Everything you need to immediately make your first batch of kefir!
Our basic water kefir starter kit includes:
Shipping Information: Kefir grains are shipped in a dehydrated state and will need to be rehydrated prior to use.
Complete instructions will be included with your shipment and can be found here.
This item is not available for international shipping.
Water Kefir Grains (WKG) Frequently Asked Questions:
Q. What is kefir?
A. Kefir is a probiotic beverage. Kefir Grains consist of bacteria and yeast existing in a symbiotic relationship. The term Kefir Grains describes the look of the culture only. Kefir Grains contain no actual "grains" such as wheat, rye, etc. Our kefir grains are grown in filtered water and organic sugar. For more information on the composition of kefir, click here to view Dom's Kefir Site, perhaps the most extensive informational resource for kefir available.
Q. What ingredients go into making WKG?
A. Our WKG are grown in filtered water and organic sugar.
Q. Are WKG actually a grain (i.e. wheat, rye, spelt, etc.)?
A. No, the term grains as applied to kefir cultures is due to the look of the culture. In the case of WKG, the culture looks like small mostly tranparent crystals that are loose like a handful of grain.
Q. I want to consume kefir but I'm allergic to dairy. Is this a good alternative?
A. Yes! WKG contains no dairy (please note: WKG are processed in a facility where dairy products are processed).
Q. Does water kefir contain gluten?
A. No, WKG do not contain gluten (please note: WKG are processed in a facility where gluten based products are processed).
Q. Are kefir grains reusable?
A. Yes, they are reusable. Once your kefir is finished culturing, simply remove the grains and place them in fresh sugar water, juice or coconut water.
Q. How long do kefir grains last?
A. With proper care, they should last indefinitely.
Q. What is the process to make kefir?
A. WKG are added to sugar water, juice or coconut water, allowed to culture for 24-48 hours and then the grains are removed. To flavor the kefir (we don't recommend drinking it when made with sugar water without flavoring!), simply add fruit juice or flavor extracts (i.e. vanilla extract) to the beverage. If a more fizzy drink is desired, once the juice is added, bottle it up tightly and allow it to sit for a few days so the carbonation can build.
Q. What does kefir taste like?
A. Finished kefir will be fairly sweet (see below for information about sugar content). Depending on the type of sugar used, the amount of culturing time, etc., the kefir may also be slightly bubbly. We strongly recommend flavoring kefir made with sugar water prior to consuming it as the taste of plain kefir isn't particularly pleasant. Flavoring options include fruit (fresh or dried), fruit juice and flavor extracts.
Q. Will kefir grains multiply?
A. WKG are known to multiply, but at times they are reluctant to do so and therefore we do not guarantee the grains will multiply. Even if they do not multiply, with proper care, WKG can be used repeatedly to brew kefir. Click here for more information on ways you can encourage your grains to multiply.
Q. How can I flavor kefir?
A. Kefir made with sugar water can be flavored (after the grains are removed!) using fruit (fresh or dried), fruit juice or flavor extracts. Fruit can be added during or after the culturing process (see below) but should be changed out regularly (daily for fresh fruit, weekly for dried fruit). A tasty lemonade-type drink can be made by adding 1/2 cup lemon juice to 2 quarts finished kefir. Although just about any fruit juice can be used, we are especially fond of blueberry-pomegranate juice. To make a cream soda type drink, add 1-2 T. vanilla extract to 2 quarts finished kefir.
Q. Can I make lemonade kefir?
A. Yes! Lemon juice is a popular and tasty way to flavor kefir. Simply add 1/2 cup lemon juice to 2 quarts of finished kefir.
Q. Can I use juice to make kefir?
A. Yes, straight fruit juice (we recommend organic) can be used to make kefir. Note: we do strongly recommend getting your kefir grains established using sugar water (for at least a few batches) prior to using juice. We do also advise you to use separate sets of grains though for culturing juice and culturing sugar-water. Juice tends to be very hard on the grains and they do tend to break down a bit (it helps to culture them in sugar water every few batches). Unfortunately when you use WKG in juice and then move them to sugar water, the resulting kefir usually tastes very unpleasant thus our recommendation for keeping two sets of grains (this can be accomplished by waiting for your grains to multiply and splitting them or by purchasing a second set of grains). To make juice kefir you will use 2 quarts of juice for the 3-4 tablespoons (rehydrated) of WKG included in your packet.
Q. Can I use coconut water to make kefir?
A. Yes, coconut water can be used to make kefir. We recommend getting your kefir grains established using sugar water (for at least a few batches) prior to using coconut water.
Q. How do I remove the kefir grains from my finished kefir?
A. We recommend either containing the grains in a large cotton muslin bag (click here) or using a plastic mesh strainer set (click here).
Q. Where do I store my finished kefir?
A. Once the culturing process is complete and the grains have been removed, you can bottle up the finished kefir with or without juice (15-20% juice is a good ratio) for several days to allow carbonation to build. The kefir can be stored in a container with a lid. Options include canning jars, old wine bottles with new corks and grolsch-style (aka flip-top) bottles. Kefir bottled in an airtight container with juice will generally be more carbonated than kefir bottled without juice due to the higher sugar content. Click here to view our grolsch (aka flip-top) bottle which is perfect for bottling your kefir. Click here for a great blog post on how to make water kefir soda.
Q. Can I use honey to make kefir?
A. Technically yes, honey will make a wonderful tasting kefir. The problem with honey is that honey antibacterial in nature and the WKG are a mixture of bacteria and yeast. Therefore honey is very hard on WKG and will cause them to weaken (and eventually die). If you really want to use honey, just plan on replacing your grains occasionally.
Q. What type of sugar should I use to make kefir?
A. A number of types of sugar can be used to make kefir. For example, evaporated cane crystals (aka organic white sugar) makes a very mild tasting kefir which makes an excellent background for adding flavor. Whole sugars where the molasses is still intact (e.g. Rapadura, Succanat, etc.) also work well for making kefir and are generally considered to be healthier for the kefir grains over the long term as the minerals in the molasses promote grain health (you can accomplish the same thing by adding a teaspoon of molasses per 1/2 cup of white sugar). Whole sugars do tend to make a much stronger flavored kefir which you may or may not find pleasant. We do recommend using organic sugars to eliminate chemicals which may harm the kefir grains. We do not recommend using honey (see above).
Q. Do I need to add sugar if I'm using juice to make kefir (rather than sugar water)?
A. No, there should be enough sugar in the juice to feed the kefir grains.
Q. Is there any danger to using less sugar than is indicated by the instructions that came with my grains?
A. Yes! Making kefir requires a balance of ingredients to allow the kefir grains to properly culture. We recommend using a ratio of 1/4 cup sugar to 1 quart water when making kefir. This ratio ensures the kefir grains are properly fed. Using less sugar (or culturing the kefir for longer than 48 hours) can cause the grains to starve. Over time, the grains will become less efficient and although you are using less sugar, you may actually end up with more sugar in the finished kefir than you would with efficient working kefir grains (see below for information on how much sugar actually remains in finished kefir). Ultimately, using less sugar will result in unhealthy kefir grains and possibly higher sugar consumption for you.
Q. How much sugar does finished kefir contain?
A. While certainly variation will exist between batches, generally speaking approximately 20% of the sugar you start with will remain following a 48 hour culturing process and almost all that sugar will have been converted to fructose from it's original glucose-fructose state. Therefore if you use our recommend ratio of 1/4 cup sugar to 1 quart water, the finished kefir will contain approximately 1.4% fructose.
Q. What type of water should I use to make kefir?
A. Generally speaking, the best water sources for making kefir are safe well water or spring water (both usually have a high mineral content). We do not recommend using distilled water or water filtered though a carbon-activated filter (e.g. Britta, Pur, etc.). Both these methods of purification remove a great deal of the minerals in the water which results in less healthy kefir grains. If you do not have an alternative source for filtered water and must use tap water, it is important to remove the chlorine either through boiling (15 minutes) or through aeration (e.g. placing the water in a container and allowing it to sit out overnight or running it through a blender).
Q. How much alcohol does kefir contain?
A. As with all cultured and fermented foods, a small amount of naturally occurring alcohol is typically present in the finished product. Although the amount will vary from batch to batch, the amount should be quite small (usually significantly less than 1%). Using the prescribed ratio (1/4 cup sugar to 1 quart water) simply does not contain enough sugar to result in hooch. The exception to this general rule is when brewing 100% juice (rather than sugar water), the higher sugar content is liable to result in a higher alcohol level. If you do not desire a higher alcohol level, we recommend limiting the fermentation period to 24 hours when working with straight fruit juice.
Click here for more information on the alcohol content of water kefir.
Q. What supplies do I need to make kefir?
A. The easiest way to get started making kefir is to purchase one of our starter kits. However, if you would prefer to use items around you home, here is a list of supplies:
- Kefir Grains (3 tablespoons of hydrated grains for 2-3 quarts of sugar water, juice or coconut water)
- Sugar water, juice or coconut water
- Non-chlorinated water (avoid distilled water or water filtered through a carbon activated filter such as Britta or Pur)
- A container to brew the kefir: We recommend glass canning jars
- A container to store the finished kefir: Glass canning jars work for this as well provided they can be tightly sealed; an alternative is to bottle your finished kefir in grolsch-style (aka flip-top) glass bottles. Click here to view our grolsch-style bottle.
- A way to safely remove the grains from the finished kefir: We recommend either containing the kefir grains in a large cotton muslin bag (click here) or using a plastic mesh strainer set (click here).
- If you are planning to add fruit to the kefir while the grains are culturing, be sure to have a large cotton muslin bag on hand to secure either the fruit or the kefir grains so you won't have to spend hours separating them later (see above).
Click here to view more Kefir Frequently Asked Questions
Click here to view more information on making Kefir
