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Wednesday, May 13, 2015

How To Make Water Kefir

I went on a probiotic spree when my eczema flared up and was keen to try natural remedies. I tried milk kefir but my stomach doesn't agree with it. I turned to water kefir and have not looked back.

I've been drinking water kefir daily and my digestion quickly improved. After 6 months, my eczema settled down and now I don't have to treat it anymore. In fact as long as I keep my skin moisturised, it's like I don't have eczema at all.

This is what I do to make water kefir. Don't worry about buying special brewing jars. Cleaned out pickle and pasta sauce jars do the job.

Instructions for 3 tablespoons of water kefir grains:
1) Put the grains in a large wide mouthed jar. You can make up to 400ml of water kefir and increase as your grains grow.

2) Add sugar, preferably a raw or brown type and top up the jar with lukewarm to cold filtered water. For 400ml of water kefir, I add roughly three heaped tablespoons. You can adjust sugar and water ratio accordingly to your taste as you make more batches. Just remember the water can't be too warm or you could kill the grains. 

3) Cover mouth of the jar with a coffee filter or a double layered paper towel and secure with a rubber band.

4) Place the jar in a dark place that's not cold or warm. Leave it for 24 hours.

5) After 24 hours you will notice small bubbles raising from the grains when the jar is tapped. Give the water a stir if there is undissolved sugar at the bottom. In summer you can taste test with a clean spoon after a day. If it's sweet, you need to cover and wait 6 hours before testing again. If it's NOT sweet or rather, on the tangy side, the water kefir is ready to drink or to be refermented with cordial/juices. You can also tell when it done when the water becomes cloudy. In winter, taste test after 48 hours.
6) When it's ready, pour the water kefir into a bottle through a sieve over a funnel. It can be stored in the fridge or be re-fermented for carbonation.

7) Repeat the above for the next batch of water kefir. 

The longer the fermentation process, the stronger the taste and smell. When it ferments with exposure to air (lid off), lactic acid and good bacteria is produced. You can drink it after the first ferment although it taste better with bubbles and flavouring.

When it's fermented the second time with the lid tightly on, probiotic production ceases. Alcohol and carbonation is produced from the new sugar. The second fermentation takes 24-48 hours. The best carbonation is made in narrow necked bottles with flip top stoppers. You can use the narrowest tallest jars/bottles I can find. Recycled Voss water bottles have served me well. 

For the second fermentation, you will need to add roughly 1/8 of the water kefir amount in fruit juice or cordial. This is where you can experiment with flavours and sugar sources. I've made delicious ginger ale with lemon juice, sugar and grated fresh ginger. 

Make sure you leave an atleast an inch of space at the top of the bottle before capping the bottle tightly. Leave in a dark, not cold place for 24 hours.

After every 48 hours you need to burp the bottle to avoid an explosion. You can taste to check if further fermentation is required.  For a stronger flavour or more carbonation, give it another 24 hours. Don't exceed more than this because it will become sourer and alcoholic.

When it's ready, store in the refrigerator. Consume within 3 days for maximum probiotic benefits.

There are many internet resources and youtube videos on water kefir making. This is my favourite website:  http://www.yemoos.com/faqwaintro.html

First fermentation with white cane sugar and dried fruit.

The left and centre bottles are ready for drinking. The bottle on the right has the grains with unrefined sugar water. The grains loved it.

Proof that you can make fizzy drink at home without a Sodastream! 

2 comments:

  1. what type of dried fruit do you use?

    ReplyDelete

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