How To Make Water Kefir
How To Make Water Kefir
Ingredients:
- 1/3 cup sugar (see chart below for sugar recommendations)
- 1 litre purified water – no fluoride or chlorine as these will kill grains. If you use reverse osmosis water or spring water you will have to add minerals back in.
- 2 tablespoons kefir grains
Some options for adding minerals include (Water Kefir tends to do better in mineral rich water):
- Pinch unrefined sea salt
- Pinch plain baking soda
- ½ teaspoon unsulfured blackstrap molasses
- A few drops of liquid mineral supplement (ie. Concentrace – available from iherb.com)
- Sterilised eggshells (wash and boil before use)
Instructions:
Dissolve sugar in water. It is not necessary to warm water up to do this but you might prefer to boil a portion of the water to help dissolving the sugar. Make sure the water is cooled to room temperature before continuing to the next step.
If you are gathering your grains from a previous batch you will need to strain them. The easiest way to do this is to place a nylon mesh strainer over a jug and pour. Do not use a metal strainer as metal can harm the grains. Pour the Kefir Water into swing top bottes for the second fermentation.
Add grains to the sugar water mixture plus additional minerals (if using). A lot of people also like to add a slice of lemon and/or a piece of dried fruit. Cover the jar with a piece of breathable fabric secured by a rubber band.
The Water Kefir is normally ready after 24 – 48 hours. You can taste it by inserting a plastic straw and drawing off a couple of drops. If it is no longer sweet it is ready. Technically you can stop at this stage but for your Water Kefir to become carbonated you need to ferment a second time in tightly sealed bottles. As the beneficial bacteria and yeasts continue to consume the sugar they release gases which carbonate the drink. You can also add other things to flavour your water kefir during the second fermentation stage.
Generally it’s good to let the second ferment sit for 1-3 days, depending on the temperature of your kitchen. It is recommended that you ‘burp’ the containers daily during the second fermentation to release excess pressure.
Fermented foods often have a sour but clean aroma and flavour. Never consume anything that smells or tastes unpleasant.
Choosing a sugar for making Water Kefir:
| Type of Sugar | Description | Results |
|---|---|---|
| Refined white sugar | Pure white, free of minerals | Sweet |
| Organic cane juice crystals | Less refined than white sugar, very low mineral content | Sweet |
| Turbinado or raw sugar | Sugar that is spun to have most of the molasses removed. Slightly less refined than OCJC; medium mineral content | Less sweet than above two options |
| Rapadura or Sucanat | Sugar cane juice that has been pressed and dried; high mineral content | Stronger-flavoured |
| Brown sugar | White sugar with molasses added back; high mineral content | Stronger-flavoured |
| Coconut palm sugar | Sugar extracted and dried from coconut palm trees; very high mineral content | Too rich for water kefir; can damage grains. Only use small amounts in combination with cane sugar. |
| Maple sugar or syrup | Made from the sap of the sugar maple tree | Too rich for water kefir; can damage grains. Only use small amounts in combination with cane sugar. |
| Honey | Natural sugar from bees; high in mineral content | NOT recommended due to competing chemical compounds |
| Molasses | Very high mineral content | Can damage grains; use only ½ tsp as mineral supplementation, as needed. |
| Agave, stevia, monk fruit, Splenda | Sugar substitutes | Will not provide food for the water kefir grains. NOT recommended |