Questions on Water Kefir Starter Kit

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• From Courtney at 4/21/13 8:56 AM
  • My new water kefir grains have been rehydrating for three and a half days now. I used white sugar. How do I tell when they are ready to use? The liquid is yellow (not dark but def. yellow) and has a slight yeasty smell (like bread dough but not as strong). Does this mean something is wrong? The grains do appear plumper but I am not sure how plump they are supposed to be.
    
  • Hi Courtney
    
    We say give it 3 - 4 days to let the culture reactive but not more than 5. The water color should be changing, it sounds like things are going well. You can strain them off now and start a new batch of sweet water for them since its been more than 3 days. Or feel free to wait a day.
    
    Just remember that sometimes it takes a few batches before the grains are really active.
    
    Things sound like they are off to a good start!
    
    Best wishes
    
    Maggie
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• From Joyce at 4/17/13 5:44 PM
  • Where does your Kefir come from? Mexico?
    
    If Kefir is let standing for a month (in a cupboard forgotten about) are the grains finished or can they be activated?
    
    thank you.
  • Water kefir is thought to have originated in Mexico or Central America. Dehydrated water kefir grains, unopened, will usually be okay for a few weeks at normal room temperatures, but we advise storing them in the refrigerator for best results. Once activated, they must be kept in use or stored in sugar water in the refrigerator.
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• From Carolyn at 4/3/13 10:04 AM
  • Is there meaning behind the use of a plastic strainer? I have several small metal strainers which are fine mesh. Are the cultures and/or the water kefir not to be in contact with metal?
  • A stainless steel mesh strainer could be used but aluminum is reactive and would cause problems with the grains. It is difficult to tell the difference between a stainless steel and aluminum mesh strainer,. The nylon / plastic mesh strainer is safe for the culture and helps trap small grains.
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• From Eva at 2/23/13 5:17 PM
  • I am curious, as a Kombucha maker I am familiar with the need of providing minerals etc for the Scobey through organic whole tea. Would using sweet tea with the water kefir grains be possible?
    Thank you! ...Eva
  • While water kefir grains also need minerals to stay healthy, the minerals usually come from the water and the sugar. You can certainly try flavoring your finished water kefir with your favorite tea once the grains have been removed; however, I do not recommend adding the tea in with the grains, as you may damage the grains.
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• From Rachel at 1/11/13 9:19 PM
  • What is the reason for a plastic strainer?
    
    I use water that comes from an underground aquifer; do I need the Trace drops?
    
    Thank you
  • The fine-mesh strainer is handy for straining the grains from the finished kefir.
    
    Kefir Grains benefit from water sources with higher mineral content. Some water sources such as well water or spring water can be naturally high in mineral content and are ideal for making kefir. On the other hand, distilled water, reverse osmosis water and water which has been filtered through a activated carbon filter (such as a Britta or Pur filter) often have extremely low or non-existent mineral levels. If using one of these types of water, it is a good idea to add minerals using the Concentrace mineral drops. Otherwise, there is no need to add minerals.
    
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• From Chrissy at 12/21/12 2:02 PM
  • After the water kefir is made, what is a typical alcohol content for the beverage?
  • It's usually no higher than 0.5%, which is less than the alcohol content of fruit juice.
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• From Susan at 12/15/12 9:49 AM
  • Can raw coconut crystals be used for the sugar?
    
    Thank you.
  • Coconut crystals can be used with water kefir, but it's not going to be as good for the grains as cane sugar. If you do use it, make sure you keep an eye on the grains to make sure they're staying healthy. Better yet, try it with some extra grains and see how it goes over time.
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• From laurie at 8/17/12 10:23 AM
  • How do I get my kefir grains to reproduce? Are there things that enhance reproduction? Or things that inhibit it?
  • You can find information about encouraging water kefir grains to multiply by following this link: http://www.culturesforhealth.com/encouraging-water-kefir-grains-to-multiply
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• From karl at 7/30/12 3:55 PM
  • how many times can you use these kefir cultures (how many batches can you make)
  • The initial quantity is sufficient to culture 1 to 3 quarts. With care, these water kefir grains can be used over and over again, indefinitely. Once they start to reproduce, you can make large quantities at once, or share the grains with friends.
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• From Seana at 5/20/12 1:23 PM
  • Why are the Trace Mineral Drops included in the Water Kefir Starter Kit? How are they used?
  • Kefir grains need minerals. A few drops of ConcenTrace while your kefir is culturing is a great way to ensure the grains have proper minerals, especially if your water source has few minerals and you are using white sugar. If you are using well water and a raw sugar, the mineral drops are probably not necessary.
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