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Kefir Milk

Started by sub82, March 23, 2016, 07:39:18 PM

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sub82

Anyone giving this a go?

Had been buying Kefir milk in cartons from a Lithuanian shop and decided to give it a go at home. Bought the grains and have been changing the milk every 24 hours. Nice to have another sour drink on the go!!

auralabuse

I made some kombucha a few times alright, not sure if the process is the same. Enjoy that and it seems to settle any tummy problems the kids had

Will_D

I see the milk is readily available but where can you buy the grains?

I would think also that you could use some of the milk to culture up your own grains?
Remember: The Nationals are just round the corner - time to get brewing

gazz

I have been making kefir for a while, you just add a few grains to some milk and leave overnight, grains multiply so have some spare if needed

sub82

Quote from: Will_D on March 24, 2016, 11:16:45 AM
I see the milk is readily available but where can you buy the grains?

I would think also that you could use some of the milk to culture up your own grains?

I also thought this but then read that the commercially available stuff is fermented with a few of the main bugs (for consistency) and grains contain many more. Bought some grains online (think here - Kefir Shop) and am getting to the same point of gazz where they're starting to multiply.

Will_D

March 24, 2016, 08:32:48 PM #5 Last Edit: March 24, 2016, 09:03:31 PM by Will_D
So this afternoon off I went to Swords.

Parked up at the Old Boro and into the Pavillions to the "Health Store".

Yes they had the milk at €5.30 for 500 ml (FFS)

Also had the grains, bag of 6 by 5 gm starters for €28 (FFFFFS)

But I only need one says I! Tough Titty says shop!

Long story short, Bought the milk, into fridge for 2 days to let the solids settle and then step up a culture.

" the commercially available stuff is fermented with a few of the main bugs (for consistency) and grains contain many more" Err how come??

That means that the commercial milks are not the real deal?
Remember: The Nationals are just round the corner - time to get brewing

gazz

Can post you grains will_d if ya need em

Will_D

Cheers Gazz, first off I will do the cultureing/upscaleing bit!

I will put the milk on the stir plate and see what happens.
Remember: The Nationals are just round the corner - time to get brewing

sub82

Quote from: Will_D on March 24, 2016, 08:32:48 PM

Yes they had the milk at €5.30 for 500 ml (FFS)


The Polish section in Tesco/Sainsbury's will do it for a couple of quid.

Quote from: Will_D on March 24, 2016, 08:32:48 PM

That means that the commercial milks are not the real deal?


It's still a probiotic drink but from what I've read there's way more diversity in Kefirr from the grains than from commercial Kefir. Guess it depends whether the manufacturer uses grains or not.

Will be interested to see how your culturing experiment goes!

auralabuse

They are on adverts for about a fiver I think

Eoin

I used to do it for a while a few years back but went on a holiday and got out of the practice.
It's weird stuff, fizzy yoghurt takes a while to get used to.

Once you get used to it it's quite nice.

The homemade stuff has very little to do with the commercially bought, the cartons would expand and blow up if they were the real thing...

You can also use the water kefir grains to make a beer of sorts.

Will_D

So after a few days to settle, poured off the milk and we drank it. Not bad at all.

So with the bottom of the bottle I grew up 250 ml on the stir plate. After 48 hours there had been some activity, allowed to settle poured off 200 ml and tasted it. A bit thin but the taste was there.

Made up to 500 ml and back on for 48 hours.

After 24 hours already looking much thicker.
Remember: The Nationals are just round the corner - time to get brewing

Eoin

Quote from: Will_D on March 30, 2016, 10:18:02 AM
So after a few days to settle, poured off the milk and we drank it. Not bad at all.

So with the bottom of the bottle I grew up 250 ml on the stir plate. After 48 hours there had been some activity, allowed to settle poured off 200 ml and tasted it. A bit thin but the taste was there.

Made up to 500 ml and back on for 48 hours.

After 24 hours already looking much thicker.

Come back to us when you have gelatinous grains floating about in it, it'll start as a slimy mess, but that will turn into grains eventually.

The ethos of kefir is generally free exchange for postage by the way, you shouldn't really have to pay for grains, there are groups all over the internet.

irish_goat

There's a person in Cork offering starters as well on boards.

gazz

Have a few starters spare if anyone wants em, send me Addy and I'll post out