milk kefir changed drastically

[Guest guest]

I don't know what's going on. I noticed that my kefir grains were not producing

kefiran anymore, though they were still producing kefir. I followed someone's

advice previously given to me that when kefir grains were out of whack use full

fat yogurt instead of milk for a few days. I did that. Then I decided that

maybe my ratio of grains to milk was off, so I split my grains between three

jars instead of one and started giving them whole milk again. That was two days

ago. I changed the milk last night and noticed that one of the jars' grains

seemed like maybe they were producing kefiran again, and the kefir seemed thick

and had some bubbles in it. It has been less than 24 hours since that milk

change, and the kefir in that jar has turned into something completely different

than I have ever seen.

The kefir doesn't really look like kefir. It is this really thick texture, full

of bubbles that don't come to the surface and pop because the kefir is so thick.

It doesn't smell like kefir but maybe like warm milk? I tasted it, and it is

really fizzy on the tongue and has a tart but almost sweet-tart taste. When I

poured it out of the jar, it almost oozed out in glops and because of all the

bubbles, it seemed like it was expanding in the bowl as it sat. There are no

curds separating from whey. I almost want to say it is slimy, but it's not.

I'm not sure what to do with these grains, but I don't want to throw them out if

I don't have to...though it's not like I don't have other grains. I just rinsed

them off and put them in a jar with more milk. I put the jar out on the porch

instead of on the fridge with my other jars of fermenting kefir because I wasn't

sure if the other kefir would get contaminated.

Does anyone have any idea what this is? Has it turned into something else

somehow? Is it safe to eat this kefir?

Thanks,

Lori