Learn how to make water kefir at home using sugar, kefir grains, and some filtered water. This is one of my favourite probiotic drink recipes to make as it only takes a few days to ferment before you can enjoy a fresh glass of this probiotic beverage.
I started making water kefir as a way to incorporate more probiotics into my diet, and it worked like a charm!
It has quickly become one of my favourite recipes, along with homemade fruit kvass.
If you’ve never made water kefir before, it is really simple to make. All you need are some live water kefir culture (also known as grains), I get mine from here, along with a little sugar and water. And voila! You have homemade water kefir that you can continue to make endless batches from. One small batch of water kefir grains can make hundreds of batches of water kefir and continue to multiply itself if properly cared for (I share instructions for caring for your water kefir grains below).
Now, water kefir grains aren’t really “grains” as such, but are a colony of beneficial bacteria that create probiotics and enzymes during the fermentation process of breaking down the natural sugar in the drink, and which can help in supporting the gut.
How to Make Flavour Variations for Water Kefir
You make many different flavour variations when it comes to water kefir, which can be included during the second stage of fermentation, after removing the water kefir grains.
After making the water kefir, simply strain out the kefir grains and use them to create a new batch as described below. Next, transfer the newly made water kefir to a litre jar and add in any of the ingredients you need for the flavour variation you want. From there, cap the lid on tightly and leave the jar to ferment for 2 to 3 days on the countertop. This allows the kefir to develop a natural carbonation.
Once ready, you can either strain out the additional fruits, herbs, and/or spices and transfer your water kefir to clean glass bottles, which can be stored the kefir in the fridge. Ready to enjoy.
How to Maintain and Grow the Water Kefir Grains
The kefir grains that were strained out from the batch of water kefir you made can be stored in a smaller jar in some filtered water or some of the water kefir from the batch you made, and can be kept in the fridge. These grains will need to be fed weekly.
To “feed” the grains, simply make a fresh batch of water kefir weekly. Or, add the water kefir grains to 1 litre of fresh sugar water (1/4 cup of sugar dissolved in 1 litre of water). Cap the lid of the jar on tightly and place in the refrigerator. The sugar water will need to be changed out each week). The water kefir grains should be live and healthy for up to 3 weeks.
When ready to make water kefir again, strain out the grains from the sugar water they have been stored in, place the grains in the fresh sugar water, and ferment as usual. It may take a couple of batches for the grains to reactivate and started producing consistent batches of water kefir.
When the grains are being stored in the refrigerator, you want to feed the grains with sugar at least once a week, to ensure they stay healthy and alive.
You can tell if the grains are “starved” by tasting the liquid. If it is not very sweet, but tangy, this means the grains are needing to be fed. If the water is sweet, they are not hungry and do not need to be fed with more sugar.
The colder the temperature at which the grains are kept, the slower they metabolise the sugar, and will not need to be fed as often.
If the sugar water stops becoming tangy or sour (which indicates fermentation), then it most likely means the grains may no longer be alive or active.
If a longer break is required, for up to 6 months, it is recommended to dry the water kefir grains.
To do this, simply rinse the grains thoroughly with filtered water, then lay them out on a piece of unbleached parchment paper to dry at room temperature for around 3 to 5 days, depending on humidity and the room temperature. Another option is to use a dehydrator to dry out the grains, just as long as the grains are not heated above 29°C (85°F).
Once the kefir grains are completely dry, store them in a ziplock bag in the refrigerator for up to 6 months.
When you are ready to make water kefir again, rehydrate the grains according to the instructions that came with the culture originally, or follow these instructions for reactivating water kefir grains.
Before we get started in learning how to make homemade water kefir, if you like what you’re seeing, subscribe to my email newsletter at the bottom of the page to keep up to date on the latest recipes, DIYs, gardening and health tips I share!
Water Kefir Recipe
How to make a delicious probiotic beverage using only three ingredients: Kefir grains, filtered water, and some raw sugar.
This recipe makes approximately 500 mL of water kefir.
Ingredients:
- 15 gram packet of active water kefir grains (I bought mine here)
- 3 tablespoons organic raw sugar
- 500 mL filtered water
To Make:
- In a 700 mL glass mason jar, dissolve the sugar in a small amount of hot water.
- When the sugar has dissolved, fill the rest of the jar with cool filtered water. Ensure the water is not warm, but room temperature, before you add in the hydrated water kefir grains.
- Cover the glass jar with a towel, cheesecloth, or coffee filter and secure the cloth with a rubber band to protect the grains from insects and dust.
- Leave the jar on the counter, preferably at a temperature of 20°C to 24°C (70°F to 75°F), for around 24 to 48 hours.
- After 48 hours, strain out the water kefir grains through a nut milk bag, bamboo or non-metal mesh strainer, pouring the liquid into another large glass jar for storage. Alternatively, you can fill high-quality glass bottles with your water kefir, and place them in the fridge for storage until you are ready to drink the kefir.
- To maintain the kefir grains, restart the process by dissolving more sugar in some hot filtered water, then pour the cool filtered water over the top, and add in the same kefir grains.
- To make the water kefir carbonated, you will require a second fermentation.
- Pour in a couple of ounces of homemade fruit juice such as pomegranate, apple, or berry into the water kefir you just strained. I do not recommend using citrus fruit for this part, as it can make these stringy yeast-like formations in the kefir that do not taste very good.
- Once the fruit juice has been added, cap the lid of the jar on tightly and leave the jar to ferment on the counter for an additional 1 to 3 days before drinking or refrigerating.
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Have you made water kefir before? What’s your favourite flavour? Share in the comments below.
Lots of love,
Vanessa
