Podcast Episode 163: What Kind of Milk Do I use To Make Kefir?

There are many ways to make kefir with many different types of milk, and believe me, I've tried them all. Mostly to try to help you. I have some of my favorites, but I will explain which ones you can use and let you know my favorites. There is a lot to understand about milk and the many ways you can consume it and use it to make kefir. Things like, "What do pasteurization and homogenization do to milk? Why don't you recommend organic milk to make kefir? Can I culture cream and make kefir butter and sour cream? What about non-dairy milk to make kefir? Does raw milk make good kefir?" I go into great detail here but stay with me, you'll learn so much.
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❤Donna❤

[@icebirdd]

Thank you. I’ve been using organic ultra pasteurized milk to make my kefir and it’s been making my stomach uncomfortable. I’m going to switch to a regular pasteurized milk and see if that helps. Update: Switched to regular whole milk and it’s working great for me now! Thanks for sharing your knowledge!

[@anacallow509]

Love this video.Thank you very much for such great explanation. Two days ago I made my first Kefir ( 87 y .”( young!) ! Never to late to learn something new! I bought bottle of Kefir 3 days ago and I drink it true day and tonight I will have my own ! 🙏👍🇭🇷🇨🇦 All best wishes ! Cheers 🥂 with Kefir!!!!!!!

[@judy4345]

62 thus year. Had my first Kefir and making my own all in a week. It seems to be good for stomach issues.

[@MrRich253]

I've been having a lot of success with A2 Milk, especially the grass fed kind.

[@helenrichards7430]

I live in Africa where fresh milk is hard to get. I am using powdermilk for the last 3years and everything is great with my production of Kefir but I never have grains. They rather look like big sand corns. It multiply fantastic and is very lifely. After listening to your podcast. I understand now why it is as it is.

[@jancotton2315]

Donna, I am new to making Kefir and I adore it. I especially enjoy Kefir with the Orange peel added to the 2nd fermentation. I am making your smoothie and today I added half of an avocado and it is so thick and creamy. I’m 65 years old and never knew we could make Kefir. I had breast cancer, chemotherapy and radiation in 2015 and lots of antibiotics to boot. My gut has not been right since then, until now, and it’s improving every day. I also had my gallbladder removed in 2000 because of gall stones and that affected my being able to create enough Bile so, I’ve never been the same since 2000. I have a small hiatal hernia and have had acid reflux for 20 years and took anti acids for all those years. I healed myself from that by drinking Apple Cider Vinegar for a few weeks and it’s gone for the most part and hopefully your Kefir will complete the process. I don’t need the anti acids now, which is a blessing. Thank you again for the lessons and next next endeavor will be making Kombucha. I’m excited. Oh, I also have made your Cultured vegetables and keep them in my fridge and eat some everyday. ❤️

[@katlynkang15]

How are you feeling now? Wow you're a strong woman! You have been through so much... I started my kefir journey 1 month ago. I started making the L. reuteri sibo yogurt also) hope you found a natural way to heal yourself.

[@jancotton2315]

@@katlynkang15 I am feeling great. All of my issues have subsided and I drink kefir everyday. I feel lost without it if I travel.

[@katlynkang15]

@Jan Cotton 👌 great to hear! Keep it up. Look up Dr William davis he healed a lot of people with his Sibo yogurt. I eat this in addition to kefir. 1 strain called L. Reuteri but will get you even feeling better younger and stronger. Take care and be well friend.

[@jancotton2315]

@@katlynkang15 I had SIBO last year and purchased Dr. Davis’s Super Gut book. I stopped eating all grains and sugar. I made his SIBO yogurt for six weeks. I also had toe fungus and nothing would get rid of it until then. I couldn’t believe it. I also make his lReuteri yogurt all the time!

[@everhappy6312]

My mother in law who has dementia ate all my kefir grains. I just did my second batch...now I have to buy another one😅

[@mattterry30]

Wow so thankful for this video. I've been using Ultra Pasteurized Organic Milk for the past few months and it makes my stomach turn more than before. Here I was thinking I was being extra healthy! Thanks for the video and the education!!

[@RB-rz3pj]

I really appreciate the things you talk about 🌺 Thank you!!

[@tanjavbpioentje]

Thank you, I didnt know what kind of milk to use to make kefir. I ordered kefir grains and will be making my first batch soon. Your podcasts are so very helpfull.

[@kathyysd8580]

Great show ❤️❤️❤️❤️

[@Deepseaotter]

Donna, I just started some kefir grains, and I found that all of the milk, organic and regular, is all ultra pasteurized! What can I do? What do you suggest? I used organic to revive the grains, and after 36 hours it was already nice and quite thick. Will it be ok if I have to use ultra pasteurized? Thanks for all you do🤗

[@katlynkang15]

Try to go to a different store. They do sell pasteurized.

[@emsdiy6857]

I'll be switching to raw goat in about a year and I have to use cheap Walmart whole milk now .

[@geraldfrank1630]

Great stuff! Donna, what say you about the Kefir fermentation kits with the grains container? You rock! 👌🙏👏❤️

[@isabelestorninho7665]

Donna, love your podcast and have learned so much from you. Would you comment on the absence of kefir grains and easy kefir culturing milk using cultured buttermilk to make cheese. Much appreciated and Thank you

[@emilybacon11]

A question for you Donna Schwenk... Can I use half goats milk & half A2 cows milk combined, to make milk kefir & would it come out thick? I know you said with goats milk it will be a thin creamy consistency.

[@kristensmagicalcreations]

Your channel is fantastic. I'm new to all of this. I am going to buy some grains from you because the ones I bought aren't doing anything I don't think. My kefir grains aren't multiplying. I really want to know if almond milk kefir is as good for you as milk kefir? I've been using milk... and something seems to be happening... but not like all the videos I'm seeing. My water kefir is doing really fantastic.. and my Kombucha. And even my ginger bug. So I think either I really need to figure out if I'm doing something wrong.. or if it's my grains. ❤

[@mrazik131]

traider Joes has organic milk that is not ultra pasteruized

[@barbaraferron7994]

Q:Can you use pasteurized homogenized whole milk that's past it's sell by date or has gone sour?

[@daveymorgan909]

Wish there we videos of recipe's

[@farmerdude3578]

Question . Why can’t I get my raw goats milk to ferment with my existing kefir grains I use everyday with pasteurized cows milk?

[@srm6366]

Is this the same for making the yogurt? You don’t want to use ultra pasteurized? That’s what I use to make my first batch of Sibo yogurt and it was a little chunky. Is that because I use ultrapasteurize? What would be a better milk to use for making the sibo yogurt.?

[@rochelles.8387]

So if the organic milk is pasteurized but not ultra you'd recommend using it? I'm from Wisconsin and we have numerous choices of organic plain pasteurized milk.

[@andreajack1234]

Good day to you. Thanks for all this very useful information. I live in Trinidad and Tobago in the Caribbean and I'm wondering if it's practical for me to order the Easy Kefir.

[@nancun2837]

Me too. I live in Cancún Mexico 🇲🇽

[@michaelewing1770]

same here!. we need to get some kefir grains in this country somehow.

[@michaelewing1770]

🇹🇹🇹🇹🇹🇹🇹🇹🇹🇹

[@barbaraferron7994]

Q:Why is organic milk ultra pasturized?

[@edwardwilliam6573]

How close does homemade kefir with pasteurized milk get to raw milk in terms of digestibility. Does fermenting pasteurized milk make the proteins digestible again?

[@lydkid68]

Has anyone had their kefir begin to smell horrible like cheese I think is the best way to describe it. It just doesn’t smell right, not the same. I noticed some milk fat is sticking on my grains could this be why? They are still multiplying.

[@thelthrythquezada8397]

I just started doing it Saturday, and got my first batch Sunday…. But I am making that cream cheese style kefir. I added salt, dill and a bit of blue cheese to eat it as a dip to go with my Parmesan chips. The BOMB!!!

[@PolarBearXx]

I was just worried about saturated fat in whole milk i love kefir im plant based but kefir is mine to drink im lowering my ldl

[@kimfoster-carroll5133]

can you freeze goat milk kefir?

[@johnndavis7647]

Could i buy kifer at the grocery store and add fruit to it to double ferment the kifer then flter out kifer grains to start my own culture?

[@robinschroth7413]

Dr Davis did thatbin his book Super Gut

[@cheesecakefan4880]

How much a half gallon for raw milk in your area Donna? I live in Colorado, its $6 a half $12 whole gallon. I buy 2 gallons every week to drink and make Keifer and cheese with. So Blessed to have this. Its from Heritage cows like brown swiss and Gursney. Very high butter fat content. Liquid Gold😋

[@olgasa6943]

Where I live, a gallon is $2.29.

[@cheesecakefan4880]

@@olgasa6943 and where would that be? Ive never seen a gallon of milk anywhere for that price, especially raw milk.

[@olgasa6943]

@@cheesecakefan4880 moreno valley california

[@madnessaurus]

Wow! Here in aus it's 3 to 6 bucks for 1 litre of crappy conventional milk, raw milk is illegal and the closest thing we have to it is cold pressed milk 😒 I'm always amazed to hear how ridiculous our prices are compared to the rest of the world

[@Jay-vl8vc]

Im in Nepal and we get Milk straight from a cows teat for $0.95 per litre :)

[@joelroberts9947]

I've recently gotten back into making kefir. I'd stopped for a couple years. Anyway, I've been using Organic whole milk that's ultra pasteurized, not knowingly. The kefir has been turning out GREAT! It's thick and tastes great! In fact I literally just told my wife last night that the kefir tastes so much better than it did when I used regular milk. The only issue I've had is that the grains aren't growing / multiplying. :( I've been using these grains for a couple months now. I'll try switching to a non-ultra pasteurized milk & see if they'll start multiplying.

[@M_B_24]

Me too but I’ve been using fair life & it turning out amazing like yours above. Do you have an update? My grains are not growing either but luxurious kefir. When I use regular whole milk-it multiplied but then turns yeasty quickly. I can’t win with this it seems! I hope you get this and respond!

[@Nicholas.Tsagkos]

I use coconut and soy milks, as i don't like animal milk.

[@tina_rochelle393]

Nice. Does the coconut milk thicken nicely?