How to Make Water Kefir | Fermented Drink with Water Kefir Grains Starter Culture

[@FermentationAdventure]

Thank you for watching our water kefir video! If you want to turn this into a fruit drink, check out our next video! kzbin.info/www/bejne/nKjUqZJ4pK6AeLM

[@sal2ahmed]

Hi, can we use jaggery if possible?

[@pamelaremme38]

Guys this was confusing because you had #1, #2, #3 and never told which was which. I ended up putting 1/4 c organic sugar, 1/4 c kefir grains and a pinch of salt. I stirred the sugar and dissolved in water then a pinch of sea salt and then added kefir. Did I do it right? I hope I didn't kill my grains??

[@carolinewong1698]

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[@junkmail9958]

You guys are so genius with this that I think it’s hard to remember that the beginners really need to have it dumbed down. One of the videos that you put out was the first that I had seen when I came out to KZbin. I was so confused that I tried to look at other sources to figure out what I was doing. Additionally, I hate to say that the way people have commented on regarding the tone and cadence that your audience have commented on did turn me away, but honestly, it did. I don’t know if it’s more toned down now or if I’ve just become used to it but it’s not an issue for me anymore, lol. I’ve been on this adventure now for probably three weeks and it’s all starting to make sense. I (reluctantly) watched your Q&A yesterday about doing bottling and ginger bug fermentation, and things like that and that’s when it started to click. I believe it’s a lot easier than what it seemed. When you’re so good at this, I think the more common questions may be so intuitive to you, it can make it easy to not address. I don’t know if that makes any sense. I came back and watched this video… Twice actually… because there were still things that didn’t previously make sense to me. It’s really starting to come together. I just have to listen over and over again to completely understand. I’m just now realizing how much time and resources I have wasted because of the confusion.. I just want to say thank you so much. As I mentioned earlier, you’re completely genius and now my absolute source of this information. I am so incredibly excited to continue with this journey, and I am glad that you’re going to be there to help me along the way.

[@FermentationAdventure]

Wow! Thank you SO MUCH! We truly appreciate the kind words and we're so happy that you're enjoying our videos! ❤️ We read all of the comments and always take them to heart as suggestions. In our latest videos we've tried to focus more on good information and higher quality so we can keep making our videos better. It's exciting that you're starting your fermentation journey and we hope you're getting some tasty ferments! There's a lot to explore and so many good flavors. We're happy you found us! 🎉🍺🥒😊

[@Mystichandworks]

I'm lactose intolerant, and I made milk kafir for several years. I was able to drink a gallon of milk kafir a week without issue because the kafir digests the sugar in the milk which is lactose. I've always been curious about water kafir and kombucha. I'm glad I found your channel.

[@FermentationAdventure]

That's interesting! Thank you so much for sharing about that. I'm sure there a many who have the same issue of not being able to digest lactose so maybe that will help. We're happy to have you here! 💓

[@anerawewillneverforget]

You can use medicinal herbs in your second ferment. Lemon and fennel fronds make an absolutely delicious drink. Use moringa (fresh), use stinging nettle (fresh), and other herbs as well. Dandelion roots, burdock roots...you get the idea 🙂

[@FermentationAdventure]

Yum! I bet all of these would enhance the flavor quite a bit! We've always thought of growing moringa as a super food but haven't gotten around to it yet. Thanks for sharing!

[@carloscuevas8268]

Are you referring to moringa leaves? Or the fruit?

[@jenniferwalters579]

Where do you grow your Moringa? I bet deer like it too so I’d need to grow inside my deer fence. I’d like to forage for stinging nettles. Thank you for the suggestion!

[@anerawewillneverforget]

Moringa doesn't have fruit. It needs a very warm climate to grow in. I have some in large pots and a couple in the ground. In winter, it's basically deciduous, even though our winters are mild. I tropical climates and arid climates, it's evergreen. Look up on you tube...many interesting videos on this super food. Using medicinal herbs is a no brainer.

[@tianaslade2910]

Just a heads up, make sure none of the things you add are antibacterial. I’ve ended up with some funky second ferments when playing with herbs that were. Love the suggestion though!

[@bvazdiniz]

I’ve been using water Kefir for more than 10 years… I love it!!! One way of keeping it for future use is actually freezing it… you can freeze it for 2 to 3 months…

[@FermentationAdventure]

Hello! Whoa, freezing it?! Wow. Pretty interesting. Do you have a few more details that could help readers in these comments? A few questions that come to mind... Do you free them in liquid? Do you thaw them on the counter at room temperature? Have you noticed that it takes longer for them to work in fermentation (to come out of hibernation?) than if it was just stored in the refrigerator while in hibernation? Thank you for sharing!

[@bvazdiniz]

@@FermentationAdventure hi, it’s pretty incredible isn’t it??? This little wonders of nature are really unbelievable!!! I drain them and put them in little ziplock bags or plastic wrap, taking care to live them well out of air (almost as a vacuum wrap, but not so tight… just mostly out of air contact). To make them come back to “life” again I just leave them in room temperature until they unfreeze… after that just put them back in a sugar solution just as if you were going to do a fermentation… change this solution every 24h to 48h… it will need probably 2 to 3 sugar/water solution changes to get them going again… but they do comeback!!! :) I can put here the best Kefir information page in internet I found… it’s a really good source for getting information …

[@FermentationAdventure]

Thank you Bruno! Kefir grains are awesome. 😊

[@user-smart3]

Hi Bruno was interested your method of freezing for so long the water kefir,but I wondered did you use glass jars or plastic because the glass could break easy in the freezer? Thank you for your time ,Gaby

[@bvazdiniz]

@@user-smart3 hi Gaby. I have used both plastic and glass, and they both worked fine. For plastic I actually used a little plastic freezing bag (either ziplock ou normal plastic bags), and for glass, which I do prefer, I used tiny glass jars usually used for jams or jelly…

[@johnhavel7685]

Bought a jug of mango nectar last week and made some mango water kefir and man was that good. Used some dehydrated starter culture and just threw it in with the mango nectar. The first batch took 3 days and didn’t really notice much difference from the initial mango juice as far as taste and carbonation I took off about 3/4 of that to drink and then topped off the jar again and left it for another 3 days and that batch had some awesome carbonation and a slightly more acidic and a bit less sweet taste that was honestly as good as any soda pop I’ve ever had but so much healthier. Can’t wait to get some more and try some other flavors

[@tanyak3640]

So I put the kefir seeds directly into the mango juice?

[@johnhavel7685]

@@tanyak3640 I didn’t use grains it was some starter mix stuff from cultures for health

[@shinrin-yoku-]

I drink milk kefir every day and I'm lactose intolerant. The milk kefir "grains" "eats" the lactose. Milk kefir is very low/no lactose depending on fermentation time. Water kefir grains do the same thing to the sugar they "feed" upon.

[@FermentationAdventure]

Oh that's awesome. Thanks for the comment!

[@steez2916]

@Gavin Byrne Yeah that’s the fermentation process. The scoby gets energy from the sugar and uses it to create bacteria. The longer you wait, the more potent and acidic it will be. I’ve seen people use molasses but never as a substitute of sugar. They used some in the initial batch probably like a tablespoon.

[@LaMoynihan1]

I’ve been brewing this for a few days and it’s been an adventure. Tart cherry juice made a pretty good. I thought I’d let make the next batch ferment a little longer during the second fermentation. Wholly cow Batman! When I opened the bottle…. The gasket blew off the bottle and the Kerfir foamed out and almost emptied all over my kitchen! But the little bit left tasted great! 🤷🏼‍♀️ I’m trying it with ginger. I’ll use your squeeze bottle tester idea next time. I thought I could do it without.

[@LaserLady]

I LOVE water kefir. I discovered it this summer. I usually use a brown sugar and supplement with molasses here and there. I got mine to grow to enough grain to ferment GALLONS at a time and finally cut back a lil. 😅 My fav recipes for the bottling stage are to add 1/4 cup grape juice concentrate - my kids fav grape soda. Another recipe is to add a bit of sliced ginger, fresh sliced tumeric, 2 tbsp of maple syrup and a pinch of pepper. YUM! ❤ you guys! 🙌

[@FermentationAdventure]

We love your ideas! Yum! Thanks so much for joining us on our adventures!

[@Kelleena1on1]

Thanks for yr input :)

[@user-smart3]

Hello,Laser Lady,I love your originality and I asked this question before and waiting for the answer,well nobody mention about honey instead of maple sirup,or molasses because honey is so healthy and full of great enzymes? 🤷‍♀️Thank you

[@LaserLady]

@@user-smart3 oh thanks! I have heard honey can decrease carbonation because of its antibacterial qualities, though I have never tested it. It's worth a try! 👩‍🔬

[@slinkadoo6292]

Power-Mom!!

[@leeoleary3321]

Wow brilliant video. I realise ive been doing my water jefir all wrong. I was wondering why mine was never fizzy. Thanks again. You just got yourself a new subscriber

[@FermentationAdventure]

Thanks so much for the love Lee! We hope your water kefir is bubbling along nicely! 💓

[@Sbannmarie]

Been making milk kefir for years- now onto water kefir! 😊

[@FermentationAdventure]

Nice! We hope you love it! Water kefir is so great for those fruity drinks. In case you haven't the next video yet, here's a few recipes to get you started: kzbin.info/www/bejne/nKjUqZJ4pK6AeLM 😃

[@daniellerandall6486]

Love this video which society would listen to more people like you guys instead of putting fizzy drinks into their bodies .

[@FermentationAdventure]

@daniellerandall6486 Thanks for the love! We agree there's so many delicious and healthier options out there! Hopefully this video and our other fermented drinks encourages folks to explore different kinds of drinks!

[@maevebrain]

FINALLY the 1st channel to pronounce kefir correctly!

[@FermentationAdventure]

😅

[@Gardeningandstuffwithholly]

Recently discovered that water kefir was a thing. Thanks for explaining it and showing how to make it!

[@FermentationAdventure]

Wonderful! We're happy to be able to help you and others make water kefir! 😃🥰

[@DeadshotColada]

The alcohol evaporates off the kefir as it ferments, because it is in an aerobic environment (it can breathe). In order for the alcohol content to really increase and remain in the kefir, we need to put it in a sealed container with an airlock during fermentation (anaerobic environment).

[@FermentationAdventure]

Hi! That definitely could help, but we've noticed that water kefir is a much lighter, slower ferment than say, a ginger bug. :)

[@MartinFoCo94]

That is not how it works, rather aerobic environment allows yeast to respirate while eating sugar- creating co2 and water. In an anaerobic environment the yeast convert sugar into co2 and ethanol.

[@bannanaization]

Please help me. How do i completely minimize the alcohol content of the water kefir?

[@seanwhiskey8217]

@@bannanaization at .3%, you'd have to drink about 160oz to get the amount of alcohol of 1x 12oz Bud Light (or any 4%abv beer). To minimize/ try to get below .3%, use a little less sugar (about 1/2 cup sugar / gallon of water vs. 3/4 cup), use very active real grains (not powder etc), and remove from fermentation, bottle, and refrigerate without a 2ndary ferment after 24 hours (vs after 48). You'll get a still sweet kefir water. Less acidity and fewer probiotics do come along with lower abv%/ shorter ferments.

[@sarahmarie9313]

@@seanwhiskey8217so the longer it ferments the more probiotics? Also can I use coconut sugar? I tend to be sensitive to Kane sugar. I wasn’t sure if I would still have that sensitivity given the yeast is feeding off of the sugar but I still want to try to be mindful of that.

[@FermentationAdventure]

Hi everyone! We're excited to share this instructional video with you and hope you try it! Here's where you can get some water kefir grains: amzn.to/3liJo4Q

[@hjhjuliaabdullah9393]

wow,so easy n wonderful to learn how to make kefir to drink for healthy living.Thanks a lot! GOD bless. 😊👍

[@FermentationAdventure]

Thank you! We're so happy to hear you're loving our videos! We just love sharing the wonders of fermentation. ❤️

[@MommaMia-k8t]

You two are so cute! Thank you for the thorough information and making this seem doable for us, especially us working people!

[@FermentationAdventure]

Thanks so much for the sweet comment! We're so happy you like our videos! ❤️

[@nothezza]

I'm currently making kombucha for the first time after watching your videos on the subject, and this seems like a great project too! I would love to make cucumber and mint flavored water kefir. I bet that would taste great!

[@FermentationAdventure]

Oh yeah that sounds delicious Travis! 😋 That flavor combination would be great for the subtle flavor of water kefir. We hope your ferments are going well! 😊

[@Sbannmarie298]

Yum

[@eliyasdgl]

Kefir couples....Excellently reviewed about water kefir....

[@FermentationAdventure]

Thank you so much! 😃

[@mothershelper1981]

The best and clearest video I've seen on water kefir yet! I'm going to go check out your other videos and see if they are as good.

[@FermentationAdventure]

Thank you so much! Hope you've found some other great recipes and fermentation techniques. 💓

[@mothershelper1981]

@@FermentationAdventure I just watched at least two more videos today, maybe it was three. The ginger bug and the watermelon soda. I think I subscribed but I'll go double-check to be sure.

[@FermentationAdventure]

Thank you!

[@ToyBoysChannel]

I just had a successful batch of water kefir and it tastes awesome! Funny how I had tons of issues using the wild ferment (ginger bug) but zero issues with the water kefir. Thanks for all the advice guys! Do kombucha next? :)

[@FermentationAdventure]

That's wonderful news! Kombucha is a great idea! We're actually brewing a batch now, just have to record it and publish the video. :)

[@ToyBoysChannel]

@@FermentationAdventure Can't wait for the vid!!!

[@FermentationAdventure]

Oh, wait until you see the Scoby we grew! Video coming next week. :)

[@curtbrenner1541]

I’m new to this fermenting process. I love you too guys. Great attitude great screen presents. The whole thing worked out really really well for me. I have a good idea on what I’m gonna do for my first one and hopefully I’ll do a very good job. doesn’t look very complicated. It’s not brain surgery, so thanks again. Totally appreciate you guys. Keep up the good work.❤

[@FermentationAdventure]

Yay! Fantastic! We're excited for your new journey into the wonderful world of fermentation! 😄

[@curtbrenner1541]

@@FermentationAdventure something went wrong and I’m kind of thinking that I did something like you did in the beginning when I first got them I saw your video so I stuck a little bit of sugar in some distilled water and I stuck it in the refrigerator for a week, but there was a little bit of sugar in there so it should’ve kept them alive. I pulled them out. I did exactly like you said I put a quarter cup of brown sugar in there with just a little pinch of Celtic sea salt just a little one, and I shook that up, I drink distilled water so everything I use is distilled and it’s been over 48 hours. It still taste like Sugar water send a message to the supplier. They haven’t sent anything back to me. I’m gonna let it go 24 more hours, but I don’t think anything‘s gonna change, I am kind of baffled. It’s not brain surgery. It seems pretty easy. Any comments would be greatly appreciated. Thank you so much. Love your videos. By the way I’m talking to you from Thailand. I used to live in California. Good luck again thanks for all the great videos.

[@erichlf]

I finally found someone that pronounces it correctly. I couldn't even get 30 seconds in on so many other videos.

[@FermentationAdventure]

Haha! Thanks so much Erich! We've heard it a few different ways. I guess it depends where you're from!

[@erichlf]

@@FermentationAdventure you pronounce it like the original Russian.

[@shelby131]

this is exactly what made me laugh my ass off about these guys. who cares how they say it in Russia 😂

[@ministersofthenewcovenant2951]

Making my first batch of Kefir! Super excited. Y'alls videos are the best! Do you have one showing how to make Moonshine by chance?? If not, I'd love for you to cover it.

[@FermentationAdventure]

Thank you so much! We're happy that you're getting into fermentation! We do not have one on Moonshine... Not sure we'll get into that though because it's not a living, healthy ferment. We just like our living ferments so much and there's so much to cover. 😄

[@ministersofthenewcovenant2951]

@@FermentationAdventure that makes sense! I am in LOVE with fermentation so far! Love ur videos. Thanks so much for the work u put into them.

[@FermentationAdventure]

Thank you for watching! 💗

[@anerawewillneverforget]

Great for all animals too

[@FermentationAdventure]

I bet! There's nutrients in all of these ferments!

[@rebabur1928]

My grains are tiny and not growing. My second ferments don't get fizzy. I didnt realise you had to add a mineral, I'll try that!

[@FermentationAdventure]

Oh, we hope it was just missing some minerals! Have you had any luck reviving your kefir grains?

[@Sbannmarie298]

Just bought it! I’m excited

[@FermentationAdventure]

Awesome! Best of luck with your kefir grains! We'd love to hear how it goes!

[@seharris11]

I was told to use a plastic strainer? I do that for milk kefir grains but am curious if that applies to water kefir grains as well? Great video! I dehydrated and stored mine in the freezer for five years lol and started them again last night and they're still working! I know they were supposed to only freeze for a year but apparently they're still good lol!

[@FermentationAdventure]

Wow! That's amazing Seharris! That really shows the resiliency of some of these starter cultures. I think in general the metal vs plastic strainer question has been a myth. We've used both stainless steel and plastic strainers and they work great. The kernel of truth is that you wouldn't want a low-quality metal to stay in contact with an acidic ferment for very long since it would start to eat away at it and then you might have bad things leaching into your ferment. We haven't had any problems and don't give it a second thought since we use stainless steel and it very briefly comes into contact when we're straining. We hope that helps and that your ferments are doing well! 😊

[@XOjmmXO]

I would love to see your day to day eating! What you consume on a daily basis that contains theses ferments!

[@FermentationAdventure]

Aww, thank you! Maybe a future video? Although, here's a sneak peek... At lunch, we like to add something pickled to our meal, like pickled watermelon on the side, or homemade pickles on a tempeh sandwich. We also enjoy a fermented drink mid day, like ginger ale or water kefir. Then at night we're more likely to enjoy a tepache drink. We are also big fans of tofu, like a scrambled tofu. Yum, now we're hungry!

[@XOjmmXO]

@@FermentationAdventure I am late in the game to be gluten and shellfish free (not by choice) and have tried very hard to like Tofu....however I do not..texture problems!

[@FermentationAdventure]

Here's another idea... Have you tried it in sweets? It makes a good chocolate mousse, or even adding some to a smoothie!

[@XOjmmXO]

@@FermentationAdventure I have not tried it in smoothie! Great tip! I don't like sweets but I will definitely try it in a smoothie for a protein boost! Thank you for the suggestion!

[@deecee8108]

the grains as you were pushing on them reminded me of what a baby diaper looks like when it blows up :D .......lol

[@FermentationAdventure]

Ewww! 😂

[@sunnyseason6543]

That’s exactly what it looks like. The filling when the diaper has had enough.😂

[@ellencarter1069]

How do you store left over grain until you want to make another batch? Thank you for sharing this video and your help. How often can you drink this?

[@FermentationAdventure]

We simply strain off the water kefir grains and store them in sugar water in the fridge. They stay good for a long time until we need them again. Thanks for the question! 🙂

[@mariannereno8501]

Thank you! Wow! Delicious! Just drinking some, so refreshing! I will always make this.

[@FermentationAdventure]

We're so happy you're enjoying it Marianne! Happy fermenting!

[@aprilsanders209]

So I just love your channel and have recommended it so times! You have really helped me with allll these fermented drinks...and my hubby LOVES it all! My question is, with all this fermenting do you guys get fruit flies and if so, what have u found to get rid of them if you still ferment so can't get rid of their "food"

[@FermentationAdventure]

Awww! Thank you so much!! 💗 That is an interesting question... We don't really get fruit flies in our home, but we know they can be pesky little buggers! Perhaps it would help to use fermentation tops for your jars so that the smell is mostly contained. Like these silicone lids that let the excess gases escape, but without exposing your ferment to the air: amzn.to/2E86ryK Hope that helps!

[@JI-ev9pp]

You could try making a ferment and actually using it to make a fruit fly trap with a jar with a pencil sized hole in the middle of the top. It will attract them in and they cannot get out. Eventually they fall to the bottom and drown. Also, you can add a drop of dawn soap to it to make it so they don’t float on the water.

[@AnastasiaSalichou]

Great video! I will try your suggestions as my grains haven't been growing for the last few years. For my second fermentation I use orange juice and it becomes like an awesome beer a few days later!

[@FermentationAdventure]

Thanks so much! Good luck reviving your grains! And great tip on the orange juice. We can totally see that. Apple juice also tends to ferment into something closer to beer, especially when fermenting with a ginger bug. Enjoy!

[@AnastasiaSalichou]

@@FermentationAdventure thank you!

[@romeliaarmstrong6143]

Tks I was looking for how to keep them in the refrigerator

[@FermentationAdventure]

We just make a light simple syrup in a jar and put the water kefir grains in the sugar water and it should be good to go in the fridge!

[@bettylyle3165]

@@FermentationAdventure Do you put a lid on this? If so do you have to burp it?

[@celestialnurse07]

Finally! Someone who pronounces Kefir correctly! Thank you! Other people doing how to video pronouncing it like Kiefer Sutherland's name and I get annoyed.

[@FermentationAdventure]

😂 Haha! The battle rages on! We also just had someone say we're not pronouncing it correctly. I guess it depends where you're from!

[@mrerwinbudiman]

Whoa! I should try making this.. looks so good, and its healthy!

[@FermentationAdventure]

You definitely should! It's a simple tasty drink that has probiotics. Good luck and happy fermenting!

[@Lavenderrose73]

I've come to realize that flavoring mine with strawberry is my favorite way to go! Not that pomegranate and cranberry each don't taste nice, but that strawberry almost taste like strawberry wine after the second day of second fermentation. I kid you not, my strawberry water kefir was only a day and so many hours into its second fermentation, and when I went to open the flip top bottle last night, the pieces of strawberry I had left in there went flying, some of it on the ceiling! I was using a Grabber and some wadded-up wet paper towels just to get it off the ceiling because I was afraid I'd fall if I tried to climb up on the counter! And that was with going half water kefir from the first permanent and half just water and the little more sugar added along with the 3 cut up frozen strawberries. I want to double the waterkeeper, so I split it up into two bottles and top them off with spring water and some more sugar, and man, I got some results! Those berries have a temper!

[@FermentationAdventure]

Ooo! Strawberry sounds delicious! Omg wow that's crazy about the strawberry flying to the ceiling. Wow! We're always extra careful when we're adding berries like in our blueberry soda. Thank you so much for sharing and happy fermenting! 😍

[@Lavenderrose73]

@FermentationAdventure yes, I've learned to just place the flip-top lid on top of the bottle without pulling the lever down. That way, I don't have to worry about an enormous amount of pressure building up unless I decide to set an alarm to remind me to burp the bottles. The blended _raspberries_ and water didn't even need sugar, and it popped after just a few hours! thankfully, it didn't go everywhere, but I've learned to be extremely careful with raspberries too!

[@FermentationAdventure]

@@Lavenderrose73 Whoa! Raspberries are the best! (Sarah's favorite!) As long as you're not trying to maximize the carbonation, leaving the tops slightly loose is a great way to let the excess gases escape!

[@Nicolee7764]

Thank you for sharing your experience with the grains.

[@FermentationAdventure]

Of course Nicole! We're so happy you enjoyed our video! Good luck with your water kefir!

[@de72able]

Thank you for the great video, it has started me on my kefir journey. Quick question, what is the minimum time you need to run the secondary fermentation on your batch 2 with lime rind?

[@FermentationAdventure]

We're so happy you found us and hope you're getting some tasty drinks! Really the secondary fermentation is only to flavor your drink with the ingredients that you're adding so that's really up to you. We might let it ferment for a day or two just to give it more time. It also depends on if you want to pressurize it so it could possibly even take longer if you don't have a super active culture. There's not a wrong answer here but is up to you on what taste you like! Thanks for the question! 😊

[@ilsLamourkay]

Help! I need to know if I can use Coconut sugar ??? I’m grateful to have seen this video within time, I realized I left my kefir grains out for almost 2 weeks so now I’m making it first thing tomorrow 😂😂

[@FermentationAdventure]

Thanks so much for the question! Since coconut sugar is still sugar, you should be able to use it just fine. As long as you're not using a zero calorie sweetener. Happy fermenting!

[@adenhealthchiangmai9197]

Both of you look healthy. thank you for greate information.

[@FermentationAdventure]

Thanks so much for the compliment! So glad you're enjoying the videos! Happy fermenting!

[@suseelasamraj5341]

Thank you for the video. But where can I get this grains?

[@FermentationAdventure]

Hello! Thanks for watching! We bought these grains and they worked out great! amzn.to/3YIJHdF Happy fermenting!

[@suseelasamraj5341]

@@FermentationAdventure thank you ❤

[@FermentationAdventure]

Anytime! ❤️

[@dawneandjohn]

Can you combine ginger bug and activated water kefir grains in the first fermenation stage? Since they both consume sugar, I would think they could be combined, but I'm not sure. 🤔

[@FermentationAdventure]

Thanks for the question! You could try it, but you may get varying results. The ginger bug and kefir grains are different types of starter cultures, so even though they both love sugar, they would both try to take over the culture in the jar and would be competing with each other. In our experience, our ginger bug seems to be a more resilient culture than our kefir. Hope that helps! Would be a great experiment!

[@dawneandjohn]

@@FermentationAdventure Do you know the types of beneficial bacteria that a Ginger bug makes? I looked online, but couldn't find anything. I did, however, find the strains that water kefir makes. In thinking about the logistics of combining them, I think it may work if they both make similar strains of probiotics. And yes... some of the strains may be cancelled out by the ginger bug since ginger is anti-bacterial. I currently have them separated for the 1st ferment stage, but I have successfully made 2 batches (in 1/2 gallon jars) of fizzy soda by combining 3 cups of finished kefir water, 1/4 cup ginger bug liquid, and 2-3 cups of freshly chopped Sweet Cicely (it's an herb we grow that tastes like licorice/anise). Topped off the jar with water. Didn't add sugar since it's already sweet enough for my taste. Very yummy!! 😋 We also grow Lemon Balm. I plan to try the same soda recipe with that soon, but it's still emerging from its winter sleep. Gotta wait for it to get taller to harvest some. Thanks again for the awesome fermenting videos. 😀 ...Dawne

[@outlander271]

Excellent clearly explained and informative vid. Can you use milk kefir grains to make water kefir?

[@FermentationAdventure]

Thanks so much for the question! We've heard some people have used milk kefir grains but those have evolved over time to specifically like the sugar from the milk which is lactose. You can try it to see what happens but if you want water kefir, it's better to just use the water kefir grains. These are the ones we used in this video: amzn.to/3YIJHdF

[@joelee9427]

Thanks for all the wonderful fermentation videos. Based on both of your experiance, what would you recommend for a beginner to try out judging from the most easy maintainable, sustainable, long term solution for beginner who love fizzy probiitic drink.(tepache, ginger ale bug, kombucha, kafir). Are all these process producing the same type of probiotic drink or we are ingesting different type of bacteria into our system. Just out of curiosity. Many thanks!

[@FermentationAdventure]

Thanks so much for the lovely comment! That's a great question! We'd recommend starting with fermented drinks made with a ginger bug. They're all full of probiotics but the ginger bug is so simple to get started. Just buy some ginger and you're on your way! The ginger bug culture also stays healthy in the fridge over years with minimal feeding it. We've had great success with ours (been in the fridge for 4 years). We also have lots of recipes and videos to choose from with the ginger bug. Happy fermenting! 🥰

[@julieklysz487]

Hi guys that great thank you. Do you think we can can use cane sugar?

[@FermentationAdventure]

Hi! Yes cane sugar would work. 👍

[@moodychica]

Thank you for this video! I love water kefir but I get the vinegary flavor and didn't know what I was doing wrong

[@FermentationAdventure]

Yay! It's such an interesting culture. What's your favorite kind? We'll share our favorite flavored kefir in the future!

[@asamenalemu3513]

Can i mix the first batch eith the seconf one or so?

[@FermentationAdventure]

You definitely can! That will even out the taste if they taste slightly different. Thanks so much for your question! 😊

[@omk9581]

What kind of water should be used? Is regular filtered water ok, distilled better?

[@FermentationAdventure]

Definitely water that doesn't have any chlorine in it. Distilled should work great! We use the chlorine filter that's on our fridge and it works out great!

[@holographicbreathing]

please could you show how to make coconut milk kefir made from coconut meat or desiccated coconut? for people who don't like sugar

[@FermentationAdventure]

That sounds like a great idea! I bet coconut milk kefir would work. Not sure what the end result would be like after the fermentation process but sounds like an interesting experiment! 🥥

[@holographicbreathing]

@@FermentationAdventure I on the adverts with the milk kafir starters they included that it can also be used for coconut and nut milks.

[@joascott50]

Great an easy recipe. However should it have some bubbles or should I see some fermentation doing the process?

[@FermentationAdventure]

Yes you definitely want to see some bubbles during the process They can be a little small so try shining a light to see if you can see any after a few days.

[@joascott50]

I ordered the same ones you guys used and didn’t start the process until the eighth day after I received them. Of course they were in the refrigerator until then. So far I’ve only seen very small bubbles around the top after a couple days. What’s the longest they should ferment the first time around? Also, some say in a warm area with light and no direct sunlight. Others say in a warm dark place… does it matter? Thanks a mill

[@FermentationAdventure]

We've fermented for a month before and it tasted a little like a tangy lemon juice in a way. Usually though maybe a week or two would do it for us. We also notice that water kefir doesn't seem to be as active as the ginger bug is. Definitely keep it away from direct sunlight. We actually ferment right on the counter and cover it with a cloth to darken it a little bit. I hope that helps!

[@InnV696]

I've read about coconut kefir, I've tried milk kefir grains once with a coconut water, it turned out well, but since I've got water kefir grains few days ago, I'll try with them, it will definitely turn out better ^^ , coconut kefir will give you even more benefits and healthy minerals

[@FermentationAdventure]

Yum! We just love anything with coconut so that sounds delicious!

[@pamlavery5163]

Hello you two. Another great video! One question though... Once the second fermentation is complete, how long is the drink good for? Can they be stored in the refrigerator like you can with ginger ale, or do I need to drink them quicker? I sure appreciate all your detailed videos. You guys are awesome!

[@FermentationAdventure]

Hello! Thank you for the great question! It stays good for a long while, especially when stored in the refrigerator - just like ginger ale. Of course we can't store it long enough because we just can't get enough of this stuff right now. A little at lunch, a little at dinner. Delicious!

[@pamlavery5163]

Thanks so much for your reply. Mine didn’t last long either. Two bottles worth were gone in a day by the family. Lol

[@gregoryjacksonsr7452]

Tried milk kefir first didn't know there was a water kefir and it was gross couldn't drink it then learned of water kefir and boy what a difference. I make mine same way it's so easy and most of my gut issues are gone now.

[@meerabakshi2676]

very nice presentation. We have ordered kefir grains online and will be trying sooner. Still as a first timer, I am little hesitant. Since I wanted to watch this video again before I goof up, I kept the box of kefir grains in the fridge. Hummm, should i need to keep out the grains for some time to bring them at room temp.? Silly question, but will watch your video again tomorrow and proceed making sure I do it right way. Thanks for the video.

[@FermentationAdventure]

We're so happy you enjoyed the video Meera! You don't have to bring them to room temperature since when you get everything ready to ferment, it will naturally come to room temperature. We hope it's doing well for you! 😊

[@090403created]

Thank you so much for this video! it's very informative! I wonder what happened to your first batch in the end? because my first batch is behaving exactly the same. I don't know if it's failed or I just need more time...

[@TylerGrandstaff-zr2id]

Hello. I ferment a WKG and it's 3 days now but I don't see any bubbles from the jar, when I taste it. it's still sweet, not sour even little. Did I do wrong?

[@FermentationAdventure]

Thanks so much for your question! This could be a lot of things. Your water kefir starter might not be very active. Keep trying more batches to see if it recovers or "wakes up" if it hasn't been used in a while. Make sure to use non-chlorinated water, ferment at a warm enough temperature like above 70 degrees F. Or just try to ferment longer to see if it's just a slow ferment. We hope that helps and you get a good batch! 😊

[@waynedavis6851]

Should it be molasses or blackstrap molasses? Or does it matter?

[@FermentationAdventure]

We haven't used blackstrap molasses but heard it as a very high mineral content, which a lot of bakers don't like. You can try to use regular molasses and see if it works. It could possibly slow it down but you never know! It will definitely make your drink much darker. Let us know how it goes!

[@danielploy9143]

Educational and ready to dive in… when the fermented drink is complete does the water still contain sugar? New subscriber here.

[@FermentationAdventure]

Thanks for the question Daniel! It depends on how long you ferment the water kefir for but usually there's still some sugar left if it still tastes sweet. Happy fermenting! 😊

[@mitty2575]

5:04 this part confused me a lil. I ordered kéfir gels and received them on Thurs and thought I need to do several batches before using it on fruits🤔 and do I need to do all these batches (molasses, baking soda .. etc) before using it on fruits? Thanks

[@FermentationAdventure]

Thanks for your question Mitty! To start you might want to make several plain batches to get it going. Then on one of the plain batches, after you strain off the grains you can add fruit. Every so often when you make the plain batch it might be good to add a bit of the other ingredients to give the kefir grains more nutrients. We hope that helps explain it a bit more! 😊

[@gwallage]

Great video. Is the second ferment on the counter as well or in the fridge

[@FermentationAdventure]

Thanks for the question! The second ferment is also on the counter. 🙂

[@elvirarepollo3721]

What is that made? Where can I buy that crystal grains your holding

[@FermentationAdventure]

Thanks for the question Elvira! You can buy them here: amzn.to/3liJo4Q

[@mizzmention8555]

Thanks so much this video, I've recently started taking kefir and thinking about making some. So the calorific content is minimal? New subscriber

[@FermentationAdventure]

We're so glad you're joining us on this fermentation adventure! We love water kefir! As you know, it tastes light and refreshing. As far as calories, it will be less than the calories in the sugar you start with in the recipe since the kefir grains will eat some of the sugars during the fermentation process.

[@jennifers8417]

Hi thanks for your video! If I use a half gallon jar do I just do 1/2 cup of grains and 1/2 cup of sugar?

[@FermentationAdventure]

Exactly! You got it Jennifer! 🙂

[@crazyone41]

You do a different mineral treatment each batch?

[@FermentationAdventure]

Hello! It's not necessary, but we find our grains are healthy when we switch up the type of mineral source in different batches and also when we let them take a rest in the refrigerator every now and then for a couple weeks.

[@shawnm.9320]

Great video and information. Which do you prefer water kefir or the ginger bug? Which one do you think is easier and more versatile?

[@FermentationAdventure]

Oh, that's a tough question Shawn! We do love both, but often we find the ginger bug to be a little easier to use. This is because you don't have to worry about the health of the kefir grains when it comes to different flavors. If you want a flavored kefir drink, you'll need to strain off the grains and go through a secondary fermentation stage with the fruit. For some people, the upside to using kefir grains is that it is much more delicate in flavor and doesn't turn to alcohol like the ginger bug does. Hope that helps!

[@claireryan8074]

I use grape juice to flavor mine, 1/2 cup per quart, and second-ferment two quarts at a time in an empty juice bottle with a bit of fresh or dried fruit added. It will not explode and is a food-grade container.

[@aaronassumi8714]

Can we use organic jaggery

[@FermentationAdventure]

Hello! Yes, you should be able to however the result may be a much more sour flavor. We recently tested out a bunch of different sugars, including jaggery, with our fermented ginger ale recipe, and you are welcome to check out the results here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/ioWroKBoi75liJY

[@zulemavelasco]

Do you guys knows if I can use piloncillo as my sugar source every time? I’m in Mexico and just got some grains. They said they only use piloncillo

[@tanfina8348]

Yes, you can use piloncillos. We use piloncillos (1-2 per batch de aqua de bulgars). Drop them in the water/grains, and that's it! You don't have to mix it...the piloncillos will dissolve in the water. Buena suerte!

[@FermentationAdventure]

@zulemavelasco Yes, definitely you can use piloncillo! We actually just tested piloncillo and a bunch of other sugars in this other video to see how they ferment: kzbin.info/www/bejne/ioWroKBoi75liJY. You'll see that piloncillo adds an additional flavor and color to the ferment, but it was delicious!

[@FermentationAdventure]

@tanfina8348 Thanks so much for sharing!

[@andreas_moller]

Loved the video, great tips! Just remember, dont use a metal filter, just plastic. Very important!

[@FermentationAdventure]

Thanks for the comment Andreas! We only use stainless steel and only for a very brief time to just filter. But there's definitely some truth in using low-quality metal in ferments.

[@FrankTheSus]

You guys are great! thanks for what you do, your contents are amazing! i have 1 question: i'm on ketogenic diet for medical purpose; how much time do i have to wait, lets say at 25°C, to be sure that all the sugar has been eaten by kefir? if it's not matter of time, is there a method to assess when the fermentation is finished (so i sholud be sure that there's no more sugar, i think...)? thank you!

[@FermentationAdventure]

That might be a little tougher with water kefir since it's not super active to begin with. We've let a water kefir ferment for about a month and it was a little tangy but even just slightly sweet. You'd have to probably get a hydrometer to measure the sugar content if you wanted to be more sure. We hope that helps!

[@mitzvahlifestyle2149]

Once I make the kefir "soda", how long will it be good for if refrigerated? Like how long do I have to drink it before it goes bad or until it's not good to drink anymore?

[@monkeymonk227]

Up to a week

[@FermentationAdventure]

After we've finished fermenting out water kefir we've had it in the refrigerator for a long time even in the months. Usually though sodas we like to enjoy fairly quickly since they'll keep fermenting in the fridge and we want the flavor to taste good. Hope that helps!

[@natewalker4666]

The grains I had bought recommended 1 tablespoon of molasses for the first batch then after they get going occasionally 2 teaspoons every few batches

[@FermentationAdventure]

I'm sure that would work out great. Enjoy your water kefir!

[@roseSalamino-l7h]

I'M TRYING TO FIND GINGER BUG RECIPE THAT USES SUGAR Alterative do you have any suggestions.

[@FermentationAdventure]

Hi! We totally get wanting to use less actual sugar in your ferments. We just answered this in a recent video kzbin.info/www/bejne/rYXXYpuOpKaEfbc so hopefully that helps answer in more detail, but basically you will need some kind of sugar (not one of those alternative sugars without any calories). Although there are different kinds of sugars that can be used, so you might be interested in checking out this other video as well where we test out a bunch of different sugars to see how well they ferment. (kzbin.info/www/bejne/ioWroKBoi75liJY) Happy fermenting!

[@roseSalamino-l7h]

@@FermentationAdventure TRYING IT NOW WITH ALLULOSE SWEETENER, I'LL KEEP U IN THE LOOP

[@deezlittlethingz]

Those persimmon look delicious!

[@FermentationAdventure]

Hello! Are you talking about a different video? I can't remember which video it was, but pretty sure we did show our persimmon tree in one of the videos. :D

[@arizonadesert952]

@@FermentationAdventure You have persimmons on your counter in this video :)

[@FermentationAdventure]

Oooh! That's hilarious! We didn't even think about what was on the counter! 🤣

[@naomibrock4769]

How long does the second fermentation last?

[@tlvreality9200]

Hi, plz give fruits list which can use or which fruit can we avoid to making kefir drink !

[@FermentationAdventure]

Thanks so much for your question! You should be able to use any fruit in your secondary fermentation. The primary is to make plain water kefir only and then secondary you can add fruit for good flavor. We hope that helps! 😊

[@rytham_gallery]

Sir, water kifer how much is its self life and for how long can we keep it maximum and can we keep it outside the fridge and can we keep it sealed in a plastic bottle and for how long can we keep it maximum? Water Kifer. Can we keep it in a plastic bottle for 1 year? Plz. Ans

[@FermentationAdventure]

It should be able to stay for a long time but the flavor might get very sour. You'll also have to make sure to check for mold on top and that it smells and tastes good.

[@colleenm3792]

I absolutely love the “vibe” of your videos! :) Can you show us how to measure the sugar content of our second ferment water kefir? Thanks so much! (I have found conflicting info). Sigh.

[@FermentationAdventure]

Thanks so much Colleen! We try and keep it fun. 😊 The way we measure our alcohol content is by using a hydrometer that first measures the density of your sugar water liquid. Usually what you'd do then is go through the fermentation process to where you like the flavor and then measure the gravity (density) of your liquid again. Then use a typical alcohol % formula to get the % alcohol. What might mess up the calculation though is if you add any water or sugar during the fermentation process. Then the calculation will be off. Here's a detailed breakdown of when we measured several batches of ginger ale so this should work for water kefir: fermentationadventure.com/does-ginger-beer-have-alcohol-homemade-ginger-ale-alcohol-content/ I hope that helps!

[@colleenm3792]

Thanks!

[@se6369]

Interesting video! Will you make a video about milk kefir too?

[@FermentationAdventure]

Thank you! Glad you enjoyed it! We probably won't be making a milk kefir video because we don't actually drink cow's milk, which is what those milk kefir grains really need to thrive. But we do plan to make more water kefir related videos!

[@se6369]

@@FermentationAdventure I see. Well, goat milk and such can be used too, but I presume you don't drink that either

[@shalomamrani]

Hi, I'm on a ketogenic diet 3 years, And I've been making and drinking milk kefir for two years now, Here is a challenge, I did not find online : how to make high fat kefir & how to make high fat cheese kefir ? I would be happy if you prepare a guide on this subject, And is it even possible ? thank you very much

[@FermentationAdventure]

I'm sure it's probably possible but we haven't tried it yet. If you do keep us posted!

[@veronicamitchell4958]

You don't talk about water source. I have reverse osmosis so I have to add minerals correct?

[@FermentationAdventure]

Thanks for the question! We'd probably add some minerals if you have reverse osmosis water since it will at the very least make it taste better. Water kefir also needs minerals occasionally to stay healthy. Good thinking!

[@cheebacheeo]

You can probably freeze the culture aswel... Just as many other living cultures aswel. I made my yeast out of combucha and have been using the same culture for ages. Just took my dried out culture from the freezer, hopefully they're still doing fine after years of storage. I'm doing constantly koffucha and Kombucha but now I need more variation. Think water kefir is good as it is, delicious! Well all above are good as they are but I usually do secondary brewing with some flavor. Something no one mention is that you can flavored tea in the first brew aswel. Well, I have done that many times without any issues. I made my kombucha pellicle out of combucha pellicle, so probably black tea works aswel. This I haven't tried tho. Cheers everyone 🙋‍♂️🇫🇮

[@cindycheung3975]

Hi,it’s ok if put room temperature boiling water to make water kefir? Thanks

[@FermentationAdventure]

You definitely want to make sure your water is at room temperature and not other or you will kill the water kefir! Thanks for the question Cindy!

[@xx-yk9mc]

I opened mine to get started after they arrived a couple of weeks ago and it has a kind of vinegar smell? is this normal or have they went off?

[@FermentationAdventure]

Interesting! I think I remember when we got ours it had a slight vinegar smell. It's possible it had been fermenting for a while but should still be good. Did you happen to make a batch of water kefir with it? We hope it went well! 😊

[@justinsonnybrown8565]

Hi have been enjoying your channel so much. Can you please help. I use store juice for the 2nd ferment and notice that my kefir water becomes thick after I put it in the fridge. I follow your video to the tee and carbonation is great but am not liking thick kefir as it doesn't taste smoothe to drink

[@FermentationAdventure]

We're so happy you're enjoying our videos! That has happened to some of our batches of ginger ale before. It's frustrating but the only thing has fixed the issue was sanitizing everything and starting a new batch. If your current water kefir isn't thick then it's probably a bad bacteria that's contaminating it. We thoroughly clean everything and start over. We hope that helps! Don't worry. Keep trying and we know you'll get a get batch! Good luck!

[@lsieu]

Thank you for making this video. I've been bugging ginger lemon water Kefir 40oz for $6.99-8.99, which is not sustainable for me. Great tip that I can make the base sugar water with a dash of mineral, and then later, after I strain the kefir grains out, I can add fruit for the flavor. QUESTION: can I make a Ginger lemon tea for the sugar water right off the bat?

[@FermentationAdventure]

I'm sure you could easily make ginger lemon tea right away. I'm sure it would taste good!

[@SalmanMalik-zf7lc]

Can I use coconut sugar ?

[@FermentationAdventure]

Thanks for the question Salman! You can definitely use coconut sugar. Enjoy!

[@bellacool1]

Where do you get the grains

[@FermentationAdventure]

Thanks for the question Joy! We bought our water kefir grains here amzn.to/3AUkR0P and they worked out great for us! There are several different kinds which should all work out great. Happy fermenting!

[@porthosalone215]

Hello guys! Thank you for the video! I am about to start experimenting with water kefir. A quick question. Do you think I can make a water kefir starter using a kefir soda product just like you did with KOMBUCHA sto grow your SCOBY? Thanks

[@FermentationAdventure]

Thanks so much for your question! It's possible that just using finished water kefir won't form any new grains the way you can make a kombucha scoby from finished kombucha. You could definitely give it a try but we've heard it's probably not going to work. We'd love to hear how it went if you tried it! 💓

[@user-smart3]

Hello,i LOVE your tutorial,but I would like to use honey instead of molasses,will be ok 👍 because honey is exceptional and unic,please tell me that is ok

[@FermentationAdventure]

Using honey should be okay to try! It could possibly slow it down a bit but give it a try!

[@JM-tu7zs]

So water kefir grains do not have lactose but do they have milk protein in them?

[@FermentationAdventure]

No water kefir grains do not have milk protein in them. Milk kefir grains are a totally different culture and those have milk protein in them since they're used in fermenting milk kefir. We hope that helps! 😊

[@Erica-yr3gf]

Awesome video. Thank you. ❤️🙏🏻🌍

[@FermentationAdventure]

Thank you so much! We appreciate the love! 🥰

[@boa1793]

Can I use dates in place of the sugar? I’m diabetic.

[@FermentationAdventure]

Thanks so much for your question! You definitely could use dates but we tried it one time and it does make the ferment a lot thicker with floating particles in the ferment. So yes but it makes it a little weird. You could also use less sugar and ferment much longer so there's less sugar remaining. 👍

[@boa1793]

@@FermentationAdventure , Interesting. Thank you.

[@pacospete4299]

what are the tiny particles suspended in the water after the first fermentation?

[@FermentationAdventure]

Thanks so much for your question! Most likely it's the bacteria and yeast that have been grown from the water kefir grains if you haven't added any fruit. We hope that helps! 😊

[@ErmiasLegesse-m1e]

How is kefir made and what is it made from?

[@bzorro1]

what did you end up doing with the sugary first batch? thank you

[@FermentationAdventure]

We've drank all of the batches we've made so far. We still have the original starter in the fridge and it still has a lot of water kefir grains in it!

[@chadbrock3182]

Could I use large mouth swing top bottles for the second ferment or will it explode?

[@shaddo912]

Wonder what raw honey would do for substitute of the sugar?

[@FermentationAdventure]

It would probably work well but could go a bit slower since it's naturally antimicrobial. Once you add more liquid though I think it loses a bit of it's antimicrobial properties. If you try it let us know how it goes!