RE: Re: trying to figure out this kefir thing

[Guest guest]

I don't think the type of milk has anything to do with it because I have seen

someone even used store-bought homogenized and pasteurized and she said hers

does just fine. I would never do that, tho. But if that is all one has, I guess

it is worth a try.

My farmer said he has other customers who make kefir and they do just fine as

far as he knows.

I have two other places I can fall back on, but milk is up to $3 MORE a gallon

there. So I stick with my farmer. It's between $3.50 a gal from him or $6.50 a

gallon elsewhere. I just stick with him. The third choice is Horizon brand raw

milk at the several Food Lions we have around here, and I don't trust

store-bought brands.

Lyn

[Guest guest]

Darlene,

I understand that other people are using the lids. What kind of lid are you

using? Is it an aluminum lid that is white on the inside? If so, it could be

the BPA in the lid that is effecting the grains. Or, maybe you are using the

Tattler plastic lids that are supposed to be BPA free.

As Kim mentioned, it could be your milk too. Even if it's raw, there are other

things you may want to find out about the milk...

Are they organic?

What do the cows eat? Are they grass-fed, grass-finished...which means that

they eat only grass, which is the way God intended for them to eat. Is it cows

milk, goat or sheep? Grass-fed, corn finished is not as good as grass/grass.

If they are eating corn, what kind of corn is it?

Do the cows eat grain? If so, is it organic grain? If it's not organic grain,

it's possible that there could be GMO ingredients in the grain which would also

be effecting your grains.

Are the cows fed antibiotics or hormones or eat food that is not organic that

may have pesticides/herbicides/fungicides in the feed?

Have any of the cows been sick where they are given some veterinarian

medication? If so, there was someone else on the forum a while back that was

using the raw organic milk (I think) and their grains were growing great until

one point, the grains started shrinking. Come to find out, the cows were on

some sort of medication.

Just a few more questions for your research.

Al

Re: Re: trying to figure out this kefir thing

Kim and Al,

Here are some of the sites where I got my information from. All of them mention

both ways of covering....

http://www.yemoos.com/faqwadurfer.html

http://www.seedsofhealth.co.uk/fermenting/kefir_howto.shtml

http://www.weim.net/homeovet/Docs/water%20kefir.pdf

Darlene Livingstone

[Guest guest]

I like to second ferment too. I end up with a really thick kefir with a lot of

whey on the bottom. I sometimes think i need to eat my kefir smoothie with a

spoon when I don't stir up the kefir with they whey.

Al

Re: Re: trying to figure out this kefir thing

Darlene, I cover my kefir (in a glass jar) with a tight-fitting lid, but I

do so only AFTER I have strained out the live grains. So basically I am

just pouring the finished kefir product into the jar and sealing it, which

makes the kefir undergo a 2nd ferment and thus, makes it fizzy.

Just my opinion, but I would be cautious about restricting airflow during

the first kefir ferment.

Kim

[Guest guest]

I think it's likely that at $3.50 per gallon, it is not organic and the diet of

the cows would be questionable.

Al

Re: Re: trying to figure out this kefir thing

I don't think the type of milk has anything to do with it because I have seen

someone even used store-bought homogenized and pasteurized and she said hers

does just fine. I would never do that, tho. But if that is all one has, I guess

it is worth a try.

My farmer said he has other customers who make kefir and they do just fine as

far as he knows.

I have two other places I can fall back on, but milk is up to $3 MORE a gallon

there. So I stick with my farmer. It's between $3.50 a gal from him or $6.50 a

gallon elsewhere. I just stick with him. The third choice is Horizon brand raw

milk at the several Food Lions we have around here, and I don't trust

store-bought brands.

Lyn

[Guest guest]

He probably just keeps his price down because the other farm is on the same road

and comes before them and they are more well known. I have talked to both

farmers and have no reason to believe either milk is superior. The person who

put me onto those farms always got her milk from him and she made kefir with no

problem. And she was big into fermentation. In fact she told me that neither

milk worked better than the other. He said he has others who make kefir just

fine.

It's not worth grabbing at straws. Nobody knows why my grains won't grow.

Lyn

----- Original Message -----

From: ouched63188@...

I think it's likely that at $3.50 per gallon, it is not organic and the diet of

the cows would be questionable.

Al

[Guest guest]

----- Original Message -----

From: " brdmb1 " <brdmb1@...> kefir thing

Hi

>Good idea.<

I got 1/4 c of big grains locally today from a different source. She said to put

them all into a qt of milk. I will do that, put box over the jar and lean a mug

warmer against the inside of the box and see what happens by morning. It is

pretty chilly here, so some sort of heat is in order for at least tonight.

>>I know some commercially produced " kefir grains " that are really not true

kefir but more like secondary cultures that usually only grow for 4-5

generations and then die out.<<

I had gotten my earlier grains from a friend who has always seen hers multiply.

But I don't think they have ever grown in size, bcuz she has given me small

grains both times.

>>In terms of practice, in my some odd months of experimentation with milk kefir

grains, I have finally found the method that reproduces the grains and produces

a smooth, fizzy kefir that even my wife enjoys. I put 2 tsp of grains in about 1

cup of skim, 1% or 2% store-bought milk straight out of the refrigerator stored

in a glass jar with air-tight lid for 48 hours. I let it sit on the counter of

my kitchen which varies from 55-68 degrees during the day (programmable

thermostat). After 48 hours, give or take a few, I shake it all up and strain

the grains+kefir using a plastic strainer, putting one clump of grains into the

kefir to drink. Occasionally I'll freeze a few of these little extras with a

little more milk in a plastic baggie for a reserve batch, in case I totally

forget about my kefir when away on vacation. Restarting is as simple as dumping

the baggie into the jar with more milk.<<

Today's lady makes hers in big crocks with a towel laid lightly over the top. I

will try to do the same, tho I don't have a small crock to start out with a

small quantity. But I won't cover the lid. I was intrigued by the tight lid for

a second ferment that someone does on here. So I found a qt jar with a flip top

lid today that I bought to try this. This is something I had never heard of. I

always left my second ferment breathe. I don't know if I will ever be brave

enough to cut off air for the first ferment.

Feel free to experiment with the grains you do have - there really is no " wrong "

way to cutlure - it's like an art, and everyone has a different flair. The first

thing I'd try to do in your place is just put the grains you do have in a jar

with a lot of milk and let it sit out for about 3 days. If no sign of growth,

start over.

> I want to try marble sized grains now, since I have had so much trouble with

smaller grains.

>

> Lyn

[Guest guest]

My happy update at about 21 hours: So far so good. I had put 1/4 cup healthy,

big grains, that I got locally from a farmer's wife, into 1/2 qt milk late last

night. (I was afraid to try them in a quart bcuz of all the trouble I have had.)

As I type this, I see a healthy layer of whey separating at the bottom of the

jar. About 1/2 inch and then some. This layer has even grown in just the last

hour when I checked it and it was only a thin layer. The curds is now 85% of the

jar and about 15% is whey. But it is not sour yet. The temp under the box - heat

provided by a mug warmer leaning against the opposite side of the box from the

kefir - is about 74 degrees. The box is about a foot square.

So it seems it will go full ferment fast. I don't know if I should let it until

morning and pour it off, set my alarm clock to wake me in a few hours, or if I

should do it now. Any thots from anyone? My concern is that it is not sour yet.

Lyn