Blog Post: Keep ‘Em Cozy, But Don’t Cook the Kefir Grains!

When the seasons change and the weather begins to cool, we have to get creative with keeping appropriate temperatures for our cultures. I keep my house relatively cool in the Autumn and Winter months ~ 67ºF (19ºC) during the day and 63ºF (17ºC) at night. We stay cozy in sweaters or blankets, but cultures have a bit of a harder time. So, here’s what works to keep my cultures cozy… After testing my oven, I found that it maintains a beautiful 77ºF (25ºC), perfect for culturing my water kefir. This has been my “go to” water kefir culturing spot for years now. This Autumn took a little longer to cool off, but we did hit those cool temperatures and my house is feeling pretty chilly if you’re a kefir grain. After straining the grains and putting them in fresh sugar water, it was time to move them from the high cupboard to the oven with the light on. They were happy culturing away. I always put a note on my oven controls (and advise customers to do the same) so I don’t turn the oven on with the grains inside. Well, not always. One time, I forgot…and heated my grains in a 375ºF (190ºC) oven. Not good! So, my friends, please remember to take preventative measures and don’t cook your grains!