Just received new grains

[Guest guest]

I received grains from a new source today. They were well packed, but they are a little "smelly". Sour milk smell. Can I assume that that will go away in a few changes of milk?

Also, since I am wanting to work with different strains of grains - does anyone else do that? And, how do you go about marking them as being from different sources? Right now I am marking the cheese cloth that I use to cover the fermentation jars. Any other suggestions would be welcome.

Jazz

[Guest guest]

Hi Jazz,

>

>

>

> I received grains from a new source today. They were well packed,

but they

> are a little " smelly " . Sour milk smell. Can I assume that that will go

> away in a few changes of milk?

This is quite normal. If they are really healthy grains to start with

and haven't been in the mail for too long, the kefir they make should

taste very good within two batches.

>

> Also, since I am wanting to work with different strains of grains - does

> anyone else do that?

I used to have five strains going. And I used to give people a choice.

Back then I needed my head examined. Way too much bother.

And, how do you go about marking them as being from

> different sources? Right now I am marking the cheese cloth that I

use to

> cover the fermentation jars. Any other suggestions would be welcome.

I have always used little yellow post-it notes for the jar lids. Even

though I only have one strain going, Dom's, bless his heart, I still

mark my jars according to which goat. Holly's milk along with the

other Nigerian and Nigerian cross goats go into one jar, and

(the Saanen) and Latte, (the LaMancha) are for the other jars. The

bigger goats make thinner kefir. We only drink Holly's et. al. kefir.

ND milk makes thick kefir because of the extra solids. (It's like

sheep milk.) Also I can tell how much butter I can expect when it is

time to empty all the jars and churn. ND milk is around 8% butterfat,

again like sheep milk, the Saanen is 2.5% butterfat, kind of like a

Holstein cow, so watered down in comparison.

Marilyn