This is all nice and dandy but honestly it can become an obstacle when you want to go out of town for a business trip or for vacation. You can’t just leave your kefir grains now… can you?

If you want to go on a vacation or you just don’t feel like making kefir for a couple of weeks, place the kefir grains in fresh milk and store them in the refrigerator. These little critters can usually last for two weeks with their recovery period not being too long, when you do decide to bring them back out and grow them again.

Since kefir grains are basically little tiny organisms, they can go out of balance at extreme temperatures. The longer they are kept they’re the longer they will stay ‘dormant’, so to speak, resulting in a longer recovery period to get them started again.

If you really do have to keep them in the refrigerator or when you do decide to get them out, repeat what you’ve been doing before and be sure to keep giving them a change of milk every day and to keep them at room temperature so they’ll be happy. When you don’t see results right away, this is the recovery period taking place. Just keep doing what you’re doing and eventually, they should go back to what they were.

Sometimes, the grains can become so outbalanced that it takes so much time and so much milk is wasted, it would be easier to start over with new grains.

If you need to store the grains for longer than 2 weeks, the only way to store them is by freezing them. This is a good idea for the extra grains you don’t need, but is eating up so much of your fresh milk. Again, the longer you freeze them the longer the recovery period will be.

When you get them out, you may think they are inactive and dead, but most likely they’re just ‘asleep’. Leave them in room temperature and keep giving them fresh milk every day. Do this regularly and each day that pass, you’ll taste the kefir getting a little better each day.

First, let’s tackle the taste part, no matter what the consistency or smell of the kefir is. This is by far the easiest to remedy as the consistency and smell of the kefir will eventually follow. The general rule of thumb that I follow, is to simply add more milk when the kefir that is strained off from the batch is too sour. Remember to strain the kefir grains every 24 hours and to put into a fresh batch of milk. If the resulting taste is just right, use the same amount of milk the next time. If after you’ve doubled the milk and it’s still too sour, you might be having a little too much grains in your jar, so the next best solution is removing some of the grains.

When doing this trial and error or experimentation phase, be sure to only change one thing at a time. If you’re going to add or lessen the milk OR you’re going to remove some of the grains. Don’t do both as you not know what really effected the change. Learn to be patient, everything comes with practice as they say. : )

Next is the consistency part. After a while of growing your kefir grains, you may just find your kefir turning into a whole different consistency. With the top being curdy and very watery near the bottom, and separates more once strained and left in the refrigerator. Definitely not the smooth and thick kefir you’re familiar with.

So what are we doing wrong now?

The simplest explanation to this is that you’re kefir grain’s growth is outpacing you supplying them with their food. You’ve been giving them the same amount of fresh milk when they have already grown so much. At this point, the kefir is simply separating because it has become too acidic. Like the taste, the remedy is to simply add more milk to the kefir grains or to remove of the grains and use the same amount of fresh milk.

Again, I would just like to point out that making Kefir isn’t exactly an exact science. The fun thing about Kefir is that it’s very much like any other recipe you try out. You don’t necessarily have to follow it to the letter and there is still a lot of room for experimentation.

Don’t get me wrong though, there is one step that you do need to follow. And that is taking in mind the little probiotics or the good bacteria in the kefir grains. Since these are little live organisms that need most likely traveled a long distance, the best way to kick start them to life so that they will eventually multiply in number is to feed them by getting them into fresh milk.

If you want your Kefir grains to multiply, the best way I’ve found, is to leave them in room temperature and with a regular change of delicious fresh milk.

First things first. I stick to what i’ve said before, am saying and will continue to say for a very long time. There is no doubt in my mind that Natural Kefir Grains are 100% better than Kefir Starter. It’s been proven, and there are a lot of testimonies from users who have used both to back it up.

However, here’s the part people often miss out on, I’m not saying Kefir Starter are not effective or useful. Don’t get me wrong, it is.
Kefir Starter is the INSTANT ready mix version of kefir. No more handling of the kefir grains, just pour, ferment and voila, ready to drink Kefir.

The downside to this is you can only reuse the kefir starter for a limited number of times (about 7? or maybe about 8 the last time I tried), unlike the unlimited use of natural kefir grains. Looking at this in an economic point of view, kefir starters cost more than natural kefir grains and can only be used for a limited number of times compared to forever for natural kefir grains. You do the math.

Another thing lacking with kefir starters is it does not have the same amount of probiotic goodness as natural kefir grains. This is due to the industrialized process in which natural kefir grains are turned into kefir starter. So in short this means Kefir Starters don’t have as much healthy benefits as Kefir made from natural kefir grains.

However, and here’s the main thing, if you don’t drink any kefir at all and don’t want to use kefir grains (I wouldn’t know why) by all means get the Kefir Starter. It’s better than nothing. But if you want the best bang for your buck I urge you to try making Kefir from natural kefir grains. If you’re still skeptical try both yourself and see (or feel) the difference.

People ask me what the real spelling of yogurt is. Is it yogurt? Yoghurt? Yoghourt? Well, the truth is, they are all correct. You can use any of those three spellings without worrying anymore!

How about Kefir? Kifer is wrong, but people usually misspell it because some pronounce it as Ki-fer and some pronounce is as Ke-fir. Personally, I don’t mind what the correct pronunciation is, just make sure the spelling is right. It’s Kefir and NOT Kifer.

Enjoy your weekend!

You must’ve heard about kefir somewhere so you tried searching for it online or you must have a problem with your health so you were searching for a very natural and proven remedy. You are definitely in the right place. I created this site because I love Kefir! It has rid me of many unwanted health issues and changed my lifestyle for the better. Since discovering Kefir, it’s been a regular staple in my diet.

So what really is Kefir?
Kefir is a cultured milk drink. The word originated from the word “Keif” which means “good feeling” or “pleasure” and this has been around for centuries! There’s actually one main thing that’s been bothering people for centuries too. How do you really pronounce it?

Sounds like it’s a glorified name for “Yogurt”
Is it just yogurt with a weird sounding name? Actually it’s ALMOST similar because they are both fermented/cultured dairy products. Both are great sources for calcium, B vitamins, potassium and protein. Both have the same slightly acidic flavor too. But that’s pretty much where the similarities end.

Kefir is thinner in consistency, just imagine evaporated milk consistency. People use it as a direct substitute for yogurt and some cuisines actually require it. Studies have proven that it is healthier than yogurt and EASIER to make.

How is making Kefir different from making Yogurt?
Let me first explain how both are basically made so you would get a better understanding. Yogurt is made by culturing fresh milk which were, boiled and then cooled, with a bacteria starter. It is then fermented in an environment warmer than normal room temperature for about 8-16 hours.The bacteria in yogurt should be consistently renewed because of it’s very limited lifespan.

Kefir is made naturally by culturing fresh milk with live kefir grains. Kefir ferments at room temperature and fermentation periods are flexible. Usually a half day up to 2 days at most. The best part is kefir grains stay alive forever! Ok, indefinitely is the better word but as long as you don’t kill them… on purpose. It’s actually pretty hard to stop them from reproducing and growing. After fermenting your first batch, just remove the kefir grains and move them to a new batch of milk to make a new one.

Wait, I’m lactose intolerant. Can I drink this?
Enzymes in both kefir and yogurt make it easy for people to digest it compared to other dairy products, which is really important for lactose-intolerant people. To prove this point, there are many studies and testimonials that people who are lactose intolerant are much better off drinking kefir. There have also been proof that people with other allergies got cured after drinking kefir.

Tell me what makes it so good?
Like Yogurt, it introduces good bacteria into your body. But you are need to eat it regularly to keep good bacteria in your system. Kefir’s beneficial or friendly bacteria comes from kefir grains and actually resides in the intestines when consumed, where they can continue to aid in digestion and repel harmful bacteria. There are also studies and proof that it cures constipation, ulcers and makes your immune system better.

How come I haven’t heard of this before if it’s so good?
Actually there are many products in your local supermarket that are kefir. You probably know the brand names, just not that it is actually made from kefir. I will be reviewing each of them soon and I hope you would look forward to it.

I have other milks at home, can I use it?
YES! You are not limited to cow’s milk. People make it with goat’s milk, camel’s milk and even buffalo milk! You can also use soy milk, the milk of nuts, seeds or coconut, or cereal grains.

Kefir can also be made with just sugar water mixed with citrus and dried fruits called water kefir.

I have a weak stomach! How will this help me!?
Here’s a tip from me, if you drink Kefir, you will be able to drink and eat ANYTHING. It makes your stomach that much stronger.

I compiled a list of questions people commonly ask me.
Here’s a quick FAQ

1. I have this really puffy Kefir grain, could I divide it to give to other people?
YES, just do it! I don’t have a problem with metal utensils but other people still stress that you should use plastic. So it’s up to you if you want to experiment.

2. So how long will each Kefir grain live?
Kefir grains are practically immortal. Just take care of them and not intentionally kill them.

3. My Kefir are more bitter now than before, why is that?
Your Kefir grains are probably old. Use the new ones that have been produced.

4. Will my Kefir grains get spoiled? Contaminated?
These guys are tough, they can counter pretty much anything. Be aware though, if it really started to taste differently, then just using your newer batch of Grains.

5. Where can I get Kefir Grains?
I have gotten the best from this guy. Just bought mine and used ii and

6. I have diabetes! Can I drink this?
This practically doesn’t have any additional sugar unless you used the water Kefir process (Subscribe to the mailing list to know more fast) so it’s safe for diabetics.

7. I’m pregnant can I drink this?
I prefer to advise people not to drink this when pregnant but I have met Kefir lovers that really drink this. This is sort of a disclaimer

8. How about infants?
I have met people that have fed babies with Kefir but…..I still prefer to advise people not to do it. Digestion is not the problem because it’s very easy to digest. It’s just me staying on the safe side since Kefir has a little bit of alcohol content. It’s just almost one percent but it could almost be zero too. It really depends on the temperature and the length of fermentation.

9. I want to leave it for a longer time but I’m afraid my jar will explode!
Just put it in the fridge. It slows down the fermentation process. If you really want to leave it for a longer time, the Kefir produced should not be drank. Then when you finally need to use them, just take them out of the fridge and give them time to recuperate. It will take a while for them to be back at full strength.

10. I tasted the Kefir from the supermarket! It doesn’t take like this!
That’s because they are not from real milk Kefir. It would be impractical to mass produce this. By the way, Kefir from Kefir grains are better than the Kefir starters you get in your local stores. If you want to try it out first, feel free to buy the starter. After that, I suggest you get the Kefir grains.

11. I’m very sensitive to dairy but I’m really interested in making kefir. Can kefir be made with coconut milk or another type of milk?
From past experience, YES it can. But it is always best to grow the Kefir grains in milk for a few weeks so that they can really rebalance. Only then, should you start adding them to other mediums.

12. I’m lactose intolerant and have problems digesting kefir.
People who are dairy sensitive can drink kefir. This is because the probiotics in Kefir predigest the lactose and the nutrients for you allowing your body to digest it easily.

I will add more frequently asked questions soon. I hope you enjoyed this and see you soon!

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