Questions on Milk Kefir Starter Kit

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• From BN at 10/19/11 10:14 PM
  • Hi,
    
    I am new to making my own milk kefir.
    
    I can only find ultra-pasteurized organic milk in the grocery stores here. Is that ok?
    
    Can kefir be made from fat-free milk or is that not advisable?
    
    Thanks,
    B
  • Ultrapasteurized milk can be too sterile for the kefir grains. They may be able to make kefir for a while, but eventually they are likely to weaken for lack of nourishment. You may be able to have your grocery store order some regular pasteurized milk for you. Fat-free milk is acceptable, but will make a thinner kefir.
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• From ap at 2/25/12 10:55 PM
  • Does this kefir have lactose in it once it's made? I know the kefir I buy at the store says it's 99% lactose free, and I didn't know if that was all kefir or just theirs. Thanks,
    Amina
  • The amount of lactose in the finished kefir will depend on how long you culture it. The longer it cultures, the less lactose will be in it.
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• From hildegard at 2/26/12 3:49 PM
  • Can you make kefir with instant non-fat dry milk? Thank you
  • You could probably culture a batch of instant non-fat dry milk with kefir grains, but the grains would not survive well as the dry milk is usually very highly processed and does not provide a lot of nutrient for the grains to grow and reproduce.
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• From Jessica at 3/8/12 9:23 AM
  • Can you use this kefir starter set with coconut milk instead of cow's milk?
  • Yes however the grains must be rehydrated using dairy milk. After rehydration, you can put them into coconut milk. The grains will survive and culture coconut milk but they do not seem to grow well in coconut milk so plan to put them back into dairy milk occasionally, especially if you want your grains to grow and multiply.
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• From Amina at 3/8/12 3:18 PM
  • Oh no! I was rehydrating my kefir grains and accidently used a metal spoon. Have I ruined them? They have not started making proper kefir yet, and I am not sure what they are supposed to be doing at this point in the process. Can you tell me how sensitive they are to this sort of mistake?
    Thanks
  • The grains are probably ok, especially if the spoon is stainless steel. Brief contact with the metal will likely not harm them. Continue with the rehydration process and contact customer service if you have further problems.
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• From Joy at 4/4/12 2:14 PM
  • I want to make my own keifer at home but my family doesn't consume enough to make a new batch ever 24-24 hour. We usually go through 1 qt a week.
    
    What do you do with the grains in between batchs?
  • In between batches you can add your kefir grains to a cup of milk and set them in the refrigerator. They will be good for about 2 weeks that way!
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• From Erica at 4/18/12 3:05 PM
  • Can I have these shipped to Europe?
  • Unfortunately we do not ship personal orders out of the US. We do however ship to wholesalers and buying clubs outside of the US. If you would like more information about this, please email us at customersupport@culturesforhealth.com
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• From Stephanie at 4/21/12 7:18 PM
  • Hello! I wanted to know if it's okay to use real silver spoons (not stainless steel) with the kefir. If not, I suppose wood would be okay?
    
    Thank you!
  • Silver has anti-microbial properties and shouldn't be used with your grains. Stainless steel is fine but when in doubt, go with the wooden spoons :)
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• From Monica at 5/14/12 3:48 PM
  • What is the best way to add fruit to homemade Kefir? I love Raspberries. Do I just beat some in after it is made?
    
    Thank you
  • Yes, you can blend the berries into the kefir. We also have a great video about flavoring kefir here http://www.culturesforhealth.com/how-to-flavor-milk-kefir-video
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• From Abe at 5/24/12 6:23 PM
  • In instructions for Rehydrating Kefir Grains: Can I use 1/4 or 1/2 cup fresh milk to rehydrating Kefir Grains instead of one cup as indicated in the instruction?
    If idea to submerge Kefir Grains completely in the milk, I think 1/4 or maximum 1/2 cup is more than sufficient. Why waste one cup of fresh milk?
    Let me know.
  • We recommend using 1 cup of milk to rehydrate the grains. As the grains rehydrate, you are also providing food for them. 1/4 cup of milk would not be enough to feed the grains and keep them healthy.
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