Making Real Kefir From Kefir Grains (Part 1)

[Coixxman]

Great Video, where can I find a strainer like that? I was not able to find a big plastic strainer with small holes. Thank you for sharing Information about Kefir.

[kizziAug]

Hi can I put kefir in almond milk?

[tinac15]

H Guys Im sorry to say but Dom never ever sends out kefir once you purchase your money is gone forever and you never ever get your Kefir, Yes I have been a victim of Dom's. Yes he does have an incredable site and he does know allot about Kefir but thats how he gets people to buy and pay but he never sends anything out.

Im from australia and there are others just like myself.

Just beware.

[indigolady52]

I read that if you let it kefir until it's thick and clotted like this, then you might get an unpleasant side effect from drinking it... the runs. I've got some grains that are about a week into the rehydration cycle. I hope to have good, healthy kefir soon!

[ProvidentTools]

I thought metal and kefir don't mix

[Ineedmorelives]

@ProvidentTools Stainless steel doesn't have a reaction so it's fine.

[ProvidentTools]

Is that a metal dish

[Laconophile]

What's keefer?

[thallious9876]

the lady looks so glowingly beautiful..

[jtofragoso]

Just as a side note: For any one wondering about food poisoning and kefir I will tell you this my husband got a rare type of acute food poisoning which made his stomach bleed when he was away and eating at a couple restaurants. He was to be hospitalized and put on intense antibiotics. He refused treatment and has been consuming 8-10 cups of Kefir a day and is totally cured Doctor checked and everything is great.

[jtofragoso]

Hi I go through alot of Kefir and I am trying to find a strainer like yours could you tell me were to get one mine is too small and just does not do the job and I can't find a better one.

[greysdale]

Ive had my grains for about 18 mths & I dont get that stringy stuff anymore. I started using UHT cows milk or pasturised goats milk and a metal strainer, but now I use a plastic strainer and organic cows milk, both raw and pasturised along with raw goats milk. My grains stay small but still grow giving off tiny grains. I also get hard yellow ones that look like there old or dead. Is that normal? I often leave the grains soak for 2 days. Is this a problem do you think? Thanks for your help.

[mmh3999]

I am lactose intolerance, and would like to know if i can consume keifer?

[jtofragoso]

@mmh3999 I am VERY Lactose intolerant and I eat Kefir with cereal every morning It really aid in digestion if you can't handle it then perhaps it is an alergy cause the kefir eats the lactose. If you prefer not to try dairy there is water kefir, I find Kefir works way better than lactaid!!

[supermilkmama1]

Thank you for your informative video and resources, we have now been making kefir for 1 1/2 years and have had tremendous health benefits. Both of my children's warts have disappeared after 3 weeks on kefir and my mastitis went away after a month on kefir. I make my smoothie with flax meal and raspberries and it is so good.

Blessings to you and your family,

Ester

[sanalicious]

During the process is it good to close the jar with a lid or you can make kefir, simply, without a lid ?

[happygolucky93]

hi. could I use milk bottles, if I do not have glass bottles?

[Ineedmorelives]

How do you take the sour out of the kefir? I have been growing 3 batches and changing them out when they are ripe (a little over 24 hours) and it is too sour for me to drink. My family loves it, but I do not because of the sourness. How can I make it have less sourness? I have made cheese, sour cream, and cheesecake from my kefir, but I cant eat any of it myself.

[pocketsofthefuture]

@Ineedmorelives You can't take the sourness out. Kefir is sour, especially by American standards. You could try adding a bit more milk so that it isn't as sour at 24 hours. Otherwise try blending it with fruit and let the fruit sweeten it up for you. I hope this helps. Leslie

[1GodOnlyOne]

@Ineedmorelives The kind I get from the store is mixed with sugar and vanilla, both of which are sweet. The sweetness blocks some of the sour taste, and it's delicious!

You may want to try adding some of your favorite sweetener and some vanilla.

[Bandtrip50]

@Ineedmorelives

On another video a young woman says you can make smoothies out of the kefir!

So when I make it (haven't yet) I will place blueberries, maybe cherries and honey

in the smoothie. I'm sure you can be more creative than I am! :)

[Ineedmorelives]

@Bandtrip50 Hey, since posting that question, I have figured out how to make some of the sour go away, even in a smoothie. I do not eat Kefir, but my husband does. He has a few kefir smoothies a week and what I did was put in "green tea gunpowder" - the leaves. I just put it about a teaspoon and he said whatever I was doing differently tastes a lot better. That's all I did. You can't taste the green tea but it smooths it out apparently.

[julimckeegan]

i left a few message for someone to help me obtain some seeds, and was actually sent some im hoping it was from u. if it was i would like to thank u for doing so. please let me know if it was.

thanks for ur time

[julimckeegan]

i left a few message for someone to help me obtain some seeds, and was actually sent some im hoping it was from u. if it was i would like to thank u for doing so. please let me know if it was.

thanks for ur time

[LOWxRAINxAH]

I HAVE ALOT, IM GIVING THEM AWAY, I STAY IN HAWTHORNE CA.

IF ANYBODY IS INTERESTED. FEEL FREE TO SEND ME A MESSAGE.

[igoralves1]

Hi that is a good video.

I am a newbie on kefir process.

I saw that Liberté (brand of yogurt) has a good Kefir.

So I bough a coup of their kefir and mixed witch some milk.

It was yesterday - 24hs ago.

I have not yet the grains of kefir but i can fell it smell like kefir milk.

Do y think that i can sucess to obtain the same kefir with this method?

Thanks

[pocketsofthefuture]

@igoralves1 No I am sorry. You will not get the same results. You have to have real kefir grains in order to make real kefir. They are very complex, these grains. There is no substitute.

[igoralves1]

@pocketsofthefuture

Yes i see.

Unfortunatly As you told, i could not obtain :(.

So, how can I buy some grains. Do y ship to Canada? Montreal.

Tnks

[pocketsofthefuture]

@igoralves1 Sorry for your disappointment. Yes we do ship to Canada. Please visit our web site to learn more or leave a donation by clicking the Donation button you find there.

[tincica0306]

it is shame that people sell it! it should be given as a present because we all want to be healthy .... i received my from a friend and she simply gave it to me! shame on you!!!

[pocketsofthefuture]

@tincica0306 Yes. Of course this should really apply to all things that make us healthy, not just kefir grains. It is the whole system that is on the wrong footing. From our view we are sharing our grains but asking for donations to cover the considerable time and energy that go into growing them and sharing them and the info about them. This also permits us to share with a much wider group than geographically close friends. We have often given grains to people who visit our home. Be well.

[jbox215]

@pocketsofthefuture It got way to hot in my house, like 110. My kerfir made my milk look like feta cheese and my poor kerfir shrank and I haven't been able to produce normal kerfir since. I let them soak in yogurt for a while and that helped, but the next batch of milk was really slimy and thick. It smells fine. How can I revive my kerfir? Can I get the website you mentioned in this video? I think I might need to get some new kerfir and I don't know where to get it.

[1GodOnlyOne]

@tincica0306 I have a feeling that you have accepted money for a product or service at some time in your life. If so, then you have no right to judge others for doing the same thing.

If not, how did you pay for your computer?

[LoricaLady]

I really appreciated all the wonderful information about kefir on Don's website. It was very considerate of him to share all that with the world.

[pocketsofthefuture]

@LoricaLady I agree!

[juliemckeegan1]

hi i live in canada and was wondering how i can purchase kefir grain?

[pocketsofthefuture]

@juliemckeegan1 I am not personally familiar with anyone selling kefir grains in Canada. We have often shipped to Canada, though, if that is helpful to you.

[candyalien86]

I rinse my kefir when I am going to add new milk is that good or bad??

[pocketsofthefuture]

@candyalien86 Thank you for your question. That is considered bad for the grains and unnecessary. Optimally healthy grains develop a kind of stretchy, slimy coating called kefiran. Kefiran is a great thing but constant rinsing would prevent its development. Kefir grains are plenty happy just moving from one batch of fresh milk to another. Save rinsing for emergencies.

[MrPiqua]

@candyalien86 I save a some of the liquid (whey) and then at the end of extracting the kefir I run some of the whey over the grains to wash them off. Using this method I can see how many grains I actually have without running water over them. Sometimes it is difficult to determine the amount of grains available because of the kefir liquid.

[Boompish]

You mentioned this Dom-website. I have to warn you about them. I placed an order there for Kefir and a book. I did not receive anything but a pdf-file. After I paid the money, they do not even respond to email anymore. I'm afraid I have been ripped of there.

[pocketsofthefuture]

@Boompish I have come across a number of negative reports like this lately. It surprises me and I wonder what is happening. I have long appreciated his ground breaking work in this area.

[premier122]

Grains that are healthy float on top of the kefir, unhealthy ones are on the bottom.

At first my grains were at the bottom, with the right care they became healthy and started to float :)

[pocketsofthefuture]

@premier122 This is perhaps true. I don't know. It is my understanding, though, that the grains actually move up on down in the milk. Have you noticed that at all?

[lovesC1998]

Thanks a bunch!:)

[benficaforlife1]

I bought a  "Good Grip" fat separator. It is a 32 ounce bowl with a screen on top and a spout on the side (comes with a plug to plug up the spout). I pour the finish product over the separator screen. Screen catches the grains, bowl catches the kefir and the spout makes it easy to pour in a narrow milk bottle. You can also go the other direction and put the grains in the bowl with milk. After 24 hours plug the spout and pour out what u want to drink. Just and more milk. Very little mess.

[chanjongchu]

i just started making Kefir for a month or 2 two, and it still has the cauliflower shape.

will de cauliflower shaped ones change into the spiderweb shaped ones? or are those different Kefir types?

thanks for the nice vid! ; )

[lovesC1998]

Yes, thank you so much!!:)

[lovesC1998]

Thank so much for your video! Since raw milk's shelf life isn't as as long as pasteurized milk, how do I know if my kefir is bad, because my milk is a week old and it sours in the jar? I guess I am asking what is the cut-off before I need to get more raw milk before using it in kefir? Like say my milk is about a week old, can I still use it since it is going to sit out and ferment, or will I get poisoned from it? I get kind of confused about that. Also, do you guys sell the kefir?

[pocketsofthefuture]

@lovesC1998 Yes, we sell kefir grains! I have yet to see kefir "go bad." Fermented products stay good a long time; they just get more sour. Clean raw milk stored at cool enough temp should stay good for much more than a week. If your raw milk goes bad, it will smell bad. You will know, won't drink it and won't get sick. Give your grains reasonably fresh milk because they feed on the lactose. Don't feed them milk that is already souring. Does this help? Leslie

[Justifiedtvnet]

@lovesC1998

Hi! In fact, Kefir was used by the Romans to preserve foods on long trips.

I remember also kefirstore. com talking about that.

Try milkkefirgrains. com as well, they talk about the history of Kefir.

There are also plenty of places to check that out, Kefir is such a tough food, it remains healthy for long periods of time.

[sinamir]

Thanks for sharing this video. Could you please tell me what was the website that the lady mentioned at the beginning?

[moonwarrior5]

how about the website for which you mentioned please. Thanks

[Justifiedtvnet]

@organical Well, it is fine if you use metal spoons or a metal drainer although I tend not to use them. The bad thing is using a metal material to store your kefir.

About where to get the grains you can try at kefirstore. com, I got mine there. I also heard good things about kefirantheman. com , but kefirstore. com is the place to go if you are in a hurry.

[pocketsofthefuture]

@Justifiedtvnet Yes, we store our kefir in glass mason jars. Thank you for the extra addresses for buying kefir grains but we would prefer if people got them from us!

Thank you for you comment. Leslie

[Areala69]

You mention a web site by the master of Kefir but could you pass that website address on ?

Also, I have been looking all over the internet for a fine mesh strainer bowl like yours and can't find one, could you possible direct me to where you got yours ?

Thanks,

Pat

[pocketsofthefuture]

@Areala69 If you Google Dom kefir, you will find his sites. He has so much information on kefir, that it takes several sites to contain it all. They come up first when I search with those words. If you still have trouble finding, let me know. We got our strainer at Walmart, of all places. Thank you for writing! Leslie

[jothaart]

ola, estou muito contente em ver vc mostrando como manusiar o kefir olha tudo que vc fala deveria ter a legendado mesmo em ingles pois sua imagem e conlhecimento vão para todo o mundo assim a gente poderia traduzir

jose rodrigues PARANAVAÍ, PR BRASIL

[datzfast]

cottage cheese

[femmefiredragon1976]

Why didn't she use a wooden spoon, or plastic spoon to scrape off the left kefir inside the glass bottle? isn't that somewhat unhygenic?

[pocketsofthefuture]

@femmefiredragon1976 Using clean hands is absolutely not unhygenic. As a matter of fact, studies show that using clean bare hands in the kitchen is cleaner than using gloves. We do not need to be afraid of our hands or of the microbial world. We just need to be aware.

[femmefiredragon1976]

@pocketsofthefuture - I don't think so. i'm in the medical field. the dirtiest part of our body is our hands. everything you touch can pick up viruses, bacteria, germs that can cause sickness. how can you be so sure that your hands is really clean while handling those kefir? you have touched so many things before handling the kefir(touching the glass container, touching your hair and etc..

[pocketsofthefuture]

@femmefiredragon1976 I understand this and having worked in the medical field myself for a number of years, understand also this point of view and its possible limitations. Yes, hands can be dirty particularly under the fingernails. However I think what is most harmful is an "us vs. them" attitude about microbes and the fear that goes with it. Reasonable cleanliness, awareness and natural practices are holding us in good stead. Thank you once again. Leslie

[Justifiedtvnet]

@femmefiredragon1976 Actually that's one of the things I always take care of before handling my Kefir. I always wash my hands thoroughly and NEVER touch the grains with them, I use clean utensils and drainers, etc. Also washing your Kefir grains with tap water or for that matter with any type of water is not recommended, unless of course they get contaminated by contact on some surface.

Also on the instructions they sent when I got my kefir grains at kefirstore. com they mentioned it as well.

[femmefiredragon1976]

i'm sorry but it's not the proper way of handling kefir. it's still unhygienic. you should atleast use plastic spoon to scrape off the kefir grains. it's not advisable to use gloves too.

[pocketsofthefuture]

@femmefiredragon1976 Thank you for your concern. I will share it with my family. I will say, though, that we have been working with our kefir grains in this way for 5 or 6 years and have very happy grains, delicious kefir and an extremely healthy family. It is perhaps best not to make sweeping statements about what is proper and what is not. Sometimes the world is more subtle than that. More below with your other comment. Leslie

[pdwesley]

Hello

Would it be veasible to rinse the grains after each use ?I have noticed in the last week that the Kefir is not looking clear at the bottom of the bottle like it was when I first started making kefir?

[pocketsofthefuture]

@pdwesley It is not generally a good idea to rinse your grains. As they grow and get stronger and stronger, they develop something called "kefiran" which is a good sign. You don't want to wash that off. Perhaps your grains have increased enough that you need to add a bit more milk to the bottle. How does the kefir taste? The kefir and whey do not have to separate for the kefir to be good. Leslie

[pdwesley]

@pocketsofthefuture Hello the kefir still taste the same the only thing I did was wash them off before I read your first reply so I will have to wait and see the out come now .Now that I understand the process and need not worry about the seperation .I now use one quart of milk the size of the grains in perspective wise is about a handfull.Maybe I am useing to much milk?

Thanks

[princkrason]

if i'm starting with small grain, does it still take only 24hr.. can i leave it at room temp. longer?

do you sell nigerian goats? thanks

[pocketsofthefuture]

@princkrason You adjust the amount of milk to the amount of grains you have so that it takes about 24 hours to ferment your milk into kefir. Just a few grains would probably only take a couple of cups of milk. Gradually, as your grains grow, you will need to add more and more milk to keep that 24 hour window going. I am sorry but we already sold our Nigerians last year. Thank you for writing, Leslie

[angelcdp]

I blame the common mispronunciation on Kefir Southerland, which is why I thought it was pronounced Kee-fur till I learned differently. Though I suppose I should blame his parents. ;)

[pocketsofthefuture]

@angelcdp That's funny. I don't know where we first heard it pronounced that way. Maybe we will somehow break the habit and switch over. It sounds nicer the other way, don't you think? Thank you, Leslie

[anadelleramirez]

About pronunciation... I live in California and Everyone I know from Seattle down to San Diego call it KEY-fur. I call it ku-FEAR. I am the odd woman out. It seems as though the "incorrect" pronunciation is now the one that is most commonly understood as correct. What do you think?

[damoncz]

Not to be picky but your pronunciation of Kefir is wrong...the first 'e' is a short vowel and the 'i' is a long vowel...so it sounds like "Keh-feer"

[pocketsofthefuture]

Thanks for your comment. My wife actually discovered the appropriate pronunciation. We decided to go with the what is commonly understood here.

[pregnantsoul]

i have just receive my kefir grains yesterday..it has multiplied all ready by 6 or 7 in 24 hours..i put it next to my heat system in a glass jar . i use organick milk 2 % and today i have start 2 jar with goat milk..i am concern ...it is with vitamin A and D..I wish it was more natural..i am very happy to find your video..and i will check out on Dom's site. i also do my own medicinale tincture of echinacea and more ..so easy !! aurevoir !

[pocketsofthefuture]

Thank you very much for your encouraging comment. Many customers have also reported that they find our grains to be very lively! If you can, you might consider using whole milk. It makes such lovely kefir. Perhaps you will find a source for raw milk near you. I am very glad that you make your own tinctures. I want to get back into doing that as well. Be well! Leslie

[thezelahdebellashow]

where do I get the grains? thank you.

[pocketsofthefuture]

You can get very nice grains from us! Go to our web site and follow the buttons.

[Squabbles10]

I can't get the grains to multiply. I get some from a friend and it won't proliferate ....

What can i do ?

[pocketsofthefuture]

You probably need new grains or better milk.

[pocketsofthefuture]

You can also try adding some cream to your milk and during the winter allowing the kefir to ferment in a warm location.

[dabulls108]

a couple quesitons: When can I start seeing the effects of drinking it? I am using it to try to get rid of my acne. Ive been on it for about 2 weeks.

[pocketsofthefuture]

Some people have a quick improvement in health from drinking real kefir but usually big changes in health take time. Definitely getting more probiotics into your gut will help with acne. Try drinking a bit of plain kefir in the morning first thing so that it goes right to your gut. Then perhaps research other things to do as well. There may be other dietary changes that would help your condition. You can also apply kefir to your skin. It helps skin conditions very much that way as well.

[verycherryvintage]

I'm a big fan of your videos! I've been making Kefir for a little while now, but my grains are very slow to increase. I was just using skim, then switched to 2% with better results in taste, and then finally gave in & bought some ORGANIC whole milk (I'm a tightwad). The taste is great, and I'm hoping for more growth so I can share with some friends. Do you think it will help? I wish I had a connection to raw milk like you use.

[pocketsofthefuture]

I think that to some extent grains will respond well to better food just like humans and livestock do. Besides you are ending up with a much healthier drink for your own use at the same time.

[palzip41]

Very helpful video. Thanks for the tip about Dom's web site. Good to know that there's a different in kefir starters.

[worshiperpsalms150]

Hi my name is Theresa this my frist to send comment so not sure if this right or that it will make to you. wow I have realy enjoied your video! This is my frist time making kefir a freind give me some kefir grain she said that she has been using for three years. But they are very small . she said that she does not strin her kefir BUT you say to, How do I get the grain to grow big like I see on the intrenet? can you help me please. I can't find books on HOW TO

[pocketsofthefuture]

Try putting extra cream in the milk. We find that this gives our grains a power boost sometimes.

[worshiperpsalms150]

can you tell me of any books to buy on kefir

[pocketsofthefuture]

We don't personally know of any. The most information can be found on Dom's site. Google Dom kefir and you will find it.

[whoobaby]

Me and my family are dairy free! Would the kefir milk grains work in a coconut milk?

[joelsjunkemail]

I used organic coconut milk by "Thai Kitchen." I also use the packets you get from the health food store. The Kefir comes out delicious. Also check out kevin gianni 's recipe here on you tube.

[clarite1]

Being lactose intolerant, I used the grains in juice but I don't get them to multiply like these do. The juice ferments and gets bubbly, a bit like non alcoholic wine. Any idea how to make them grow more?

[pocketsofthefuture]

There is a difference between milk kefir grains and water kefir grains. I don't personally know what the differences are but I understand that you cannot successfully make water or juice kefir with milk kefir grains. Do you have the right kind of grains?

[clarite1]

Thank you for your reply, I started out with milk kefir grains but did not like the taste and also cant digest milk products so I used the same grains after washing for juice and water kefir. I have had some mixed results where the kefir turned into alcohol or just plainly does not change at all. They look ok but not very big (about the size, shape and colour of a blackberry) but do smell a little odd at times too. Lots of small bits at bottom also. Does this sound as if they are ok to you?

[pocketsofthefuture]

It sounds like you had better track down some water kefir grains for yourself. All success. Leslie

[rosesnclovers]

This has nothing to do with kefir, but its "food" related. I haven't had the time to check all of your blog yet either. But have you guys heard of coconut oil? It is great stuff! Not only is good for your insides, but we use it instead of lotion, and I use it as "conditioner" on my 6 yr olds wild curly hair(only her though, it makes everyone elses too greasy)

[pocketsofthefuture]

Yes we do know about coconut oil. I like to buy it in 5 gallon buckets! It is great for cooking and yummy melting on kefir raised pancakes on Saturday mornings. Love it as lotion.

You might also check out red palm oil. It is rich and delicious and highly nutritious. Fabulous in stir fry or refried beans. Unlike coconut oil, you don't use it on your skin or hair. It is just for eating. Unfortunately our 5 gallon bucket of that is empty at the moment. Leslie

[jenily05]

Another great video! I am happy that I have found your site, In your video you reference ?Don's? website with recipes and more info on the grains but I can not find the address, Any help would be appreciated.

[Orator76]

I own some kefir grains and have been making some really good kefir, but I've been wondering if anyone knows the nutritional content in a cup of kefir, beside the microflora it contains. Also, does anyone know what's the best way how to strain the whey from the curd? I work out a lot and want to use this whey instead of the whey powder crap sold at GNC. I believe this whey that I make is a lot better than that stuff.

[yanik204]

Do I need to strain the kefir every time? I mean, isn't it enough to pour the kefir into my cup and just leave a small part in the jar as a starter and then pour fresh milk in the jar? Don't the bacteria multiply again and again then, and if so, why the straining?

[pocketsofthefuture]

Thank you for your questions. You are straining in order to separate the kefir grains from the kefir itself. When the milk is fermenting, the grains move up and down in the jar. You can't just pour kefir off the top. Plus the grains need fresh milk so you want to get most of the kefir out. So you strain out the grains, give them fresh milk to ferment and drink the kefir you poured through your strainer. So, yes, you strain your kefir every day.

[horsefly4]

interesting you seem like you know what your doing but whats with the aluminium bowl

[pocketsofthefuture]

The bowl is stainless steel. It came from a restaurant supply store probably ten years ago. We use stainless steel plates and cups too. They last forever.

[PotSmokinFoo]

You folks are always wonderful presenters. Thanks for taking the time to share.

[pocketsofthefuture]

Thank you for taking the time to comment.

[ZENKI0325]

where can i get/buy kefir grains.thanks

[ZENKI0325]

where can i get/buy kefir grains. thanks

[parduspilot]

The 'grains' are a bacterial consortia, and some people call them kefir kernals. The grains get larger as the bacteria eat the milk lactose and enlarge the surface area of the grain substance. Its okay if you eat extra kefir grains if they become too numerous. They taste chewy, slimy, and sour like lemon.

[thelionsgateschool]

Thanx for the info.

[CMLovejoy]

Please explain what kefir is.

[lostorfound19]

what the hell is it?

[dionysusstar]

"Kefir is a culture-milk beverage similar to buttermilk in consistency." (google - dom kefir)