The
process of making a new batch of Kefir milk will take less than 20 minutes.
It will become a daily chore so get used to it. I like 24 hour Kefir so
depending on when you start, it will be ready around the same time next
day. Kefir Milk can be ready in 12 hours if kept at its optimum fermenting
temperature of 20 - 24 degrees centigrade. Warmer it will take quicker,
cooler it will take longer. Also the amount of Kefir Grains you are using
will also determine when your Kefir is ready. The approx. ratio is 1 full
Tbs. of Kefir grains per cup of milk or 1 part Kefir grains to 7 parts
milk. I am currently at batch number 35 and my Kefir grains have
since multiplied at least four times since I received them a month ago.
Also the taste of my Kefir milk has adjusted to my way of fermenting as
the taste from batch 1 to this batch number 30 has greatly improved. I
believe my little family of microbes are happy with their life. With the
extra Kefir Grains that grow, you can either give them away to others or
eat them or mix them in a smoothie. They are VERY good for you this way
as well. Anyhow, let's get started.
First get you goat milk out the fridge and warm it up to room temperature.
I am using 3 cups of goat milk in a saucepan and warming it up to about
20 degrees centigrade or so around (70 degrees F.). I use a digital thermometer
to know when I am there. If you don't have a way of measuring the temperature
then just let the milk sit for a little while or place pot in some luke
warm water. Once the milk is ready to remove from the heat source put it
aside aside till later.
Now prepare your utensils which are a large bowl to catch the strained
Kefir, a plastic sieve (strainer) and a wooden spoon. Also have some bottled
or non-chlorintated water available as well. Apparently stainless steel
can be used nowadays but I would rather go with the old trusted method
and use non metal utensils. Do not use any other metal but stainless steel
if you go the metal route. It will kill your little family of good bacteria.
Get your Kefir that is ready to be strained. You can see the curds
have separated from the whey. The whey being the clearish liquid.
Open the jar lid and gently stir the contents with your wooden spoon.
This will make it easier to strain.
After stirring take out your wooden spoon and place aside. Make sure
there are no little Kefir grains stuck on the spoon. As the Kefir grains
multiply over time you will find tiny little ones.
Now pour all the contents into the strainer.
While it is straining move your bowl aside and take your empty used
Kefir jar and clean it out GOOD. This is important as we do not want to
contaminate the next batch and possibly kill off the microbes. If you do
drop some Kefir Grains then pick them up and rinse them it off good with
the non chlorinated water or bottled water that you have on hand then add
back into the batch.
*** MAKE SURE the jar is not too hot from you washing it. If it is
you may damage your Kefir Grains when you go to put them back in the clean
jar. So rinse the jar with warm to cold water. Now your jar is ready for
the next batch of Kefir Grains.
You will notice that most of the liquid has drained off the Kefir Grains
but there is a lot of creamy thicker stuff still on the Kefir Grains. Just
move the Kefir grains around gently by scraping the bottom around the Kefir
grains with your wooden spoon allowing the rest of the thicker Kefir liquid
to fall through the strainer. Then all that will be left is the Kefir Grains
with a little of the creamy translucent stuff still clinging on. You want
it like this. I do not wash my Kefir grains after making a batch. In fact
I may never. If you were going from goat milk to cow milk or some other
medium where the Kefir Grains will work then I would rinse them off with
the bottled water. Also transferring the continuing fermenting Kefir into
the next batch helps everything move right along.
At this point start scooping out the Kefir grains and put them into
the clean jar beside your bowl. Be careful not to drop any on the floor
or anywhere that is dirty. If you do then you will have to rinse those
grains in NON chlorinated water. Now pour back in about about 1/8th of
a cup of the Kefir milk back into the empty jar. This will help the fermentation
process for the next batch.
Now pour in you room temperature milk into the jar. The Kefir grains
will immediately float on top. This is a good sign as damaged milk Kefir
grains will sink.
Now cover the jar and put aside till you are ready to start over again.
As time goes by you can see the milk fermenting. I like to move the jar
back and forth during the 24 hours a bit. This will allow the Kefir grains
to mix in well. If you leave the jar without moving that is also fine as
well. It is all about experimentation. So now with tomorrow's Kefir fermenting
away in peace, it is time for today's batch.
Give it a stir.
I like to have a my morning glass of Kefir milk from the new batch.
I pour the rest of the Kefir milk into an empty clean milk jug or if
you have some left over from the previous day then just add to that. I
like to label everything with dates. I do that with a piece of masking
tape with the date of the first batch was added to the bottle. I start
into a clean bottle every 6 days. So come the fifth day I drink today's
batch with parts of the previous 5 batches. Kefir milk will last this way
a long time if it does not get contaminated. This is how it was stored
in the old days before fridges. Not in plastic bottles of course but wooden
sealed caskets. Remember to keep the lid loose if storing on the counter.
You will need to tighten the lid and shake it a few times a day then release
the lid again to let the fermenting pressure out.
From this point you will have to decide which way you want to keep
your Kefir milk. Some people prefer to put it in the fridge. If you do
then tighten the lid on the Kefir milk and place in fridge and enjoy when
you want. I leave my Kefir milk out at room temperature and let it go into
secondary fermentation. This way you increase the good stuff in the Kefir
milk. Make sure you have read about the Power of Microbes on my blog at
kefirgrains.info.
Don't forget to wash your utensils so they are ready for tomorrow
and then...
Enjoy!
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appreciation. :o)
The
process of making a new batch of Kefir milk will take less than 20 minutes.
It will become a daily chore so get used to it. I like 24 hour Kefir so
depending on when you start, it will be ready around the same time next
day. Kefir Milk can be ready in 12 hours if kept at its optimum fermenting
temperature of 20 - 24 degrees centigrade. Warmer it will take quicker,
cooler it will take longer. Also the amount of Kefir Grains you are using
will also determine when your Kefir is ready. The approx. ratio is 1 full
Tbs. of Kefir grains per cup of milk or 1 part Kefir grains to 7 parts
milk. I am currently at batch number 35 and my Kefir grains have
since multiplied at least four times since I received them a month ago.
Also the taste of my Kefir milk has adjusted to my way of fermenting as
the taste from batch 1 to this batch number 30 has greatly improved. I
believe my little family of microbes are happy with their life. With the
extra Kefir Grains that grow, you can either give them away to others or
eat them or mix them in a smoothie. They are VERY good for you this way
as well. Anyhow, let's get started.
