WHAT YOU'LL NEED:

  1. Nylon mesh or stainless steel
    strainer (avoid other metals)
  2. Spoon or spatula (silicone or wood)
  3. Bowl or Pyrex (large enough to catch
    strained kefir)
  4. Clear glass mason jar
  5. Lid for mason jar (use plastic lid since
    metal can rust over time). You can also use a breathable lid (coffee filter + rubber band)
  6. Pasteurized/homogenized whole milk (best for creamy kefir)
  7. If you prefer raw milk, wait to switch until the grains are fully activated (raw milk contains its own live microbes, which can compete with & overwhelm weak or newly rehydrated grains, so it’s best to let them strengthen first in pasteurized milk)

How To Make Kefir

Stir, pour, strain, enjoy.

Cleanliness:

- Use clean jar, utensils, &
strainers

- Never use chlorinated tap water on
grains; if you must rinse to separate milk curds from grains, use filtered water only (more on that later)

- Keep grains out of direct sunlight
& below ~85°F (~29°C)

- Only let grains touch stainless steel if using metal; avoid all other metals

ACTIVATING GRAINS:

  1. Place kefir grains in 1–2 cups of whole cow’s milk in a clear glass mason jar, then stir to disperser grains evenly
  2. Ferment for ~36 hours in a warm place in your home (68–85°F). The warmer it is, the faster they’ll ferment
  3. Strain out the grains from the fermented kefir. Discard the first batch of kefir as a precaution (keep the grains for the next round)

ONGOING KEFIR ROUTINE (ONCE GRAINS ARE ACTIVATED):

  1. After straining prior batch of kefir, place grains in clear glass mason jar. Pour fresh milk in with grains (use 2–4 cups of milk per tablespoon of grains), then stir to disperse grains evenly
  2. Ferment for 24–36 hours around room temp (68–85°F). Tip: use the least amount of grains that will ferment your chosen amount of milk in 24–36 hours (you can always split into multiple fermenting jars if needed)
  3. Once grains are ready to strain (you will see clumping of grains around milk with slight separation of whey from kefir), stir thoroughly before pouring through strainer
  4. Pour contents through strainer into large bowl or Pyrex
  5. Work the kefir through with a spoon or spatula; grains stay in the strainer
  6. Pour strained kefir into a clean jar & place in fridge; enjoy at your leisure (chilling in fridge will thicken & mellow flavor)
  7. Put grains back into a clean mason jar, add fresh milk & repeat these same steps 🔁

When to Strain Kefir

TIPS:

- If you get strong whey separation (curds on top, clear whey on bottom) before 24 hours, use more milk/fewer grains next round

- Try to strain kefir before full curds/whey separation for the best creamy texture

- If the flavor of the kefir is too sour, avoid repeated over-fermenting (36+ hours/lots of whey separation)

- Finished kefir ready to drink will stay good in the fridge for ~2 weeks

- If you’re having difficulty separating the milk curds from the kefir grains while straining, rinse the grains in filtered water (only rinse if needed)

If You Need to Take a Break from Fermenting the Kefir (up to 1 month):

  1. 24–36 hours before your break, ferment a normal batch at room temp, but instead of straining when it’s ready put the whole jar into the fridge with a solid lid
  2. Grains go dormant in the fermented milk in the cold fridge & can rest there for up to a month
  3. To restart the fermentation process, do the same process outlined at the beginning of these instructions

If You Need to Take a Break from Fermenting the Kefir (over a month):

  1. Put grains in just enough milk to cover them
  2. Place in a freezer-safe container (they can last over a year)
  3. To revive: thaw at room temp, then do the same process outlined at the beginning of these instructions (a few more revival/activation rounds may be needed)