Water Kefir
What is water kefir?
Water kefir is a fermented drink made of water, sugar and a symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeasts (SCOBY). The drink contains a lot of probiotics and trace amounts of alcohol as a result of the fermentation process. It takes anywhere from 24 – 48 hours to ferment and can be flavoured to create a healthy fizzy beverage.
Ingredients
Here are two water kefir recipe ratios I’ve found helpful to reference. When using these ratios, observe the grains to make sure they are healthy and adjust the ratios as needed because indoor temperature, water quantity, sugar, and mineral content can all impact the health of your grains.
1:16 ratio
Use this ratio when you are starting with newly purchased water kefir grains and also if you are located in a place with a cooler climate.
1 tbsp water kefir grain (hydrated)
1 tbsp sugar
1 cup tap water
1:24 ratio
Use this ratio when your water kefir grains are very active or if you are located in a place with a warmer climate, and or during the summer time.
1 tbsp water kefir grain (hydrated)
1 tbsp sugar
1 1/2 cups tap water
Equipment
Measuring cup
Mason jar with two-piece snap lid
Wooden spoon
1 flat bottom coffee filter
1 mesh strainer (preferably nylon)
Time
Prep time: 5 minutes
Ferment time: 24 - 48 hours
Instructions
Follow the reactivation instructions on your purchased water kefir grains to rehydrate them. This step could take 24 - 48 hours.
After the grains have rehydrated, use a mesh strainer to strain out the water kefir grains and use a tablespoon to measure the amount of water kefir grains you have. Then pour the strained grains into a mason jar.
Using the recipe ratio above, calculate the amount of sugar and water you need. Pour sugar and water into the mason jar. Stir gently with a wooden spoon for at least a minute until the sugar dissolves. If you would like to try to remove chlorine, chloramine and or fluoride from the water before you start this process, read this Yemoos Nourishing Cultures article to learn about tap water and water kefir. Also, find out what’s in your local tap water source before purchasing equipment to treat it.
Place a flat bottom coffee filter on top of the mason jar and seal off with the ring part of the lid.
Let ferment for 24 - 48 hours in a warm place that has no direct sunlight exposure and is not close to anything else that is fermenting to prevent cross contamination. Initially I recommend 48 hours ferment, but if you are in a warmer climate, you may find your water kefir can do with a shorter ferment time.
Once ferment is over, strain water kefir grains with a mesh strainer and start the ferment process again from step 2. You can stick to the same ratio you’ve used and every so often measure the amount of water kefir grains you have to see if they’ve grown.
You can directly drink the water kefir now or go through a second ferment where you can incorporate many different types of flavours into your beverage.
Notes
What to consider when using tap water to make water kefir
There are many articles online with conflicting opinions about whether water should be pretreated to remove chlorine, chloramine, or fluoride before being used to make water kefir. Yemoos Nourishing Cultures has a great article about whether you can use tap water for water kefir that I would recommend for anyone who wants to learn more about this topic. I generally prefer to boil tap water and let it sit for 6 hours but even 15 minutes should be enough for chlorine to evaporate. If you want to remove chlorine, chloramine, and fluoride, there are many options available, but if you want to use tap water as it is, that should be alright as well. Research what your tap water contains before deciding to purchase any equipment for treating water.
Choosing the right sugar
When I first started making water kefir, I was really concerned about making sure I chose something that had a good amount of minerals. I experimented with sucanat and turbinado but encountered some challenges when my water kefir grains would break up into smaller grains, an indication that I had over mineralized my water kefir. Eventually I settled on half organic cane sugar and half turbinado, and my water kefir grains have been quite happy ever since. Choosing the type of sugar has an impact on whether the water kefir grains are getting enough minerals or not, and it has a very subtle impact on the flavour of the drink as well. Experiment to find the right sugar for your grains but know that if you switch to a different type of sugar, it may take a week for your water kefir grains to get used to the change. Cultures For Health was a great guide to water kefir ingredients that I would recommend before starting your first water kefir culture.
About water kefir grains
Water kefir grains can be purchased online in its dehydrated form. If you know someone who makes water kefir and can share with you their active culture, you can also start making water kefir from that. However, without water kefir grains, even if you have the liquid alone, grains will not grow. I purchased my grains from a local store that closed, so I don’t have experience with purchasing them online. Just know that when you first rehydrate your grains, they’ll be sluggish so your first week of water kefir liquid may tend to be a bit sweeter until the grains fully acclimatize. The same will happen when you change to a different type of sugar.
Temperature and it’s impact on ferment
Warmer ambient temperatures can aid the ferment process in completing faster so check on your water kefir after 24 hours just to see if it’s done. Water kefir has a slightly sweet and tangy taste to it when it’s ready. If it’s a bit over fermented, it may start smelling a bit like paint polish and it’ll have a waxy slightly bitter aftertaste. If you encounter this, you need to adjust the ferment time and or your recipe ratio.
Water kefir resources
These are my two recommended sources for learning more about water kefir and purchasing water kefir grains. Good luck embarking on a wonderful journey of making water kefir!