Make Your Own Milk Kefir

Kefir is a drink resulting from the fermentation of milk, prepared using 'kefir grains', a sourdough made up essentially of lactic acid bacteria and yeasts. The drink obtained is slightly carbonated, thicker than milk and filled with probiotics.

Choose your milk between cow, goat, sheep, camel, low-fat or whole milk, but ultra-filtered or ultra-high temperature (UHT) milk must be avoided. Occasionally, you may also make kefir using vegetable milk, just remember to go back using animal milk to feed your grains.

Dried milk kefir grains should be activated prior to kefir production. If you plan on taking a break between batches, the grains should be stored in the refrigerator in fresh milk. When stored like this, milk should be changed at least every 2 weeks. They can be frozen.

Buy milk kefir grains once, they can be reused and will multiply with each new batch.

Activation and procedures

1. Transfer the kefir grains in 250 ml of fresh milk. Close loosely with a lid.
2. Place in a warm spot, between 20 and 30°C, to culture. Let ferment 24 hours.
3. With a nylon strainer, filter kefir grains. Discard the first batch of milk that served for activation or use it in pancakes or baking.
4. Place activated kefir grains in 1L of fresh milk. Follow steps 2–3 but do not discard the finished kefir. 
5. Drink kefir fresh or store in the refrigerator for 2 weeks.

Drink as is or add desired flavours: bananas, strawberries, in smoothies, with vanilla. Use in a pancake mix or suspend in cheesecloth to make a cream cheese. For a more effervescent kefir, store in an airtight jar.

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