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Are you ready to discover the magic of Kefir? Have you ever tried it or heard of it? Kefir has become a daily boost for us, and I would like to share this healthy drink with you.

Kefir is a fermented milk that looks like yogurt but contains more friendly bacteria than yogurt. Kefir is rich in B vitamins, probiotics, protein, and calcium. Probiotics have live organisms that help add to the population of microbes in your gut. It has been associated with decreased inflammation and improved digestion, among other good things I will mention later.

You can use whole milk, fat-reduced, non-fat, pasteurized, and homogenized. This can be cow, sheep, or goat’s milk. If you can get raw milk from a local farmer, that will work well too. Be sure not to use ultra-pasteurized milk when making kefir. Your Kefir won’t do well. Store-bought organic milk is usually ultra-pasteurized even if it does not say ultra-pasteurized.  If you prefer non-dairy milk for your Kefir, that’s fine too. Substitute it with coconut, almond, cashew, or oat milk. We find that whole milk works best for us.

Ready-to-drink Kefir can be purchased in your local grocery store or made at home. We prefer to make our own, and this post explains why. Store-bought Kefir may contain unnecessary ingredients. Homemade kefir is simply Kefir grains and milk. Store-bought Kefir will not be as fresh as your own, having traveled to your local store and sat on the shelf, not to mention the money you will save by making your own.

Take care of your homemade Kefir and it will last for years! So now it is up to you to find a friend or relative who can give you Kefir grains. You can also find live #AD Kefir grains for sale on Amazon.

What you will need to begin making Kefir:

• 1 or 2 Qt. #AD Ball or Mason Jar – for fermenting.  Preferably see-through so you can see what’s happening on the inside
• Strainer #AD – stainless steel, fine nylon, or plastic mesh
• Rubber Spatula #AD
• Bowl
• 1 Qt. Ball or Mason Jar to store the freshly made Kefir
• Plastic Lid #AD – preferable to metal lids that rust after a few washes

Directions for making Kefir at home with online or store-bought fresh Kefir grains:

1. Place the new Kefir grains in a 2-qt. Mason jar and add 2 cups of milk (we use whole milk). Kefir grains are rubbery and gelatinous.
2. Let the grains sit (ferment) in the milk on your kitchen counter, undisturbed, at about 75 degrees for about 36 hours. When you first begin, don’t change your milk too quickly.
3. After fermentation, place your strainer over a bowl and strain the Kefir grains.
4. Discard the milk. Keep the Grains. This (“reviving”) is considered the first round of fermenting your newly purchased Kefir. This is essential for the bacteria to wake up with the yeast.

Repeat these steps at least two more times. Each time let the Kefir ferment for 24-36 hours. Remember, keep the grains and discard the milk.

Reviving Kefir can take up to one week to regain its full strength.

After the Reviving Period, after straining the milk from your Kefir grains, you are now ready for the Active Period.

1. Pour 2-4 cups of milk over the fermented Kefir grains that have been placed in a 2 qt. Mason jar.
2. Let the grains sit on your kitchen counter at about 75 degrees, undisturbed for about 24 hours.
3. After 24 hours, you will strain your Kefir grains using your strainer over a bowl. We use our hands to move the grains around, allowing the liquid to separate from the grains and pour into the bowl. If you prefer, you can use a rubber spatula.
4. The Kefir milk is kept and poured into a 1 qt. jar which is then placed in the refrigerator for an additional day. This will thicken the kefir making it tastier.
5. The grains are put back into the 2 qt. jar with 2-4 cups of milk and placed on your kitchen counter to ferment for 24-36 hours. This process repeats daily and will continue for years as long as you care for your Kefir.

Things to know:

75 degrees will allow Kefir to be the best it can be.

When the Kefir has strengthened from the “revival” period, you can use 2-4 cups of milk for each tablespoon of grains. Build up to this increase gradually. You will notice the milk will culture a lot quicker.

We use Kefir to make delicious smoothies, but be mindful to begin drinking Kefir in small amounts as it may cause digestive upset. Increase the amount you consume gradually.

Benefits of Kefir