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

Water kefir is a lightly fermented drink that’s slightly sweet and bubbly. It’s also one of the easiest fermented drinks to make since it takes as little as 24 to 48 hours to make. You only need a starter culture called water kefir grains and we're going to show you how to grow an endless supply!
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[@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]

.

[@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.

[@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.

[@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! 💓

[@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

[@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!

[@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!

[@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! 💓

[@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!

[@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! 😃🥰

[@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!

[@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. ❤️

[@Sbannmarie298]

Just bought it! I’m excited

[@FermentationAdventure]

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

[@SerotoninaCuSonia]

Amazing explanation!!❤

[@FermentationAdventure]

Thank you! 😃

[@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…

[@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.

[@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!

[@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.

[@eliyasdgl]

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

[@FermentationAdventure]

Thank you so much! 😃

[@Erica-yr3gf]

Awesome video. Thank you. ❤️🙏🏻🌍

[@FermentationAdventure]

Thank you so much! We appreciate the love! 🥰

[@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

[@alesiaw7048]

Thank you so much 😊 Queen & King! ❤️😊👆🏾

[@FermentationAdventure]

Wow! Thank you so much for the nice comment! We hope we've inspired you to create some delicious ferments and maybe even been a little entertaining in the process. Ha! Happy fermenting! ❤️

[@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!

[@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!

[@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!!

[@tomhamp2915]

Brilliant!!!

[@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. :)

[@Marcel_Audubon]

so interesting!!

[@FermentationAdventure]

Thank you! We think so too! Hope you try it!

[@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! 🤣

[@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

[@nature5272]

Thank you ❤

[@FermentationAdventure]

Our pleasure! Thank you for the love! 🥰

[@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!

[@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! 💗

[@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!

[@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!

[@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.

[@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!

[@Vanillablooos]

Thanks for the great video! I subscribed to y'all's channel. Question; other than submerging the grains in water for future use or drying them out, what other methods are there for storing the grains for future use?

[@FermentationAdventure]

Thanks for the love Pork Chop! We usually store them in sugar water in the fridge but we've also heard you can freeze them for months and it should still work out great.

[@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! 😊

[@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!

[@anerawewillneverforget]

Great for all animals too

[@FermentationAdventure]

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

[@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...

[@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!

[@julieklysz487]

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

[@FermentationAdventure]

Hi! Yes cane sugar would work. 👍

[@bluefreewill]

Thank you for making this informative video! I have one question though. When I store the grains in the sugar-water mixture in the fridge, can I use the same cloth & rubber band to cover the top? Or should I close it tightly with a proper lid? Also, if I want it to be fizzy, do I need a bottle with a flip top? Can I achieve it by using a glass jar with a tight lid?

[@FermentationAdventure]

Thanks so much for the question epiphany! You could use the same cloth to cover in the fridge if you like. We like using tops that are porous so nothing funky gets inside. We also don't close it very tightly so it won't build up pressure. If you want to carbonate it, you'd definitely need something like the flip-top beer bottles or even a plastic soda bottle that's built for pressure. Definitely do not build up pressure in a regular jar since it might explode! I hope that helps and happy fermenting!

[@francescosantangelo6357]

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!

[@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. 🙂

[@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.

[@maevebrain]

FINALLY the 1st channel to pronounce kefir correctly!

[@FermentationAdventure]

😅

[@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! 😊

[@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! 🙂

[@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

[@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

[@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?

[@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! 🙂

[@thejackals1988]

When you tested the ABV did you test the bottled kefir too? Would it be lower? Also a video testing the ABV from a fruit juice fermantation would be cool, cant find it on youtube. Nice video!

[@FermentationAdventure]

Thanks for the question! Yes we tested the ABV after we bottled it also. Whether we bottle it or not wouldn't affect the ABV since it's still fermenting at the same rate. Great idea on testing the ABV of fruit juices! We'd love to see what the comparison would be on that also. Happy fermenting!

[@thejackals1988]

@@FermentationAdventure When I say fruit juices I mean water kefir made with fruit juice during the second fermentation, but you can do both obviously haha. Thank you for your response 👍

[@aladdinbenokba6127]

Hi guys , You’re awesome, I am watching you from Toronto, Canada . My question is : Can I use organic honey bee instead of sugar ?

[@FermentationAdventure]

Hello to you in Canada! You most likely could use honey but don't forget that it's can also be an anti-microbial. It will probably work once it's diluted in your water but it could be just a bit slower at fermenting. Give it a try! 😊

[@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?

[@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.

[@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! 😊

[@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! 💓

[@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! 😊

[@MarcellaSmithVegan]

FYI, I use to have a list of the bacteria and fungi that are in the water kefir, its over 40 different species, very exciting and very health promoting. IF you buy some water kefir at the store it is only (1) one species and expensive, not worth it at all, better to make it from the grains at home!

[@FermentationAdventure]

That's awesome to hear Marcella! Thanks so much for your comment!

[@maricarol85]

Yeah, the only water kefir I can find in the stores here is "lightly pasteurized", with " live probiotics added." Not sure if any commercial brands even sell raw water kefir.

[@LeendertCordemans]

Nice video. Can you make a hotel like kambucha and how to handle it? Does it multipli itselfs and how to handle it?

[@FermentationAdventure]

Thank you for watching! Yes, you can store all your extra kefir grains in the refrigerator in one jar. We describe it a bit more at this part of the video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/hJXJXoall6d9eMk. The grains do multiply, both while you're using the grains in a ferment, and while it is in hibernation mode in the refrigerator (just more slowly). We started with a half cup that we purchased and now have multiple cups of grains. While they're being stored in the refrigerator, just continue to refresh the sugar water and add a different mineral source occasionally and they will continue to thrive. Hope that helps!

[@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!

[@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.

[@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! 🥰

[@chadbrock3182]

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

[@lambylambcurly]

Adding bioplasma to it ( hylands brand from amazon) makes it great for dehydration.

[@FermentationAdventure]

Thanks so much for the suggestion! If we dehydrate it we'll have to look into that.

[@juliegonzalez9843]

When keifer grains multiply, how do you use extra or do you keep using all the grains in your next batch?

[@FermentationAdventure]

We normally just keep using the extra until they multiply too much in the jar. Then we'll scoop some of them out into a different jar and make twice as much! They really do just keep multiplying.

[@sallysaez1533]

I ordered mine from Florida Sun Kefir

[@FermentationAdventure]

Thanks for the suggestion! We'll have to check them out if we need more.

[@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!

[@punkyfeathers1639]

I’d love to know ideas on how to eat them.

[@FermentationAdventure]

I know right? They're so interesting! We've eaten a few of them but we normally just keep them to make more batches of water kefir. You can eat them though!

[@emilyteo2043]

My 2nd fermentation ginger kefir water got white color on top when come to 24 hours . Is it spoil ? The smell still good

[@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

[@Enn-]

I've been making water kefir for a couple months now, and have a few questions. How do you know when a ferment is done? I've watched a lot of vids, and read a lot, but all of the advice is loosly time based, with comments like, "shorter in the summer". I've been running my 1st ferment for about 48 hours, at 24°C. It's usually bubbling after 12 hours, and doesn't stop. I have no idea if I should go longer, or if I'm going too long, but my grains are shrinking, so I need to do something different. I've tried everything I've seen and read to help, slowly transitioning if changing sugar, or adding in sea salt, or baking soda. I've tried a variety of dried fruits, all with no preservatives, and have been careful to use water that's not chlorinated or too hot. Nothing's working - the just keep reducing a little more every time. I'm also not sure when a 2nd ferment is done. They're bubbly, and taste good, but what's optimal? Again, the advice I've seen has all been vague, with 12-24 hours, maybe less in the summer. I'd love to know how the ferment will change if I've gone too long, or if there's something I should see/taste as a change that would indicate it's "done", or "optimal". Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thank you in advance.

[@FermentationAdventure]

Thank you so much for your question Wildepix! You'll find differing advice on timing since it really is different for everyone. Temperature affects the ferment time. The vibrancy of the starter culture affects the ferment time. Also your personal taste will affect the time too. We've gone a few days with water kefir and liked the light flavor but we also had a batch that we let go for a solid month and we almost liked the tangy flavor even better than something like a strong kombucha. It's more of an art when it comes to the timing and the biggest factor is the flavor that you like. Sorry we couldn't nail it down more for you but flavor and what you like is the most important. Hope that helps and happy fermenting!

[@i.kairos1543]

You can greatly slow down and almost stop the fermentation process by putting it in the refrigerator. You just have to try and that's it, and not focus on time, since it is always individual and depends on many factors. It's like eating - you don't have to rely on grams and milliliters when, say, you need to achieve a sweet and sour balance. Just try everything. As soon as you like couscous, put the bottles in the refrigerator and eventually work out your own individual order of time.

[@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!

[@Enn-]

How many batches should it take to get a fizzy 2nd ferment? On my 3rd batch I had light bubbling in my 1st ferment, but I'm on my 6th batch now, and not getting any pressure at all in my 2nd ferment.

[@FermentationAdventure]

Thanks for the question! It really depends on how active of a water kefir grain batch you might get and how long you carbonate the batch. You could try carbonating for longer and use a plastic bottle to keep an idea of how pressurized it's getting. Hope that helps! Happy fermenting!

[@Lavenderrose73]

I made some cranberry flavored water kefir (enough to make it good and red!) And I also made some cranberry drink but with the ginger bug. I'm fairly new at this still so I'm sure I've got refining to do, but my best friend liked the cranberry kefir better than the cranberry drink with the ginger bug. Also, she's not a fan of carbonated drinks, while _I am._ I think the cranberry kefir had just had that first fermentation stage where I did the first stage and then I added a few cranberries enough to color the water well in the bottle, so it was quite sweet. It wasn't until I made strawberry kefir water sometime later on and had left the first fermentation for 72 hours instead of just 48, and then I had bottled it and left it for two or three days after that, that when I finally poured some in a glass, I thought, _Is it supposed to taste like this?_ I trust that if I'm using flip-top bottles that some French soda came in, then they are good for fermented drinks? I love the strawberry basil soda I get from World Market, and I absolutely love the bottles they come in! I could never bring myself to throw them away, even though I started wondering what I was going to do with the extra ones!

[@FermentationAdventure]

Those sound like some good drinks you're making there! I love the idea about adding a few cranberries just to color the water just a bit. Great idea. We use the Perrier plastic bottles as the tester bottles to judge how much pressure is starting to build up but we haven't use the glass ones. We weren't sure if those were truly built for a lot of pressure so you'd have to be careful on the one. Thanks so much for sharing! 💓

[@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!

[@bethanyboman4217]

So helpful!! Some questions: - What does using chlorinated water do? I’ve been using tap water filtered through a Brita pitcher. - When it comes to adding flavor, can I use frozen fruit or will having cold ingredients stop the fermentation even if it’s kept at room temperature? Any other flavor ingredients to avoid? - What are ways I can kill the kefir grains so I’m wary of them? My grains still seem to be fermenting my batches but I haven’t noticed multiplication. I’m going to try to add mineral to my next batch. I’ve let some batches (1st and 2nd fermentation) sit for even up to 5-7 days. Is that bad?

[@FermentationAdventure]

Chlorine kills anything living in our water so it makes it safe but if you're trying to ferment then it will stop the fermentation process. You can definitely use frozen fruit! It will thaw out to room temperature and get going fairly quickly. Using chlorinated water could kill your water kefir grains along with hot or warm water. Using juices that have preservatives could also hurt them so watch out! They grow very slowly and you might not even notice they're multiplying. Sometimes it can take longer to get water kefir to ferment if it's cold in your house or if you have a batch that's just not so active. Hope that helps! Good luck!

[@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.

[@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!

[@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!

[@DrugFoods]

Will a regular juice bottle explode in the fridge with a loose lid?

[@Jody23926]

So we can use the same kefir grains again and again to make alot of batches?

[@FermentationAdventure]

Thanks for the question Jada! Yes you definitely can. You should be able to keep your water kefir grains permanently to keep making more batches of water kefir. Good luck!

[@akshayvaja1998]

Hi there!...just wanted to ask..just purchased some water kefir grains and i want to be making a batch of water kefir once a week however am still confused on how to keep those grains active and alive ..should I put them in the fridge with enough sugar ? Will they still be active enough to make a new batch after a week ?

[@FermentationAdventure]

Hello Akshay, we've done both where we've continued to make batches of water kefir and then also stored them in the fridge in sugar water. In both cases it ended up working. After storing them in the fridge, the fermentatin slowed down a little bit and needed to wake back up after another batch or two. Hope that helps!

[@akshayvaja1998]

@@FermentationAdventure thanks 😁

[@WoodstockWitchQueen]

Keen to try this! Also probably just me, but you remind me of a hair free J P Sears 🥴🤔

[@FermentationAdventure]

It's good stuff! Haha!! J P Sears is a riot! 😂😂😂 I can't see the relation but we love his videos!

[@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! ❤️

[@tracywilliamson3880]

I added really hot water briefly before adding cold to my grains and my new batch has not started to bubble after 2 days. Will it be totally dead or only in shock?

[@FermentationAdventure]

Thanks for the question Tracy! It's very possible you might have killed the water kefir grains with the hot water. You can test it by making some batches to see if they survived. Good luck and hope they're still alive!

[@Alex-vi6iz]

Hi, I have went through 2 water kefir fermentations so far. Grains are multiplying, but at the same time they are also getting mushy. I looked around and it seems that overminerlization could lead to this. I always use organic unfiltered brown cane sugar, could that be the reason behind overmineralization ? I guess I could try to make a small batch with regular refined white sugar and see if they get less mushy.

[@FermentationAdventure]

You can definitely try that to see if that helps. You could also try rinsing your grains in fresh non-chlorinated water and then storing them in the fridge for a while to rest. Then it might take a few batches to get them back up to speed. Hope that helps!

[@Alex-vi6iz]

@@FermentationAdventure Thanks a bunch for the suggestion !

[@FermentationAdventure]

Anytime!!

[@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! 😊

[@07venna]

Sorry my confusion is with the potential explosion. Once ur done and refrigerate it for later, do you continue to "burp" it until you decide to drink it?

[@FermentationAdventure]

Hello! We do occasionally burp the bottles in the refrigerator if they are sealed tight because it will continue to ferment very slowly and create carbonation. For plain water kefir without any added fruit, we find it produces very little carbonation so we usually burp it every few months or so. Although you can test how quickly it builds pressure by occasionally opening the bottles.

[@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! 😊

[@mylesattryde8220]

If you make a few bottles and put them in the fridge does this stop or slow down the process so you don’t have to worry about them exploding?

[@FermentationAdventure]

If you put them in the fridge it does slow them down a lot but they'll keep fermenting in the fridge so be careful! We've had bottles highly pressurized after a few weeks that we had to burp.

[@akshayvaja1998]

Hi there!.... I just made my first batch of coconut water kefir using water kefir grains however I noticed some white powder like sediment sitting at the bottom of the jar especially on the edges..is that normal? And do you find that in your water kefir as well?

[@FermentationAdventure]

Hello! Yes, as long as the white stuff is completely under the brine, then it should be completely fine. White sediment is a natural biproduct of the fermentation process, so it can definitely be expected. But definitely be on the look out for either white fuzzy mold on top, or if the ferment starts smelling "bad" (vinegary smell is OK).

[@akshayvaja1998]

@@FermentationAdventure yes the sediment is completely below the brine and thank you😊

[@josephmenna3985]

Can I use bottled deer park spring water?

[@FermentationAdventure]

Hello! Yes, you should be able to use this spring water for your ferments. Enjoy!

[@blastking2006]

Is there a way you could share of your grains with us out here in eastafrica it's not easy to get Amazon to ship stuff out here

[@FermentationAdventure]

That's a tough one to get a shipment to east Africa. It's possible that the culture might be damaged from the shipment due to heat so the best idea would ask around if anyone in your wider area might know of anyone with water kefir grains. Another thought is you could try buying it from this website: store.poseymom.com/. We've bought from this company before and had great results. I hope you find some!