Taking a Break from Kefir

The fermentation process slows down the colder it is, which makes the fridge a great place to start if you need to take a break from making daily batches of kefir. But before you take a break, make sure your grains have been actively fermenting for 3 to 4 weeks.

Refrigerate for Short Breaks (up to 3 weeks)

1. Place 1 tsp of kefir grains in a jar or container with 2-4 cups of milk. The longer the break, the more milk you need.
2. Tightly seal the container and store it in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks. 
3. When you’re ready to start making fresh kefir, separate the grains and place them in fresh milk to culture as usual.

Freeze for Long Breaks (up to 1 year)

Freezing some kefir grains is also a great way to keep a backup.

1. Rinse kefir grains in cold non-chlorinated water. You can remove the chlorine from your water by using a water filter or boiling it for 15 minutes and letting it cool.
2. Once rinsed, pat dry the kefir grains with a clean paper towel. 
3. Cover kefir grains with paper towel and let them sit on the counter for 15 - 30 minutes to dry out a little bit more.
4. Cover kefir grains in dry milk powder and place in a sealed Ziploc bag before putting it in your freezer. 
5. When you’re ready to start making fresh kefir again, simply remove grains from the freezer and follow our standard activation instructions.