The Kefir Solution

[Keith Cogswell]

Waterkefir is a delicious and refreshing drink, loaded with probiotics and easy to make. At times, problems can occur when the water kefir grains are stressed from overcrowding, excessive minerals, lack of nutrients, or contamination:

Download our Water Kefir Guide and Recipe book today and start rehabilitating your Water Kefir Grains to make delicious, health-boosting and probiotic-rich drinks! With our easy-to-follow instructions, you'll be on your way to making the perfect Water Kefir in no time.

The resting solution is prepared by dissolving cup sugar in 1 quart water, the same as when making water kefir. See Choosing the Best Water Kefir Ingredients for sugar options. Ensure that the water used for the resting solution and rinsing is completely cooled below 85F before using.

Stir the grains around gently with your clean finger, brushing them lightly against the strainer. The stirring will clean any loose yeast or contaminants from the surface of the grains without damaging them. Pour off the water, which will be cloudy.

At times, a second resting period is necessary. If the grains still seem distressed (slimy, bad smell, or white film) after the first rest period, make a new batch of resting solution and repeat the rinse/rest process.

The water kefir grain is a mixture of bacteria and yeasts in a polysaccharide biofilm that act in symbiosis, creating a culture that is stable. Where the grains originated for certain, like all of the fermented food starter cultures, is difficult to pinpoint.

The kefir grain is not actually a grain but rather, a symbiotic polysaccharide containing both yeast and bacteria that ferment sucrose into a lightly sweet and bubbly brew that repopulates the gut with healthy organisms to balance the digestive and immune system.

Plus, it is super easy to flavor in a myriad of ways providing infinite variety. They can also be utilized with other substrates to create unique beverages with additional benefits. These include fruit juices and coconut water. Want to ferment nut milks? Milk kefir grains work best for that.

*Using a sugar with higher mineral content, such as rapadura, piloncillo or turbinado will help the grains reproduce. You can also use molasses but avoid raw honey.

*If using purified water through a filtration system, then you may also add one of the optional additions to remineralize it. 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. Repeat & enjoy!

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 450 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 .08% but up to as much as 3% depending on fermentation time and technique used.

Living Water Kefir grains are more sensitive to adverse elements and are not prone to keeping as well as Kombucha SCOBYs do in a hotel. If you need to take a break from making Water Kefir, here is what to do.

1-7 days: Place the grains in a glass and cover with water. Store in the refrigerator.

7-14 days: Place the grains in a glass. Leave them dry (no liquid) with 1/8 tsp molasses. Store in the refrigerator.

14+ days: Lay kefir grains out on a cookie sheet or dehydrator sheet. Dehydrate at 98-105F 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.

**If no fermentation is observed, add a 1/4 cup of water and 1/2 teaspoon of molasses and gently stir. Check again in 12-24 hours. If no signs of fermentation such as those listed above are exhibited after a week or so, fresh grains may be required.

Trust YOUR gut! Humans evolved consuming fermented drinks on a daily basis. Listen to how your body responds. If you experience any adverse symptoms, you may be experiencing a Herxheimer reaction. Otherwise, drink as much as you crave!

Living or hydrated water kefir grains maintain a greater diversity of living organisms than dehydrated versions. This is due to the large number of organisms that thrive in the living substrate. While many of them may be retained through the dehydration process, it can take several batches before they attain the same level of diversity. Hydrated grains are quick to propagate and reproduce quickly so that you will have extras to share!

Water Kefir & Milk Kefir are two completely different colonies of organisms. Water Kefir is best for those seeking increased numbers of organisms in their gut and its a vegan, dairy-free option. Milk Kefir has the benefit of fermenting milk which has protein, different vitamin and mineral content as well as different types of organisms specifically adapted to consume lactose. However, it is neither vegan nor dairy free. Both cultures can be used to ferment other types of substrates with different nutritional components such as nut milks, coconut water and fruit juice.

Water kefir and milk kefir are 2 distinct ferments. Each has its own host of beneficial bacteria, yeast and healthy properties. As to which is better for you, there are a couple of factors to consider.

Water Kefir is made in small batches due to the short fermentation time. In warmer temps it can be ready in 24 hours. Cooler climates may need 48-72 hours for a quart size batch to be ready. Your water kefir recipe will also vary based on your personal taste preference.

Water Kefir has a pleasantly sweet taste but is not cloying. As a lactic acid ferment with a higher pH than Kombucha, it does not have the same type of acid profile. Many newbies to fermentation appreciate the lighter flavor. Those used to Kombucha may find it too sweet, but bottle aging will lead to a nice, dry flavor. Do not drink water kefir if it tastes like fermentation is not occurring (i.e. like straight sugar water) or if it has obvious signs of mold.

Water Kefir Grains may be stored in the fridge for brief periods of time up to a month. Water kefir itself can be stored in the fridge or out of the fridge indefinitely, but the flavor will continue to change and may not be appealing after a few weeks.

According to a recent study in Belgium, all of the sucrose was converted after 24 hours. There will still be some fructose and glucose present which gives water kefir its sweeter flavor. Adjust your preferred water kefir recipe to ferment longer if you wish to reduce sugar even more.

The site is secure.

The ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Kefir is a fermented beverage produced through the activity of its grains, which is constituted by lactic acid and acetic acid bacteria and yeasts. We studied the bacterial succession during multiple fermentation of Argentinian kefir in brown sugar, purified molasses or high-test molasses, using 16S high-throughput sequencing. Firmicutes was dominant (up to 98% of total population) in grains and beverages made from various sugar substrates, except in high-test molasses beverage, which was dominated by Proteobacteria (up to 78% of total population). Major bacterial species in Firmicutes were Liquorilactobacillus nagelii, Lentilactobacillus hilgardii/diolivorans and Lacticaseibacillus casei/paracasei, which are active in lactic acid fermentation. Proteobacteria comprised Acetobacter lovaniensis and Gluconobacter oxydans/roseus as major species, which are presumably responsible for the acetic acid formation in sugary kefir beverages. Bacteria differ in abundance depending on the sugar type, as revealed by the competitive dominances between L. nagelii and A. loveniensis. Purified molasses led to scarce acetic acid bacteria during fermentation, indicating that it is not a suitable substrate for their growth. Our results suggest that acetic acid (and/or ethanol) in sugary kefir modulates the succession and dominance of specific lactic acid bacteria. This study will provide valuable information for designing more sophisticated non-dairy fermented beverages with stable microbial properties.

Water Kefir is a delicious fermented drink that is made with a simple sugar-water solution and water kefir grains. Water kefir is rich in probiotics and after the fermentation period, is low in sugar. The taste is tangy and mildly sweet, but it can be flavored in any way with juice, fruit and herbs. Water kefir is often compared to kombucha, but unlike kombucha it is caffeine-free and has a more mild taste.

3a8082e126