This is super simple to make at home and here is how you do it:
Clean everything well with regular soap – hands, glass jar and spoon.
Add 1 tbsp of kefir grains and 4 cups of whole milk into a large glass jar. Cover the jar with a lid but don’t seal it. As the grains feed off of the sugar, they will create carbon dioxide which can build up inside the jar if you don’t allow for it to escape. Alternatively, you can cover your jar with cheesecloth and an elastic band.
Wait – set in a warm, dark spot for about 24 hours. You can leave it longer is you prefer a stronger tang. You’ll know your kefir is done when it has thickened slightly and smells sour.
Strain with a non-metal sieve and gently stir with a wooden spoon or spatula until just the kefir grains are left.
Pour finished kefir into a clean jar, seal and store in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
Place the grains back in their jar and top with fresh milk. Give it a stir and start the whole fermentation process again.
Enjoy!
Amanda
P.s. Just a few notes:
Where to get your grains
You can get kefir grains from most health food stores, or they are also available online. I bought mine from Happy Kombucha – https://happykombucha.co.uk/products/live-kefir-grains
Activating dried kefir grains
If you bought your grains in a dried form, rehydrate them by soaking them in fresh milk at room temperature. Change the milk every 24 hours until the grains begin to culture milk. It may take 3 to 7 days for the grains to become fully active. You’ll know they’re ready when the milk has a slight bubble and sour taste.
Milk
Whole fat milk works best. Aim to use the best quality milk you can find. Organic and pasture raised if possible.
Grains
The grains will begin to multiply over time. This will allow you to ferment more milk if you’d like. You can split the grains into multiply jars and make bigger batches. You can also share your grains with friends!
How to get a thick consistency
You can turn your kefir milk into a thicker yoghurt-like consistencey by draining out some of the liquid whey in a separate bowl before stirring out the milk. This is what I do. The more liquid you drain, the thicker your kefir will be. Save the liquid whey as it’s packed with beneficial nutrients. You can use it in smoothies, to tenderise meat, in salad dressing, as a hair rinse, or even to ferment vegetables.
Take a break
If you want to take a break from fermenting, transfer the grains into fresh milk, cover tightly and store in the fridge for up to a month.
Why no metal?
Metals can disrupt the microbial diversity of the kefir grains. Avoid contact of kefir grains with metal, where possible.