I’ve been experimenting with different milk to kefir grain ratios to see if I can get a more preferred taste and consistency

The bottle on the left had 1/2 tbsp of grains per cup of milk while the bottle on the right had 1 tbsp of grains per cup of milk. The left bottle needed 3 days before it looked ready while the right bottle needed 2 days

Ready to me meant whey pockets were showing and milk started to look like a thick mass when moved

The one that fermented in 2 days was a lot thinner, pretty much no difference from regular milk besides curd particles. It also had a more funky flavour. Not bad but, just a slight tang like a light vinegar

The other bottle that fermented in 3 days was thicker than regular milk. Almost like a probiotic beverage. The taste was more mild and balanced. You still noticed a deference compared to regular milk but it was more complex

I ended up liking the longer ferment more due to the texture and more mild flavour. Though I do want a bit more funk to it so I’ll try fermenting for 4 days and see how that turns out

Unexpected result was the shorter ferment having the whey rest on the top while the longer ferment has the whey rest on the bottom

Also I did a second ferment on both for 3 hours with a cinnamon stick and date

At Homemade Beverages, we offer a place for discussing and sharing tips for homemade kefir, kombucha, beers, wines, cocktails, sodas, and café drinks. You can give and receive advice and recipes to and from other people.

Link: https://discord.com/invite/t8UWHTTkAe

Hey guys! I was just wondering what's the best brand of kefir I could get in Durham Region, Canada, that actually has some health benefits.

(And no, I don't want to make my own kefir.)

I am making kefir for a school project and used 40g kefir grains to 800g of milk

Smell is potent and bad.

It is looking like a water milk mixture (can’t add pictures for some reason will try and add in comment)

I tried 200ml everyday for 2 weeks. Got explosive diarrhea. Reduced it to 100ml everyday. 2 weeks in and I still get explosive diarrhea and random stomach cramps. The kind of cramps that make me hold my stomach.

What should I do? Should I continue or stop drinking it?

Goedemorgen Allen,

Ik heb jullie hulp nodig. Al maanden gebruik ik melkkefir (Bio Kefir) van een bepaald merk. Ik merk dat ik echt al langere tijd sinds het gebruik van de Melkkefir bij mijn mond kin meer pijnlijke puistjes/acne krijg. Ik verwacht dat dit door de melkkefir komt..

Nu is mijn dilemma, mijn darmen gaan heel goed op de melkkefir, het wordt er echt rustig van, maar mijn gezicht is verschrikkelijk door de puistjes. Ik zit er nu over na te denken om 6/8 weken te stoppen met mijn dagelijks melkkefir gebruik..

Hebben mensen dezelfde ervaring dat ze hormonale acne krijgen van melkkefir? Ik ben benieuwd naar ervaringen zowel van Melk kefir als water kefir of hierdoor acne is ontstaan.

Ik zit er nu weer over na te denken om over te stappen naar Water kefir en dit zelf met water kefir korrels te gaan maken, om te kijken of dit verschil in mijn huid kan opleveren.

water kefir maken vind ik zelf wel lastig, de melkkefirflessen bij de biologische winkels zijn makkelijker.. Ik hoop dat er mensen zijn met tips en ervaringen van Kefir in combinatie met hormonale acne. Tips zijn altijd welkom. Dankjewel

Is it really necessary to wait till the whey starts to form? I had been doing that, but my kefir was more like curds and whey. Now I taste the kefir, and if it is thick enough and tangy, I scoop out the grains and refrigerate the kefir. Am I missing anything by not letting it separate?

Hi everyone,

It's my first time making kefir and I'm a little bit afraid of my result.

I mixed 60g of kefir seed with 60g of sugar, 2 dried figs and lemon, in 1L of water. It's been 3 days since I started. It was in my bedroom at approximately 20°C .

There is a thin layer of white "skin" and I don't know if it's mold or if I can drink it

I’ve been using the same grains for fusion teas for the past year and they’re so good. However a month ago I accidentally flushed them down the sink so I bought some. I got about 6 batches in and they were making kefir that seemed totally rotten, and basically the whey was separating ridiculously fast. It was happening within 24 to 48 hours, but when it happened the whole batch was separating happened in like an hour. So I bought some new grains and the same thing - I’m about 5 batches in and it’s not drinkable at all - just fermenting differently and rotten smelling. I don’t know if something happened during shipping or if I’m doing something wrong or what. I successfully made kefir for a year and haven’t changed anything to my process.

Curious if anybody else is having problems lately?

I have begun trying to make my own milk kefir. Working with some live grains and whole milk from the store. I've cultured the grains in glass mason jar and would run them with a cup of milk, set in the dark, agitated occasionally and drained. Replaced milk. I have gotten to the point where it will separate into a clear liquid and a white mass on top.

I just need some guidance as to what I'm looking at and looking for.

The first photo is the stuff that is separated. The second photo, I drained what I could, rinsed with some milk and redrained. I only started with a tablespoon of grains and would be surprised if they multiplied this much with two weeks.

If you have kefir, flour, and a few basic ingredients, you can make these delicious homemade flatbreads right in your frying pan!
They turn out soft, fluffy, slightly golden, and absolutely perfect with cheese, soup, eggs, or just a little butter. ❤️
Ingredients:
250 ml kefir
350–400 g all-purpose flour
1 egg (optional, for a richer dough)
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
1 tbsp vegetable oil
Instructions:
Pour the kefir into a bowl. Add the egg (if using), salt, sugar, and baking soda. Mix well.
Gradually add the flour and stir until a soft dough forms.
Add the oil and knead gently. The dough should be soft and slightly sticky, so don’t add too much flour.
Cover and let it rest for 15–20 minutes.
Divide the dough into 6–8 pieces and roll each piece into a flatbread about 5–7 mm thick.
Heat a dry frying pan over medium heat.
Cook each flatbread for about 2–3 minutes on each side, until golden spots appear and the bread is cooked through.
Brush with butter while still warm for extra softness and flavor.
✨ My best tips:
Don’t make the dough too firm — softer dough makes softer flatbreads.
Keep the heat at medium so the outside doesn’t burn before the inside cooks.
Stack the cooked flatbreads under a clean kitchen towel to keep them soft.
Serving idea: Try adding grated cheese, fresh dill, or chopped green onions to the dough. So simple, but so delicious!
💬 Question: Would you prefer these flatbreads plain, with cheese, or stuffed with potatoes?

I've been making kefir for about two months now and have learned a lot. Overall its going well as I learn the factors that influence the kefir like type of milk, temperature and amount of milk to amount of grains. My question is, is there some way to encourage those little grains to clump together and form a larger grain? My grains all seem really tiny and stick to the side of the jar- some seem small enough to go through the strainer. They are multiplying fine and the taste is good. Just really small.

can i just put a bunch of kefir grains into a storebought gallon of milk and just let it ferment for however long, then strain it out and end up with a gallon of kefir to keep in the fridge and consume over a longer timeframe? no more mason jar business. how much kefir grains would i need for this and how long would i need to ferment it for?

I have type IV hypersensitivity allergic categorization. Drinking kefir completely removed my allergies to everything. I am now capable of existing in Europe where I was born. I can even breathe in sawdust without reaction or go mow our garden. I am fulfilled. This miracle cost me $5 without any side effects (the same cannot be said for pills). I am a forever skeptic when it comes to homeopaty.

But I am cured.

I want to start off by saying that i'm not lactose intolerant in any way. I drink 1 liter of milk everyday, and have been for years with no issues.

Whenever i start drinking kefir, after a week or so i start having problems with constipation.

I only drink 200ml a day, so i don't feel like i'm going overboard or anything.

The longest kefir streak i've had has been maybe 1 month, so i'm wondering if the constipation is just a temporary thing i have to push through?

Did you experience anything like this?

What is the best kefir I can buy from a physical store here in Canada that has all the health benefits for my gut health?

I have been trying the store bought kefir and love it so now thinking of making my own kefir at home. Does anyone here make their own kefir and willing to share/sell some starter grain with me?

I live in Montgomery,MD if there is a fellow kefir enthusiast in the area

Is it kefir gone bad please some one tell me

It also doesn't smell too good like thinner or too sour with this little pinkish layer on top and why this might have happened

Hey,
Unsure about the ph, have two different straps. The blue to yellow one being hard to tell and the universal general one being super vague.

It looks quite healthy, just serving a small cup sounded fizzy. There was some white dots on top too, took one out, felt granular and rigid, not like a mold.

What do you guys think ?

Is their any machine that can automate making kefir and if not would it be useful?

Hi,

I'm relatively new to Kefir but I've noticed a few things. First of all, my ferments tend to be inconsistent with some batches smelling delicious, others mildly off/repulsive.

I'm trying to do everything right, feeding the grains fresh milk every day, and despite this they've only doubled in size during some 1.5 months or so. I'm not even sure whether it's better to do it strictly anaerobic or aerobic since there's no clear consensus. I've also heard that the culture can be "repaired" if needed by letting it ferment longer, but for me this just seems to produce more of the foul odors.

Any ideas? Should I try using less milk per my volume of grains? What about air access? Or is my culture cooked beyond repair?

Used the tangzhong method via King Aurther baking.

Flavor is sort of sour dough. Very soft, almost like Wonder bread.

Hi everyone! I have 3 kefir cultures from different cities, and each one behaves a bit differently. I'm thinking of combining 10g of each to start a new colony, hoping it ends up stronger and more diverse. Has anyone tried this? Does it work, or do the cultures end up competing and one takes over? Any tips are welcome! 🙏

I have a plastic seive but it is too fine , not easy to strain the grains from the goo, What do you use?