Must.Have.Water.Kefir.Grains!!

[miss_thenorth]

ok, I am back. there are many good websites to instruct you haow to care for you water kefir grains, but I will also tell you what works for me. I us a gallon glass jar (an old pickle jar). I mix about half a cup of sugar and about a tablespoon of unsulphured molasses. ( i have not tried it with dried fruit.)the first coupla times I let it sit for a day or two. But now I am litting it sit for about a week. If you are using a lid on your jar, open it every day to let out the gases. When it is ready (it should be very fizzy) strain out the grains and save them for your next batch. Now I will take the kefir and add a bit of fruit juice. Ilet that sit for a day and then drink it. I have also added fresh strawberries, ginger, etc. I do not refrigerate mine, but leave it on the counter and it continues to ferment,. It is still good at a week., and that is usually how long my batch lasts.

I will warn you that it stinks, and it does have a bit of an alcoholic flavour. My sis, who never drinks, asked me if it was alcohol, as it gve her the impression it was. But you ar not gonna get a buzz from it. I hope the heat didn't affect the grains, just baby them for a coupla days before youstart a big batch. Enjoy them!!

 

[BeccaOH]

Thanks Miss. The lid or no lid thing confused me. I have used a lid after my first batch as it didn't seem to taste like anything more than sugar water with only a cloth covering.

With my busy schedule the WK is usually sitting with lid for 3 days at a time. Last night I transferred my WK into a new swing top bottle and added this flavoring. We'll see how it turns out.

Kori's Wedding Mojito with a Kefir Soda Twist
1 batch of water kefir
5-10 mint leaves, sliced or crushed
1.5 cups of limeade (if you're in the PNW, Fred Meyer has Santa Cruz organic limeade 4/$5). You could also just use about 3/4 cup of freshly-squeezed lime juice

Stuff the mint in a flip-top style bottle, and pour in limeade. Add the water kefir liquid, and seal the lid. Store at room temperature for about 3 days, and then put in the fridge for a few hours. Generally if it is cold before you open it, there is less of a chance for a mini-explosion.