jars with a breathable cover such as a coffee filter or clean cloth, secured with a rubber band. The culture does not require oxygen, but a breathable cover prevents leaks and explosions in the Proofer and also helps minimize trace alcohol levels produced by the culture.
Ferment for 48 Hours. Place jar s in the Proofer to ferment. For the most accurate temperature control, arrange the jars so that they are not directly over the center of the Proofer. When the water kefir is done, the surface will have a few visible bubbles, it will smell a bit yeasty like bread dough , and should taste mild and slightly sweet.
Even though the acidity will have increased with the pH at about 4. The easiest way to finish your Water Kefir is to store it plain and use it for smoothies. No flavoring is needed, as water kefir has a slightly sweet, neutral taste that will blend easily with many different smoothie recipes. Plain water kefir can also be blended with fresh or frozen fruit and frozen in popsicle molds. When the 2-day fermentation is complete, fit a clean storage jar with a non-aluminum funnel and fine strainer, then pour the fermented water kefir through, allowing the grains to collect in the strainer.
Seal jars with loosely screwed on lids and refrigerate. Use the grains to start your next batch, or store them according to the directions here. Water kefir turns into a delightful sweet-tart probiotic soda through a second fermentation in the bottle. We recommend using swing-top bottles because they are strong enough to prevent explosions and tightly sealed enough to capture carbonation.
Milk kefir grains work best for that. A Grain by any other name…. Water kefir has a bunch of neat, old names. Here are just a few. What other names for Water Kefir have you heard? Drop us an email! The ingredients for water kefir are likely lurking in your kitchen cupboards.
Water, sugar, WKG and time is all you need to make this tasty brew. The following water kefir recipe is for a ratio of 2 tablespoons of grains per 4 cups of water. Scale up or down as needed. You can also use molasses but avoid raw honey. To dechlorinate water, allow to sit for 24 hours or boil for 10 minutes then cool to needed temp. The water kefir recipe will produce a slightly fizzy beverage with a pleasantly sweet taste.
Once it has the flavor you prefer best, then strain the kefir through a strainer or cheesecloth to recapture the grains. If you prefer a tangier brew, do a second ferment of the water kefir in the bottle to yield a deeper flavor. After you remove the grains, add flavors for a second fermentation or drink straight. Develop your own favorite water kefir recipe based on experimentation. Like all fermented drinks or foods, water kefir has a vast array of benefits.
It is full of beneficial bacteria, yeasts, enzymes, easily digested sugars, acids, vitamins and minerals. One study showed that Water Kefir contained over kinds of beneficial bacteria! Water kefir sends billions of health-bestowing bacteria and yeast into your gut, helping your body with digestion, absorption of vitamins and minerals, and helping your immune system fight off unwanted bacteria, yeasts and viruses.
Though it is fermented from sugar, the enzymes in water kefir kefir grains break down sucrose into more easily digested fructose and glucose. Processed by the liver, fructose does not spike blood sugar in the same ways as sucrose.
The amount of sugar remaining at the end of a water kefir ferment will depend on the ingredients used and the length of culturing time. In general, the longer you ferment a beverage with sugar, the less will remain in the final ferment.
Due to the presence of yeast, water kefir also has a small percentage of alcohol though typical under. Just like Kombucha and other fermented drinks, flavoring the basic Water Kefir recipe to invent new great taste combinations is at least half the fun of making it at home! Give these water kefir recipe flavor ideas a try — let us know which ones are your favorite! If you need to take a break from making Water Kefir, here is what to do. Store in the refrigerator.
Dehydrate at F until dry. Store dehydrated grains in freezer safe bag in the freezer or in a dry, cool location out of direct sunlight. The longer the grains starve or sleep, the longer it may take to revive them. The revived grains will also not have the same bacteria diversity but it will regain diversity as they are woken up and used again.
As such, they may need to be renutrified prior to fermenting the first batch. If you notice slow fermentation or if you have been using them with another substrate, follow these steps to reactivate the grains and make them more lively. Check again in hours. If no signs of fermentation such as those listed above are exhibited after a week or so, fresh grains may be required.
Do I need to rinse the water kefir grains off between batches?
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