Homemade Kefir

Mmmm … Milk Kefir

I tried my hand at making yogurt and was happy with the tasty result, but I’ve discovered that homemade kefir is superior in not only nutrition but also in ease of preparation and maintenance — with a few easy steps and guidelines you can produce a steady supply of this nutrient-dense real superfood.

But, wait. How does it taste? When I told my co-workers that I was making kefir at home and would soon have kefir grains to share they were skeptical. Like any fermented food, kefir is a bit outside the typical flavor range of most Americans’ daily diet. 

Homemade kefir has the consistency of thin yogurt and is tangy, sour (you can control the level of sourness through fermentation time), sometimes a bit yeasty, effervescent and tongue-coating. 
Homemade kefir has, in my experience, a much more robust flavor than store-bought kefir. I prefer to refrigerate my kefir before serving and enjoy it plain or with fresh berries.
Go with the Grain

Kefir grains (milk kefir grains as opposed to water kefir grains) are masses of bacteria and yeasts, on average containing more than 30 health-promoting strains, that are white to yellow and resemble tiny heads of cauliflower or large, bumpy, lumpy curds. The grains are said to have originated in the Caucasus Mountain region many, many centuries ago. I obtained my grains from my mother in Virginia. 

I was visiting and she graciously volunteered some grains in a little milk in a tiny air-tight container. I took the grains home via plane to Texas (TSA didn’t bat an eye as it was a small container, but I suppose they might at some airports). 
I’ve done some reading into buying kefir grains or kefir starter online, but the general consensus seems to be that locally-sourced grains (from a friend/neighbor/relative nearby) are best. 

Amazingly, the grains will, in theory, multiple and grow batch after batch indefinitely. With homemade yogurt the culture eventually weakens and dies after several batches and you typically need to obtain new starter. 

Making Kefir

Now that you have some kefir grains the rest is easy! The recommended ratio of grains to milk is roughly around 1:20. I started with a little less than a tablespoon of grains to a half cup of milk and expanded from there as the grains adjusted to their new environment. Now, I generally culture about a tablespoon of grains per cup of milk. 

Place the grains into a clean glass container (canning jars work well) and add cow, goat or sheep’s milk and agitate the grains in the milk. It’s best to use organic milk (non-homogenized, low-temperature pasteurized is excellent) but any organic milk will do — use whole or 2%. I haven’t tried to use 1% or fat-free milk as it is not recommended from what I have read. 
You may also be successful with non-animal milks such as coconut, almond or rice but the grains will not multiply and may not flourish (I may do some experimentation with these and update this in the future).

Put cloth or a coffee filter over the top of the jar and secure with a rubber band or twine. Place the jar out of direct light for 12-48 hours depending on the temperature of your home and check on the consistency and or taste of the kefir after about 12 hours and go from there. 

My home ranges from 76 degrees to 72 degrees this time of year, and the kefir cultures to my liking in a little over 24 hours. It’s OK if your kefir separates into multiple layers.

Filter the grains out of the kefir by pouring the kefir mixture through a non-metal strainer into a clean glass container for storage in the refrigerator (mesh works best and a wooden or plastic utensil can be used to help gently push the kefir through the strainer). 
The grains will be collected in the strainer and you are ready to start a new batch!

There is no need to rinse the grains between batches (may actually be harmful to the grains) and you may use the same glass container without rinsing in between batches within reason. You can “cure” your kefir by allowing additional fermentation at room temperature for up to 48 additional hours to help eliminate as much lactose from the kefir as possible, or place directly into refrigeration to slow/stop fermentation. 

The kefir will keep in the refrigerator for several months or more, but it never lasts very long in my house as we consume it almost daily. 

Share the Love

Due to homemade kefir’s very high nutritional value it may take a little while for your system to adjust to the kefir — start with a tablespoon or two and work up from there to avoid any rapid detoxification side effects.

As your grains multiply and you find you have more than you need you may eat the grains (haven’t tried this yet), dehydrate some for an emergency backup supply, experiment with making fermented juices or share the wealth!