We love water kefir! I can see why people call it a natural soda. But it is better than soda! Not only does it give you all sorts of probiotic goodness, it is not as sweet and doesn’t leave you with a sickly sweet upset stomach. With proper care, the water kefir grains can probably last longer than you, making this a frugal – not to mention healthy – way to break a soda habit!
See also: What’s So Great About Water Kefir?
I have done a little experimenting with flavors, but I could use some more ideas. My family likes the plain water kefir best, with just a bit of vanilla added. I enjoy the lemon/ginger best.
Rehydrating the Grains
Unless someone shares grains with you, you’ll have to purchase water kefir grains. They arrive dehydrated (see Resources for sources). Rehydrate according to the package directions. It takes 3 to 5 days in sweet water to rehydrate them and get them going again. The package from my source gives enough grains to make around 3/4 gallon of water kefir at a time.
First Fermentation
After the grains are rehydrated, mix 3/4 gallon of water with 3/4 cups of sweetener in a gallon jar. The less refined the sweetener, the better – the water kefir grains love minerals!
For more information on water, sweeteners, and minerals, see also: What’s So Great About Water Kefir?
If using a dry sweetener (such as Rapadura – raw, unrefined sugar), it must be dissolved in hot water first. Bring the 3/4 cup Rapadura and 2 cups of water to a boil to dissolve the Rapadura. Let it cool a bit, then add 10 more cups of cold water to lower its temp. It should be comfortable to the touch, not hot at all, when using it with the water kefir grains. Add it to the jar.
Add a half (rinsed) pastured egg shell to the jar. Thank you Cheeseslave for this tip; my grains love those egg shells! Put the grains in the jar – either loose or in a little muslin fabric bag (see Resources for sources). Swirl it all around gently. Cover the jar with a paper towel or cloth napkin and secure it to the jar lip with a rubber band. Let it sit for 3 to 5 days until desired sweetness is left – the longer you go, the less sweet. It may or may not be bubbly.
Pour off the water kefir liquid into another gallon size jar or two half gallon jars. If not following the forthcoming directions for adding flavor during a second fermentation, add 1-1/2 tablespoons of vanilla per 3/4 gallon of water kefir to make a simple cream soda. Refrigerate and drink as is. Use the grains to start a new batch of water kefir.
Second Fermentation
(The grains should be removed by this time.) Add fresh or dried fruit, or fruit juices to the jar. (See next for flavor ideas.) This second ferment should be done without air. Add a new half of a rinsed (pastured) egg shell. Cover the jar opening with plastic wrap and then the jar lid. Leave out at room temperature for 1 to 3 days. When you’re happy with the flavor, strain the liquid free from any bits of fruit and the egg shell. Refrigerate the soda or bottle it. I’ve never bottled it. I just put it in the fridge in a lidded pitcher and we drink it up quickly! The water kefir tends to get more bubbly during this stage. But, as I said before, it may or may not get bubbly.
Flavor Ideas
- 1/2 cup raisins plus 1-1/2 tablespoons of vanilla
- 1/2 cup chopped, pitted dates plus 1-1/2 tablespoons of vanilla
- 1/2 cup dried fig pieces plus 1-1/2 tablespoons of vanilla
- 1 cup organic grape juice
- 2 to 4 tablespoons grated fresh ginger, plus 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice, plus a splash of vanilla
- dried peach slices (a friend’s idea and I can’t remember how many she used – maybe 6?), plus splash of vanilla
So that’s my simple process for making water kefir, and some ideas for flavors. Now it is your turn. How do you flavor your water kefir? Do you make it differently? Is there some flavor combination you’d like to see?
See also: What’s So Great About Water Kefir?
This post is part of the Pennywise Platter at The Nourishing Gourmet.
I tried water kefir and my fellas didn’t like it, BUT I didn’t try it with the second ferment with the flavorings. I have 2 jars of water kefir with the grains still in it. They’ve been sitting in my pantry with a lid on them for months (Like 5 months…yikes!). I kind of forgot about them and wasn’t sure if the grains were still good or not, so I’ve kept them anyway…just in case. Do you know if they’re still good to use to try again? Or would it be better to order some new grains and start over?
Susan´s last blog post… Venison Pot Pie
Susan – I would bet they’re no good anymore.
For the future, if you want to store them, put them in some sweetened water (1/4 cup of sweet per 4 cups of water) and store in the fridge. The sugar will keep them alive, but the cool temp will slllooooowww them down. I’d probably change the sweet water every few weeks. I think your family would love the second ferment! It changes the beverage quite a bit.
I put my grains in the fridge to rest a couple of weeks ago. I think I’ll get them out again. Our favorite is ‘lemonade’. I haven’t tried the lemon/ginger combo but I’d imagine I would like it and the rest of the family would not.
Millie @ Real Food for Less Money´s last blog post…
Thanks Wardeh! I kind of figured that, but thought I’d ask…just in case. I’ll have to order some more grains after Christmas. The second ferment sound so good and I hope it will make it more to my fella’s tastes.
Susan´s last blog post… Healthy and Easy Mac and Cheese
Hi Wardeh,
Thanks for the information. I converted about 3 tablespoons of my milk kefir grains to water kefir grains (not the same as real water kefir grains, but just as effective)
For my first ferment I add the converted kefir grains to a mason jar filled about 2/3 full of filtered water, 1/4 cup evaporated cane sugar, and 10 dried natural cranberries. I let this sit for 2 days in a dark cupboard,swirling the contents a couple of times daily.
After two days I extract the grains and discard the cranberries. I divide the kefir water into two-1 litre grolsch bottles and top it off with about one-two cups natural grape juce. After capping it, I place it in a dark cupboard that is somewhat warm from my furnace vent. This second ferment is usually about 12 hours, and then I place it in the refrigerator. This is so delicious. I love it!
Marly´s last blog post… Christmas Butter Cookies
Marly – I’m glad you shared how you’re doing that – it will be helpful for people wondering how to make water kefir from dairy kefir grains!
Wardeh,
There has to be a “conversion” process for the milk kefir grains which takes a week or so. If anyone is interested I will explain it.
Marly´s last blog post… Christmas Butter Cookies
Just ordered a 2nd batch of water kefir grains from CFH. I’ll be giving your recipe a try as soon as they get here. I was also excited to find 7 old flip top beer bottles that I had forgotten that I bought at a garage sale last summer. They’re still in excellent condition (except for needing a good hot bath!). I’m going to try using them so we hopefully will get some nice carbonated kefir soda…which will be a BIG plus with my fellas…they really like the fizzy stuff. Thanks for posting about this, I think this batch will work out so much better!
Hugs & Blessings!
Susan
Susan´s last blog post… Healthy and Easy Mac and Cheese
Marly – I’d love to hear about the conversion process, but only if its not too much trouble to share it.
Susan – That’s great!
Can I use honey as the sweetner? I try not to use anything but that in my cooking.
Tara – Yes, I believe you can. At least I have read about people using it. I also run across things that say that honey is naturally anti-microbial, so it will eventually kill the mother cultures. However, I have read that when diluted, this isn’t likely. For myself, I would be willing to risk it. I’d love for you to keep in touch about how it goes with honey.
Wardeh, I am so eager to try this and have been for months. Just reading through your process, I’m assuming that if you choose to do a second fermentation, the water kefir grains have been removed by that point, right? Or do you keep them in for the second fermentation, too? I love the tip about the egg shell! I’ve never read that anywhere else, and I’ll have to try it!
—Sonya
Sonya – You’re right – you remove them no matter what after the first fermentation. Start a new batch with them, proceed with the one in progress… Enjoy!
I have been using Milk Kefir to make sodas. I don’t know anything about the conversion process but I read on one blog that you can put them in milk in between uses to keep them alive which sounds like a different method. That is what I’ve been doing. I have some kefir that I use just for sodas. I store mine in milk in the fridge when I’m not using them. It seems to work very well. I made some delicious plum “cider” with them a few weeks ago.
[...] I shared a simple recipe for making water kefir, along with some flavoring ideas. That was putting the cart a bit before the horse, in that I [...]
Great post! I really like strawberry kefir soda, and dried cinnamon apples kefir soda…kinda tastes like apple cider.
This was such a great post; I loved how you broke down the kefir-making into very clear steps.
I’m really disappointed in my water kefir grains, though. I ordered some, and rehydrated them and all that… and I’ve had them for probably a month and a half now. I keep feeding them, but I always end up tossing the end result. Is water kefir supposed to taste GOOD? Mine tastes like vinegar sometimes, and just kinda icky other times. I like milk kefir just fine, so I don’t think it’s that I’m terribly picky about taste.
Mine never seems to be hardly carbonated at all, either. I use Rapadura as a sweetener; I’ve also tried raisins. Maybe the eggshell trick would make a difference?
I guess I’m just wondering if water kefir is totally an acquired taste, or is it actually fairly pleasant tasting?
HoopQueen – What kind of water are you using? If filtered or chlorinated, or if for some reason the water lacks minerals (soft), the grains don’t do that well. Read this post for more info on water: http://gnowfglins.com/2009/12/18/whats-so-great-about-water-kefir/ . The eggshell should help alot if the minerals are lacking.
I think our water kefir is very pleasant tasting, like a mildly sweet sparkling drink and then flavors added depending on the second fermentation.
Erin – Those sound good. How do you do the apple/cinnamon flavor – do you dry the apples with the cinnamon or add the cinnamon to the water kefir with plain dried apples?
I would love to try this because of the probiotic effects without the dairy. I can’t eat Rapadura or honey…any other sweeteners you can recommend?
Amy ~ It has to be a real sweetener, with sucrose and/or fructose. I will look around to see whether you can use straight fruit for the first fermentation.
This is a great overview, Wardeh! After several months, I was able to find some local water kefir grains and am on our 2nd batch of water kefir. I haven’t tried your advice yet, but I will with our next batch. I am excited to share this with my parents (who don’t drink pop, but do drink soda water) as a healthy alternative.
2nd Ferment: We’ve tried mango and cherry so far. And just started a 2nd ferment with 1) Orange/ginger, 2) Date/Dark Raisin, 3) Apple/Cinnamon. So we are excited to taste those. I’m glad to see you suggest leaving the 2nd ferment out longer than the info I had – I did this anyway with our first batch to strengthen the flavor. Wardeh, can I add the vanilla after the 2nd ferment is done? Do you use bean or extract? Jessica, I’d love to hear about how you made your plum cider.
1st Ferment: Marly, I’m excited to try the cranberries, that sounds delicious. I have been using raw cane sugar and applejuice for the first ferment. The original recipe also included some banana slices, but the woman I got the culture from changed that, she said it made it too slimey but the woman she got her culture from loved it that way. So maybe I’ll try the banana slices sometime. Has anyone tried alternative sweeteners like agave or maple syrup for the first ferment? I wondered about the honey too. We’ve never tried it in our other cultures, like kombucha, for the reason you give.
I have a few questions… about water – we have filtered water we use. I have mineral drops I sometimes add to our water… maybe I should add to the water kefir water? I am also trying to get it fizzier without ordering the Grolsch bottles, does anyone have suggestions?
@ Susan… you could always try to reuse your grains. The good thing about cultured liquids is that it is very obvious in appearance and smell if they go bad. So you should be able to tell fairly soon if it’s good or not. However, if the grains have a bad smell already in your fridge I would not use them.
I say this bc there have been many times (pregnancy, moving, etc.) when we have left some of our kombucha cultures for months in our fridge with a small amount of kombucha in jars and they have always worked great when we finally get back to using them. I think some of them were left at least six months with no problems.
Wardeh,
I dry the apple slices with cinnamon sprinkled on both sides. It is a great flavor to the water kefir. I also tried some organic grapes when I was able to find them on sale this summer. I froze them and added them to the 2nd ferment. That’s another good one to try. Enjoy!
Faith – You can add the vanilla at any time. I have not used vanilla bean. I would absolutely add those mineral drops to your filtered water. We have filtered water, too, but think we may not have to much longer, which is why I haven’t gotten any mineral drops. I have used agave for the first ferment – using up the last of a big supply. I just recently switched to using Rapadura and I have noticed right away that the water kefir is more bubbly with the Rapadura. BUT it still worked and tasted wonderful with the agave. Thanks for your flavor ideas!
Hey everyone,
Sorry I didn’t get right back with the conversion process, but I’m sorta busy with, you know, Christmas—Heehee. Anyway as soon as I have some time I will explain it all in detail for you. Have a wonderful Christmas.
Marly´s last blog post… Christmas Butter Cookies
Wardeh~
Thank you for sharing about this.I was just wondering the other day where I might find a healthier version of pop. I want to try this so maybe we can break the “pop habit”.I’ll have to talk to my dh about me ordering the grains. I am going to pass this on to Nicole,too because she really loves pop. I think she drinks it way more than we do.
Tina´s last blog post… Our middle ds~ the Boss
Wardeh,
I’m finally making my second batch of water kefir. My kids didn’t like the first batch, Pineapple flavor. So my husband and I drank all of it. I am starting a berry flavored batch next. I was just wondering if you drink it at a certain time, and how much you drink. My husband and I both had a cleaning out experience from this stuff. I’m wondering what that was about? It makes more sense with me, but not with my husband. And it was at very different times, so it couldn’t have been something we ate.
I also tend to get a bit of a stomach ache when I drink this, not sure why.
I do enjoy experimenting on myself though:)
Thanks again for all of your insight!
Tiffany
Tiffany – We drink it about once a day, and usually with a meal. I drink mine in the evening or when I know I’m sitting down – it lowers my blood pressure just like Kombucha does, and both quite strongly.
If you’re cleaning out, I think it must be doing good work! Kombucha is supposed to cleanse.
Keep letting me know how it is going.
Hope your kids like the berry flavor.
Wardeh,
I thought of another question. I am going to share some water kefir with a friend who is nursing her baby. Are there any recommendations for pregnant or nursing mothers and kefir?
Tiffany – I haven’t read anything about pregnancy or nursing. If you find something, please let me know.
Tiffany – one other thing
I wanted to clarify my answer about how often we drink this. Actually, our goal is to have at least a small glass of a beneficial beverage at every meal. And we also have Kombucha around. So it works out to be two cups of Kombucha and one cup of water kefir a day. Not everyone does 3 glasses a day, but we each do at least one, and it tends to be with a meal.
honey WILL indeed kill the mother grains eventually. honey is not the right kind of sugar to feed those little guys. kefir likes diglycerides like white sugar or molasses (there are plenty of other options).
however you CAN use honey in your secondary ferment as long as you don’t leave any kefir grains trailing.
I really need some advise. I don’t want to give up on my new water kefir grains, but so far I haven’t made anything that doesn’t taste alcoholic. I started out fermenting for 2 days and then another day or two sans the grains, plus vanilla and/or fruit for the 2nd ferment. Then I cut back to 24hrs on the 1st ferment. I’ve even cut back to 12hrs and it still tastes alcoholic. The most recent batch tasted better, but I’m concerned with the still present, although not quite as strong, alcohol-y taste (I’m expecting and just don’t want to take any chances). Is it supposed to taste like alcohol? I’ve tried using both rapadura and turbinado w/ a touch of molasses. I may be crazy, but I’m pretty sure that after just a couple of weeks, my grains have multiplied…I thought they were usually pretty stubborn about multiplying. I’ve been getting well water from a neighbor to make my kefir. Could it be that the water is so mineral rich that the grains are fermenting/multiplying faster? Any advise would be appreciated. Thanks for your time! (btw, this is my first time commenting, but I love your blog!)
Hi Wardeh!
After reading your post on Kefir, I ordered the starter kit from CFL. I noticed in the directions they give a range of 3-4 days for original rehydration, and 24-48 hrs. for fermentation. I’d like to have more of a carbonated drink if possible, so should I go with the shorter or longer end of the time ranges? Also, my directions don’t say anything about a second fermentation, will I get a better flavor, and more carbonation if I do the second fermentation? It’s a little intimidating!! Thank you SO much for your blog, it’s been life changing:) Still working on trying to find raw milk, Argh!
Thanks!
Casie – Hi! A couple thoughts. First, perhaps that you’re confusing the fermented smell/taste with alcohol? It is true that water kefir contains a smidgen of alcohol – it is a byproduct of the natural process. To us it does smell and taste a bit like alcohol, but it is not an alcoholic beverage. It is a fermented beverage. If you’re using rapadura and molasses – both rich with minerals – I am not surprised that your grains are multiplying. And yes, that well water could be doing it, too. It sounds to me like you’re doing everything right. What I suggest, since you’re expecting, is to drink a small amount of it. Sit down or lay down so you’re not doing anything else, and pay attention to how you feel. Alcohol would have a noticeable effect (at least it does me as I don’t drink it very often
).
But, to possibly confuse you more – Kombucha, for instance, has a blood pressure lowering effect that can be confused with the loopy feeling one would get from alcohol. Not all people notice it, but I do because I already have lower blood pressure. Water kefir affects me the same way, so I think the same thing is happening.
When I started making water kefir, I only had agave syrup to use (was using it up and haven’t replaced it). The grains were stubborn. In fact, I don’t think they were eating much of the sugar because the water kefir after 5 days was still pretty sweet. Now I use Rapadura – the beverage is much more bubbly, fermented-tasting, and not sweet at all after 3 to 4 days.
Well, not quite sure how I got to this particular page but I must say, I’m glad I did. This sounds like something that I want to try. And this Kombucha thing… I’ve heard of it but never realized it was cultured.
I really must break my son of this soda habit. He doesn’t get that much, and for very good reason. Sugar…does things to him.
Thanks for this entry
Thanks, Wardeh. I guess the fermented taste will take some getting used to. I’ve only had sips so far since I’ve been a little worried about the alcohol taste, but I’m going to keep experimenting with flavors and ferment times until I get something I’m comfortable with (or until I acquire a taste for it!). If these grains keep multiplying the way they have been, I’ll have to find someone to share with soon!
hi
i accidently put sparkling water instead of still water. can you please let me know if i made them all dead?
thanks,
audrey
Audrey – How long has it been? Are you rehydrating your grains, or making a full batch with plumped up grains?
If it were me, I’d check two things:
1) I’d smell the batch – does it smell fresh and a little fermenty, but not repulsive? Then they’re probably okay.
2) Depending on how long it has been, I’d taste the liquid. If it has been two days and the grains are working, the liquid should be much less sweet and a little carbonated (a little “bright”).
If both those things are good (good smell and decreased sweetness), then I would think the grains are okay.
Regardless – if I wasn’t sure if they were okay or if I thought they were, I’d put the grains in a fresh batch of pure, sweetened water – and be sure to add a rinsed eggshell if it is a full batch (not just the first stage of rehydrating). The best sweeteners would be Rapadura or Sucanat because they’d have alot of minerals to get the grains going again if they’d been suffering.
Let me know how it goes!
Hi Wardeh,
I have a metal strainer- is it okay to use that to remove the grains? And also to use a metal spoon?
Thanks,
Michelle (Health Food Lover)
Michelle – You shouldn’t use any metal, even stainless steel, with cultures. Best to use wood or bamboo. I like those little muslin bags to store my water kefir grains – it makes transferring from batch to batch super easy. (See the Resources page for sources.)
Hi Wardeh,
Yesterday I poured out my first batches of water kefir to drink.
I made two types-
One with- dried figs cut up, half a lemon, water and 2 tablespoons rapadura sugar.
the other- dried figs cut up, half a lemon, water & 2 tablespoon raw sugar.
So I tried the rapadura one- im not sure if it is because of the sugar or the figs but it really smelt quite unpleasant, however it tasted a bit better than it smelt. It was also a bit thick, kind of syrupy, something I wasn’t prepared for. I also didnt really like the dark colour of it.
The Raw sugar one- smelt much nicer and didn’t seem to be as thick and had a pleasant colour.
So I’ve concluded that using raw sugar yields a nicer kefir aesthetically, albeit not as nutritious as one made with rapadura. I also tested the alcohol content with my hydrometer (I use it normally to make apple cider vinegar) and the specific gravity was around 2-3 percent (after 24 hours). So it contained around 2-3 percent of alcohol. I’m quite concerned about alcohol content.
I’ve now made a new batch containing juice of half a lemon, half a lemon (whole), 2 tablespoons raw sugar and half a clean egg shell and water. My aim is to made lemonade. So I’m going to see how that goes.
I’m thinking I might make a ginger beer next time if this lemonade goes successfully! I’ll let you know!
Michelle –
The water kefir will be syrupy from the sugar, and less syrupy the longer you let the grains “eat”.
Did you add the lemons, figs, etc. during the first fermentation? I am confused because you also added sugar. Perhaps you had a reason for doing so. Every time I do a second ferment, I just let the grains eat fruit – no need for more sugar.
I am shocked at the amount of alcohol! Will you please keep checking it and letting me know if this is consistently the result?
And I agree – the more refined the sugar, the more aesthetic, EXCEPT in terms of bubbliness. The less refined sweeteners produce more bubbles because the grains love the minerals.
Thanks for the update!
Hi Wardeh,
I’ve been experimenting a bit more with my kefir grains this week.
The kefir I talked to you about last time has lemons, sugar, figs, kefir etc..so I added sugar aswell as fruit. But I only to a primary fermentation and then bottle it.
I’ve made a really nice ginger beer (fresh ginger tea-made and then cooled & strained- a few pieces of fresh ginger, a piece of egg shell, a 1/8 teaspoon of bicarb soda, kefir grains, raw sugar & spelt syrup (instead of molasses)) which has turned out wonderfully! It has quite a nice fizz and tastes alot like bundaberg ginger beer (which is a really popular brand here in oz).
I tested it for alcohol two other times now and they have been between 0.5 & 1%. But I will keep testing it to see if i get the same results.
You know drinking the water kefir has greatly improved my appetite (normally its really low) since I started drinking this kefir at the begining of the week (yes I’ve only started drinking it at the begininng of this week!). But it’s been a great experiment.
I want to make a really nice lemonade in a week or so. Have you made nettle kefir? I saw it on Dom’s site and I’m thinking of trying it but not too sure.
Michelle – So you’re adding the fruit to the first fermentation. Gotcha.
The ginger beer sounds wonderful.
Interesting that the alcohol content is lower now. I’m glad about that.
Wonderful its affect on your appetite! I have not seen nettle kefir. You are such a great experimenter – please let me know if you try it! I’d like to use some of your ideas in the eCourse lesson on water kefir. I’ll be referring everyone to this post for ideas beyond what I demonstrate in the class, so whatever you add here will be a great benefit to everyone – thanks!
I’m new to water kefir, though I’ve successfully brewed a few batches of the lemon/fig recipe. I’ve been drinking it on its first fermentation, but am interested in other flavors. In searching for recipes, I found your blog, and made sure to read through all the comments. Now I can’t wait to start making second fermentations so that maybe my children will enjoy the drink, and the health benefits as well.
As for the nettle kefir, my friend wrote a post about it on her blog long ago, though I’m not sure she still makes it. http://www.rebuild-from-depression.com/blog/2007/09/fermented_nettle_tea_an_iron_b.html
Thanks to everyone for sharing their thoughts, ideas and recipes!