Info on dehydrating, shipping and rehydrating kefir grains

[pioneergirl]

thanx Dace!!!!

 

[redux]

Smoothies- good idea.

 

[freemotion]

can someone send me some??? PM me with the cost I'm dieing to try it, so I'll need instructions as well...thanx!!!!

I have extras in my frig but I have not dehydrated them.....if no one else offers I will figure out how to dry 'em up for ya!

PM me your mailing address...I have some in the freezer, all nice and dry. I lost mine so many times, I figured I'd better put up a supply of replacements. Good thing I did. My original colony is kaput... when I dried up Mya, I lost the habit of making kefir when I strained the evening milk. Tried to continue with storebought milk, and kept forgetting it, over and over. DH has a habit of moving my stuff, and kept "hiding" the kefir jar, and out of sight, out of mind.

Well, I'll be milking again before I know it, so back to fresh kefir!

 

[noobiechickenlady]

I want to jump in and make sure I'm not doing something wrong. BBH sent me a nice sized grain several months ago and I've been trying to be diligent about straining it out & storing the kefir until we drink it or draining it for cheese.

Every evening (okay, almost!) I run the kefir through a stainless steel strainer to catch the grain. I rinse it off with some fresh milk, then fill a new jar with milk & add the grain. The 24 hour batches smell wonderful, like yogurt. If I forget and let it go to the next morning, it starts smelling more like soured milk and less like food. Although the cats love it.

Am I hurting my grain by letting it go for longer? It still seems plump & healthy, but I'm not seeing much growth or multiplying.

 

[big brown horse]

Doesn't hurt mine. I like it a bit on the sour side.

 

[Dace]

I did read that it should not sit out 'culturing' for more than 48 hours. Once it hits 48 toss it and start over.

I sometimes have to throw mine in the frig if I can't tend to it with in 24-30 hours.

 

[noobiechickenlady]

Doesn't hurt mine. I like it a bit on the sour side.

I love how it smells like really, really sour yogurt, but tastes like really mild yogurt. At least that's what it tastes like to me.

Smoothie heaven

Thanks ladies!

 

[miss_thenorth]

Am i doing something wrong? I have been trying to get my kefir going since April 17. It has NEVER smelled right. After one day, it is thin and smells like alcohol--not sour. i will let it go another day, and it is all clumpy, and still smells like alcohol. then I will change the milk and start again. It smells really offensive. I am using homo milk, not my sheeps milk. I am getting so impatient, waiting for it to turn out right, but it hasn't. So if anyone has any suggestions for me, I'm all ears.

 

[freemotion]

Change the milk daily until it smells good! Don't let it go two days. I wonder if your culture is out of balance.

 

[miss_thenorth]

and if it is.... what do i do?