Guest guest Posted December 17, 2008 Report Share Posted December 17, 2008 When you say off, do you mean contaminated? Can I use a stainless steel strainer? I have been using my bare hands and I think that has caused problems. > This week my milk kefir is tasting very acidic like vomit. I don't know a > better way to describe it. Am I doing something wrong? It hasn't always > tasted like this, but it is horrible. The weather here has been weird, 80 > degrees one day and 30 the next. I don't know if possibly the temperature > changes are affecting the fermentation? ?? > Any thoughts? ? ? > > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 18, 2008 Report Share Posted December 18, 2008 Hi Sioban, First of all, please sign your post. How can I get you to do that? The answer to your question is that you answered it. Yes, your kefir grains are contaminated from using your bare hands. Others have also made this mistake, not knowing since they wash their hands first. Now you know that hands are never clean enough to touch kefir grains. You can use a stainless steel strainer but I prefer a different one now. And I have used many different kinds of straining methods over the years. The best strainer I've found with the perfect size holes is the one from the dollar store. You get four various size strainers for a dollar. It is plastic. It is quick to clean. None of your kefir grains go through or get stuck in the holes or get cut from the holes. To bring your kefir grains back to pristine condition, rinse with water before adding milk to the next several batches. Marilyn On Wed, Dec 17, 2008 at 10:22 PM, siobhan w <romans_832@...> wrote: > When you say off, do you mean contaminated? > Can I use a stainless steel strainer? I have been using my bare hands and I > think that has caused problems. > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 18, 2008 Report Share Posted December 18, 2008 Dear , That's up to you. It won't take long before they are making good tasting kefir again. Marilyn I am having this exact same problem. Can we still use the kefir as we are trying to bring it back? Can I still use the very sour (vomit taste) kefir for soaking my grains and such? Thank you Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 19, 2008 Report Share Posted December 19, 2008 If you use the vomit-tasting kefir to soak your grains, then whatever you cook with them will taste funny -- that's my experience. I just now had to throw out some grains. I was having the same problem. My kefir had been great until one day it just changed: every batch began coming out thin and unpleasant-tasting. Separation was very bad. Finally these grains would not thicken milk at all, not a bit. AFter a few days' experimenting with different factors, I finally stuck that jar in the fridge and left it for about 4 days while I tried reviving some grains I had previously frozen. Reviving the frozen grains was a great success! The first two batches off the grains from the freezer were thin -- but not smelly. I think it was by the 3rd day, I got the nicest most beautiful kefir: thick like a vanilla shake and just shy of tart. I had been about to give up. I thought I was too unscientific-minded to go on making kefir. I'm thankful I had read something about being patient and reviving stored grains, I think it was at Kefirlady.com. It did make me keep trying. McGuirk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 19, 2008 Report Share Posted December 19, 2008 My kefir grains are already back to making perfect tasting kefir!! Thanks, Siobhan How do I dry out extras if I don't have a dehydrator? -------------------------- I'll let someone else answer that since I only use a dehydrator. Marilyn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 20, 2008 Report Share Posted December 20, 2008 From what I understand from Dom's site, you rinse the grains very well with chlorine free water until there is no trace of any milk or curds on the grains you wish to to dry. Then you pat them dry with a clean linnen cloth or paper towels. You then spread them out on the same type of dry cloth and cover. Leave the grains to dry in the open air (but covered) for a few days. To store once completely dry place them in a ziplock back and if you want, place a little bit of powdered milk of any type over the grains (obviously you would leave out the powdered milk if you are drying water grains). Thanks, --- romans_832 <romans_832@...> wrote: > My kefir grains are already back to making perfect > tasting kefir!! Thanks, > Siobhan > > How do I dry out extras if I don't have a > dehydrator? > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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