Vardy   10 #1 Posted March 9, 2015 Has anyone else got kefir on the go? I sent for the grains after reading that it might help with long term joint pain/weight gain and insomnia. There's loads on the net about it's properties (curing all ills from warts to bad boyfriends!) You 'grow' it like the old Palestine yeast ginger beer plant and the water one is not as temperamental to ferment as it's milk version.  Anyway, from a nursing background I was as usual of the 'this won't work' school of thought. However, after paying 15 quid I gave it my best shot. NOTHING. - Then it went mad. It's proving quite easy, just needing bottled water/sugar/unpreserved lemon slice/unpreserved 2 sultanas and a plastic pop bottle.  It did take me a week to screw up enough courage to drink this mess and it tasted a bit like watered down bitter - yuk I thought!. However, second brew I only put in 2 sultanas rather than a dozen and the resulting stuff is clear and palatable. Very nice with a dash of ribena.  Then I drank it one night.  - And didn't surface until 10am the next morning. Yippee! real sleep. Plus a lessening in the urge to combat pain and tiredness by eating, with a lifting of consequent low mood.  Now I really didn't expect this to do anything at all, so I left some days between and gave it another shot (1 glass in early evening) and it worked again. (The lemon in it makes it too acid to have at bedtime).  Another bonus is that the darned stuff multiplies and you can share the grains. Obviously not every remedy works for all people but I have had to eat my words of doubt on this one.  Keep well, - Helena. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
Thunderbox   10 #2 Posted May 21, 2015 Hi Vardy, I've also tried water kefir in the past and found it very pleasant, although, as it is 'fed' with sugar water I always tested each batch with glucose dip strips to prove that the sugar has been eaten. Also I enjoyed water kefir, I have been brewing milk kefir for the past year and start each day with a smoothie. My tum feels a lot less tender than it usually does and, of course, it has far more probiotic strains that water kefir. 30-50 different strains as opposed to the 10 or so in the water kefir. Keep up the good work! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
Phanerothyme   12 #3 Posted May 21, 2015 Is this the same as the Scandinavian buttermilk product - https://mejeriprodukt.files.wordpress.com/2011/09/sam_5138.jpg?w=450  Great with cinnamon and a sprinkling of sugar, Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
Vardy   10 #4 Posted May 22, 2015 Hi - Thank you for the tip about the testing strips, I'm going to try it.  Though I'm not sure about comparison to other preparations as I have only just started with this stuff.  Which leads me to the present slight problem - has anyone seen Mickey Mouse in the Sorcerer's Apprentice? Far from being difficult to grow more grains, it's creeping up the pop bottle like a martian invader.  Not so the ginger beer plant though (proper one) - that's proving to be a very much slower grower. Anyone know if this is normal? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
Thunderbox   10 #5 Posted May 22, 2015 Vardy, I imagine you are referring to the increase in water kefir grains. Yes, they do multiply at an amazing rate. If you are getting overwhelmed with them, just throw some of them away, unless you have friends who would like to try them. I used to put mine in a large kilner jar with the sugar water and an unsulfured dried apricot (the dark brown ones rather than the bright orange ones). During summer, it would be ready in 24-48 hours. I then bottled it in a kilner bottle incase it got too fizzy, otherwise the bottle can break. With regard to your ginger plant, I remember my mother doing these when I was a youngster and I seem to recall that it had to be fed with powdered ginger and sugar every day (or every other day). It usually took about 7-10 days before mum used to make up the ginger beer. It was so much nicer than any commercial product available today. Keep with it, you just need a bit more patience.  Phanerothyme - I had a look at the link and it is kefir. I think we are the only country that doesn't sell it commercially yet.  ---------- Post added 22-05-2015 at 20:10 ----------  Just been looking on the internet. There's a UK company: nourishkefir.co.uk who sell kefir in various forms which are made daily from live grains. It sounds OK but it's quite expensive. A 500ml bottle is £2.99. I drink 500ml per day and, as I've been doing this for about a year, it works out a lot cheaper as I buy a 4pt bottle of milk which lasts roughly 4 brews. I use skimmed which causes the live grains to grow enormous. Don't know why. Obviously, when you first buy the grains, they are very expensive which, basically, is a total rip off. I have supplied my Aunt's neighbour with grains, which she then gave some to my Aunt. The neighbour was lactose intolerant but found that she could drink kefir without problems. My Aunt has it on her cereal every morning and her dog goes crazy for it and he seems to have had a new lease on life for an old dog. If anyone is thinking of trying to brew kefir, don't buy the dried cultures. You need a new one each time you brew. Ridiculously expensive! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
Vardy   10 #6 Posted May 23, 2015 Wow! - That's loads more than I knew about it.  At the moment I'm experimenting mixing both brews together (taking care not to contaminate one with the other) and then flavouring with sieved fresh ginger. I will have a go at the non preserved apricot though, as I don't like the flavour using a sultana or two and lemon slice, it's too sharp.  Also will add powdered ginger to last bottling to try, as fresh ginger even when peeled is a bit 'earthy'.  Thanks again and have a nice weekend. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
Thunderbox   10 #7 Posted May 23, 2015 You could buy the following two books from Amazon, or download for free if you have a Kindle.  http://www.amazon.co.uk/Fermenting-vol-3-Milk-Kefir-ebook/dp/B00EV5CHE2/ref=sr_1_4?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1432403189&sr=1-4&keywords=kefir  http://www.amazon.co.uk/ebooks/dp/B00F0R96WQ/ref=sr_1_5?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1432403189&sr=1-5&keywords=kefir Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
Vardy   10 #8 Posted May 24, 2015 Thank you for the link, will do. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
godsquad58 Â Â 10 #9 Posted March 23, 2016 Hello, please has anyone got some water kefir grains? Â Thanks Steph Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
Thunderbox   10 #10 Posted March 23, 2016 I don't do water kefir any more. My kefir grains are for milk. I've also started making kombucha now although I'm still learning how to do this. You can buy water kefir grains from http://happykombucha.co.uk/collections/water-kefir but they are quite expensive. Will be much better if you can find someone who can give you some of their surplus water grains. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
godsquad58 Â Â 10 #11 Posted March 23, 2016 Thanks for the reply...am going away soon so may need to wait until I get back because Easter postage (lack of) Means they won't get to me on time. I also have the milk ones so the water kefir are new to me ( no milk where I'm going!) Â ---------- Post added 24-03-2016 at 07:45 ---------- Â Thanks for reply H (I cannot private message you yet as have only just joined forum!) Would you have any grains spare now so that I could have some before I go on Tuesday? Â With thanks Steph Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
AliceParry42 Â Â 10 #12 Posted February 18, 2017 Hello all, Â I have water and milk kefir grains, as well as a kombutcha mother. If anyone is wanting a few spoons of cultures or advice on brewing please drop me a line. Also if anyone is interested in taste testing some of the things I have brewed I would be happy to hear from you! Â Thanks, Alice Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...