Hey, no.1 UA-camr for everything kefir related! I wanted to know how I can :) ensure the least abount of lectose is remaining? My kefir has been separating (as expected), I mix it all back together and strain. I'm using a huge quantity of grains to milk, yet they don't taste tart. It's making me think it's not fully fermented and I'm ingesting more lactose than I want. Your advice is greatly appreciated
@AJ-ku9jz Thanks AJ 🥛🍶. Seperation indicates lack of lactose.. since I dont recommend over fermenting your grains all the time.. A second ferment would take you the rest of the whey.. Not all grains are equal, they vary from region to region & supplier to supplier.
@@thekefircode7399 so if I take the grains out and leave the kefir in the fridge, it'll carry on fermenting and consume the rest of the lactose? If I drink too much of it now it sends my blood sugars high.
I have discovered this. Strain the kefir and then blend a whole peach or a bunch of blueberries into the kefir. Let it ferment in the cabinet for another three or four hours with a lid on the jar that is tightly sealed. You will get kefir that is very carbonated with a little alcohol in it. It is delicious. The champagne of kefir. Fantastic.
After adopting your method I finally have been making delicious kefir that I am proud to drink and share with friends and family! Don’t rinse my grains, use the fridge to slow down the process and keep the yeast in control. Wash or switch jars every week or two. Almost a 50/50 kefir to milk ratio. No need for second ferment with fruit or orange peels because it already taste delicious after my first ferment! Grains are growing healthy and beautiful! Thanks for your content. Please post more! 🔥❤🙏
👌👍🥛🥛🍶... That's great! Like I've said, I dont really recommend 50% ratio for a long term. It will take out the yeast completely if you get lots of whey everyday. The constant high acidity will do it. So watch for that.
@@thekefircode7399 I did not think about that thanks for the heads up, I will adjust closer to a 1/3 ratio as you have mentioned. My kefir is fermenting a bit to fast for me now also since my grains are now multiplying like crazy! God bless 🙏
I subscribed to your channel ) I really love our Caucasus , Karachay -Cherkessia, Kabardino-Balkaria (apple orchards and grapes are grown there and all the trees are covered with special nets against hail , this is always impressive ) . Stavropol is also beautiful , many years ago Boer families came there (this is the indigenous white population of South Africa ) . The guys looked at the conditions for living and cultivating the land. But I don't know if they stayed in the end. The most favorite place in the Caucasus is Ossetia . Incredibly beautiful mountains everywhere , vastness , depth , breadth . You love and know how to cook , you would fall in love with Caucasian cuisine . I like to add fresh cucumber , celery stalks and dill to kefir . Grind everything in a blender and add a little salt . Perfectly quenches thirst . And I really love our national dish "okroshka". It is made on bread kvass , but I like to pour kefir .
Amazing! Thank you... I have so much to say, it's like I've been waiting for this day for years.. someone from the Caucuses that can appreciate what I've done.😊 I've always liked the name Ossetia, it just has a ring to my ears. When ppl ask me where I want to go in Russia I say the Caucuses region. Did you see in the previous video I have photos of the region at the end. Skip to last minute or so if you want to see those. The ending is my favorite part, the rest is just me talking. I love the music & traditional dances.. I watch many of them on YT, like the high caucuses channel. In one recent video I even put an su57 at the end, a beautiful plane 😍.. I think you'll understand the meaning of it. Also you'll see the russian flag emblem in some videos.. I have put that on my volvo you see on my personal channel. So I'm fully representing, at a high risk time in america. I'm ready to go if someone wants to start something.👊💪 I have more passion for Russia than Trump. I can take some trash talk about Trump and just keep my cool, but when they move to Putin. Its gloves off.
3:01 Often the same people who say to use a clean jar after straining will say to always rinse the grains and with water to boot. I use a clean jar once a week in hot weather and about every two weeks in cooler weather (it doesn't get cold here) to control the speed of the ferment. I do shake newly fed grains and wipe off the rim just to "clean up" the jar and make use of any residual kefir.
To me the issue is soap residue in the jar. Or chlorine.. One new subscriber was using the dishwasher which leaves soap film in the jars. His grains were shrinking instead of growing. I can taste soap it if I put water in a glass from dishwasher. I have heard of an instance where rinsing in clean water, like distilled, one time, helped take away a bad taste. I've pushed the ratio to the max here for too long 50/50 and it seems an issue is getting over fermenting every day, it causes the grains to smell/ taste like whey eventually.. it was a problem a person out there was having (messaged me on reddit last year😂).. and now I've recreated the problem & found the cause. I always said whey is real acidic and not good for the grains. Well it's been happening every day for like 4 months.. I just cant keep up with this many grains, (would need 4 gal milk a week just for myself) and now the yeast has been reduced. I'm pretty sure the grains being in constant whey has been a problem. I have since reduced back to a 3 to 1 ratio. I need to be able to leave it out without whey production all the time. Ive been working on that to bring back a good yeast.
@@thekefircode7399 I don't put any of my kefir jars or tools in the dishwasher. After completely washing the jars, I rinse with white vinegar. A trick I learned to use on my hands to remove any soap before putting my hands in an aquarium. As far as getting it just before it breaks into whey and managing bacteria and yeast consistency, it's an art. You have found a solution that works and is doable for you. Most people mention the three variables: grain:milk ratio, ambient temperature, and time. A few nuance variables (most of which you've mentioned in other videos) are: type of milk, the amount of kefir left on the grains and jar, shaking/stirring, open cover vs closed cover, temperature of the milk and even the grains themselves whether because they've weakened or strengthened or are just different from the grains someone else has. For myself, I've noticed a difference if I leave it out in my bright kitchen vs keeping it in a dark space.
@@thekefircode7399 I never have too many grains. I eat them, keep frozen stores, feed them once a week to fresh water aquarium creatures, keep a fresh kefir "hotel" in my frig for anyone who asks for them. I heard they make good compost but I never have enough to discard like that.
Been binge watching all your videos, all are very wonderful and informative videos. A little curious though, does variety matter? Yours Russian, mine Tibetan, his Belgian. Will one produce more/less creamy than the others?
Awesome, thanks 🍶🥛🥛 Yes there are variations, also in the actual bacteria composition of the grains. Studies showed a variation based on region. Due to different environments. Also mine aren't actually from Russia, from ebay.. but technically probably came from russian 'seed' originally. As they were the first to bring it out and popularize it.
Question for you.. iyo… what are your thoughts on the plastic fermenter containers being sold and used ? Reviews seem to be pretty much all positive 🤷♀️🤷♀️🤷♀️.. I’m considering using them… as a newbie .. should I ?
Welcome 🥛🍶.. Other than the plastics that are surrounding us anyway. I just grew some from a teaspoon in a plastic container for like 5 months ended with 2 cups.. No problem, they grew just as well. I moved them to a larger glass jar now. Just what I have. You dont need anything special at all. I just used a 16 oz deli container. Freebie
One benefit is that the temprature of the milk will increase faster because you don't have cold glass to warm up too. See my start new grains video, "growth in 30 days". That's how you should start out.
Hi there! This is interesting. But what is wrong with whey? I thought whey is supposed to be good too. I don't mind whey and my kefir is still very creamy and not at all sour even when I have a lot of whey.
Just found your channel. What do you think of the health benefits of the kefir whey? When I make kefir cheese i always save the whey to drink. It epseems to have a positive effect on my digestion.
Hi there, my Kefir gets ready in 12 hours. Temperature here in Sydney is around 35-40 centigrade nowadays, I keep my jar on benchtop. I use half spoon of grains for 2 cups of milk. Am I doing anything wrong, why my kefir is getting ready in 12 hours ?
Hello😊 i have 1 question i bought kefir grains from amaltas Pakistan i live in Pakistan the gave me a bottle which contained maybe 3 grains and some yougurt like thing do u think this is okay or was it just a scam they said it was 20 grams i poured milk in it and let it ferment for 14 hours the milk was still liquid
Hi Ahmed! Strain out the grains put them in fresh milk & continue like I describe in the start new grains video, growth in 30 days.. 🥛🍶 ua-cam.com/video/9RU3q2Xf4io/v-deo.html
Not bad, sounds like they are new grains. It takes a while to get it going. It should smell like yeast, some don't which is what it is, I prefer a good yeasty component.
Well it’s been a while and my grains are healthy as hell.. I have to EAT them occasionally (which I love) BUT they still are too fizzy and sour tasting for me… so…is my problem bcuz I DONT do a second fermentation on the counter ?after watching tons of kefir videos I’m 100% confused … some say a second fermentation on the counter will render a MORE SOUR TASTE… 👅 so which is it? I will gladly do a second fermentation on the counter ..IF… that will help to make it a little less fizzy … I normally try to strain my grains when I see signs of whey …..I generally don’t let too much whey produce…. Thinking that ..that’s what s causing the fizziness… your thoughts 💭 please 🙏 TY
Hi, I'd say don't ferment with the container sealed & remove the grains sooner before any whey (based on known timing) Then let the kefir finish off on the counter, it will only be a few hours - more of less. ie. If you take them out 2 hours early it will be about 2 more hours of " second ferment" Then if that didnt do it, you can try reducing the grain ratio some. Which will slow things down for you a little & also reduce the fizzy.
Definitely going to give this a try && I’m also trying something new … I put 2 sliced green grapes 🍇 into the second fermentation bcuz my grandkids only like FLAVORED kefir and won’t drink it plain… which I prefer… I guess it doesn’t hurt to experiment right? That’s how you learn… trial and error 👍🏻.. TY .. I’ll let you know the outcome
@sb9442 for sure... throw it in a blender w/ favorite fruits. Blueberry, strawberry & peach work well. Pull the grains early blend it up, it will last a few days in fridge before whey forms, and it gets more sour.. Good luck, Happy Kefirin' 🍶🥛
@@thekefircode7399 well hell…two grapes was a joke… really didn’t notice any flavor or sweetness for that matter…it was about 12-16 oz. So maybe too much liquid to grapes ratio 🤷♀️I’ll keep trying ( for the kids sake)… but for me… I’ll keep trying to attain that smooth flavor I had in the beginning… but if I never get there it won’t kill me as I do like sour flavors… ( I love fresh lemons)….whats really bugging me is that I can’t seem to figure it out…like I’m NOT in control….usually when you cook/bake you know how to adjust for flavors but kefir seems to have a mind of its own…imo…but I WONT GIVE UP…I typically just ferment on the counter with coffee filters…. And skip the second fermentation all together…. So into the fridge and I enjoy it until it’s gone….but I’ve also heard that a SECOND FERMENTATION…supposedly yields a more potent probiotic…more healthy benefits 🤷♀️🤷♀️🤷♀️is that true? I mean right now with temperatures going down to freezing my house is WAY WAY COLDER than it was in the warmer months …so fermentation was done in anywhere from 6-12 hrs…& now it’s taking roughly 24 hrs or a little under. I’m staying with quart mason jars 🫙 bcuz it’s the easiest to work with… then I pour & store into 1/2 gallon mason jars to kinda save space in my fridge…also …I started with one LIVE GRAIN & one DEHYDRATED GRAIN… so I was running two separate jars but I actually strain them one after the other so going through the same strainer .. I believe the grains are slowly mixing together…but now when I POUR BOTH OF THEM INTO the 1/2 gallon jar …they are definitely mixed..and they are fine….I was initially worried about grains fighting or competing…but I don’t think that’s an issue… your thoughts? TY
I just tasted my first batch. I obviously did something wrong. It was really thick & almost chalky in texture. Also tasted sour. I put some real maple syrup in it just to finish the glass. I've watched about half of your videos so far. I love them. They're very well put together. Lots of good information. I also look forward to the information at the end. I'll just keep trying. Not giving up. I started with 1 tbsp of grains. Grew them to 2 tbsp's. Used 3:1 ratio. So 6 tbsp of raw milk to those 2 tbsp of grains?
Hi, glad to hear, my favorite part of the video is at the end too.. usually I recommend to grow the grains in 12-16 oz of milk, on the counter till you get more.. Like described in the start new grains video. Then you can begin to use the fridge and keep your ratio of milk lower. Pasturized milk can have that chalky effect at certain times. Just strain the grains sooner next time so it doesn't ferment as far. Also you can go 1/4 grain ratio - 8 tbsp (or 1/2 cup) to 2 tbsp of grains. .🥛🍶
Hello, my name is Viktor and I am from Russia, the city of Kaluga. I have a problem, the kefir mushroom doesn't grow. Unfortunately, I don't understand English well. But there are words that I still understood. (that's what I understood) 1. You make a ratio of 3:1 (3 milk and 1 kefir mushroom). 2. You do not wash the jar and close it with a lid during fermentation. These things seem to be clear. But! I don't really understand how you make the temperature difference? How long do you put it in the fridge? First the kefir is in the room, then in the fridge, then in the room again? If not, how? Please write the answer, I will definitely translate your printed answer. Thank you in advance!
Hello Viktor, great to meet you 🤝. Kefir should grow in warm tempratures 15°c - 38°c. Depending on how warm it is, directly influences the fermentation time & growth- Hotter faster, colder slower.. The ratio of grain to milk directly influences the fermentation time. More grains faster ferment. The timing depends on the influence of those two factors. So depending on your schedule you can adjust those to meet a time frame that you need. The refrigerator give you ability to control the timing, to slow it down. Most ppl in warm climates experience over fermentation & excess whey production. You want to avoid this so it's a matter of adjusting the factors to fit your schedule & time you have to watch the kefir. If it's too cold, you'll have trouble getting it to ferment in a timely fashion. In the refrigerator it will take about 3 days or so with a 1/4 grain ratio. (1 part grain: 3 parts milk) This ratio is an attempt to shorten & standardize the timing, the time it will be left out to "ferment" in temps above 15c (60f). Less grains more time, more grains less time. Cold temps longer time, warm temps less time. The shorter the time the more it will need to be stirred or shaken. If the kefir isnt growing while sitting at room temprature, it may be too cold in your room / ferment area & warmth is needed. You should be using regular store milk, or raw milk. (Avoid and special milk treatments ultra pasturized, high temp pasturized, lactose free no good. Kefir eats lactose. Another reason your grains could struggle is contact with soap or soap residue in the jars, or chlorinated water. Washing jars is a risk if not rinsed very well & dried.. I rarely wash my jars using raw milk. You can find a warmer location like near heaters, this will greatly accelerate the fermentation & growth. Try to keep grains under 38°c (100f) (Giving the jar a warm water bath is an option as well, but avoid water getting in the jars.) Finally you shouldnt look to refrigerate until your grains are growing at room temprature ~28c & theres almost enough kefir drink for you per day. Once you have enough grains that it starts to overferment before your ready to strain it out then start to refrigerate to slow it down. Hope this helps, let me know, I'll be happy to help. Big, huge, fan of the Russian nation. 🇷🇺💪.. Its amazing how the world has turned. At the end of my videos there is typically some clips/ screen shots of information that I got from Russia, but it's in english unfortunately. Good luck 🥛🍶
Thank you so much for your responsiveness! You wrote everything in great detail. I understand everything. As soon as the results are, I'll write here right away. I will definitely spread this information to Russians who also grow mushrooms. And I wish you success and prosperity of the channel! It's very nice that there are people in America who don't mind us at all 🤍💙❤️
@@ВикторЧернов-ч6я You might be surprised at the number of people who don't mind Russians at all. Western governments work hard to keep the number low by using disinformation. Good luck with your Kefir.
It will change it - as the whey is highly acid - & it will hurt some bacterias & yeasts. So it will change the nutritional value in different wheys. Depending on what you want this could be ok or not.
Sure you can, whatever works for you.. but I just pour it right out & it's good enough Just to get the whey out only, then its thick like a shake. I show that in many videos about whey seperation. Depends how your doing it & what your using. Good day. 🍶
Your grains look so healthy and plump. My grains aren't growing, could be that they were frozen for a couple of years. I have been following your instructions on feeding the grains to make them grow, its been 2 months but they are not growing although the kefir is thick and creamy. Do you have some grains to spare?? If yes can you send me your email address, otherwise can you recommend a site where I can get good grains. I live in Pakistan. A friend is visiting in Florida and will be returning 3rd week of October she can hand carry them. Thanks
Using raw or pasturized milk? Sometimes they dont come back well... I sent you (some one else) sources To buy them in Pakistan quite a few by mail. Google it. Check the source reviews .
I have a question about the whey…. Why does it sometimes go to the top side vs the bottom??? I mean what causes that difference in the jars where you see whey at either of those two places? What determines that?
Ty for responding & a new question.. I just recently had surgery and not able to kefir so while I was gone I put my grains in the fridge and they are still fine but they have taken on a new flavor I can barely tolerate… it’s kinda fizzy & beer tasting… yuck 🤮 so I dumped that and started a new feeding and hoping it will go back to the phenomenal flavor I had reached… it was in the fridge for roughly 9-10 days … . & …my plans are to get them back to ( my normal)& then transition over to RAW MILK … NO MORE STORE BOUGHT MILK .. so I was thinking 🤔 do 1/3 RAW MILK 2/3 regular milk .. then next day 2/3 RAW1/3 regular.. then FULL RAW MILK ??? Does that sound right to you ?
@sb9442 well you will need to leave them out longer so that the yeast can come back into balance. Possibly reduce the grains by removing som so you can leave it out longer half a day or more without over fermenting.. Your raw milk plan will work fine, I just go straight to raw with higher grain ratio once you get them stabilized with warmer ferments.
@@thekefircode7399 THANK YOU 🙏 SO MUCH for quick response & I love that you have such practical resolution s… that I myself would never have guessed … I will start your suggestions tomorrow & I will just split the grains I have in half & make two separate kefir s as I absolutely love it so much I found myself drinking roughly 24-32 ounces per day… prior to kefirs I was drinking LOTS of RAW MILK 🥛 DAILY….I’ve always felt that the RAW milk was like a meal in itself…& since the kefir s .. well … I was in love … but I REALLY NEED to get back to that PERFECT BALANCE… I will let you know in a few days how it all works out… again thank you so much 😊
Absolutely, Mrs. Natasha Campbell- McBride would be happy with it. The lactose has to do with when you pull the grains & consume the kefir. When it's even and has some whey the lactose is used up. Even after you pull the grains it continues to use lactose & will turn to whey quickly. More grains faster use of the lactose. Grains are eating more faster. Also more beneficial bacterias and put into the milk. Proven in university studies. This kefir produced whey in just an hour after strained. Even in the fridge. The speed depends on the ratios & temprature
Help! I am so puzzled. My kefir is definitely fermenting (in the first stages of separation I thoroughly mix it and strain soon after.. sometimes I do forget to do this promptly). However, in recent weeks it is not sour, more like a less sweet neutral tasting thicker milk. What could be the reason?
@@thekefircode7399 it is pasteurised, sometimes often unhomogenised but always organic. I've been making it a year now. As my grains have increased I've been using the fridge much more (overnight). If I keep them out they'll overferment and spill Whey. Could it be using the fridge too much? They only need leaving on the side for about 3 hours.
@AJ-ku9jz do you shake or stir them regularly? If the container is too large it can tale a while to warm up.. You can reduce the grain ratio some.. so that you can leave it out longer, see what that does.
321 kefir video on my home page & the first 3 videos I uploaded to the channel starting with I cracked the kefir code.. & then Others talking about 3 main factors. There are only 30 videos total to look through. I will make new complete process video soon. Thanks!
Hey man, great info here. A guy on the subreddit referred to your video here. He was using a lot of grains like you and I think he was trying to wait 24 hours still and it was just massively over fermented. I have a couple of questions, if you happen to see this: How did you get your grain population so large? Did you just get your hands on a bunch? Also, what temperature to you keep your fridge? I wouldn't mind trying some in the fridge to to compare my counter batch to. My fridge is set to 37°F, I read somewhere that it that would be too cold for it to ferment. My grain populations have been getting bigger since I started a little while back, but it feels like it's taking forever. I have gone from a few grains I bought of Amazon to almost two table spoons full, but I drink a lot of Kefir so I am trying to grow my population so I have plenty to drink and I can pass Kefir to some friends. I mean, on the counter I can make 64oz in 24 hours. My Kefir is pretty thick, it's not thin at all, and I only let it get a little separated, but I keep the whey in it and whisk it back together before putting it back into 32oz jars. The only time I had thin Kefir was I tried like 2% milk and it was noticeably thinner and didn't taste as good.
Its all outlined in my videos every question there is a answered. I started this time with 2 teaspoons from ebay, about 5 months ago. See my video "starting new grains, growth in 30 days". I'm busy rt now, will stop back later to answer more. See 3 keys to success video too.
So what did you think of my grain growth in 30 days? Dont wash the jars, modern antibacterial soaps kill bacteria, aka grains.. any soap residue can be enough
Got a couple of questions..... Does it matter if you use a nylon or stainless steel sieve? And how long can you store the strained Kefir in the fridge before you must drink it?
Hi. It Doesnt matter, Stainless will last longer. Depends on how far you ferment it with grains. Could be 1 day or 4 days +. Depending how you like it.
@@thekefircode7399 Thanks for your reply. I'm new to this but watched your vids and as a result Im hitting home runs with my kefir. Started with 1 teaspoon of grains a month ago and now have a good 200 grams of grains. Dont know if thats good, but I'm happy. Ok so all the stuff I've seen on not 2 use anything metal is just rubbish? So with storing it will it never spoil or does it reach a stage when you have to get rid of it?
@michaeldelaveris3322 Awesome!! 🍶 as long as its stainless steel its perfectly fine. (Iron or rust is a problem) The strained kefir will separate again, into curds & whey depending how far it was fermented the first time. .. you can drain the whey off for really thick kefir (secondary whey reduction) ... Eventually it will start to taste funky /cheesy depending on the milk. I usually use all mine with-in a couple days.
@michaeldelaveris3322 oh hey, you can also add fresh milk to the finished kefir to extend the storage time / prevent seperation for a longer time. I talked about that in a recent video I believe.
Live in California I can get raw farms raw milk from sprouts store .. is it better to use raw or is it just as good to use pasteurized milk if so, what pasteurized milk is best to use can you list off some brands?
You can use either with this method. Health wise it's better to use raw milk. Its essential bacterias that most ppl are not exposed to. It's a personal choice, but homogenized milk actually produces a smoother kefir since it is actually homogenized. Just use regular pasturized not UHT or ultra pasturized. Many organics are ultra pasturized, which imo is a negative against the organic claims.
When I need to - I get regular whole milk. I have a few videos I recorded showing I did use it recently when I ran out of raw for a day... but haven't edited them yet.
I live in WI, the dairy state, and it's a challenge to get good quality milk here. So I have been using 100% grassfed ULTRAPasteurized Milk. Is that a complete no-no? Would love your thoughts as there seems to be a lot of controversy surrounding this. Thank you for your videos. I hope to have success with my kefir soon.
Hi Ann, well that's weird its hard to get.. I wouldnt use ultra pasturized or UHT. You know it's not even possible to make whipped cream with those because they are so destroyed by heat. I cant say that I've tried to make kefir with it, but I would use regular pasturized milk any day.. I think it's better for grain health than uht. Wisconsin is such a beautiful place. I live 45 min from the border in IL. Whenever I go, the roads are so nice I speed & got pulled over a few times. I tell the cops the roads are so nice I couldnt tell. 😁
@@thekefircode7399 Oh, I'm bummed as I just bought a couple of half gallons. I just didn't want the standard milk with the antibiotics that they pumped into the cows in the milk. However, in a last ditch effort, I will try with this milk and your method as I'm having such poor luck with the standard homogenized, pasteurized milk. Feel like this should be so easy but I have been so disappointed. Want to keep going trying your method which actually makes sense. Want a very thick, sour kefir - my dream! And, yes, WI is a beautiful state. We live far north in the woods.
Ah, dont worry, use it up.. it's hard to find organic that's not untra pasturized, which doesnt make any sense at all. If it's so good why does it have to be cooked so much, right? However you make it, just know the 3 main factors that influence the ferment. Grain ratio, temperature, & time..
What? You can overcomplicate almost everything. My Kefir is placed, after one day at the kitchen counter, into the fridge. I have two jars to swap every 1 to 2 days. Sometimes it stays for one week. Just empty the jar, clean the edges for the lid. Don't, don't wash the kefir, just refill the milk, much better is raw milk. If the Kefir grows too big, break some pieces apart and throw it away. That's it. If you like ice cream, try kefir with frozen fruits, sweeten with stevia, put some cocoa nips on it, wait until the fruits defrosted and enjoy.
Good for you, didnt work well for me.. Life is complicated, I cant always babysit. So your grains never grow & you dont have to change anything. Interesting.
@@thekefircode7399 Of course my kefir grain grows, but I discovered, when it is in a smaller jar it grows slower. If kefir have a lot to eat aka more milk it grows faster.
Sounds complicated 😂.. many people have a lot of trouble making kefir, like most of them & they quit.. Many have said that I helped them, when the standard information didn't help them.. when I started this channel, NO where online talked about grain ratio. Now many do, it was not there before. I searched for months... I have wild temprature swings in my part of the world. 100° one day 2 days later 50° - with No central air conditioning. This in its self will complicate things greatly. That's life many have to deal with. No one told them about tempratures, ratios & timing in relation to those. - The promotion of this info originated from me in the broad sense, online. Of course others figured it out after years on their own. Many people wont make it that long.
@@thekefircode7399 Complicated? Put it into milk and let it fermenting at room temperature. Place it into the fridge to slow down the process. There is no miracle. My fridge temperature is 2-4 °C, no Problem to store Kefir fungus in Milk over 2-3 weeks. If you buy Kefir grains it is slightly more difficult at the start, maybe and the humanity needs a “magician” like you, but I don't had any problems at all when started 2 years ago. Don't call this handy job, science.🙄
I take it you did not watch the whole video. Are you using raw milk like I am.. There was nothing even complicated here at all. It's not magic its historys teachings combined with scientific studies from the largest universities, which have been sited in the past.. Did you even see the comment at the start of the video, is the guy a liar or what.. This channel is about a love of kefir that was handed down to us by the Russians. Delivered to the usa originally as a gift, by Gorbachev. So if you dont like Russians stop making kefir 😂 , ok good day sir. Not trying to argue, just saying.. The kefir works after 3 weeks in cold but the yeast will start to decline over time.
when I drink kefir I instantly have a cerebral buzz like stimulation with a slight brain fog heating my head. do you have any information on this subject it’s quite disturbing
Probably some bad bacteria in your system being attacked by the probiotic kefir bacteria.. a type of herxheimer reaction (similar). I call this good, just start slower, take in less kefir & build up amount you take overtime even if months. Reduce how much you drink per day by half then see. The. Reduce by half again if still issues. Continue at lower level every day
i got myself milk kefir grains off ebay and for a week i couldn't figure out why they smelled so badly of spoiled milk but were genuinely alive because they had doubled since i got them. and then while i was pouring milk into my kefir jar a chunk rolled into my kefir and i sniffed the milk itself and it was verging on spoiled. i thought it was the kefir because they smelled like spoiled milk after 4 day shipping. i make sibo yogurt with half and half and inulin for 36 hours.. it really fixed my gut but i wanted to introduce even more good bacteria which is why i am doing kefir now too. since i never buy milk i had no idea the cheap stuff might make for inedible spoiled smelling kefir. I gave it half and half instead and was able to start drinking it. It tastes SOOOO much better thn the dab i put on my tongue just to see what the spoiled stuff tasted like. i was worried about there being enough food in the half and half for kefir because sibo yogurt runs out and doesn't get to hit peak CFU bacterial counts without the added inulin. do you have any advice for someone using half and half? should i add some inulin? should i just accept it doesn't get quite as thick as your kefir does? it tastes great either way. thanks.
Raw whole milk straight from the cow, that I use, is similar to half & half. You can also use half with some milk added. You'll see the whey if they run out of food. Some grains ppl have are not very good. I prefer them to smell of yeast when I get them. This is the best imo. I've gotten bad grains that grew but never tasted right.
Many reason could cause that. Dont let the grains contact and soap or soap residue. Also dont let them come in contact with chlorine water. Then it could be something with the milk or the grains.
Hey, just so you know I dont have any problems with Iran, you guys are alright by me. The US gov is nuts & insane & just terrible. Take care. Good luck
The process outlined in my other videos as a 3:1 ratio with refrigeration. 1 part grains 3 parts milk short room temp ferment. Plus understanding the 3 main factors that influence your fermentation.
![Tips for making kefir without whey [in heat] w/ live grains](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/Bv7RiF7cvZ4/mqdefault.jpg)
Hilarious meme at the end of the video 😂💪
Hey, no.1 UA-camr for everything kefir related!
I wanted to know how I can :) ensure the least abount of lectose is remaining?
My kefir has been separating (as expected), I mix it all back together and strain. I'm using a huge quantity of grains to milk, yet they don't taste tart. It's making me think it's not fully fermented and I'm ingesting more lactose than I want.
Your advice is greatly appreciated
@AJ-ku9jz Thanks AJ 🥛🍶. Seperation indicates lack of lactose.. since I dont recommend over fermenting your grains all the time.. A second ferment would take you the rest of the whey..
Not all grains are equal, they vary from region to region & supplier to supplier.
@@thekefircode7399 so if I take the grains out and leave the kefir in the fridge, it'll carry on fermenting and consume the rest of the lactose?
If I drink too much of it now it sends my blood sugars high.
If people watched this channel and started doing this their health and wellness would be way better. Great channel.
Thanks 🍶🥛🥛
I have discovered this. Strain the kefir and then blend a whole peach or a bunch of blueberries into the kefir. Let it ferment in the cabinet for another three or four hours with a lid on the jar that is tightly sealed. You will get kefir that is very carbonated with a little alcohol in it. It is delicious. The champagne of kefir. Fantastic.
👌Yeah the big difference is you dont have to let it go very long for a "second ferment". It Happens fast
After adopting your method I finally have been making delicious kefir that I am proud to drink and share with friends and family!
Don’t rinse my grains, use the fridge to slow down the process and keep the yeast in control. Wash or switch jars every week or two. Almost a 50/50 kefir to milk ratio. No need for second ferment with fruit or orange peels because it already taste delicious after my first ferment! Grains are growing healthy and beautiful! Thanks for your content. Please post more!
🔥❤🙏
👌👍🥛🥛🍶... That's great! Like I've said, I dont really recommend 50% ratio for a long term. It will take out the yeast completely if you get lots of whey everyday. The constant high acidity will do it. So watch for that.
@@thekefircode7399 I did not think about that thanks for the heads up, I will adjust closer to a 1/3 ratio as you have mentioned. My kefir is fermenting a bit to fast for me now also since my grains are now multiplying like crazy! God bless 🙏
I subscribed to your channel ) I really love our Caucasus , Karachay -Cherkessia, Kabardino-Balkaria (apple orchards and grapes are grown there and all the trees are covered with special nets against hail , this is always impressive ) . Stavropol is also beautiful , many years ago Boer families came there (this is the indigenous white population of South Africa ) . The guys looked at the conditions for living and cultivating the land. But I don't know if they stayed in the end. The most favorite place in the Caucasus is Ossetia . Incredibly beautiful mountains everywhere , vastness , depth , breadth . You love and know how to cook , you would fall in love with Caucasian cuisine . I like to add fresh cucumber , celery stalks and dill to kefir . Grind everything in a blender and add a little salt . Perfectly quenches thirst . And I really love our national dish "okroshka". It is made on bread kvass , but I like to pour kefir .
Amazing! Thank you... I have so much to say, it's like I've been waiting for this day for years.. someone from the Caucuses that can appreciate what I've done.😊
I've always liked the name Ossetia, it just has a ring to my ears. When ppl ask me where I want to go in Russia I say the Caucuses region. Did you see in the previous video I have photos of the region at the end. Skip to last minute or so if you want to see those. The ending is my favorite part, the rest is just me talking.
I love the music & traditional dances.. I watch many of them on YT, like the high caucuses channel.
In one recent video I even put an su57 at the end, a beautiful plane 😍.. I think you'll understand the meaning of it. Also you'll see the russian flag emblem in some videos.. I have put that on my volvo you see on my personal channel. So I'm fully representing, at a high risk time in america. I'm ready to go if someone wants to start something.👊💪
I have more passion for Russia than Trump. I can take some trash talk about Trump and just keep my cool, but when they move to Putin. Its gloves off.
Every time I share some grains with someone, I always send them a few of your videos!
Amazing 🙏 👍🍶🥛🥛
Hi..luv your videos..learning alot of valuable info..new subscriber from south africa 😊
Awesome! Welcome friend...
3:01 Often the same people who say to use a clean jar after straining will say to always rinse the grains and with water to boot.
I use a clean jar once a week in hot weather and about every two weeks in cooler weather (it doesn't get cold here) to control the speed of the ferment.
I do shake newly fed grains and wipe off the rim just to "clean up" the jar and make use of any residual kefir.
To me the issue is soap residue in the jar. Or chlorine.. One new subscriber was using the dishwasher which leaves soap film in the jars. His grains were shrinking instead of growing. I can taste soap it if I put water in a glass from dishwasher.
I have heard of an instance where rinsing in clean water, like distilled, one time, helped take away a bad taste.
I've pushed the ratio to the max here for too long 50/50 and it seems an issue is getting over fermenting every day, it causes the grains to smell/ taste like whey eventually.. it was a problem a person out there was having (messaged me on reddit last year😂).. and now I've recreated the problem & found the cause.
I always said whey is real acidic and not good for the grains. Well it's been happening every day for like 4 months.. I just cant keep up with this many grains, (would need 4 gal milk a week just for myself) and now the yeast has been reduced. I'm pretty sure the grains being in constant whey has been a problem. I have since reduced back to a 3 to 1 ratio. I need to be able to leave it out without whey production all the time. Ive been working on that to bring back a good yeast.
@@thekefircode7399 I don't put any of my kefir jars or tools in the dishwasher. After completely washing the jars, I rinse with white vinegar. A trick I learned to use on my hands to remove any soap before putting my hands in an aquarium.
As far as getting it just before it breaks into whey and managing bacteria and yeast consistency, it's an art. You have found a solution that works and is doable for you.
Most people mention the three variables: grain:milk ratio, ambient temperature, and time. A few nuance variables (most of which you've mentioned in other videos) are: type of milk, the amount of kefir left on the grains and jar, shaking/stirring, open cover vs closed cover, temperature of the milk and even the grains themselves whether because they've weakened or strengthened or are just different from the grains someone else has.
For myself, I've noticed a difference if I leave it out in my bright kitchen vs keeping it in a dark space.
@@thekefircode7399 I never have too many grains. I eat them, keep frozen stores, feed them once a week to fresh water aquarium creatures, keep a fresh kefir "hotel" in my frig for anyone who asks for them. I heard they make good compost but I never have enough to discard like that.
@@thekefircode7399 Oh, I also mix a little baking soda with soap when hand washing dishes. It helps.
Been binge watching all your videos, all are very wonderful and informative videos.
A little curious though, does variety matter? Yours Russian, mine Tibetan, his Belgian. Will one produce more/less creamy than the others?
Awesome, thanks 🍶🥛🥛
Yes there are variations, also in the actual bacteria composition of the grains. Studies showed a variation based on region. Due to different environments. Also mine aren't actually from Russia, from ebay.. but technically probably came from russian 'seed' originally. As they were the first to bring it out and popularize it.
Question for you.. iyo… what are your thoughts on the plastic fermenter containers being sold and used ? Reviews seem to be pretty much all positive 🤷♀️🤷♀️🤷♀️.. I’m considering using them… as a newbie .. should I ?
Welcome 🥛🍶..
Other than the plastics that are surrounding us anyway. I just grew some from a teaspoon in a plastic container for like 5 months ended with 2 cups.. No problem, they grew just as well. I moved them to a larger glass jar now. Just what I have.
You dont need anything special at all. I just used a 16 oz deli container. Freebie
One benefit is that the temprature of the milk will increase faster because you don't have cold glass to warm up too. See my start new grains video, "growth in 30 days". That's how you should start out.
Hi there! This is interesting. But what is wrong with whey? I thought whey is supposed to be good too. I don't mind whey and my kefir is still very creamy and not at all sour even when I have a lot of whey.
Just found your channel. What do you think of the health benefits of the kefir whey? When I make kefir cheese i always save the whey to drink. It epseems to have a positive effect on my digestion.
Never wash the jar
Hi there, my Kefir gets ready in 12 hours. Temperature here in Sydney is around 35-40 centigrade nowadays, I keep my jar on benchtop. I use half spoon of grains for 2 cups of milk. Am I doing anything wrong, why my kefir is getting ready in 12 hours ?
Hello😊 i have 1 question i bought kefir grains from amaltas Pakistan i live in Pakistan the gave me a bottle which contained maybe 3 grains and some yougurt like thing do u think this is okay or was it just a scam they said it was 20 grams i poured milk in it and let it ferment for 14 hours the milk was still liquid
Hi Ahmed! Strain out the grains put them in fresh milk & continue like I describe in the start new grains video, growth in 30 days.. 🥛🍶
ua-cam.com/video/9RU3q2Xf4io/v-deo.html
My kefir is liquid and has a yougurt like tangy smell is that a good sign
Not bad, sounds like they are new grains. It takes a while to get it going. It should smell like yeast, some don't which is what it is, I prefer a good yeasty component.
Well it’s been a while and my grains are healthy as hell.. I have to EAT them occasionally (which I love) BUT they still are too fizzy and sour tasting for me… so…is my problem bcuz I DONT do a second fermentation on the counter ?after watching tons of kefir videos I’m 100% confused … some say a second fermentation on the counter will render a MORE SOUR TASTE… 👅 so which is it? I will gladly do a second fermentation on the counter ..IF… that will help to make it a little less fizzy … I normally try to strain my grains when I see signs of whey …..I generally don’t let too much whey produce…. Thinking that ..that’s what s causing the fizziness… your thoughts 💭 please 🙏 TY
Hi, I'd say don't ferment with the container sealed & remove the grains sooner before any whey (based on known timing) Then let the kefir finish off on the counter, it will only be a few hours - more of less.
ie. If you take them out 2 hours early it will be about 2 more hours of " second ferment"
Then if that didnt do it, you can try reducing the grain ratio some. Which will slow things down for you a little & also reduce the fizzy.
Definitely going to give this a try && I’m also trying something new … I put 2 sliced green grapes 🍇 into the second fermentation bcuz my grandkids only like FLAVORED kefir and won’t drink it plain… which I prefer… I guess it doesn’t hurt to experiment right? That’s how you learn… trial and error 👍🏻.. TY .. I’ll let you know the outcome
@sb9442 for sure... throw it in a blender w/ favorite fruits. Blueberry, strawberry & peach work well. Pull the grains early blend it up, it will last a few days in fridge before whey forms, and it gets more sour.. Good luck, Happy Kefirin' 🍶🥛
@@thekefircode7399 well hell…two grapes was a joke… really didn’t notice any flavor or sweetness for that matter…it was about 12-16 oz. So maybe too much liquid to grapes ratio 🤷♀️I’ll keep trying ( for the kids sake)… but for me… I’ll keep trying to attain that smooth flavor I had in the beginning… but if I never get there it won’t kill me as I do like sour flavors… ( I love fresh lemons)….whats really bugging me is that I can’t seem to figure it out…like I’m NOT in control….usually when you cook/bake you know how to adjust for flavors but kefir seems to have a mind of its own…imo…but I WONT GIVE UP…I typically just ferment on the counter with coffee filters…. And skip the second fermentation all together…. So into the fridge and I enjoy it until it’s gone….but I’ve also heard that a SECOND FERMENTATION…supposedly yields a more potent probiotic…more healthy benefits 🤷♀️🤷♀️🤷♀️is that true? I mean right now with temperatures going down to freezing my house is WAY WAY COLDER than it was in the warmer months …so fermentation was done in anywhere from 6-12 hrs…& now it’s taking roughly 24 hrs or a little under. I’m staying with quart mason jars 🫙 bcuz it’s the easiest to work with… then I pour & store into 1/2 gallon mason jars to kinda save space in my fridge…also …I started with one LIVE GRAIN & one DEHYDRATED GRAIN… so I was running two separate jars but I actually strain them one after the other so going through the same strainer .. I believe the grains are slowly mixing together…but now when I POUR BOTH OF THEM INTO the 1/2 gallon jar …they are definitely mixed..and they are fine….I was initially worried about grains fighting or competing…but I don’t think that’s an issue… your thoughts? TY
I just tasted my first batch. I obviously did something wrong. It was really thick & almost chalky in texture. Also tasted sour. I put some real maple syrup in it just to finish the glass. I've watched about half of your videos so far. I love them. They're very well put together. Lots of good information. I also look forward to the information at the end. I'll just keep trying. Not giving up.
I started with 1 tbsp of grains. Grew them to 2 tbsp's. Used 3:1 ratio. So 6 tbsp of raw milk to those 2 tbsp of grains?
Hi, glad to hear, my favorite part of the video is at the end too.. usually I recommend to grow the grains in 12-16 oz of milk, on the counter till you get more.. Like described in the start new grains video. Then you can begin to use the fridge and keep your ratio of milk lower.
Pasturized milk can have that chalky effect at certain times. Just strain the grains sooner next time so it doesn't ferment as far. Also you can go 1/4 grain ratio - 8 tbsp (or 1/2 cup) to 2 tbsp of grains. .🥛🍶
Sounds like reddit is a business
Hello, my name is Viktor and I am from Russia, the city of Kaluga. I have a problem, the kefir mushroom doesn't grow. Unfortunately, I don't understand English well. But there are words that I still understood. (that's what I understood) 1. You make a ratio of 3:1 (3 milk and 1 kefir mushroom). 2. You do not wash the jar and close it with a lid during fermentation. These things seem to be clear. But! I don't really understand how you make the temperature difference? How long do you put it in the fridge? First the kefir is in the room, then in the fridge, then in the room again? If not, how? Please write the answer, I will definitely translate your printed answer. Thank you in advance!
Hello Viktor, great to meet you 🤝. Kefir should grow in warm tempratures 15°c - 38°c. Depending on how warm it is, directly influences the fermentation time & growth- Hotter faster, colder slower..
The ratio of grain to milk directly influences the fermentation time. More grains faster ferment. The timing depends on the influence of those two factors. So depending on your schedule you can adjust those to meet a time frame that you need. The refrigerator give you ability to control the timing, to slow it down. Most ppl in warm climates experience over fermentation & excess whey production. You want to avoid this so it's a matter of adjusting the factors to fit your schedule & time you have to watch the kefir.
If it's too cold, you'll have trouble getting it to ferment in a timely fashion. In the refrigerator it will take about 3 days or so with a 1/4 grain ratio. (1 part grain: 3 parts milk) This ratio is an attempt to shorten & standardize the timing, the time it will be left out to "ferment" in temps above 15c (60f).
Less grains more time, more grains less time. Cold temps longer time, warm temps less time. The shorter the time the more it will need to be stirred or shaken.
If the kefir isnt growing while sitting at room temprature, it may be too cold in your room / ferment area & warmth is needed. You should be using regular store milk, or raw milk. (Avoid and special milk treatments ultra pasturized, high temp pasturized, lactose free no good. Kefir eats lactose.
Another reason your grains could struggle is contact with soap or soap residue in the jars, or chlorinated water. Washing jars is a risk if not rinsed very well & dried.. I rarely wash my jars using raw milk.
You can find a warmer location like near heaters, this will greatly accelerate the fermentation & growth. Try to keep grains under 38°c (100f) (Giving the jar a warm water bath is an option as well, but avoid water getting in the jars.)
Finally you shouldnt look to refrigerate until your grains are growing at room temprature ~28c & theres almost enough kefir drink for you per day. Once you have enough grains that it starts to overferment before your ready to strain it out then start to refrigerate to slow it down.
Hope this helps, let me know, I'll be happy to help. Big, huge, fan of the Russian nation. 🇷🇺💪.. Its amazing how the world has turned.
At the end of my videos there is typically some clips/ screen shots of information that I got from Russia, but it's in english unfortunately. Good luck 🥛🍶
Thank you so much for your responsiveness! You wrote everything in great detail. I understand everything. As soon as the results are, I'll write here right away. I will definitely spread this information to Russians who also grow mushrooms. And I wish you success and prosperity of the channel! It's very nice that there are people in America who don't mind us at all
🤍💙❤️
@@ВикторЧернов-ч6я You might be surprised at the number of people who don't mind Russians at all.
Western governments work hard to keep the number low by using disinformation.
Good luck with your Kefir.
Will the nutritional value of filtered milk kefir decrease the longer it is stored in the refrigerator?
It will change it - as the whey is highly acid - & it will hurt some bacterias & yeasts. So it will change the nutritional value in different wheys. Depending on what you want this could be ok or not.
When I want an extra firm kefir I just strain the kefir with a cheese cloth to separete the whey
Sure you can, whatever works for you.. but I just pour it right out & it's good enough Just to get the whey out only, then its thick like a shake. I show that in many videos about whey seperation. Depends how your doing it & what your using. Good day. 🍶
@@thekefircode7399 have you tried to make soft cream cheese with your kefir?
Your grains look so healthy and plump. My grains aren't growing, could be that they were frozen for a couple of years. I have been following your instructions on feeding the grains to make them grow, its been 2 months but they are not growing although the kefir is thick and creamy. Do you have some grains to spare?? If yes can you send me your email address, otherwise can you recommend a site where I can get good grains. I live in Pakistan. A friend is visiting in Florida and will be returning 3rd week of October she can hand carry them. Thanks
Using raw or pasturized milk? Sometimes they dont come back well... I sent you (some one else) sources To buy them in Pakistan quite a few by mail. Google it. Check the source reviews
.
@@thekefircode7399 OK. Thanks I will check on Google. I am using raw milk.
Cool, google live kefir grains Pakistan, pick the best looking place. Dont remember the name, but there was also amazon or ebay PK I think
I have a question about the whey…. Why does it sometimes go to the top side vs the bottom??? I mean what causes that difference in the jars where you see whey at either of those two places? What determines that?
Well it's got a mind of it's own.. I don't have a clear answer for that at this time. Good luck. 🍶🥛🥛
Ty for responding & a new question.. I just recently had surgery and not able to kefir so while I was gone I put my grains in the fridge and they are still fine but they have taken on a new flavor I can barely tolerate… it’s kinda fizzy & beer tasting… yuck 🤮 so I dumped that and started a new feeding and hoping it will go back to the phenomenal flavor I had reached… it was in the fridge for roughly 9-10 days … . & …my plans are to get them back to ( my normal)& then transition over to RAW MILK … NO MORE STORE BOUGHT MILK .. so I was thinking 🤔 do 1/3 RAW MILK 2/3 regular milk .. then next day 2/3 RAW1/3 regular.. then FULL RAW MILK ??? Does that sound right to you ?
@sb9442 well you will need to leave them out longer so that the yeast can come back into balance. Possibly reduce the grains by removing som so you can leave it out longer half a day or more without over fermenting.. Your raw milk plan will work fine, I just go straight to raw with higher grain ratio once you get them stabilized with warmer ferments.
@@thekefircode7399 THANK YOU 🙏 SO MUCH for quick response & I love that you have such practical resolution s… that I myself would never have guessed … I will start your suggestions tomorrow & I will just split the grains I have in half & make two separate kefir s as I absolutely love it so much I found myself drinking roughly 24-32 ounces per day… prior to kefirs I was drinking LOTS of RAW MILK 🥛 DAILY….I’ve always felt that the RAW milk was like a meal in itself…& since the kefir s .. well … I was in love … but I REALLY NEED to get back to that PERFECT BALANCE… I will let you know in a few days how it all works out… again thank you so much 😊
Would this method of making kefir be gaps legal how much lactose is left?
Absolutely, Mrs. Natasha Campbell- McBride would be happy with it. The lactose has to do with when you pull the grains & consume the kefir. When it's even and has some whey the lactose is used up. Even after you pull the grains it continues to use lactose & will turn to whey quickly. More grains faster use of the lactose. Grains are eating more faster. Also more beneficial bacterias and put into the milk. Proven in university studies.
This kefir produced whey in just an hour after strained. Even in the fridge. The speed depends on the ratios & temprature
*Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride is a neurologist. 😊
Help! I am so puzzled. My kefir is definitely fermenting (in the first stages of separation I thoroughly mix it and strain soon after.. sometimes I do forget to do this promptly).
However, in recent weeks it is not sour, more like a less sweet neutral tasting thicker milk. What could be the reason?
Hi, well you gave me a puzzle too, I have no idea what your dealing with. Is it raw milk or pasturized? How long have you been making kefir?
@@thekefircode7399 it is pasteurised, sometimes often unhomogenised but always organic.
I've been making it a year now. As my grains have increased I've been using the fridge much more (overnight). If I keep them out they'll overferment and spill Whey. Could it be using the fridge too much? They only need leaving on the side for about 3 hours.
@AJ-ku9jz do you shake or stir them regularly? If the container is too large it can tale a while to warm up.. You can reduce the grain ratio some.. so that you can leave it out longer, see what that does.
Can you please point me to a video of yours that shows your entire process? Thank you!
321 kefir video on my home page & the first 3 videos I uploaded to the channel starting with I cracked the kefir code.. & then Others talking about 3 main factors. There are only 30 videos total to look through.
I will make new complete process video soon. Thanks!
Thanks!
👌 Your welcome, let me know..
Hey man, great info here. A guy on the subreddit referred to your video here. He was using a lot of grains like you and I think he was trying to wait 24 hours still and it was just massively over fermented. I have a couple of questions, if you happen to see this: How did you get your grain population so large? Did you just get your hands on a bunch? Also, what temperature to you keep your fridge? I wouldn't mind trying some in the fridge to to compare my counter batch to. My fridge is set to 37°F, I read somewhere that it that would be too cold for it to ferment.
My grain populations have been getting bigger since I started a little while back, but it feels like it's taking forever. I have gone from a few grains I bought of Amazon to almost two table spoons full, but I drink a lot of Kefir so I am trying to grow my population so I have plenty to drink and I can pass Kefir to some friends. I mean, on the counter I can make 64oz in 24 hours. My Kefir is pretty thick, it's not thin at all, and I only let it get a little separated, but I keep the whey in it and whisk it back together before putting it back into 32oz jars. The only time I had thin Kefir was I tried like 2% milk and it was noticeably thinner and didn't taste as good.
Its all outlined in my videos every question there is a answered. I started this time with 2 teaspoons from ebay, about 5 months ago. See my video "starting new grains, growth in 30 days". I'm busy rt now, will stop back later to answer more. See 3 keys to success video too.
By a 24 he cycle I mean the grains are in fridge for 20 hours+ of the 24. Only out for 1- 3 hours maybe 4, depending on the 3 factors
@@thekefircode7399 Thanks for the video reference man. I'll check it out.
So what did you think of my grain growth in 30 days?
Dont wash the jars, modern antibacterial soaps kill bacteria, aka grains.. any soap residue can be enough
Got a couple of questions.....
Does it matter if you use a nylon or stainless steel sieve?
And how long can you store the strained Kefir in the fridge before you must drink it?
Hi. It Doesnt matter, Stainless will last longer. Depends on how far you ferment it with grains. Could be 1 day or 4 days +. Depending how you like it.
@@thekefircode7399 Thanks for your reply. I'm new to this but watched your vids and as a result Im hitting home runs with my kefir. Started with 1 teaspoon of grains a month ago and now have a good 200 grams of grains. Dont know if thats good, but I'm happy. Ok so all the stuff I've seen on not 2 use anything metal is just rubbish? So with storing it will it never spoil or does it reach a stage when you have to get rid of it?
@michaeldelaveris3322 Awesome!! 🍶 as long as its stainless steel its perfectly fine. (Iron or rust is a problem) The strained kefir will separate again, into curds & whey depending how far it was fermented the first time. .. you can drain the whey off for really thick kefir (secondary whey reduction) ... Eventually it will start to taste funky /cheesy depending on the milk. I usually use all mine with-in a couple days.
@michaeldelaveris3322 oh hey, you can also add fresh milk to the finished kefir to extend the storage time / prevent seperation for a longer time. I talked about that in a recent video I believe.
@@thekefircode7399 Appreciate all your replies, thank you.
How would you deal with Kefir if there was a grid down situation with no refrigeration ?
Have a cow! Lol. Or you'll have to reduce grains to be able to keep up with how much milk you have available.
Live in California I can get raw farms raw milk from sprouts store .. is it better to use raw or is it just as good to use pasteurized milk if so, what pasteurized milk is best to use can you list off some brands?
I always here don’t use ultrapasteurize and a good quality but I don’t know what good quality milk is. Thanks. Glad I ran into your channel.
You can use either with this method. Health wise it's better to use raw milk. Its essential bacterias that most ppl are not exposed to. It's a personal choice, but homogenized milk actually produces a smoother kefir since it is actually homogenized. Just use regular pasturized not UHT or ultra pasturized. Many organics are ultra pasturized, which imo is a negative against the organic claims.
When I need to - I get regular whole milk. I have a few videos I recorded showing I did use it recently when I ran out of raw for a day... but haven't edited them yet.
Than you for your reply 😎
👌 🤜🤛
I live in WI, the dairy state, and it's a challenge to get good quality milk here. So I have been using 100% grassfed ULTRAPasteurized Milk. Is that a complete no-no? Would love your thoughts as there seems to be a lot of controversy surrounding this. Thank you for your videos. I hope to have success with my kefir soon.
Can I use ULTRA Pasteurized milk? Please let me know your thoughs.
Hi Ann, well that's weird its hard to get.. I wouldnt use ultra pasturized or UHT. You know it's not even possible to make whipped cream with those because they are so destroyed by heat. I cant say that I've tried to make kefir with it, but I would use regular pasturized milk any day.. I think it's better for grain health than uht.
Wisconsin is such a beautiful place. I live 45 min from the border in IL. Whenever I go, the roads are so nice I speed & got pulled over a few times. I tell the cops the roads are so nice I couldnt tell. 😁
@@thekefircode7399 Oh, I'm bummed as I just bought a couple of half gallons. I just didn't want the standard milk with the antibiotics that they pumped into the cows in the milk. However, in a last ditch effort, I will try with this milk and your method as I'm having such poor luck with the standard homogenized, pasteurized milk. Feel like this should be so easy but I have been so disappointed. Want to keep going trying your method which actually makes sense. Want a very thick, sour kefir - my dream! And, yes, WI is a beautiful state. We live far north in the woods.
Ah, dont worry, use it up.. it's hard to find organic that's not untra pasturized, which doesnt make any sense at all. If it's so good why does it have to be cooked so much, right?
However you make it, just know the 3 main factors that influence the ferment. Grain ratio, temperature, & time..
@@thekefircode7399 Going to try a small batch with your ratios and give it a short duration. Curious if this will work.
What? You can overcomplicate almost everything. My Kefir is placed, after one day at the kitchen counter, into the fridge. I have two jars to swap every 1 to 2 days. Sometimes it stays for one week. Just empty the jar, clean the edges for the lid. Don't, don't wash the kefir, just refill the milk, much better is raw milk. If the Kefir grows too big, break some pieces apart and throw it away. That's it. If you like ice cream, try kefir with frozen fruits, sweeten with stevia, put some cocoa nips on it, wait until the fruits defrosted and enjoy.
Good for you, didnt work well for me.. Life is complicated, I cant always babysit. So your grains never grow & you dont have to change anything. Interesting.
@@thekefircode7399 Of course my kefir grain grows, but I discovered, when it is in a smaller jar it grows slower. If kefir have a lot to eat aka more milk it grows faster.
Sounds complicated 😂.. many people have a lot of trouble making kefir, like most of them & they quit.. Many have said that I helped them, when the standard information didn't help them.. when I started this channel, NO where online talked about grain ratio. Now many do, it was not there before. I searched for months...
I have wild temprature swings in my part of the world. 100° one day 2 days later 50° - with No central air conditioning. This in its self will complicate things greatly. That's life many have to deal with. No one told them about tempratures, ratios & timing in relation to those. - The promotion of this info originated from me in the broad sense, online. Of course others figured it out after years on their own. Many people wont make it that long.
@@thekefircode7399 Complicated? Put it into milk and let it fermenting at room temperature. Place it into the fridge to slow down the process. There is no miracle. My fridge temperature is 2-4 °C, no Problem to store Kefir fungus in Milk over 2-3 weeks.
If you buy Kefir grains it is slightly more difficult at the start, maybe and the humanity needs a “magician” like you, but I don't had any problems at all when started 2 years ago. Don't call this handy job, science.🙄
I take it you did not watch the whole video. Are you using raw milk like I am.. There was nothing even complicated here at all. It's not magic its historys teachings combined with scientific studies from the largest universities, which have been sited in the past.. Did you even see the comment at the start of the video, is the guy a liar or what.. This channel is about a love of kefir that was handed down to us by the Russians. Delivered to the usa originally as a gift, by Gorbachev. So if you dont like Russians stop making kefir 😂 , ok good day sir. Not trying to argue, just saying..
The kefir works after 3 weeks in cold but the yeast will start to decline over time.
Can i pour store bought kefir in normal milk? And keep foing it over and over again thanks😊
Not really, it's not the same. You can get a slightly changed milk but not enough to keep other bacteria from getting to pasturized milk.
when I drink kefir I instantly have a cerebral buzz like stimulation with a slight brain fog heating my head. do you have any information on this subject it’s quite disturbing
Probably some bad bacteria in your system being attacked by the probiotic kefir bacteria.. a type of herxheimer reaction (similar). I call this good, just start slower, take in less kefir & build up amount you take overtime even if months. Reduce how much you drink per day by half then see. The. Reduce by half again if still issues. Continue at lower level every day
@@thekefircode7399 Sometimes I think it's a histamine intolerance. It's much more pronounced when I take it on an empty stomach.
i got myself milk kefir grains off ebay and for a week i couldn't figure out why they smelled so badly of spoiled milk but were genuinely alive because they had doubled since i got them. and then while i was pouring milk into my kefir jar a chunk rolled into my kefir and i sniffed the milk itself and it was verging on spoiled. i thought it was the kefir because they smelled like spoiled milk after 4 day shipping. i make sibo yogurt with half and half and inulin for 36 hours.. it really fixed my gut but i wanted to introduce even more good bacteria which is why i am doing kefir now too. since i never buy milk i had no idea the cheap stuff might make for inedible spoiled smelling kefir. I gave it half and half instead and was able to start drinking it. It tastes SOOOO much better thn the dab i put on my tongue just to see what the spoiled stuff tasted like. i was worried about there being enough food in the half and half for kefir because sibo yogurt runs out and doesn't get to hit peak CFU bacterial counts without the added inulin. do you have any advice for someone using half and half? should i add some inulin? should i just accept it doesn't get quite as thick as your kefir does? it tastes great either way. thanks.
Raw whole milk straight from the cow, that I use, is similar to half & half. You can also use half with some milk added.
You'll see the whey if they run out of food. Some grains ppl have are not very good. I prefer them to smell of yeast when I get them. This is the best imo. I've gotten bad grains that grew but never tasted right.
why my kefir turn very small😢
Many reason could cause that. Dont let the grains contact and soap or soap residue. Also dont let them come in contact with chlorine water. Then it could be something with the milk or the grains.
Cool, thanks for the video.
You're welcome! 🥛🍶
Thanks for watching!
Hello, I am from Iran, please add persian to the subtitles, unfortunately, my English is not good and I do not understand much of what you say.
Sorry, I tried to & in order to do that I have to manually translate it myself to persian.. I dont speak Persian
Hey, just so you know I dont have any problems with Iran, you guys are alright by me. The US gov is nuts & insane & just terrible. Take care. Good luck
So actually what is the secret of your kefir?
The process outlined in my other videos as a 3:1 ratio with refrigeration. 1 part grains 3 parts milk short room temp ferment. Plus understanding the 3 main factors that influence your fermentation.
Basically high grain ratio, see the 321 kefir video and the first 3 videos I uploaded to the channel. Thanks!
Thanks. Tomorrow I will make my first kefir according to your instructions.
Hey thanks for the videos. How do you store your grains, when they`re not fermenting? @@thekefircode7399