Re:Inconsistent results with kefir

[Guest guest]

Just in case this might be of help...my kefir grains were knocked for a loop

when we painted our kitchen, even though it was low voc paint.(I found I was

reacting to it too for a few days, ugh) It was more like yucky soured milk

than kefir. I moved the grains away from the painted area, cycled through a

few changes of milk over several days, and they recovered just fine. Used

the unpalatable kefir to water the garden, so it wasn't a total waste. The

summer heat or an excessive grains to milk ratio can also cause

over-kefiring, but it will still smell and taste like kefir. Try removing

some of the grains and see if that helps.

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recently the kefir has been watery and lumpy, and tastes somewhat " off " .

Nothing has

changed in our production methods. We add raw milk to the grains along with

a little bit of

kefir from the latest batch and let sit for 24 hours or so depending on the

temperature. The

last few batches have not been good at all.

[Guest guest]

You do not need to add any kefir to the next jar. The trick is adjusting the

amount of grains to milk so it arrives at the right taste and consistency by

24 hours. Even a slight change in ambient temperature will affect ferment

time, thus ratio, warmer means faster ferment, so more milk to grains to

make it come out right.

Take care,

Alice - HSing mom to Alice (w/DS) born Thanksgiving Day 1995 :-)

Hopewell Junction, NY http://www.frontiernet.net/~castella/

[Guest guest]

Thanks to everyone for your suggestions.

We're going to try resting the grains in yogurt. Dom is the master and we've

usually had

good luck with his advice.

Today's batch was a bit better, but still not up to par. I think the yogurt

suggestion is a good

one.

Chris

[Guest guest]

--- chriskjezp <chriskresser@...> wrote:

> Today's batch was a bit better, but still not up to par.

I've been making kefir for two years now and only once several

months ago have I ever had a batch come out bad. It was so bad

tasting that I tossed it. I don't rinse my grains, but that time I

rinsed the grains carefully in RO water and the next batch came out

almost normal and every batch since has been good. I suspect the raw

milk I used for the bad batch may have been contaminated with some off

microbes that managed to out-compete the kefir culture and produce a

nasty tasting result.

I've been letting my kefir sit on the counter at about 75-77 F for

about 48 hours to get a nice ripe kefir that's thick sour and tart and

should be lower in lactose. It has a slight cheesy flavor that I

like. I blend it to get a smoother texture and usually mix a few

excess grains into the blender as well.

Here's some kefir photos:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/oz4caster/sets/72157604373531098/

[Guest guest]

,

I've also been making it for a few years and have not had a problem until now.

I suspect you

may be right about some microbial " contamination " from the raw milk. I'll try

washing the

grains, and them resting them in yogurt as Dom suggests.

Blending the kefir! Why didn't I think of that? Seems so obvious...

Thanks,

Chris

[Guest guest]

i've been having this problem lately too, and reducing the grains per batch has

helped. i guess too many spoil the party. also, i rinsed them and put them in

some coconut milk for a day and it really helped freshen them up and took away

the off smell they were frolicking in. i've never added kefired milk to a

second batch, so i don't know if that is contributing to your funk.

cheers,

sabine.

[Guest guest]

I've actually let my kefir grains get larger and cultured for 48

hours and it turns out nice and thick like a yogurt with a tart sour

cream-like layer on top. I assume there are healthy advantages to a

longer ferment, no? It definitely tastes better.

Bill

>

> You do not need to add any kefir to the next jar. The trick is

adjusting the

> amount of grains to milk so it arrives at the right taste and

consistency by

> 24 hours. Even a slight change in ambient temperature will affect

ferment

> time, thus ratio, warmer means faster ferment, so more milk to

grains to

> make it come out right.

> Take care,

> Alice - HSing mom to Alice (w/DS) born Thanksgiving Day 1995 :-)

> Hopewell Junction, NY http://www.frontiernet.net/~castella/

>

[Guest guest]

Ah, I should have read on--this is what I do. I even used the cream

layer as a sour cream substitute for some kohlrabi-carrot slaw.

--- In , " " <oz4caster@...>

wrote:

>

> I've been letting my kefir sit on the counter at about 75-77 F for

> about 48 hours to get a nice ripe kefir that's thick sour and tart

and

> should be lower in lactose. It has a slight cheesy flavor that I

> like. I blend it to get a smoother texture and usually mix a few

> excess grains into the blender as well.

>

> Here's some kefir photos:

> http://www.flickr.com/photos/oz4caster/sets/72157604373531098/

>

>

>