By Callan O’Neill

This article was originally written as part of our “alternative fermentables” education night.

What is kefir? Kefir is soured, tart, fermented milk with similar consistency to thin yoghurt. It originated in eastern Europe & Russia and is made from kefir grains – small clumps that are jelly like in consistency (see below) and contain yeasts and bacteria. It is an excellent source of probiotics and calcium – ideal for keeping your digestive system regular.

We got our grains from a friend, and have been happily re-using them for over 6 months, and will continue to do so indefinitely! Water kefir grains can also be purchased.

Simply add the grains to full cream non homogenised milk into a clean jar and leave covered with a paper towel or light clean cloth at room temperature for 1.5 days in summer, 2-3 days in winter. The bacteria turn lactose into lactic acid giving it tartness.

The cultures will sit at the top inch of the kefir at the end of fermentation and can be simply recovered, and washed with tap water through a strainer and stored with 50mL of milk in a clean jar in the fridge until they need to be used again (see pictures of this process below).

If the kefir turns pink or purple, an infection has occurred, and it should be discarded. This can happen if the fermentation has taken place with the lid on. Sanitation doesn’t have to be as strict as brewing beer, but everything should be cleaned and rinsed with normal kitchen detergent.