Activating Your Milk Kefir Grains
If you're reading this, it probably means your new Mountain Kefir grains have arrived! Good news – your new little friends are pretty low maintenance BUT they’ve been on a long and stressful journey, so it’s important that you feed them as soon as they arrive! It will only take 2 minutes!!
And while it’s not ideal, if you can’t look after your new grains right away, quickly pop them into the fridge for up to 48 hours. Just keep in mind, the sooner you feed them, the easier it will be to activate them :)
Now, let’s get started on your first batch of milk kefir!
What you’ll need:
- 1 packet of Mountain Kefir grains
- 1/4 cup of whole milk for small packages (4g) OR 1/2 cup for medium (8g)
- A glass jar
- A wooden or silicone spatula
- A jar lid OR breathable cover, like a coffee filter or cloth napkin, held in place by a rubber band (not cheesecloth!)
- A fine mesh strainer
Step 1 - Rinse the grains
Your kefir grains are shipped in a little organic milk to keep them fed along the way. Once they arrive, empty the package into your fine mesh strainer to separate your grains and give them a quick rinse with a little milk or some cool, drinkable water.
Step 2 - Add milk
Pour milk into the glass jar and add your new kefir grains. Stir it up! Using your spoon or spatula, give the milk and grains a gentle stir to make sure the grains are well exposed to the milk. Ensure the grains are fully covered by the milk -- if the jar is too wide and shallow, the grains will be left exposed and unable to reach the milk they need to recover.
Step 3 - Take a break!
Cover the jar opening using a loose lid OR coffee filter/cloth held in place by a rubber band. Place the jar in a warm spot away from direct sunlight. About 70-78 degrees Fahrenheit (21-25°C) is the kefir comfort zone.
Now take a break – let your kefir ferment for about 48 hours OR until the milk has thickened, whichever comes first. Start checking on your jar after about 24 hours. You will know the kefir is thickened if, when you gently tilt the jar, the kefir pulls away from the side while still holding its shape.
Step 4 - Strain out your grains
After 48 hours or when your kefir has thickened, place a fine mesh strainer over a new jar and pour kefir into the strainer.
Gently massage the kefir with a spatula until only the grains are left in the strainer. Now this is important – hang on to your little grains!! Their work has only just begun!
Step 6 - Repeat
Once again, add milk to the jar you just emptied (same amount you used the first time) and pop the separated grains back in to repeat the whole process.
Keep making these small batches until your kefir is thickening within 24 hours. This can take up to 2-5 batches, so be patient! Be sure to keep providing them with fresh milk even if the milk isn’t thickening during the first few batches. These little grains have been making kefir for centuries, and they’re not about to stop now!
When can you start drinking the kefir?
Now you’re probably wondering what to do with the contents of the bowl you just strained. Generally, we hold off on drinking the kefir until it is reliably thickening.
Once your kefir grains are settled into their new home and your kefir is thickening within 24 hours, give it a little sniff test! If it smells tangy and like fresh yogurt, pop it in the fridge to set for a couple hours and then dig in! If it smells funky, hold off and keep making small batches until it is thickening and smells like delicious yogurt.
Need help? Check out our Troubleshooting FAQs!
Once your kefir grains are settled, follow our instructions below for making your daily kefir!
Making Your Daily Milk Kefir
Once your starter batches are fermenting in 24 hours, you’re ready to ramp up production. Generally, we recommend using ½ to 1 teaspoon of grains per cup of milk.
Step 1
Place your kefir grains in a glass jar with milk using the ratio of ½ to 1 teaspoon of grains per cup of milk. Stir, cover and let it sit for 24 hours.
Step 2
You will know your kefir is ready when small bubbles of clear liquid (which is whey) form in the jar, usually at the bottom. That’s your signal to start straining!
Strain the contents of the jar (you know the drill by now!) to separate the kefir grains. Pop the grains back into the jar, add milk and repeat. Place your freshly strained kefir into the fridge for a couple hours to set, and then enjoy!
Step 3: Adapting!
Your kefir grains should be fed every 24 hours but sometimes it may ferment too quickly or slowly. Properly fermented kefir is just starting to form clear liquid whey bubbles and is the thickness of a drinkable yogurt (think Yop!). Getting there can take a little practice but the secret comes down to balancing two things:
A. Temperature
Warmer temps = faster ferment
Cooler temps = slow things down
B. Milk-to-Grain Ratios
More grains + less milk = faster ferment
Remove grains + add milk = slows ferment
Adjusting these elements controls how quickly your kefir ferments and its thickness. For ideal consistency, your goal is to see thickened kefir with small pockets of clear liquid whey forming after 24 hours.
Over-fermented Kefir
Over-fermented kefir is a common issue for those just starting out, especially after your grains have settled and started growing! Over-fermented kefir will separate into curds (which might look similar to cottage cheese) and whey.
But not to worry, it's an easy fix! Simply increase the amount of milk you're using OR remove some of the grains (you can save the extras as back-up). And while it might be thinner and fizzier, you can still stir it back together and strain it to drink! Some people like this but try not to let it over-ferment too often as that can stress out your kefir grains.
How to fix over-fermented kefir...
