Water kefir is a lacto-fermented beverage made with water kefir grains and sugar water. It's easy (and relatively quick) to make, and provides an abundance of probiotics that improve digestive health.
When you receive your grains, please put them into hibernation in your fridge (see step 1 in the instructions).
Common Kefir FAQ's
HOW THEY WORK
Kefir grains are an amazing symbiotic matrix of bacteria and yeast that work together to feed off natural sugars. The yeast and bacteria co-operate making the nutrients that are inaccessible to one -- digested into accessible nutrients for the other.
- Yeasts break down the simple sugars (like glucose & fructose) turning them into ethanol and acetic acid.
- Acid-producing bacteria then convert sugars and complex carbohydrates into simpler sugars and lactic acid. Lactic and acetic acids naturally preserve as well as stave off harmful foreign bacteria.
- Resulting in a drink that has had much of the sugar converted to simpler sugars, lactic and acetic acids, carbon dioxide and ethanol. It also contains millions of probiotics and is more nutritious in some regards because of the more digestible nutrients from the sugars and dried fruits including an increase in vitamin C and many B vitamins
BACTERIA?!?!
Water kefir contains
beneficial bacteria that keep the digestive system clean and provide food for the friendly bacteria that reside there. Additionally, kefir can actually
colonize the intestinal tract, a feat that yogurt cannot match. Kefir contains several major strains of friendly bacteria not commonly found in yogurt;
Lactobacillus,
Leuconostoc,
Acetobacter species, and
Streptococcus species.
YEAST
Water Kefir contains beneficial yeasts, such as
Saccharomyces and
Torula, which
dominate, control and eliminate destructive pathogenic yeasts in the body. They do so by penetrating the mucosal lining where unhealthy yeast and bacteria reside, forming a
virtual SWAT team that housecleans and strengthens the intestines making the body more efficient in resisting such pathogens as
E. coli and
intestinal parasites.
Kefir’s active yeast and bacteria provide more nutritive value than yogurt by helping digest the foods that you eat and by keeping the colon environment clean and healthy. Because
the curd size of kefir is smaller than yogurt, it is also
easier to digest, which makes it a particularly excellent, nutritious food for babies, the elderly and people experiencing chronic fatigue and digestive disorders.
THEY MULTIPLY
Kefir grains are a living organism and multiply when fed. Don't be surprised if you end up having to give some of your kefir grains away because they've doubled in quantity. You can also eat the grains or include them in your next smoothy and achieve the same health benefits.
SPRING OR MINERAL WATER
Water kefir generally
prefers a nutritious highly mineralized water. Also called hard water, or mineral water / spring water if its from a bottle.
SUGAR SPECIFIC
Using high mineral sweeteners such as
sucanat,
rapadura, or
brown sugar to your brew will help your grains grow faster. See my Sugar Index at the bottom of this page
PLASTIC or GLASS
Water kefir is very sensitive to metal and it can even lead to an
early death. Stay away from using stainless steel and other metal devices when storing, brewing and fermenting.
ALCOHOLIC
Water kefir can contain anywhere from .2 to 2% alcohol with a 48 hour fermentation. To put it into perspective, wine is usually 7 to 15% alcohol. The alcohol content in water kefir varies widely depending on the type and amount of sweetener added, amount of grains, and fermentation time. A higher ratio of sugar will yield a more alcoholic drink, as will a shorter fermentation time. If you are alcohol sensitive, use less kefir grain to sugar water ratio and tasting periodically.
GRAINS
Water kefir grains are not grains at all, but rather "bacteria and yeast existing in a symbiotic relationship". The term grains really just describes their appearance.
Ingredients
- A large glass jar
- Plastic Strainer
- Catch bowl
- 1/4 cup of sugar (see Sugar Glossary at bottom of post)
- 1/2 - 3/4 cup water kefir grains (the more grains the faster the fermentation)
- 4 cups mineral or spring water
- Brew for 2 days
- Transfer to airtight bottle leave 1/2 to 1" at the top
- Ferment 4 days
- Add Fruit juice (see Juice Glossary at bottom of post)
Instructions
-
Remove your Kefir grains from hibernation in the refrigerator. You should always store your grains in a glass jar in the fridge, with triple the amount of liquid as grains and one to two tablespoos of sugar to feed them. They can be stored in the fridge for an indefinite amount of time, but you must give them more sugar every 2 weeks. The first brew that you make from the grains may take a bit longer since the bacteria and yeasts will take awhile to become active again.
Pour the contents over a PLASTIC strainer with a PLASTIC or GLASS catch bowl underneath rather than directly over the sink. Pouring it directly over the sink you risk some grains slipping through and washing down the drain.
Measure the SPRING WATER. I use our blender to measure :) 
Measure the sugar
I like to pour a small amount of the pre-measured spring water into a pan and heat till boiling, then turn off the flame, then add the sugar and stir until its dissolved. 
Then I add the hot sugar water to my glass container with the rest of the spring water. I pour the room temperature water in first so that I don't risk cracking the glass with the direct heat of the boiling water. .JPG)
Then pour in the water kefir grains, they like the water temp a little warmer, so I assume they like my little mix of hot sugar water and room temp water. Just don't ever put them in water over 90˚F, remember they're alive! Cover with paper towel or saran wrap (to keep bugs out). .JPG)
Place it in a room temperature location that is dark. You are going to leave it there for (2) TWO DAYS giving the mixture a quick stir twice a day. Don't be surprised if you see bubbles, during his time the kefir grains will be letting out gas. You may notice the grains rising and falling in the liquid as they fill with gas, release, then drift back down to the bottom.
After 2 days, pour the contents over a PLASTIC strainer with a PLASTIC or GLASS catch bowl underneath in order to reserve the liquid. This process can smell yeast-y on account of well... the yeast!
After straining out the water kefir grains, you'll be left with a brownish colored probiotic concoction. Smelling a yeast-like odor is a good sign that the grains did their job. 
Use a PLASTIC funnel to pour the liquid into a jar (sealable and airtight). I usually pour all but the very last bit in the glass bottle, there tends to be some sediment at the bottom of each batch.
Fill the bottle 3/4 of the way with the brewed water, then add the fruit juice until there is about 1/2-1" left (See the Juice Glossary at the bottom of the blog). 
Seal the bottle tightly then gently turn the bottle on end then back to gently mix up the brewed water and the fruit juice.
- Place the bottle in a dark semi-warm location. You'll leave it there for (4) FOUR DAYS, gently agitating the bottle once a day. During this time the remaining bacteria in the brewed water will begin to feed on the sugars in the fruit juice, and because the off-gas has no where to escape to -- your beverage begins to become carbonated. The magic number for me is four days, it produces a very effervescent drink that is similar to soda. Don't go crazy shaking up the bottle either, there is some serious pressure when this part is done right.
- After 4 days, place your jar in the fridge and let it chill.
- Before opening for the first times, I recommend holding a bowl over the top of the jar in case the carbonation explodes out like champagne.
Pour yourself a glass over ice. In order to let some of the yeast-y smell dissipate wait 5 minutes before drinking.
Sugar Glossary
Rapadura / Panela / Jaggery (usually palm, sometimes cane) / Papelón / Whole Cane Sugar
Evaporated sugar cane juice.
It's extracted from the sugar cane using a press or composting process and is then evaporated to dry and form granules. This is metabolized by the water kefir the slowest as well, allowing for a more even ferment and tends to promote the most growth and health
Muscavado / Turbinado / Demarara / Sucanat / Raw Sugar
More refined cane juice than Rapadura but less refined than white sugar. The cane juice is heated until crystals form and then spun to separate from the syrup (producing molasses). The crystals are later added back with some of the molasses in artificial proportions. The molasses contains vitamins and minerals, making this still a decent option for water kefir, however it may or may not be more beneficial than simply white sugar plus molasses, or brown sugar.
Keep in mind the term 'raw' is used quite loosely, mostly to designate that it hasn't been stripped of its minerals - all sugar is processed if its in a granulated form. A truly raw form of sugar would be the sugar cane stalk itself (such as the raw swizzle sticks, which are pre-peeled strips of raw cane sugar).
White sugar / Refined cane juice
The cane juice is heated until crystals form and then spun to separate the molasses. The crystals are then spun again, dissolved, and boiled to crystallize further a couple more times, each time removing almost all traces of the molasses. Water kefir often needs supplements in their diet if they are to be fed all white sugar. You may need to add in baking soda and calcium as well as including the dried fruit and lemon each time to ensure enough minerals.
Brown sugar (light or dark)
I use this and its been working well. Brown sugar is white sugar mixed with varying amounts of molasses, this is why its sticky and moist.
Confectioner's / Powdered / Icing / Castor / Superfine
This is not a healthy option for anyone or for water kefir.
Juice Glossary
Water Kefir Lemonade
Make water kefir and remove the kefir grains. Add 1/4 cup lemon juice to each quart of water kefir. Serve cold.
Grape Water Kefir
Make water kefir and remove the kefir grains. Add 1/2 cup of Welch's Grape Juice (White grape, blueberry-pomegranate, cherry or cranberry juice) per quart of water kefir.
Orange Zest Water Kefir
Add the kefir grains and several strips of organic orange zest (not the juice) to a standard batch of sugar water. Its important to use an organic orange to avoid exposing the kefir grains to pesticides. Allow the water kefir grains to culture 24 to 48 hours. Remove and discard the orange zest. Remove the kefir grains and serve the kefir cold.
Cream Soda Water Kefir
Make water kefir and remove the kefir grains. Add 2 to 3 teaspoons quality vanilla extract per quart of water kefir.
Raspberry Juice Water Kefir
Add kefir grains to 1 to 2 quarts of organic raspberry juice. Allow the juice to culture for 24 to 48 hours. Please note, a longer fermentation period will yield a higher alcohol content due to the amount of sugar in the juice. Please use good judgment if serving kefired juice to children.
Fruit Flavored Water Kefir
Make water kefir and remove the kefir grains. Add fresh or dried fruit to the water kefir. If using fresh fruit, change the fruit out every 24 hours; dried fruit can be changed out as infrequently as once a week. Allow the fruit and kefir to sit for 1 to 7 days. Remove and discard the fruit. Please note: water kefir can be cultured and flavored at the same time by having both fruit and kefir grains sitting in the sugar water. If using this method be sure to use low acidic fruits (i.e., avoid pineapple, orange, etc.) and confine either the kefir grains or the fruit in a small cloth bag to avoid the disintegrating fruit becoming intertwined with the kefir grains. Be sure to keep the cloth bag submerged in the liquid to avoid attracting mold!
Grape Juice Water Kefir
Add kefir grains to 1 to 2 quarts of organic grape juice. Allow the juice to culture for 24 to 48 hours. Please note: a longer fermentation period will yield a higher alcohol content due to the amount of sugar in the juice. Please use good judgment if serving kefired juice to children. Variation: Use organic apple juice.
Apple Juice Water Kefir
Add kefir grains to 1 to 2 quarts of organic apple juice. Allow the juice to culture for 24 to 48 hours. Please note: a longer fermentation period will yield a higher alcohol content due to the amount of sugar in the juice.
Coconut Water Kefir
Add the kefir grains to 1 to 2 quarts coconut water. Allow the mixture to culture for 24 to 48 hours before removing the kefir grains.
Herbal Infusion Water Kefir
Mix one part finished water kefir (kefir grains removed) with one part herbal infusion (e.g., nettle leaf, red raspberry leaf, etc.). Herbal infusions can be made by combining a handful of fresh or dried herbs with one quart boiling water. Allow the herb and water mixture to sit for 6+ hours. Be sure the herbal infusion is completely cooled prior to mixing it with the finished water kefir.
Water Kefir Smoothie
Use water kefir as the liquid base in your favorite smoothie recipe or use the whole grains.
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