When you woke up this morning, I bet the first thing you thought was, “I’m so excited about yeasty bacteria!”
Okay. Opposite that.
But excited about yeasty bacteria is what you’re about to become. And then tomorrow morning will be another story.
This is water kefir. This is the yeasty bacteria that’s about to get you all fired up:
Now, don’t fret if you don’t have water kefir grains – or if you haven’t even ever heard of water kefir grains before this moment. At the end, there’s going to be an opportunity for SIX of you to receive them for free – compliments of yours truly and the community share plan (and also a link to a store to buy them, if you’re so inclined).
(I had a bet with myself that I knew you guys so well to know that: 70% of you have heard of kefir before, 40% of you have heard of water kefir, and 1% of you already have kefir grains. Am I right? We’ll never know. But we should just assume I am. Life is easier that way.)
So. Water kefir. Let’s learn.
Water Kefir – the Culture that Gives Back
Water kefir is, in fact, a bacterial yeast culture (that looks like little odd-shaped jelly-pearls) that converts sugar into fructose and imparts incredible probiotic goodness into the water you keep it in.
Think of it as yogurt on steroids that masquerades as carbonated, healthy soda.
You see, water kefir grains – which aren’t actually grain; they’re just called that to confuse you – eat up sugars, in addition to producing dozens of strains of healthy probiotic bacteria. As this happens, it sends gasses into the water, which carbonates it.
I’m happy to report, I’ve completely kicked my soda habit with water kefir. Now, when I stop by the store and think, “Diet Dr Pepper? Sure! I deserve one.” Instead, I think “I have water kefir at home, and it would feel sooo bad if I cheated on it.”
I have several favorite ways to prepare and flavor my water kefir, which I’ll share in a moment, but my current obsession is fermenting it a second time with dried apples. It’s like fresh apple soda with a kick:
Health Benefits of Water Kefir
These aren’t documented fully, but I’ve found several sources that claim water kefir helps with everything from obesity (by helping the intestinal flora stabilize and metabolize foods better) to eczema and psoriasis to ulcers and more.
One thing I can tell you, from my personal experience, is that my digestion is improved beyond measure – and my seasonal fall allergies are almost nil when I drink water kefir on a daily basis. When I forget for a day or two, the difference is overwhelming.
As a whole, though, all the health benefits you expect from yogurt, milk kefir, and kombucha, you can expect from water kefir, as well.
You can even wash your face with it! When I have, the results have been smooth, soft, and glowing. But, I gotta be honest with y’all – it’s so delicious and I go through it so quickly, I can’t bring myself to put it ON my face.
How to Prepare Water Kefir
There are incredible tutorials all over the internets on how to prepare water kefir: here and here, and even alternate ones using eggshells to help your kefir grow. But here’s my quick and dirty version – the way that’s worked best for me.
How to Prepare Water Kefir for the First Fermentation
- In a very clean one-quart jar, pour in 1/4 c. sugar (you can use refined, unrefined, rapidura, sucanat – any kind of sugar, but my favorite is 1/8 c. raw organic sugar and 1/8 c. sucanat or rapidura). Just don’t use honey – it will kill the kefir.
- Pour in 1/2 c. very hot water and swish the jar around until the sugar is completely dissolved. (Some sources say don’t use tap water – because of the chlorine – some say not to use filtered water- because it doesn’t contain the minerals kefir loves. I get by with filtered using molasses every once in a while to supplement the minerals.)
- Fill the jar almost all the way to the top with cool to cold water (make sure the resulting sugar water is at least room temperature to cool to the touch).
- Add in your kefir grains (about 3 Tbsp kefir grains work well with this recipe, and is standard in kefir starter kits)
- Place a coffee filter over the top of the jar and let it sit and ferment for 24-48 hours.
- Strain the kefir grains from the kefir water and start the process all over again for a brand new batch of kefir.
That is the first fermentation. At this point, you can drink the kefir water just as it is, or you can go for a second fermentation, which is where the REAL fun starts.
My Favorite Flavored Water Kefir Recipes
This is – by no means – an exhaustive list of the ways you can flavor water kefir (which typically enhances its nutritional value even more, too). These are just my favorites so far.
The second fermentation is the part that adds extra fizzy carbonation to your kefir – but be careful, and don’t shake. Because it WILL explode when you open it if you do (just ask Skip).
The second fermentation takes place without the kefir grains – but there’s plenty of probiotic goodness in the first fermentation kefir to feed on the sugars in fruits and juices you add to the second fermentation.
First Fermentation Cranberry Kefir
- Water kefir that’s ready for first fermentation
- 1/2 Tbsp dried cranberries
Most of these “flavorings” happen during the second fermentation, but I’ve found that cranberries added to the first fermentation are incredibly delicious – and SO good for your urinary tract. But mostly they’re delicious.
Just drop the cranberries in during the first fermentation and leave them in through the whole thing. At this point, you can either pick them out when you go to make your new batch of kefir – or you can leave them in for one or two more first fermentations. Store the cranberry kefir water in the fridge, or keep it (tightly lidded) on your kitchen counter for another day if you want it to be really super fizzy.
Kefir Apple Soda
- 1 quart prepared water kefir (filtered after first fermentation)
- 4-6 pieces of dried apples
In a jar that has a tight lid, pour in your water kefir and add the apples. Screw on the jar lid tight and leave on the kitchen counter for 24 hours. Then – drink. (Or put it in the fridge if you want to stop further fermentation.)
Kefir Cream Soda
For this one, all you have to do is add in 1/4 tsp real vanilla extract to a glass of water kefir and stir. Tastes almost EXACTLY like cream soda. It’s incredible.
Kefir Juice Pop
In a large jar, add half of the water from your first fermentation of kefir to half juice of your liking (I particularly like Knudsen’s Blueberry-Pomegranate). You’ll want your juice to be natural and hopefully organic with no additives or tons of preservatives; that’ll just kill the probiotics. Allow this to sit through a second fermentation for 12 to 24 hours. Of note: This is the one recipe I’ve found to yield more alcohol if you ferment for more than a day, so you might not want to give this to your kids after a second fermentation of more than 24 hours.
I also LOVE adding 2 coin-sized pieces of fresh ginger during the second fermentation for a ginger ale – or 2 Tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice for fizzy lemonade. YUM.
Here are TONS more water kefir recipes.
Excited About Water Kefir? Have Some!
So I’ve been dying to write about water kefir for a long time, but I thought, “Man. No one’s heard of it; no one has it. Who will care?” PROBLEM. SOLVED.
For the first community share from sales of the book (which have been great, btw!), I want to give 6 community members their very own water kefir grains from Kombucha Kamp <- this is where you can buy them if you don’t particularly want to be vocal around these parts, but really want some.
Here’s how it’s going to go down:
- Leave a comment right here in the comment section if you want some (don’t be shy). (Cultures for Health only ships within the U.S., though, so please refrain from asking if you live elsewhere.)
- On Sunday, I will choose three people who will receive the water kefir starter kit – and they’ll be notified.
- From the list of entries here, each of those three people will choose one person from the community to receive the water kefir starter kits.
- Then, I will buy them and have them shipped to all of you.
How you’ll be chosen: I’m intent on making this a community effort, so from the list of people here who say they want water kefir, I’ll pick three people who have been incredibly helpful or insightful or just plain kind or funny in the past – or over the next week (whether it’s in comments, in the Crunchy Community, or via Facebook or Twitter).
The three people I choose will then have the opportunity to choose someone within the community that THEY have felt has been helpful, insightful, plain kind or funny within the vast walls of Crunchy Betty.
Thus, the cycle of loving, helping, and being super duper kind and caring for each other is nourished beyond measure.
That being said: Having water kefir grains is like keeping a pet (I call them “my babies” and tell them I love them every time I strain them). You have to feed them every 24-48 hours (but don’t worry – they’re really hardy and it is INCREDIBLY difficult to “kill” them). They’re a wonderful responsibility. So only sign up if you’re ready to take this responsibility on.
AND – sometimes they grow. If you find that you have too many kefir grains to keep up with, you also have to promise that you’ll give the extra grains to someone who will really appreciate them.
And the cycle of giving/receiving lives on.
(You have to love this.)
SO TELL ME IF YOU WANT SOME.
Tell me now.
The FOYF Day Has Come – Buy Crunchy Betty’s Food on Your Face for Acne and Oily Skin N-O-W
YOU ARE AWESOME!! AND THIS LOOKS AMAZING!! I LOVE MILK KIFER! SO EXCITED AND THANKS FOR SHARING!
I would love some of your water Keifer grains. I am new to fermenting and came across your site and you make it sound simple enough for even me to try. Thank you very much!?Can’t wait to try this
I would love to have some water grains. I have been making milk kefir for about three months now. I cannot find anyone in my area who does the water kind. Thanks so much! Jan
So my husband only likes the taste of the kefir if I add vanilla extract. I am wondering though, since its base is alcohol (35%) would that be enough to kill the good bacteria?
I was just be bopping around online and found your article and offer. I was hopping that I could become a member of the community and receive a sample of the “babies” for my start-up cycle of enrichment. I did have a question though; are the grains different for milk kefir vs water kefir?
Can you use tea with kefir?
hola Crunchy Betty,
i am so glad i came across your site with sooo many wonderful recipes. i am further encouraged to experiment. i live between nyc and puerto rico. a few months ago a very senior member (my mom’s best friend…mom left us last august) of the valley where i enjoy life at its most natural, called me her home to try a new beverage, kefir water.
when i stopped by her place i was pleasantly surprised to see her in such great spirits and healthy glow. her energy was intoxicating, her semblance was radiant, younger even. she could not stop talking about the kefir water and the health benefits. apparently the “chinese mushrooms” were brought to her from the dominican republic. this particular batch tasted like an indigenous fermented beverage made from tree bark that we call mavi. she asked me to stop by for a daily visit and kefir water drink. after a week, she asked me to join her in the ritual of harvesting the water, rinsing the grains and starting a new batch.
in the meantime i had done my internet research and had more information for her and her friends, compiled and printed. we have propagated quite a bit and rejoice in sharing the growing grains population. we also called then “our babies”. i am now in nyc for 6 weeks, but before heading this way i was making close to a half a gallon a day and bringing the water to the elderly neighbors in the morning. i learned how to freeze and store them for my period away. i am happy to say that i also found “baby sitters” during my trip.
i was able to transport a batch with me, however, they seem to not like the new environment (i don’t blame them, they are from the caribbean paradise and now stuck on the steel and cement of nyc). i desperately want to start making and experimenting with my drinks here, and was about to buy some when i came across your fun offer. the only reason i am hesitant to buy them is because they were introduced to me as a goodwill grain to be shared, passed throughout the world. i have been sharing, and encourage others to share theirs. i am looking in this area to see if i come across similar minded individuals.
oh, ok, where is the humorous part of these words…and, i am a very funny guy…ahhhh, uhmmm… did you hear the one about…no, no, that got me arrested the last time i shared it…ok, gonna have to ask you to trust me…i AM funny!!!
i hope i catch your eye, and become a recipient of your kefir grains…
thank you…
sincerely,
Julio Rivera
Hi
I’m interested in water kefir. Is it good for children and where is the best place to get some?
Hi there!
I have been undecided on whether to do milk or water kefir! After reading your ‘CREAM SODA” recipe, I will try water kefir. Sounds wonderful! I’ve visited many blogs and pages and I want you to know that your instructions for making water kefir are the most complete and easy to follow. Thank you for a good blog! You made it seem pretty simple and I’m excited about the cream soda!
I’ve been making water kefir for a couple weeks. If I mix the first fermentation with a lemonade half and half, it makes a very nice drink. I’ve tried adding some fresh sliced strawberries and blue berries to a second fermentation and it smelled slightly of over ripe or slightly rotten fruit. I tasted it and it didn’t taste very good, so I dumped it and rinsed my grains and started over with a first fermentation. Now there are things floating in the water like white mold or whispy cotton. Is this normal sometimes? Or are my grains ruined? Thanks to anyone who can help me with this.
Hi Gloria, you asked about a wispy cotton-like growth floating in your water kefir. I’ve got the same issue. FYI – I’ve been using water grains on and off for several years now and this is the first time I’ve encountered wispy cotton in my water kefir.
I also don’t know what causes it and am similarly worried that it means my kefir product is compromised, perhaps severely.
PLEASE, PLEASE someone who knows, respond to Gloria’s March 4, 2016 message (above).
Is the wispy cotton the same as Cotton Wool Disease (http://goldfish2care4.com/goldfish-diseases/cotton-wool.html) that affects fish acquiriums?
If so, should I stop using the kefir grains in question?
Qwerty.
I know this is an old comment, but it’s my understanding that you take the grains out for the second fermentation. I’ve also only been doing it for a couple weeks, but that’s how I’ve done it, and it continues to ferment without the grains.
I am having sugar cravings when I drink water kefir.
It is not a die off symptom. This diagnostic is overrated and only lasts for few days.
But as I was looking around I came across your post. What I seem to gather is that the real health benefits are mainly in the milk kefir to which water kefir can’t even begin to compare. Also, there seems to be a lot of people having messed up reactions from water kefir but not from the milk kefir. Truth be told even people swearing by water kefir report annoying side effects, like belching and flatulence.
I would like to purchase some of your undehydrated kefir water grains. I am excited about making kefir water and having the grains multiple to pass on to others. Thanks for the information on this site.
They use their time wisely, and if he is a good father;
he will want to spend lots of time with his children. Often that mask can actually allow people to be more honest about themselves and as a consequence love can bloom.
Making relationship choices based on feelings of attraction.
Has anyone experimented with essential oils on the second fermentation? Thanks! 🙂
I started adding dried Schisandra berries and tumeric to my second fermentation….it’s awesome!! 🙂
Hello… I have been reading about milk and water kefir.. and am getting VERY excited about the process and the health benefits. My searching brought me to your site, which I found to be very informative and easy to understand (which is a super big plus, btw) … I don’t expect to be chosen for the give-away..but it truly would be a nice Christmas surprise… Have a wonderful day and Merry Christmas!
My girlfriend told me about your website and how much kefir water is helping her, problem is I can’t find where you get some, she has extra but she lives in northern California and im in Texas,can it be mailed? Loved your article especially the part about giving and recieving so uncommon these days on the internet,where everybody wants 19.95 a month for the rest of you life for anything ordered
Helping each other is so refreshing. Thank you
how much water kefir I can drink a day
I Started making water Kefir about 6 months ago. I struggled with dairy kefir in the past – my mom was brilliant with it – it must skip a generation… Anywho, on my neighborhood mom site I saw FREE-Water Kefir Grains! Come get them. So I did. EASY!!! So Forgiving! until last month, I killed them during my out of state move… Im very sad about it. I have been trying to find a free source as I know how prolific the little buggers are. No such luck (yet) in my new community.
I stumbled across your post. I love it. Down to earth, straight forward & fun. I use a very similar 1F recipe, & look forward to trying your 2F once I’m up & running again. Which brings me to this:
Do you know any resources for connecting w other water kefir folk? I’m in the Baltimore Maryland area.
Thanks!!
Hi Betty,
I am new to Kefir water, but love to give it a try!
I am eager to get started only I’m without Kefir water grains.
Hi,
I would like to be one of the six who get some water kefir grains. I make dairy kefir and I am in the middle of my first kombucha ferment. I have also made beet kvass which is has a nice tang and a beautiful color!
So I am excited to do the water kefir as it seems to be just what I would like.
thanks,
Jeanne
I would love to try working with water kefir grains and love all of the examples you gave of how they can be used, problem is I don’t have any and haven’t been able to find any locally. Are you selling water kefir grains? Sincerely, Shlley
I really love to use water kefir to make fresh lemonade or lemon/lime drink in the summer. So refreshing. One is only limited by their imagination as to what kind of drink to make.
I’m sitting here and my tummy is wishing it had a cranberry kefir fizzy. I can hardly wait to start my own.
Thank you so much for the most informable website I’ve seen about kefir water. I’m very ready to start benefiting from kefir water. I have digestive problems big time and need help. Thank you Crunchy Betty.
I would love some water kefir grains! Thank you for considering me!
Hi CrunchyBetty,
Love your site!
I was wondering if you had some insight into this: Kefir SYRUP!
I have been making Kefir water for 1.5 years now and my initial batch lasted me a year. Since this summer I have had to buy 2 new starter batches, because I am running into a problem I don’t seem to be able to fix:
Syrupy Kefir!
I have not changed anything, use filtered water from my fridge filter, (we also have a house filter, our ph is 6.4 with 0 alkalinity when it comes out of the fridge double filtered), I have not changed the sugar, but after the syrup thickness started, I went from organic brown to white–thinking it may have too high of a mineral concentration) and I always use 1/2 organic lemon in my first brew.
I have rested my grains for 2 weeks twice already, cleaned them thoroughly and when I restart a brew, the first one is “ok”… but the next ones get to be thicker and thicker…
The Kefir grains themselves look great, some nice thick clusters, the color has changed from brown to white now, due to the white sugar and I think the lemon “cleans” them.
My guess is that my water is too alkaline, has too many minerals, though we filter it and always have. (maybe the water company changed suppliers since we are in a drought?) I am willing to change to buying water at the store, if that will solve my problem, but don’t really know which kind to buy. When I just tested the Arrowhead spring water I just bought, it showed it has the highest alkalinity and pH, so I doubt that is a good alternative!
HELP!
Thanks much
Petra
Hi Petra, I used to have the same problem with my water kefir. And I’ve received advise that when the brew/fermentation turns syrupy, DO NOT DRINK IT! I also had to resort to washing my grains and resting them as well. The feedback I got: Overmineralized! Suggestion: Don’t add lemon to your 1F, as apparently, lemons are known to turn water alkaline (that part of science still baffles me to this day). You’re lucky that the grains are still big. The worse thing for the grains to behave is to turn mushy or sandy…another indication of overmineralization. What helped me was that I actually REDUCED the qty of grains and sugar in my ferment — overcrowding the grains was also killing it. Now I use about 1.5TBSP grains + 1.5 TBSP organic muscovado (raw, brown) sugar to 700ml filtered water, then I add a dash or 2 of fine Himalayan sea salt. Hope this helps. I get a lot of support through the FB group “I Love Water Kefir!” Suggest you join the group too!
Sorry… one more question. I have an intollerance to Cane Sugar. Have you heard of anyone using Date Sugar or Coconut Sugar? What do you think?
I am new to water Kefir… thanks for this post.
After you strain the water grains… can you keep them in the re-fridge—or does this always happen in room temp? I am with you up to step 5—do you immediately go straight to a new jar with the ones you strain… ?
Remarkable! Its in fact amazing post, I have got much
clear idea concerning from this post.
Thanx. I have terrible digestion issues and liver problems.my mum started giving this to me and thus far, it really helps..
Hi, i feel that i noticed you visited my website so i got here
to go back the desire?.I’m trying to to find issues to enhance my web site!I
assume its adequate to make use of some of your concepts!!
Where can I get this sort of kefir grains? I have a rather harsh intolerance to dairy, period. Can’t even do the lactose free stuff. I love kefir…so…WHERE CAN I GET THOSE KEFIR GRAINS?!
Thank you!
Hello all, here every one is sharing these kinds of familiarity, therefore
it’s good to read this web site, and I used to pay a visit this webpage daily.
Hi,
I was just wondering if you still had some water kefir grains available or if anyone had some that I could have. I heard you had to be careful of your source of water kefir grains. Plus I know that they produce a lot and many usually have an abundance. If someone can help me out I would appreciate it. Thank you!!
Can you tell us more about this? I’d like to find out more details.
Hi there i am kavin, its my first occasion to
commenting anyplace, when i read this post i thought
i could also make comment due to this brilliant paragraph.
Hello! I’m at work browsing your blog from my new apple iphone!
Just wanted to say I love reading through your blog and look forward to all your posts!
Keep up the excellent work!
I have read enough about water kefir at this point to be excited about getting started. How do I go about getting some?
If you have water kefir grains, I would like to purchase. Is that possible?
Hello, thank you for all information about water kefir. I want to have water because I have some digestives problems, but I don´t know how I can have it. I live in Bournemouth. Can you help me? Thank you 🙂
It’s an awesome post in avor oof alll the internet viewers; they will
get advantage from it I am sure.
C.B. I came across your website maybe a month ago. Don’t know how I came across kefir but it certainly intrigued me being interested in healthy living for yrs. Today I called my natural grocers store & they only have dairy kefir which is overly priced. I would love to use the water kefir & share with quite a large community of friends & family who also choose healthy lifestyles & doing things ourselves.I also started reading your other articles & so far love the humorous (how I can relate to) articles!!! Sandy
My friend just shared some kefir grains with me! I drank some Kefir water that she just uses molasses for flavor — – – It is yummy!
I don’t know if your still doing to giveaway or not, but I’d love to try them out. Don’t really have much in the way of healthy eatings so far and this would be a great way to kick the mt dew addiction. lol.
I WANT SOME, I WANT SOME!!! I have severe palmar/plantar psoriasis. Someone on TEAM INSPIRE said juice/water kefir helped them and I want to use it too. Finally found kefir flavored milk in grocery stoe, but they don’t keep it all the time. I ordered milk kefir grains 2 wks ago (still has not arrived) so I called them yesterday and they said they would not get them in for 14 more days, Oh Me, Oh My!!
So glad I found your site with such good information, keep it up.
Got to check out CRUNCHY BETTY.
Thank you again and again
It’s great that you are getting ideas from this paragraph as well as from
our argument made here.
I don’t see where to ask for your free water kefir ,
Excellent article. However, I am not having much luck finding water kefir grains. Any pointers?
thanks
martin
please email to crabapple (at) gmail.com. much appreciated.
Hi, i think that i saw you visited my site thhus
i came to “return the favor”.I am attempting too find things to improve my site!I suppose its ok to use a few off
your ideas!!
We’re a group of volunteers and starting a new scheme in our community.
Your web site offered us with valuable information to work on. You’ve
done a formidable job and our whole community will be thankful to you.
Thanks foor sharing your thoughts about water kefir. Regards
I want some!!! Thank you For this great information.
Right here is the perfect web site for everyone who would like to understand this
topic. You realize so much its almost tough to argue with you (not that I actually
would want to…HaHa). You definitely put a fresh
spin on a subject that has been discussed for
decades. Wonderful stuff, just excellent!
I’m truly enjoying the design and layout of your website.
It’s a very easy on the eyes which makes it much more pleasant for me
to come here and visit more often. Did you hire out a designer to create your theme?
Great work!
By accident, or meant to be? I’ve been researching kefir water/milk and how to begin. I was intrigued by your website and the name “crunchy betty.” Then distracted in trying to find out how you came up with that name, which drove me all into your site and all it entails – very interesting and now a new bookmark for me. However, I was unable to find anything to explain how you came up with the name. Please email me with the story behind it, and last, your site above indicated that you select a few to give kefir starter kits to. I would love and appreciate to be selected to receive a kit. I am very interested in kefir and would love to begin and pay it forward as well. Thanks!
Howdy! This post couldn’t be written much better!
Going through this post reminds me of my previous roommate!
He always kept preaching about this. I’ll send this article to him.
Pretty sure he’ll have a great read. I appreciate you for
sharing!
It’s difficult to find well-informed people for this subject, however, you seem like you
know what you’re talking about! Thanks
It’s an amazing post designed for all the online
viewers; they will obtain benefit from it I am sure.
Thank you for the good writeup. It in fact was a amusement
account it. Look advanced to more added agreeable from you!
By the way, how could we communicate?
I am trying to convert to all natural foods for my husband and me. We just celebrated 37 years of marriage and would like to enjoy another 37 years together. I have been canning and preserving all of those years and I’d like to discover additional ways to take care of our health naturally. Water kefir sounds like the perfect choice to explore.
Thanks for a great article!
I’ve been reading up on water kefir and am about to buy my starter batch. Though, I’m wondering how much one can/should consume per day? Most videos and tutorials make a huge batch and talk about this replacing fizzy drinks which leads me to think that a couple of glasses per day would be fine. However, there are some that say you should only start out with small doses and work up to say half a glass per day.
What do YOU do, please?
Dear crunchy Betty,
I would adore some water kefir grains. The are absolutely a gift from nature in which I would love to receive the benefits from. They will be loved and taken care of my entire life.
Best regards,
Michaelene
Thank you so much for this tutorial. It was super helpful to me, as a friend gave me some kefir grains and told me how to use them, but she was pretty new to the process herself, and she didn’t give me many details on how to go about using the grains. I wasn’t getting the fizz I knew I should. I’ve started a new batch using your directions. I’m looking forward to a better end result. Thanks again!
I would like to start making some water kefir again. I had made it for quite a while but then decided to take a break, storing them in fridge with some sugared water and covered. They don’t appear to be coming around (have tried twice, making new sugared water after a couple of days).
How do you go about storing your kefir grains if need to take a break?
I would be interested in getting some new grains – am in Middletown, NJ. Please let me know if you have some available Thank you..
Oh no, one picture shows that a metal spoon is used to put the kefir grains to the jar or bottle….No metals pls…
I would really like some water kefir. I promise to take good care of them.
I love to start nurture the pet – water kefir _ on my own.
Send me some pet if you can.
Crunchy Thanks..
How do I order the crystals from you?
For all of you having difficulty finding water kefir grains, I get mine from Lori at easy. They are fat and awesome grains!!They are priced reasonably too! 🙂 Here’s the link:
https://www.etsy.com/people/loritullos
my sister introduced me to water kefir last summer and i was super excited. she showed me this website and i read how kefir is hard to kill…i must be super talented. here are things your scoby will NOT like and how to kill it. to date i have managed to kill 4 sets of grains (i am no good with cactus plants either and supposidly no one can kill those, mine deflated and went flat).
1. kefir grains die when mixed with hot water so don’t disolve your sugar in hot water and add your grains before adding the cold water. that was my first death.
2. when your roommate brings home sugar from the restaurant they work at, make sure it is in fact sugar and not salt….yep, that was just nasty all around.
3. letting the first ferment go for 3 days. my grains turned almost sandy and the lemon floating in the jar disintegrated, gross.
4. mold on fresh fruit floating in the jar. because the condo is cooler, i have been letting the first ferment go for 48 hours. tonight i came home to switch out my batch to find a patch of mold on one of the strawberry quarters in the jar. yuck.
wish me luck on batch number 5
Good day! I know this is kind of off topic but I was wondering which blog platform are you using forr this website?
I’m getting feed up of WordPress because I’ve had problems with hackers and I’m looking at
options forr another platform. I would be fantastic
if you could point me in thee direction of a good platform.
Hello,
If room temperature (about 70-75 degrees F) is the ideal temperature for water kefir, what happens when we drink it where the average body temperature is nearly 100 degrees F? Won’t the probiotics all die off because of the excess heat?
Thank you for your answer!
I started to drink water kefir while I live in Washington state. My local co-op was always out of the kefir starters and then unexpectedly I had temporarily move to Carson City, NV where I buy kefir drinks at the grocery store. Well that got to be too expensive so I have done without it for about a month now and I am really noticing the difference in my body. I would love to get some water kefir grains to make my own. I was a big soda pop drinker cause I craved that fizz. Drinking kefir has gotten me off that and I just felt better. If anyone has some extra that they could spare, I would appreciate it. Can pay for postage and handling if not too costly. Thanks for all the info on kefir!
Hi
I love the way you introduce people into it,
My niece in Colombia S.A has been talking to me about it,telling me of how I can benefit of it, the problem is she can’t send them for me,so she talk to me about you and your page hopping for me to get some or as you say the starter kit. I’m having right now allot of issues with my health and I really think it’s going to be real beneficiary for me! As she said it will help you more than all those chemicals they’re giving you.
I would apreciate if you can give me a hand in my path to a healthy me!
Thank you
Jacquie Samper
237 NE Gum Swamp Rd. Lake City Fl. 32055
I would love some water kefir grains! I can not find any. I only found the dried freezed milk grains. I promise to love them, take care of them, and pass them on to good homes!!
I first heard of Kefir about 20 years ago give or take a couple years. I began reading about it and eventually felt a need to learn all I could about. The more I learned the more they began to take on an almost spiritual quality to me and I had to get some of these wonderful grains somehow. I search everywhere for months to find a source who would be willing to sell me some. After a very long search I finally found a terrific gentleman who was more than willing to share some of his grains with me and although I offered him some money he wouldn’t hear of it, all I had to do is to make the 5 hour or so to pick up my new delicate friends. The drive was well worth it, as crazy as it sounds but caring for them and watching how they grow was just something so special. So that is how I came to know about Kefir. It’s funny in a way because I feel as though I’m reliving my whole Kefir journey only now with water Kefir grains; I never knew such a thing existed. If there is someone who might be willing to share I would love to try my hand at raising some water Kefir grains. Best to all.
Wow what a great read! Thanks so much for taking time out to write about Kefir. I have been drinking water kefir and milk kefir for only 6 weeks and so far I find them both amazing! I’m working my way into kombucha tea making now. Getting my water and dairy kefir grains via FedEx was almost like Christmas day. LOL 🙂
I’m soo excited. My little sister has been making water kefir for a while now. She gonna share me some grains and teach me how tomorrow! I’m a very fortunate big sister. Gonna make some of your recipes when I get going good. Thanks for all the good information! Health and happiness to you and your family!
Marilyn
I would love to get some kefir granules from someone that has extra ones. Thank you!
If you think your water kefir grains are “on their way out,” you can reinvigorate them by adding 1 tsp molasses to your brew – they will multiply like gangbusters!
I also make kombucha and milk kefir and could make those starters available, too.
To your health!
annie
I live in New Jersey. I have been very interested in probiotics. This winter has been a little rough. Flu season, etc. I have been researching ways to get healthier. It is not easy when you don’t know where to start. I plan on starting with water kefir. I believe I need a bit more balance in my life. Probiotic supplements are not so great. And I want to share this new found healthy helper with my family and friend. I don’t mind purchasing them from people who actually want to help others get there health on track. Good luck!
A question for Martha (above): I just recently discovered water kefir grains. How did you know that the grains “left this world”? After a number of months, mine have not multiplied, but the results are slightly fizzy, less sweet than when first mixed up, and have a lightly fermented aroma (after a couple of days).
Thanks.
After 4 years my kefir grains left this world. It truly was sad to see them getting tired and finally go. You call them your babies, I too considered them my little ones. So let me try my luck at this. Perhaps I’ll be welcoming new babies into my kitchen soon. Yay!
Thank you for this post. I have a wonderful friend, Gabrielle Lee Nigmond, who linked to this article on facebook. She has some extra that she will give me tomorrow and now because of your article I know just what to do with it. Yay! I very much need a wonderful boost of probiotic for my gut after taking antibiotics for mastitis. My kids will get to have what I will call ‘soda’ 🙂
These comments are funny 🙂 I purchased my water kefir grains through Amazon http://amzn.to/2axyxii There are lots of choices and the cost with shipping for some is around $12.00 total.
Hi Crunchy Betty,
I just heard about the water kefir and was directed to your web site. I would like to get my first batch of Kefir Grains.
Please send to Kerry Anderson, 213 Bonnie Brae, Elmhurst, IL 60126.
Thankyou
Oh, wow. I guess the giveaway is long over, but my health food store might have some. Must get some as soon as possible. wow!
It’s clear when you look at them. But if we’re at home, I’m curious to see how
many fish are caught on Nosbonsing. Successful fly patterns on
the day, but it seems his mom of eight is angling for her own show.
Probiotics something few people had even ever heard of
using probiotics for health, you have soft bristles.
Because that will actually cause your gumms to recede, exposing the bone
and 3m stomatology then the predominance of the
last few years, people suffering from rheumatoid arthritis.
A probiotic is an organism which contributes to allergy like symptoms,
skin conditions, systemic infections, arthritis and
other 3m stomatology disease processes. Put simply, probiotics are recommended?
We work in many diffesrent ways to go about it.
a probiotic is a type of cell. all human cells (eukaryote) have mitochondria in them (probiotic cells) and we can not live with out them. some probiotic cells are bad for us; some are symbiotes, which means they work for us and we work for them. the ones in kefir are the type that digest our food. our own body actually does very little in the digestion process. put in plain language, these are helpful, some are harmful. hope this clarifies! (its amazing the things I know off the top of my head)
Sorry about errors small screen on phone eva
Hey crunchy Betty getting ready for bed praying I might be chosen to adopt two or there hundred of your babies I have a big heart and a wonderful loving home I want to use the drink and share with friends with some health digested I’ve problems never AD access to any kefir. Just dairy package starter thanks for your consideration eva
FYI folks: This was posted in 2011, I have a feeling the give-away is long over (correct me if I’m wrong). Betty… thanks for the informative post! I’ve been looking into water kefir and it helps to hear your tips and experience. Thanks!
Betty did you get my second reply the I wanted water kefir this entry showed up again to foil out but Pease put the lady with young girl will health iissues in my place I will check back later thanks
I would love to receive your free grains. I have been making kombucha for 5 years now & am very interested in trying kefir. I am a 73 year old very healthy & energetic Vegan & just came across your blog today. You have sold me! I have to try it.
Betty
I am very interested in trying to make water kefir. I have had auto immune issues for years and am researching fermented food and drinks to alleviate the issues such as hair loss, hoshimotos thyroiditis, joint pain to name a few. It sounds from all I’ve read that I may be onto something positive here, so tired of Dr’s telling me I’m fine because my blood work always comes back perfect.
My allergies have basically disappeared between eating fermented foods, drinking water kefir and taking vitamin D. But my joint pains didn’t disappear until I stopped eating gluten.
Who is crunchy Betty and how crunchy is she? Can you eat her? I’m in Chicago, the dirty city that everyone wants to linger to. I’m looking to get kefir because my 16yr that I adopted and had since she was a baby has Graves disease and on the border with Cancer as they say. I don’t. They want to remove her thyroids and keep her injected with a low dose of radiation chemo. I said no. She lost her hair, bone loss, memory loss at times, weight gain, eczema and psoriasis. She’s been bullied all through school but maintains top student but she cries a lot. She wants to be in the medical field and she loves science and biology so I think this will help her with her weight and also give her a something to work and take care of just like the microscope we bought her to keep her on top. So I think this is great to get the kefirs
My personal experience, I’ve found dairy kefir grains easier to use than water kefir grains. Dairy Kefir Grains also help make pasteurized milk a bit better.
Lecia, I can understand part of your frustration, trying to help a loved one battling eczema. Saw a few different doctors, but no one could tell us what was causing it. We tried various things to help our child’s skin, some things helped more than other, best moisturizer was from a hard lotion bar (which I make from natural ingredients/recipes found online see ebooks & videos from http://www.hardlotion.com/ and http://www.keeperofthehome.org/2010/08/how-a-hard-lotion-bar-helped-my-eczema.html and supplies from Soapers Choice located in Chicago & allow you to pickup order/saves on shipping:). Soaking in a bath with dead sea salt, also helped…(various sources online w/free shipping).
1 of our children battled eczema for about 4 years. We saw our child’s eczema clear up, when we stopped using pasteurized milk and bought raw milk. I’m still amazed at the healing God brought to his skin after making that 1 change.
Where do you find the Kefir grains? Is there some place special you purchase them?
Crunchy Betty, is there a way to make water kefir without the grains? I mean maybe thru some type of fermentation? How are the grains made.?
I’m new to fermentation and going crazy with it now. Just wondering how it all starts. I live in a rural area and not sure where I’d even find them. Thanks for your info.
In order to make water kefir you will need to have water kefir grains. Alternatively, some people convert their milk kefir grains to make a kind of water kefir. Doing the second method will result in grains that make water kefir but will not grow. Water kefir grains, with proper care, will multiply in a sugar water medium.
Crunch Betty,
I just read that you can also make it with grape juice and straight grape juice will even get pretty alcoholic. I want to make this? Do you know about it and if so, what other ways that can give me this strong drink? ~smile~
Hello Crunchy Betty,
I just received water & milk kefir for the first time… ever. I’ve never tried and don’t know anyone else who has. However, I was convinced that this would be a great source of alkaline water and pro-biotics for my new healthy track. I am delighted to try and afraid at the same time. I am preparing them as we speak. I don’t know what to expect of taste; I’m just willing to try everything other than crazy continuous exercise to get this weight off and have a healthier lifestyle. I am following the strictest regimen to grow them & understand how to keep them for life… before trying any flavor experimentation, I gotta know what it normally tastes like & what I’m doing. If you have any other suggestions, do tell! ~smile~
Angie
Please choose me!!!! I’m in Michigan and would love to give your cultures a good home. Kat
Love this blog! I have a problem with getting my kefir fizzy…I followed the directions, any suggestions?
If you are having trouble with getting you water kefir fizzy, you can try a couple of things:
1. Make sure you have bottles that seal well. If they leak air, they will leak your fizz right out too.
2. If you have tightly closing bottles and you are still getting no fizz, you may need to let it sit for longer to produce carbonation and/or you may need to prime it with some sugar to help the bacteria and yeast produce carbonation (about 1 tsp per 2-3 cups of prepared water kefir).
Keep in mind that temperature changes will affect how fast carbonation builds. In colder temps, it will take longer and in warmer temps it will be quicker. You should keep this in mind when you are bottling for carbonation to prevent explosions.
I discovered water kefir about a year and a half ago and love it. Sometimes a pain to deal with basically daily, but totally worth it. And I agree the little buggers are almost impossible to kill. Also have been no-poo(ish) for about the same amount of time…which means that I am bewildered that I only just now discovered your blog while looking for natural skin care. I have my oils on the way and can’t wait to try oil cleansing and add it to my current baking soda, honey, and aloe with tea tree oil (separately) regimen.
My only problem is, the more I read your posts, the more wonderful things I want to make (and more ingredients to buy) lol.
I’d live to start making kefir water! Got any grains to spare??
Hello there, merely realize your blog post through Yahoo, and discovered it is definitely informative. We’re want to be cautious about brussels. I’ll enjoy when you proceed this specific later on. Lots of other men and women be had good results away from your creating. All the best!
I would love to receive water kefir grains as I an very gluten soy and dairy intolerant plus..food is not my friend. I have been looking at kefir grains for about a month now and came upon your site..I’m excited to try and increase probiotics in my daily diet…I would love to receive some kefir grains…Thank You very much.
Sincerely, Carol
I’ve made milk kefir and kombutcha several times and, while my husband loves the taste, I can’t bring myself to drink either one. Does the water kefir taste similar?
No– there’s no vinegar taste to water kefir at all. My daughter has the same issues with kombutcha and loves water kefir.
I have been doing the water kefirs for about 3 weeks. I must be doing something wrong as I have recently been getting a vinegar smell, and no bubbles. I think they must have kicked the bucket. I follow the directions to a T of Crunch Betty’s for the first fermentation, then I started adding some dried cranberries and ginger to the first fermentation and the kefir water was delish, but something has gone wrong. No bubbles, smells funky.
I am on my 3rd batch of kefirs in 3 weeks. Ugh! I would like them to double and thrive so I can share them. Any suggestions are appreciated.
I feed my kefir grains with a 1/4 tsp of himalayan crystal salt, 1/4 tsp organic molasses and alternate between 2 tbsp organic raw sugar and maple syrup for different flavor per quart. Perhaps your grains are missing the minerals that the salt gives it or maybe you added the grains when they water was too hot?
Hi Betty,
Thank you for your suggestions on mineralizing the kefir grains. I did not add the kefir grains to the water until I added the cool water and checked to make sure it was tepid. So I don’t know why they are seeming to not thrive. Do you think if I add some of the salt and mollases to the grains now if they might revive? Or is it too late when the water is showing hardly any life. Cloudy water, slightly yeasty smell, and basically no bubbles. I feel like my science project is failing. Thank you for your suggestions.
Kindly,
Rhonda
I don’t know if you can bring them back to life once they’re totally inactive but I’d give it a try. You’ve got everything to gain and nothing to lose Rhonda!
I love this post – your explanation of water kefir is clear, funny and really well-written! My girlfriend and I have been making milk kefir for a couple of months now and absolutely love it – we got our first batch of water kefir grains yesterday… there’s no turning back!
if you are in Colorado Springs area, I have some water kefir grains.
email me tawsill(at)aol.com
Oh yes! I have been trying to find a kefir friend on our Swop shop radio program. I have several friends I am trying to get healthy lol and me too. I only have phone internet and don’t really do internet purchasing but really wanted a kefir from a loving home. Good luck to me! 🙂
Thank you,
Eva
Betty I failed to say I am interested in water kefir. may I try next week of I am not sevres
This tiny screen is very difficult for me would try to get worrier but tiny screen on phone
Is hard on my eyes maybe kefir juice will help thanks Eva part two
My water kefir is extremely weak. I think I might have over used them. I am in desperate need for water kefir. I drink this on a daily basis along with my milk kefir smoothies. Also, is water kefir the same as Kombucha?
I am interested in in trying this out. So far the information here has been wonderful. I will definately direct anyone who asks about. Hoping I am a winner, would love to try.
I would love to try water kefir, so if you have any grains available I’m shouting out here…unless I’m too late, of course. 🙂 My digestion/metabolism has always been slow, along with my ability to make changes to my life. 😉 Anyway, thank you so much for this great tutorial! I did learn a lot and will keep the recipes to use when I get my first batch of water kefir! Keep up the great work and thanks!
I have always wondered if my milk kefir grains could be used in making water kefir. I know they are sold as separate things, but if anyone has experimented with this, let me know!
I am growing water kefir granules now…thanks for the recipes. I plan to drink this daily to keep my intestinal flora in optimum shape.
oh crunchy oh crunchy, pls tell me pls do.
Tell me how to be healthy with kefir yahoo
Oh Betty oh Betty, pls tell me so fine
Tell me not to turn grains into wine!
I would LOVE some water kefir grains as I think I have just fatally ended the last batch and I am really afraid to look and see. But, Crunchy Betty, if you will pick me for the free grains, I will sing to them once a week and talk to them when I ferment.
Thx, Jan
This may be a stupid question, and you may have already answered it, but I haven’t been able to read through all the comments yet. When you do the second fermentation do you leave the grains in or take them out?
would love some water kefir and i have time to make it too!
Help! I mixed my warm to hot water with sugar to dissolve. I normally add cold water next before adding my grains. However, before I knew it I poured in my grains into the hot (not boiling) water before adding the cool water. I realized what I did immediately and drained quickly rinsing them with cool water. Did the hot water kill them? How will I know?
i want some, plz 🙂
We have a surplus of water kefir grains(in organic sucanat) if your interested. Contact me at; [email protected]
I just brewed my second batch and am starting to give away starters for friends and family. It is sooooo yummy! I did Kambuchu tea years ago and recently was offered another starter but a friend told me that Kombucha tea will feed candida and kerfir water will not. Does anyone know? My 81 year old mother loves kombucha.
Also I saw a few threads with regards to diabetes? Your doctor has to look deeper in his/her physicians’ desk reference, there is clinical research on a NATURAL health product for high cholesterol, triglycerides and metabolic disease that is not being pushed by their sales reps because the formula is not owned by a pharmaceutical. Text me if you want the name. My blood pressure normalized in 60 days and I am off my meds.
Going to add a vanilla bean to my next brew. Thanks for this blog!
I am using milk kefir but csnt find water kefir anywhere in south africa
Hello! I just began brewing water kefir. My first batch came out great! I kept it simple – first brew was just organic raw sugar and unfiltered tap water. Then, I strained and bottled it with slices of orange for the second fermentation. It came out perfectly. Second batch, I got fancy. I bought a Britta filter thinking that would help. I brewed with raw sugar and filtered water. Second fermentation was left for two days with lemon and ginger in a sealed jar and more orange slices in my two sealed bottled.
The orange kefir in the bottles ended up completely flat and sour, while the jar was perfectly carbonated and sweet.
Third attempt, and I’m using just jars, along with the filtered water. I have raspberries and ginger in the second fermentation. So far they’re not bubbly after two days. They still taste ok, but I’m afraid they’ll be sour tomorrow.
What gives? Is it the filtered water? Why was my jar the only successful batch in the second brew? I’m stumped!
Hello! I just began brewing water kefir. My first batch came out great! I kept it simple – first brew was just organic raw sugar and unfiltered tap water. Then, I strained and bottled it with slices of orange for the second fermentation. It came out perfectly. Second batch, I got fancy. I bought a Britta filter thinking that would help. I brewed with raw sugar and filtered water. Second fermentation was left for two days with lemon and ginger in a sealed jar and more orange slices in my two sealed bottled.
The orange kefir in the bottles ended up completely flat and sour, while the jar was perfectly carbonated and sweet.
Third attempt, and I’m using just jars, along with the filtered water. I have raspberries and ginger in the second fermentation. So far they’re not bubbly after two days. They still taste ok, but I’m afraid they’ll be sour tomorrow.
What gives? Is it the filtered water? Why was my jar the only successful batch in the second brew? I’m stumped!
I have heard that filtered water removes the minerals that the kefir need. Still trying to revive mine! They’re not growing any more. (sigh) I’m not sure if it’s the cooler weather here in the winter or what. I had been doing some research on them to see what may be wrong with them, and even though I don’t use filtered water, I did read that filtered water removes the needed minerals. If someone knows something different, please correct me.
I’m interesting in Water Kefir since I was 18 I suffer from stomach digestion and I try many other culture that didn’t work so I would love to try Kefir and help to said to other in my community about my new Kefir babies.
Hahaha! Just saw that this is from 2011. I guess I’ll have to go find me some water kefir somewhere else! LOL
This is SO Awesome!! Thank you for the information, and the excitement. I can almost smell my water kefir doing it’s thing! We already drink milk kefir, but have been absolutely BUBBLY (pun intended!) contemplating having water kefir around, too!! Thanks for the chance. Super Excited!!
I have been reading about this and am excited to try it. My 3 year old grandson has bowel problems and we have tried many things and many unhelpful doctors. I want to try this with Jackson to see if it helps. It sounds like it is something that we could make that he would drink readily. The things they give him now are UGH! Thank you for your info. Jan
I know this post is from 2011…but it totally just changed my life. I’ve been trying to lead a crunchier lifestyle step by (slow) step over the last few years, but the one thing I’ve never been able to give up completely is diet soda. I have one with lunch about five days a week and it’s my one serious vice. And every time I drink it, I cringe a little. I tried giving it up completely. I tried bribing myself with one a week. I tried drinking hot or iced tea with lunch instead. I tried carbonated water, but either didn’t like it plain, didn’t like all the sugar, or didn’t like all the artificial sweeteners. And I always came back to diet soda.
And now water kefir just snuck up on me. Just like that.
I know there’s sugar in this, but I read that if you let it sit closer to the 48 hour mark for the first fermentation, a good portion of the sugar is gone by then. (I have hypoglycemia managed by diet and exercise, and part of that is limiting sugar intake.) I’ll have to research a bit more to see exactly how much sugar is left, but if it’s not much and if I can make some fizzy cranberry/apple/other dried fruit goodness with water kefir that’s also good for my belly….then I’m going to be one happy, crunchy, diet-soda-free girl! 😀
My sister told me about Kefir water and prodded me to try it. I was skeptical, but I was brave and chugged it down, like a shot of whiskey. Wow, I loved it and since I’m 54 , over the hill, and wanting to be physically fit and healthier, I would like to covet the babies and join her. Thank you for sharing your knowledge with me!!!!!
Speaking personally water kefir is amazing. I don’t always eat well and this helps with it and helps me to lose weight, have more energy and helps detox mine and my kids bodies. My kids LOVE it and beg for it. Becareful when you first start though to only have a glass to maybe half a glass a day because your tummy will be detoxing for a week.
I want some! Ive never heard of it before but am highly interested! [email protected]
I still don’t get it, how do you create the actual Kefer grain? 1/2 c water, 1/2 sugar???
I think I killed my kefir grains!
Are they allergic to light? I have them in the fridge right now, but they weren’t working the last couple of batches. REALLY bummed out. I love water kefir.
Can you send some grains?
Can I use a few TBS of innoculated dairy kefir with live cultures?
Usually I drink milk kefir…but this sounds really amazing…cannot wait to try it!
So,,,,,what is the % alcohol? Or does this particular type of fermentation create something different?
I am a newcomer to kefir making and kombucha making! i will share my first mistake, and I can tell you that I won’t make it again. I added Tropicana to my culture because I was short one lemon for my recipe. Do you think it killed my culture? Of course it did:( Adding Tropicana seemed like such a good idea last night at 11:30 pm! I think i was just desperate to get my soda made. So there is my embarrassing moment. I feel so sad and so foolish! I just have to laugh at myself now. What was I thinking? Tropicana? Really?
Salutations Crunchy Betty. I’ve been brewing water kefir for a couple of weeks now and my grains are changing their attitude it seems. They get really fizzy during the first fermentation then loose their fizz during the second one. Has this ever happened to you or anyone brewing kefir out there?
I use the second fermentation with coconut cream, It becomes foamy and tangy, then I refrigerate it and is delicious, I highly recommend it
I have to make one correction. Honey will NOT harm your kefir (or your kombucha) I prefer honey over any other sweetener in both, and they both seem to thrive and multiply much faster with honey than with sugar of any kind, or molasses.
i made a donation to cover expenses to send me a sample, if you don’t do samples anymore consider it a contribution., i got one off ebay but it died. i followed their directions. i was a bacteriologist, i know how to culture bacteria and about everything else.
i love your site.. thanks
I am making and drinking Kombucha, so I am very exited to make and drink Water Kefir
Thank you for leting me know
Saw this on Pinterest! Looks good…I’d love to try!
I have been doing this for a couple of years, but when I went on vacation, mine died! I would love to find some more! Since I have stopped I am back on Nexium and that stuff is expensive!
Wow, just wow. I’m a longtime ‘bucha brewer (with secondary brews of all kinds: herbal, fruity, and more). I’m just starting with water kefir and I don’t like it. I am so so so relieved to see that I can do a secondary brew just like I do for my ‘bucha. Phew! Now I’ll have fun.
I’m looking for water grains. Used the resource Angela provided below. It’s all coming together!
Thank you,
Love and lightSue
I just found this post!! I’m commenting even though I know the giveaway is way over. But I just wanted to say that I’m excited to try your favorite ideas for water kefir!! I just ordered some, to be mailed from a friend, that we’ll have in a day or two. You got me even more excited about it than I already was!! Thanks for such great posts!
Hey Crunchy Betty! I just heard of kefir today for the first time through one of my FB friends. I’m trying to research it a little to learn more about it’s benefits. I’m a 25 yr type 1 diabetic and my initial concern was the use of the sugar; therefore, I was hoping that I might possibly substitute Stevia. I just learned that it will not grow properly. I also learned through one of your links that it helps regulate blood sugar, so I am curious about the trade off…..sugar vs lower blood sugars, lower cholesterol, better metabolism, etc.
I also just recently got married and my new husband has dealt with and been treated for psoriasis for years to no avail. As soon as his skin gets used to whatever medication he tries, it no longer works. And 2 years ago he was diagnosed with colon cancer. It was removed, but it has really prompted us to try to eat more healthily.
We’re mid life, so we’re not youngsters anymore, but we’re not ready to throw in the towel either. We grew up eating meat and potatoes, fried foods and lots of sugar and soft drinks, so we’re trying to at least halt the damage, if not reverse a little of it.
I’d love to try one of your starter kits!
Thanks!
Hello there! I would SO LOVE to stop drinking COKES!!! I am 63 and been drinking them since I was 19 years old. So, if I qualify I would so appreciate trying these grains. By the way, I’ve never heard of Kefir! Thanks so much for this info and God Bless!
I buy commercial milk kefir from the grocery store all the time, and I *love* it. when I drink it, my digestive tract is much happier than without.
But, it’s kind of on the expensive side, and I would love to have my own starter kit to play with!
I would love to try the water Kifer, I never heard of it until I came across your site on Pinterest. I have been brewing Kombucha tea for about 3 years now and the brewing system is similar, I grow a “baby” about every 7-10 days and give them away to my friends. The water kifer sounds absolutely wonderful and I would love to share some “babies”, I promise to by a good mama. 🙂
I’m so sorry I mispelled Kefir…I guess I didn’t have my bifocals focused!! hee hee
I have never heard of kefir but I am very intrigued…particularly if it would help me break my diet soda habit!
I feel ignorant for I have never heard of kefir but I am excited to try it. I am overweight, I have a ton of allergies and, I admit, love the soda pop. Please get me started on water kefir.
Perfect! I just got my water Kefir grains a month ago and wanted some recipes, Thanks!
Sooooo, first off, let me say a huge thank you for posting this! It was pinned by somebody on Pinterest (honestly, WHAT did we do without Pinterest???) and I thought it sounded interesting. From there, I was intrigued and went to CulturesforHealth.com and bought water kefir grains and, for good measure and to show that I was really gung-ho about the whole thing, I bought kombucha starter as well. Seriously hard core, I know. Anyway, my question is this: There’s a, uh, well, a filmy looking substance that has formed on my water kefir. I tasted it and it wasn’t bad but I was wondering if I should be concerned about this, what it is, and how to combat it if it isn’t a good thing? Also, since my kefir grains have rehydrated, there are teeming hoards of them! By teeming hoards, I mean around half a cup. So, does that mean I have grains to spare and could maybe share them with my mom?
Oh, and I have a batch that’s going through a second fermentation right now with dried cranberries. Can’t wait to try it!
Been making my H20 kefir for a while now. I had adopted both milk and water kefir babies. I had to feed them and watch them and smell them to make sure they behaved. I’m kinda allergic to dairy, so I was trying to train the milk to be happy with coconut or homemade nutmilks. She was at first and then things got kinda nasty. She and I just didn’t get along, so I found a friend who could take over her care with a dairy diet. So now me and water kefir get so much time together! She works well when I start her with teas or diluted juices (though her grains are a dingy purple grey now). She’s not fussy so we just use tap or filtered water and whatever sugar I have on hand. Love her!
You can keep using the milk kefir in coconut and nutmilks, you just need to return the grains to milk with lactose every so often (when it fails), then you can go right back to the lactose free milks.
Went and got my own Kefir (through kijiji) I’m super excited! I got it mailed to me so the first few batches felt like it was still hibernating. I’m on the 4th batch now, and not only did the fizz get stronger significantly, it’s also gone from it’s original 3 tablespoon to 4.5 tablespoon!
I haven’t tried flavoring or bottling it for the real soda effect yet, but will try it the moment I get my hands on some air tight bottles! Coconut water kefir sounds delicious too.
What did you do to ge the fizz? I’m seeing small bubbles come to the top, but no fizz yet. What could I be doing wrong. although my kefir water taste good. I also want the soda effect.
It’s not fizzy to the point of being comparable to soda yet, so I have yet to get a real soda effect myself. I’m still waiting to see what fully activated kefir grains are like because I suspect mine aren’t fully “awaken” yet.
I would imagine a real air tight bottle, and extra time fermenting without the grain will help build the fizz? My downfall is I like to check on them too often, thus probably resulting in the fizz escaping…
Or try using air tight bottles starting from the first fermentation?
Have you ever gotten “black” something inside some of your grains? Do you know what that means?
really enjoyed reading this and want kefir. will be checking out the rest of the site. thanks for all the information
Are you still giving away water kefir grains to start making water? I’d love some if I’m not to late.
Barbara Love
This site lists kefir-sharing folk from all over the world
http://www.torontoadvisors.com/
I got both milk and water grains for free this way 🙂
Thanks, Angela, I found some possible grains through the site you posted. Nice!
Thank you! Very interesting as I’m learning and attempting to battle candida!
I love new pets! I’d feed them, and love them, and share their offspring with friends! Where can I get some of these adorable lil’kefir babies?
I would love to have some! Wow I can’t wait to start using them!!!!!
I want some! I’ll even buy some, I just have no idea on where to purchase it.. help? 🙂
What a cool idea. I’ve been making my own kombucha for the past 6 months but have just started reading about Kefir today. I love adding ginger or apple cider to my kombucha but it’s never as fizzy as I want. Maybe kefir is the answer! My boyfriend makes beer, so it seems we have the supplies to bottle kefir soda and get rid of the ol’ Soda Stream!! Now to check out the rest of your blog…
Awesome!! This looks soooo cool. Question: can you use sugar alternatives, besides the ones you listed? I know you said no honey, what about molasses or agave nectar? Is the sugar just a sweetener, or is there a deeper chemical reaction (seems like there must be)?
Thanks for the awesome ideas!
I bought a bottle of Dr. G’s Kombucha (cranberry flavored) this weekend and I love it. The taste and the carbonation satisfies my need for my daily caffiene free diet mt dew! Can you tell me how the water kefir compares to the kombucha? Also, if anyone has too many kefir grains I would really love some. Thanks!
I would seriously love some kefir grains! I have been meaning to buy some online for a while now but, with money being soooo tight, that hasn’t happened yet. If someone has some extra grains I promise I will take care of them and feed them and tell them I love them on a daily basis. 🙂
I just ordered some… waiting to get them. I can’t wait to try it out! As mine grow i’ll send you some if you’d like. I have no idea what I would have to do to them to send them, but I will try my best. How would one send them? Do they need to be dehydrated?
Please, please please please. Dealing with cancer and other medical issues, I would love to get more organic and healthy. My husband is doing great on our new way of life eating but just can’t kick ginger ale and cream soda. This would be an awesome blessing to be able to make them and get rid of those terrible chemical filled drinks. Please let me know if anyone has an abundance they wish to share. We will be VERY loving adoptive parents 🙂
we have some extra water kefir grains and can share them with you. email us if you still want them – [email protected]. you can add dry figs, apricots, raisins, etc we always add some organic ginger slices to it. tastes great, and so healthy. also, very refreshing summer drink 🙂
Hi I have just read about the water kefir and would love to try it. I saw that you might have extra. I have a host of health problems which deal with my entire digestive system. My liver is not good as well as I suffer from a rare liver disease. i will need atransplant eventually. Probiotics are suppost to be great for my digestive system but store bought just isnt working. Id like to try this Water Kefir. Besides who wouldnt love a healthy soda!! Please contact me either way, God Bless!
Me too please. Dealing with cancer and other medical issues, I would love to get more organic and healthy. My husband is doing great on our new way of life eating but just can’t kick ginger ale and cream soda. This would be an awesome blessing to be able to make them and get rid of those terrible chemical filled drinks. Please let me know if anyone has an abundance they wish to share. We will be VERY loving adoptive parents 🙂
I’ve never heard of this before! I would LOVE to try this!!!! I’m already in love with coconut milk, thanks to you! Only, i’ve been making it from whole coconuts. I had no idea how easy it was to make! I MUST try this! If I don’t win some… i’m begging my husband for some for Christmas!
My favorite new discovery is Pure Shea Butter! This stuff is good for everything from replacing your day and night cream for your face (takes care of wrinkles, brown spots AND zits), no more ‘alligator’ skin on knees, heels, elbows, anywhere (supposed to cure excema and psoriasis too), and instead of expensive Morocan Oil for your hair (as a ‘finish’ or as a deep treatment. It’s even touted as an excellent *lubricant* (blush)! My girlfriend brought some to me from Africa, pure stuff, and I must say; AMAZING!!!! Try some if you can find it!
Hello! A new reader and was readily browsing your page and already noting so many wonderful recipes. This one in particular, I am extremely interested. I love soda, but have been good enough to keep it off my consumption. Is there a source in which you buy the water kefir that you can recommend to me? I noticed a few places on amazon, but from the options, I don’t know which is best.
Gracie.
I have milk kefir grains. Can I use them with water?
researching this on the net, it would seem that milk kefir grains are different. if you find pictures, you will see that they even look different. having said this, we did use our water kefir grains with organic milk and they quickly produced kefir cheese. so you might want to try a small portion of the milk grains and give them pure water with sugar to see if they like it. they are alive, so only they decide what they like/need. i.e we noticed that our water grains love brown sugar better than white (even though most dedicated sites on the web recommend using white sugar).
bubbly nutritious and tasty alternative to beer in the evening…that’s what dream popped into me as I read this recipie. thank you just don’t show my grateful
i would REALLY love to try this! have just made your coconut milk and i LOVE it. i love your blog, love your blog, and will love you even more when you tell me i’ll be getting’ some water kefir in the mail! you ship USPS, right? can’t wait. oh, please, please, please!
Just found this site through a friend, love it. I had a ginger beer alive for about 6months and that was alot of fun. The idea of healthy and amazingly good for you little pet sounds delightful. Would be very keen to try some and hopefully grow enough to share them on
where do the kefir grains originate from? can you make your own grains?
I’d love some water kefir, but I don’t think my level of crunchy involvement merits a gift of some. (though I dearly love you and read every post, I’m just lame enough to not comment frequently.) I think I’ll put it on my Christmas list. That’s not weird is it? Thanks for the recipes!
I would love some even though I’ve never heard of this. I plan to use it to get my 20 yr old son off the soda. (He has now taken his first demanding full time real labor job and soda isn’t going to help him). He loves the sugery, chemically altered stuff toooo much. :'(
I am going to most def share it with my mother – in – law because she’s really trying to eat healthy and convince Poppa to do the same. He also loves soda too. 🙁
If I find any friend who’s interested in it by all means I’m also sharing it with them. Good things like these and the “FOYF” book I CANNOT keep secret. I have told all my friends about the book. I’m making some scrubs for Christmas from the Crunchy blog posts for them to try. I’m thinking if they try it they’ll like it and buy the book. Sneaky hu? 😉
I do have a question; is this fine for pregnant women to consume?? My best friend is now 20 weeks. If yes I’m going to give her some. I’m quite sure her daughter – to – be would benefit from it greatly.
As far as raising the kefir I am willing to properly care for it. I raise various genius of tarantulas, Blaqtica Dubai Roaches, and various stages of house crickets from pinheads all the way to full grown. I do this for my 14 tarantulas, two Bearded Dragons, and two Sugar Gliders feedings. They also eat a various diet of greens and fruits not just “meat with legs” as my 4 yr old daughter calls their bugs. 😀
From what I’ve read about the kefir care it is the simplest organism to raise and care for out of what I’m already successfully raising now. 🙂
YESSS I did buy the book as soon as it was available. I could hardly wait and I LOVE it! 5 S*T*A*R*S!!! TYTYTYTY!!!!! I have created a few of the recipes for myself and enjoyed them. I made the strawberry, yogurt, honey mask to recupe from moving this past week. Sooooo relaxing and super good for my face. Oh btw it was yummy to boot. Yeah I tasted it. I admit it I actually took a taste before slathering it on. Oh wow this was delish both inside and out lol! 😀
Take care namaste friends!
~nadimoon
I am curious about the water kefir….but am a bit worried about the alcohol content? Anyone have an idea how much if any is in it??
I’ve never heard of water kefir until your post, thank you so much for sharing! I would love to be lucky enough to receive a starter kit, but I’m definitely getting one. I’m excited to start giving my daughter some, the poor thing has horrible skin rashes & digestion issues. I’m hoping that the kefir will help.
PS – I bought your book & LOVE IT! I’m glad you conquered your fear and did it! You did great!
Since I can’t do dairy, I’ve been meaning to get some of these little babies. Happy pro-biotic dairy free drink? Count me in!
i’ve heard about Kefir and milk but never kefir and water. I’d like some 🙂
I love how you are running this giveaway! I really want to try water kefir. I was wanted to brew my own kombucha but I never tried because it just seemed like way to much work. I think that I can do this!
I’ve never heard of water kefir, but I am intrigued! Since stumbling onto your blog a few months ago, I have completely gone crunchy with my skincare routine (LOVE the honey wash!) and in September, have taken your challenge and gone no ‘poo! I’m still battling with acne and psoriasis, and have been reading recently that probiotics can help…so what do I read today? Water kefir is a probiotic! I MUST try this (and hopefully kick my and my husband’s nasty soda habit)!
I want to try making kefir. Thank you for the great encouragement. I feel more confident to make the plunge.
I have been trying to get my mother to kick her soda pop habit for AGES, probably since I was about 9 (I’m 20!). I never liked pop, and I never understood why she did- I swear I don’t know how she’s survived this long living only on Diet Coke, she barely drinks water. I’ll have to order some and try this out! Maybe she’ll finally give it up and enjoy water.
I’m one of those that never heard of water kefir! The other kind, yes, but water??? Crazy! *want want want*
Me, me, pick me!! *jumping up and down, furiously waving hands*
I’d love to have a sample of the water kefir grains. This whole process sounds so healthy and interesting to me. Thanks so much. What a cool give-a-way!
I’d love love love to win some water kefir grains! I’ve got a batch of milk kefir already running, but this would be wonderful, to offset my craving for the nasty fizzy stuff.
I just bought your new book last night so was looking through the rest of the site. This sounds very interesting. I’ve never heard of it before but would like to try it out.
back home (sweden) it’s actually really common with kefir (as sourmilk). i remember i used to eat it all the time when i was a kid, i absolutely loved especially with some brown sugar, it made your tongue go all fizzy.
I’m a huge fan of yo and kombucha but the kombucha bubbles make me feel bloated sooo I am wondering if this probiotic may work in my favor…I am off to google it and maybe I will get on the bandwagon with ya’ll!
Oh, here’s the helpful part…Dom is an austrailian (?) who is THE expert of Keifer. His website has everything you need to know about Keifer plus recipes. The link is crazy, but if you google him it comes up as: Dom’s About Keifer In-Site
Hi! I’m a newbie here that has been converting to crunchyism (new word!) since my daughter was diagnosed with mild autism at age two. She is four now and is doing great!!! We did raw milk Keifer for a few months but the kids got really moody from it. I tried the grains in coconut water but that didn’t go so well. I would love to try the water grains and we are part of a homeschool co-op so if they don’t work for us they would get passed along the same way the milk grains did. And yes! surplus gets shared! Spread the love!
I have been wanting to try water kefir for a long time. I have a super bad Diet Coke habit that needs to be kicked to the curb!
Thank you CB for continuing to educate. I absolutely would love to receive some kefir. No kidding, I can go through a 2-liter soda a day in additional to drinking H20. This is my #1 weakness, next to not eating enough each day. Your blog and site has helped me immensely beginning with using honey on my face. Now your DELICIOUS book! I’ve since created apx. 80% of your recipes/instructions for wonderful things I use in my life and the ones I love. Your best cleaner is FAB-U-LOUS! After 21 surgeries, and staying sick most of the time, your blogs are like angel whispers to me. I’m 48 and desperately want to feel better. I’d love to get some kefir and would surely keep it going. One thing I have that is wicked is IBS. I’ve been taking acidophilous, but feel like I need something stronger. (((Huge Hugs)))
This sounds great! I would love to try some.
I have been a reader of all your crunchiness since I stumbled across your site. I was so impresses I actually signed up for your post! I never sign up for anything like this. I prefer to bookmark and check it when it crosses my thoughts, BUT you grabbed my interest in so much, I had to get it delivered. I might have missed these awesome sounding kefir to make a healthy alternative to soda!
It sounds like it the best thing since sliced bread (home made in crunchy style of course! )
Put me in for some free ones to try. *bows to Betty* all hail crunchiness. LOL
I have kefir grains which I add milk to, to make something like yogurt, but I’ve never heard of water kefir. Are they the same thing? Could I add water instead of milk?
Although it seems to be hidden now, I asked essentially the same question. The answer was no. They are different types of grains.
Wow, I’ve wanted to try kefir for a while but never got around to doing it. Over the summer I began having some unwanted intestinal symptoms (involving running to the toilet on a regular basis 🙁 ) and the past few weeks I’ve been wondering if I have irritable bowel syndrome. (or if it’s just the rest of me that’s irritable, lol!) Reading your post, I’m thinking a good first step would be to start using kefir, and see if that helps! thanks for the reminder (and pick me! pick me!!)
This sounds like a delicious way to get my boyfriend to stop drinking pop! I’d love to try some. How does strawberry kefir soda sound? mmmmm…
So 2 things.
Firstly, I’ll be more or less permanently moving to India (my bf’s homeland) most likely in July and I just *know* that I’ll end up having my fair share of G.I. tract issues. I was already planning on making my own yogurt to help with that, but this whole water kefir thing has put me in a tizzy. I’m so excited to try it out! Maybe I can get the bf to kick his pop habit, too 😉 Seeing as how I’m a total lurker, I just went ahead and ordered a starter kit from the website, along with a yogurt starter kit that I’ve been meaning to get. Can’t wait for them to arrive!
Secondly, I was looking up some more info on water kefir on youtube and of course my beloved wikipedia (I owe a decent part of my undergrad and grad degrees to that site) and saw that streptococcus is one of the bacteria in water kefir (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water_kefir). Should I be worried about giving myself strep throat?
Thanks!
Yeaaahhh I’m gonna need some of this…ASAP!! I am LOVING your advice and crunchy goodness! I keep sending everyone I know here and they also say “I am LOVING this place!”
So thank you for spreading your crunchyness to everyone!
I found your site a few weeks ago and have been spending WAY to much time on it. I have a laundry list of things do around here but keep getting pulled away to try all these new things out. I just finished infusing vinegar and am now going to use my infused vinegar to try out your window cleaner recipe. I would LOVE to receive some Kefir to try this out. I have some kiddos with achy tummies and allergy problems, plus it sounds DELICIOUS.
i would love some! thank you!!!
Even though I was never a soda-pop drinker, I LOVE kefir water! I’ve been brewing continuously for over 8 months now and have developed a huge colony of grains. It’s even gotten to the point where I have 3 10 cup batches fermenting at all times, another 2 cups (!) of grains incubating in the fridge, am begging those around me who don’t think I’m already totally crazy to take some and have resorted to eating them straight.
A few troubleshooting points: First – the grains I got from Cultures for Health were just ok. They didn’t multiply very quickly and were slow to ferment. I ordered two batches from the Kefir Lady (http://www.kefirlady.com/waterkefirgrains.htm) and have had a hard time keeping up with the growth ever since.
Second – I used to boil my water to get rid of the chlorine, but for some reason, the grains just did not like my water supply. I started using spring water (not distilled or filtered or reverse osmosis – but spring water) and it made a huge difference.
I would highly recommend anyone and everyone giving kefir water a shot! Even with all the fermenting I do, my family of 3 goes through it faster than I can make it.
sigh. US only.
sigh
This is exciting! Due to food allergies, I haven’t had soda in 3 years!!! So not only it it kefir, which I love, but it’s like a kefir/real ‘soda’ hybrid. WIN! I’m pretty stoked about getting to make this myself one of these days, and putting my homemade vanilla extract in it. *drool*
Hi! This all sounds so intriguing to try, and I’d love to try some! You always share some of the most interesting things and I always want to try them! 🙂
I would love to give water kefir a try. It might help my husband kick his soda habit.
1 question: I do not like carbonation. If I only ferment once, will it basically be flat or still pretty bubbly?
Yep. One fermentation doesn’t make it terribly bubbly, AND if you put it in the fridge, you pretty much lose the carbonation completely. If you just ferment it once, and then pop it in the fridge uncovered for a couple of hours, and then go ahead and cover it, you should be safe from the bubbles. 🙂
So, for those of us who DO want BUBBLES, BUBBLES, BUBBLES, do we do the opposite??? 😉 LOL
Double fermentation
No refrigeration
Keep covered
????
Hi Betty, I love your site . I have awful seasonal allergies and wonder if this would help me too. Thank you for your helpful and funny site. Cindy Murphy.
I would love, love, LOVE to win these! I made dairy kefir for a while but buying so much milk was breaking our budget. Since I’m pregnant and need to fight off some GBS, as I’m hoping for a VBAC in Feb., I want to start making water kefir instead. Plus, my hubby is pretty addicted to crappy sugary soda and I hope that this would offer him a healthy alternative 😀
I’d love to try water kefir since I don’t drink milk, and it’s about time to start truly weirding my roommates out :).
I’d really like to give some to my mom, who is currently taking many many probiotic pills to try to heal her gut, but for her I do need to know if the sugar (after it’s been eaten by the kefir) still acts like sugar in the body? I get indirectly guilt-tripped if I leave anything sweet out in my house!
Wow! Heard of Kefir, but never heard of this. I seriously just started brewing Kombucha two weeks ago. Now I really want to start brewing this (it looks a lot prettier than Kombucha, that’s for sure). The creme soda version is on my radar bigtime. Thanks for sharing!! 🙂
Oh wow. I only knew about dairy kefir. I’d LOVE to do this! It’s healthy, tasty, and easy? Sign me up and count me in please! We kicked our soft drink habit long ago, but I do love bubbly drinks. 🙂
I would love to try these. I’ve actually been thinking about it since you mentioned it earlier. My daughter has some health issues and breathing issues. I would love rinsed this to her diet and see if it helps.
I think I have heard of water kefir, but after reading the comments I wonder if I had read about milk kefir… What’s the difference in the actual “grains”? Hmmm…
In any case, I would love to work on my digestive health in this way…water kefir, specifically. I’ve been gardening for a few years now and making homemade face/body products for awhile now and did the cleaning switch many, many years ago. I started taking a healthy cooking class recently (3 weeks in, 3 weeks to go) and this would kick the healthy eating up a notch. I’m also taking a class in naturopathic medicine and we were just discussing how health is largely determined by the health of one’s gut flora. The visual (colored markers on the white board) is forever imprinted in my brain.
Thank you for offering such an exciting giveaway! The manner in which you are doing it is such a refreshing idea! <3 (pretend it's facebook and you can see the heart…LOL)
The grains for water kefir look like clear little jelly beans like in CB’s pics. The grains for milk kefir look like pieces of califlower. They are not really interchangeable.
Milk kefir grains can be converted to water kefir but it takes a long long time. Water kefir grains are not usually able to be converted to milk kefir. They must have evolved over time into 2 distinct forms–both very good for us 🙂
“Dom’s Kefir site” has a ton of further info as well.
Thank you for the explanation! 🙂
I would love to be a winner and am excited to try water kefir. I love your blogs
Ohhh! Water Kefir! I’ve been making regular kefir for about 6 months now, but really have a problem (mentally) using milk and I hate spending $6 on organic milk). So water kefir sounds like the ultimate solution.
I’d love to try it.
Since drinking kefir daily, our immune systems have been greatly strengthened. My K and 3rd grader rarely get sick. 🙂 I feel healthier too.
Thanks for all your healthy tips! Keep ’em comin’!
Thank you so much for these instructions and recipes! I’ve been making kefir with milk for years now, but I’ve always wanted to try water kefir but for some reason thought it sounded more complicated (I get weird ideas sometimes : ) Anyway, I’m going to take the plunge and do it. Those Diet Dr Peppers call to me in the checkout lanes at the store, and I give in too often. Maybe this will help me too. I’m too new to win some this time, but I’ve ordered from Cultures for Health before, and they’re great. I think I’ll do it right now!
I am really excited about this post! Water Kefir sounds amazing and I think it could really change my families’ life! We have been trying to get healthy and that is really hard to do when my fiance’ refuses to give up the soda! Thank you so much for this information. I can’t wait to try it.
Sounds great! My MIL makes raw milk kefir, but I can’t have dairy since my son is intolerant and I’m breastfeeding him. I didn’t know there was such a thing as water kefir!
Hi all! I have milk kefir grains and make fresh kefir to drink each morning and I LOVE it. I blend in fresh fruit (whatever is in season) and it’s like a yogurt-y smoothie with no sugar. I look forward to it each day and it has kept me very healthy.
I haven’t been sick once since I started over a year ago. It’s awesome stuff.
I do love the water kefir, but I’ve got my hands full with the milk kefir. Just wanted to chime in that I’m on board the kefir train as well and to encourage everone to try it.
I joined a yahoo kefir group and put out a post to see if anyone would give me or sell me kefir grains and I met a total stranger who graciously shared them with me.
If anyone wants milk kefir grains, just let me know. I’ll be happy to share as well 😉
So. A) I want some milk kefir grains. B) How much can you spare? (I’ll share your offer in a more public way – probably FB, if you want me to.) And C) How would you ship them? That’s one thing I thought about my water kefir grains – ’cause originally I was just going to try to get them to multiply and give some of min away, too, but I couldn’t figure out how shipping was going to happen.
Regardless, you are SO sweet to offer. Isn’t kefir, like, the best thing? It’s the yeasty bacteria that keeps on giving and giving and giving.
A)You got it!
B) Right now I have a couple (maybe 4 or 5 pea sized) small ones to share, but will keep this as an open offer because they of course grow and reproduce.
C)Shipping–this one cracks me up. I shipped kefir to a girl out of state and had to come up with a plan for this. I ended up putting the kefir in a “foodsaver” plastic which can be sealed at each end like a flat sort of package. I double bagged it that way, then wrapped it in bubble wrap and then put it in a flat UPS overnight envelope. I just kept it refrigerated until the minute I put it in the drop box and then it was delivered the next morning and of course kefir is fine at room temp. It just gets stronger.
And I know using plastic isn’t great…but for this situation it’s kind of perfect.
Not sure if water kefir is this way, but milk kefir is sensitive to certain metals so putting it in a jar with a metal lid isn’t necessarily recommended.
And if you want to work something out where I just ship the grains to the receivers, I’ll be happy to ship them with the foodsaver method so you don’t have to buy one or whatev. We can just figure out a way to get me the shipping $.
I am all about spreading the kefir love! Food for thought–every living kefir grain that we possess has been handed down from generation to generation going back literally thousands of years all the way back to it’s initial discovery in the Caucasus mountains. Talk about a living link to our ancestors. Pretty cool 🙂
I’m reading this from Australia so I’ve naturally ruled myself out here, but you guys have got me thinking. There are so many people who are saying they’d love to get in on the kefir action. Would shipping really be necessary? Or are there enough of you to start a sort of ‘kefir collective’, and only need to meet someone locally to share? It could be the Crunchy Betty challenge – to network the CB readers across the continent via sharing of kefir-y goodness 🙂
That is a great idea. We should start a community thread to connect us. Im in the Tampa Bay area in Florida. So anyone else who is nearby let me know if you want any.
Also, Kylie, this guy Dom is in Australia and is a huge kefir guru. His website is: http://users.sa.chariot.net.au/~dna/kefirpage.html
He is in Adelaide S.A.–not sure if that’s anywhere near you, but I’m sure he could ship as well.
So cool! I’d LOVE to try this. It sounds like something I’d really enjoy, and I might even get my husband to try it 🙂
Haven’t been around CB for very long but it’s my newest obsession. Chimed in at “Introduce Yourself” before I went to sleep last night and am waking up to the water kefir story info this morning! I have never heard of this… where has it been all my life??! I have tons of allergies and am lactose intolerant. As a kid my mom kept goats in our backyard in the middle of Phoenix so we could milk them because I could tolerate the goat milk better than the regular old cow variety. (Goats! In Phoenix! We even had one named Phoebe–no offense to any human Phoebe’s out there, goat Phoebe was delightful). 😀
I would love, love, love the opportunity to try this!
Thank you Betty for sharing your crunchiness!
Crunch on!
Ooooh this looks fantastic. I’d love to win some. Would love to share this with my family and friends ( they already think Im a little crazy for giving them home made deodorant!) =) Happy Monday!
I’ve tried my hand at kombucha, and I have made plenty of my own yogurt… but I had never heard of water kefir! I’d totally love to try it!! xoxox
Heck yes! I make dairy kefir every week but have never tried water kefir– I’d be interested to see if I could get my pop-loving hubs to drink it 🙂
I definitely want to try this. I’m creating healthier habits and this seems like a great thing to do to help me kick the soda habit!
Sup! I would love to win these! Thanks for the giveaway!
O how I would LOVE to get my hands on these! I have the “other” kefir that I put in smoothies all the time for my daughter and I, we love it! I have known about water kefir for a long time but have nobody to get grains off of, like the “other” kefir..lol Would so love to win this as hubby won’t even THINK about touching the other kefir, and is addicted to nasty soda pop, so if I win we will collectively be giving coke a cola a punch in the mouth…haha
I am excited about kefir even though I’ve never even tried it. My husband has already accepted my hippie-ness, so I think I could get him to accept my trying this in our house… I’d love some water kefir grains.
I would love to try this! I have been reading for about a year now, but tend to be quiet and not comment much. But, this is totally worth it. Would love to try this to kick my soda habit as well as hopefully get my seasonal allergies under control. and the probiotics should help as well.
I would love some happy bacteria – heaven knows my poor digestive system needs it (I am typing this after being up sick half the night. this is a regular occurrence). I don’t do well with dairy so I like the idea of water kefir. My only concern lies with the alcohol content – do you have more information on that? I don’t drink alcohol for personal (and health) reasons so if there is more than a negligible amount I might not chance it. I’m also curious about how sugary it is. Me and sugar are not friends. That said, the thought of homemade healthy ginger ale and cream soda is so tempting!
I would LOVE to try water kefir – thank you for this totally awesome opportunity!
i would LOVE water keffir grains! i’m kind of low on the list here but i figured why not try! i tried to do some kombucha with my bf but he was a little freaked out by it and let it over ferment. 🙁 sad sad. unfortunatly, i get UTIs pretty frequently so it might be really effective to make the cranberry water keffir. cool idea!
O.M.G
I *love* my water kefir. Even my son loves it. It’s called “kefir juice” here. I usually add some gorgeous bits of ginger and raisins when I’m brewing them up here.
Those suckers grow FAST! You can dry the surplus OR add them to your morning green smoothie for an extra whoomp of goodness.
This is something that I don’t know much about – AT ALL! However, I would love to try it. I have a bad pop, aka soda, addiction to good ol’ Coca Cola that I’d love to kick. Plus, my hubby has terrible allergies which aren’t helped by the fact that he’s a full time farmer. I hope I win – would love to give this a whirl!
I have been reading about it and I am concerned about the possible alcohol content (1-3%). While I know this is very low, it is concerning to just treat this as a ‘soda,’ especially with children possibly involved. Have you read anything about your fermentation length for your recipe that might indicate the alcohol level?
Other than this it sounds rather interesting.
You can reduce the alcohol content by reducing the fermentation time. But the alcohol content is really pretty minor unless you are fermenting the heck out of it.
I’d love some of these, my husband was just diagnosed with the inability to absorb vitamin D and I wanted to see if this would help his gut process that batter. Thank you for your consideration.
Hi, I just discovered your site a few days ago. I’m lovin’ it! I even embarked on your honey face wash challenge and am on Day 2. 🙂
About the apple kefir, do I have to use dried apple? Can I use fresh apple (or other fresh fruits for that matter)? Thanks!
Question (and I’m reading this at work so I may have missed where you already said the answer)…
Is the resulting drink quite sugary? I ask because I’m having issues with sugar at the moment (too much sugar and I’ve been feeding a different kind of yeast monster…sigh…). Good bacteria in the belly sounds good, but not if it’s going to increase my sugar intake.
The kefir eats the sugar and puts off the beneficial bacterias as a result. And the longer you let it ferment, the more of the sugar it will consume.
Same scenario with milk kefir. It eats the lactose (milk sugar) so people who are sensitive to lactose can often consume kefir.
Cheers!
Thanks, Karlita! That’s kinda what I was suspecting but I couldn’t wrap my head around it.
Not in the US so not entering, but I couldn’t help but mentioning that I’ve first seen water kefir just a rather short while ago at a friends house. She’ll come visit me soon, I’m going to tell her all about you. 🙂
As always Crunchy Betty I put myself in your perfectly capable hands. I’ve heard of kefir, even tried some. I got organic strawberry flavored dairy yogurt kefir drink. It was good.
However, this type of kefir is completely new to me. Sounds very interesting, I’ll definitely give it a try. Of course I’d love to get some from you, but I’ll be on the look out for it as well from my local natural foods/co-op market.
I would love some water kefir grains! All of those recipes sound wonderful!
Bah! I have been eyeing kefir culture stuff at the health store for weeks now, my boy is a yogurt hound, and It’s so good in smoothies. But I’m Canadian. So no free yummy goodness for me. 🙁 There are seriously so many contests out there from US magazines and advertising in Canada that don’t include Canada, its kind of frustrating. Understandable that they don’t want to ship something that could potentially grow or make goopiness I guess.
I’ve been a kefir lurker for quite a while now and am finally ready to jump on the kefir bandwagon! I think my bloated tummy could use a little help.
I’ve gotta try Water Kefir! Why you ask? My guy, my fiance, has the worst belly issues ever….if you know what I mean. Having a bit of the water kefir would be a wonderful pre-wedding gift. Water kefir might be the key to happy, peaceful, and non-stinky life together.
Well, I don’t know if it counts as being helpful to the “community” if I mostly talk on Facebook- BUT I do really love kefir and wouldn’t mind some more because my husband (who only meant well) threw mine out after coming home from Afghanistan thinking it was some kind of garbage (I had my grains in a jar with egg shells and what not to “rest”). Haven’t been able to get any more yet due to dental work (gag!!). Ps- your next blog should be kombucha… Or… Or… Mouthwash. Yep! 🙂 I figured out a pretty good recipe for “listerine” at home. 😉 maybe I’m just saying thy because I’m thinking of that dental work :/ eh. Dental destruction… ::sigh:: how I loathe the dentist. Off topic! Yay water kefir!
I would LOVE some water kefir grains, particularly since my son has a dairy allergy and can’t drink milk kefir.
So glad to hear that you are TOTALLY digging the Kefir grains! Since hearing how many good things kefir is doing for you, I want to give it another try LOL :)You are now my kefir guru 🙂 Thanks for the recipes too! I never knew what to do with those water grains… 😉
OMG. I’m so glad YOU commented! About 15 minutes ago, I had a panic attack because I forgot to say thank you to you in this post. So now I can say thank you here.
You seriously changed my stomach’s life. You and your swapped kefir grains. Hope I get to see you soon!
Well it’s only fair cuz you changed my face’s life (?? lol). I have been doing your honey wash since the challenge started and I LOVE it! Still using the fabulous luxury face oil that we traded too. I even talk to all of my raw milk customers about you and tons of them read your blog!
Hopefully we’ll see you at another swap sometime – that would be awesome 🙂
I want some so badly!! I’ve tried Craigslist, Freecycle, & my local WAPF – no one has any. Actually, someone in my local WAPF has some, but she lives 20 miles or so from me. I’m finally getting interested in “homemade” probiotics, having had lifelong stomach issues!
How fun you are writing about kefir! Please exclude me from entering because I’ve been brewing water (and raw milk) kefir for a year and would love for others to win this. But I HAD to chime in that it is awesome stuff and also helped me kick my cola habit. My favorite is grape juice on the second ferment but I just started doing frozen strawberries. Yum. Yum! I also let my toddlers drink this. Other than kefir they get water and raw milk. They’ve never had juice. Anyway what an awesome give away!!!
I so want to try the water kefir. I have tummy issues and was wondering if it helps with things like heartburn/acid reflux? It would change my life to be able to stop taking antacids. Thank You!
I am in for the kill! Bacteria kill that is. I have been wanting to add this to my routine because my body just LOVES to be out of bacteria balance. I can not stand the medications I would have to take, in order to solve the problem, and prefer as with many of you (US, isn’t that cool we are an us!) to do so in a healthy natural way.
Well how about this – since you’re all HYPER local, give me a couple of weeks to try to feed and grow my kefir grains, and then I will just GIVE YOU SOME OF MINE! How about that? I’ll let you know when they’re all grown up and ready. (This is good, because I’ve been meaning to try to get them to multiply more, just for funsies.)
You are ba’bomb!
Hey, super busy here. But I want to contribute to the community pool. Was thinking about some inspirational jewelry to add to your give away process. Let me know your thoughts.
I hereby solemnly swear that I’m going to hop on a bus this week and come see you and your new store(Skip made me promise to not feel weird about taking the bus, so I won’t). We will talk about EVERYTHING then. When are you going to be there?
Also (and this is so chatty, but whatever … it’s my blog, so I can chat away if I want), did JJ tell you that we saw each other at the Mariner the other night at that concert thing? He said you were there, too, and I went on a Stephanie hunt and you were nowhere to be found.
Cool! I am there usually everyday except Wednesday. However tomorrow I am going to Denver for a food show. Thursday will be there till 4:00 pm and Friday and Saturday till 8:00 pm.
I was so at Larry and his Flask! I did not see you nor did JJ tell me you were there. I was in front at the stage, by the wall, maybe thats why you could not see me! We had sooo much fun, I was glad to see them again!
Ooohhhh… pick me.. pick me *waving my hands wildly* I LOOOOOOOVE yeasty bacteria… ok.. really.. i’ve never tried it.. but I have read TONS of info on it and would really like to try it!!
So. Freaking. Cool. My friend was just showing me a different way to make natural soda. I’ll be trying the cream soda, which is my all time fav! Thank you!!
Sounds very interesting & something I would be excited to try!!
I’d love to try some water kefir. I’m currently brewing kombucha (I’m on my 4th batch). I was nervous to try it, cause I thought it would be gross, but I’m hooked on it!