For example, if you have a cup of grains in a cup of milk not recommended , it will ferment very quickly. If you have a teaspoon of grains in 4 cups of milk not recommended either , it will ferment very slowly. If you place the kefir and grains in the fridge, the same ferment that will usually take 24 hours may take days.
Likewise, this same scenario in a hot room may take a half day 12 hours. This produces the optimal flavor and consistency, and the grains seem to thrive off this schedule.
You can also do a secondary ferment-hybrid by straining your kefir at 12 hours, and then letting it ripen for another hours without the grains before drinking. It produces a mild full flavor and is especially good when done in a bottle with an airlock lid. Yes, kefir grains will naturally try to adjust their metabolism to match the amount of milk supplied within a given feeding. If you want to try to increase your grains metabolism, simply increase the milk in increments each time you strain and put your grains in fresh milk.
Decrease if they seem too sluggish for that much milk and increase gradually, letting them adjust and come up to speed.
What are the seasonal differences in Kefir summer vs winter, etc? Kefir, like all living organisms, goes through intricate and subtle changes with the seasons, climate, temperatures and environment it is in.
Just like you can mark the seasons with a tree budding, growing, turning colors and discarding its leaves, kefir also will constantly be in flux and going through seasonal patterns. Kefir will ferment much more quickly in the summer and warmer temperatures. It will be thinner and may be more lumpy or inconsistent as well. It may especially be inconsistent during spring and fall, or whenever there is a large disparity of temperatures such as a cold night and hot day. Kefir will tend to be more creamy and mild in the winter and cooler temperatures and more zesty and sour in the summer.
Part of the beauty of the symbiotic nature of kefir is that each strain has a certain strength and weakness. Together, they are able to ferment at a wide range of temperatures. Keeping this in miind, you will realize that because of this, a certain temperature will allow some strains to perform much better, while others may be temporarily suppressed.
This contributes to the differing tastes and textures of kefir throughout the year. Some people notice it is more cheesy in the winter possibly due to the certain yeast and other strains being stronger , while in the summer it may be more bread-ish and light in flavor. Kefir grains can sometimes get a bit yeasty and zealous usually due to higher temperatures , or a bit sluggish stressed or cold. To correct this situation, its best to take them out of their milk and rest them in some clean water in the fridge for about 3 days.
You may also help balance them by resting them buried in a small cup of plain yogurt with live cultures for days such as Dannon plain or Stonyfield plain.
To freeze your extra grains all you need to do is to pat dry some kefir grains, add some powdered milk and place the grains in a plastic bag. Put them in the freezer. It is best to remove as much of the air from the bag as possible and to store the grains in a deep freeze which keeps the grains below 10 degrees Celsius. Normal frost free freezers tend to cycle the temperature up and down as they defrost.
This can reduce the viability of the kefir grains over a longer period of time. Strain out the grains and repeat the feeding until the milk starts to thicken. You can now slowly increase the amount of milk the grains are fed until you are back up to making the amount you need daily.
Some people find the grains slimy and unappetizing but they are completely edible and are actually made up of three basic ingredients:. Many people add protein powders which contain all three of these ingredients. If the powder is made from whey it is made up of basically the same ingredients. Whey is the liquid which is produced in making cheese and is then dehydrated and packaged in a powder form. The process uses industrial machinery, transport trucks and a fair amount of energy.
Not to mention the addition of plastic packaging to make it look good. With a high powered blender you will never be able to taste a difference.
Kefir grains were a closely guarded secret which did not promote freely giving them to anyone. They were thought to become less effective when they were given to others as if the magic of the grains was diluted when they were passed on to others. Today we know better. Instead having a giving attitude is a healthy practice, it promotes a healthy perspective and better overall mental health.
There are lots of people who would love to try making kefir from kefir grains. Why not ask around and see who in your circle of friends would like to try it. You will be surprised to find how many are interested.
Sourdough starter is made up of a collection of lactic acid bacteria and yeasts which both acidify the dough and consume some of the sugars forming CO2 gas which causes the bread to rise.
Kefir grains also contain a collection of lactic acid bacteria and yeasts which acidify the milk and consume some of the sugar lactose in the milk. The cultures do not care where they get their food from so they will grow just as well mixed into flour and water to make a quick sourdough starter.
Just add some water and flower to the grains and blend them in a high powered blender. I keep almost a pint of grains in the fridge covered with milk and I change the milk every 2 or 3 days. Then I return the grains I strain out to the storage jar, stir and do the aforementioned process again. Tastes great that way: thick and mildly sour. Continue reading. March 09, 3 Comments.
February 12, 2 Comments. Home Yemoos Blog What is the optimal ratio of milk kefir grains to milk? March 04, Just to give you an idea of the different opinions: Dom from users. What we recommend: For the first batch or two we tend to recommend using 1 tablespoon to 1 cup of milk just to help adjust to the new environment.
That ratio gives the best flavor and texture in our opinion. What ratio does the science think is ideal? Peer reviewed journals measure what can be quantified. Best Ratio for Probiotics There are only two studies I can find that discusses ratio and probiotic count. Why the difference? Bottom line There is a great difference of opinion on what is the ideal ratio of grains to milk. What is your favorite ratio of grains to milk? The Real McCoy You stated: I keep almost a pint of grains in the fridge covered with milk and I change the milk every 2 or 3 days.
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