Water Kefir Grains, Organically Grown

Water kefir grains, available in three sizes

• Small: 25g of grains, for 500ml of water and 35–40g of sugar
• Standard: 45g of grains, for 1 litre of water and 65–70g of sugar
• Family: 80g of grains, for 2 litres of water and 130–140g of sugar

For your first 3 to 5 brews, use only 500ml of water and 35–40g of sugar, whatever size you have. New grains need a little time to settle in after their journey.

Looking for a homemade alternative to shop-bought fizzy drinks? Water kefir is a naturally fermented, lightly sparkling drink. It's dairy free, easy to flavour and simple to make. It tastes a little like a dry, slightly fizzy lemonade, and many people find it easier to get into than kombucha. If you're used to very sweet drinks, the gently fermented flavour can take a little getting used to.

Water kefir grains are small, translucent, jelly-like crystals made of a living culture of bacteria and yeasts. Feed them sugar water and they ferment it into a tangy, fizzy drink. Look after them and they'll keep growing for as long as you keep brewing. Our grains are grown in chlorine-free water. Full instructions are included, and our free Happy Brew Buddy app walks you through your first brew step by step.

Your grains arrive in a heat-sealed sachet with plenty of kefir liquid to keep them happy on their journey. If you can't start straight away, keep the sealed sachet in the fridge and use it by the best before date.

Buying a gift, or want spare grains to keep for longer? Please order our dehydrated grains.

Water kefir: the basics

What you'll need

• A non-metal strainer
• A wooden or plastic spoon
• A glass jar holding 1 litre or more
• Bottles for your finished kefir

Ingredients

• 1 sachet of water kefir grains
• Sugar: 65–70g per litre of water (see the sizes above). Do not use honey
• 2 teaspoons of unsulphured dried fruit, such as raisins, apricots or organic figs
• ½ a small organic lemon, or ¼ of a large one (optional)
• 1 thin slice of fresh peeled ginger (optional)
• Filtered, chlorine-free water (see the sizes above; boiled water left overnight works too)

Method

1. Dissolve the sugar in the water. Don't use honey, because it can damage the grains.
2. Add the grains, dried fruit, and the lemon and ginger if you're using them. They add minerals that keep your grains healthy.
3. Cover the jar with a loose lid or a tight-weave cloth. Don't seal it. Leave it at room temperature for 24–48 hours. The warmer your home, the faster it brews.
4. Strain out the grains, then bottle the liquid. Don't waste the fruit: fermented figs, raisins and prunes are delicious to eat! Throw away the lemon.
5. Optional, for extra fizz: leave the bottles out for another 24–48 hours, opening them each day to release pressure. Then chill them.
6. Serve cold over ice.
7. Start a fresh batch for your grains at least every 48 hours, with new fruit, lemon and ginger. Every day is even better.

Make it your own. Swap the ginger for fresh mint, anise or cardamom, or the raisins for figs. Water kefir is wonderfully versatile.

Quick answers

How long does it take? Usually 24–48 hours, depending on how warm your home is.

What temperature does it like? Steady warmth. Water kefir is the fussiest of all our cultures about temperature. If it's cold, it goes sleepy and slow, so find it a warm spot away from draughts and direct sun.

Which sugar? Plain white or organic cane sugar. Never honey or sweeteners.

My first brews are flat. Is that normal? Yes. New grains can take a few batches to settle in. Use just 500ml of water for your first 3 to 5 brews and keep feeding them every 24–48 hours.

My grains have grown. How much sugar water now? About 45g of grains to 1 litre of water and 65–70g of sugar. Our Happy Brew Buddy calculator works it out for you.

Can I store the grains? Yes. Keep them in the fridge in their sealed packaging, up to the best before date. The further past that date, the lower the chance they'll wake up. If in doubt, throw it out.

Is it dairy free? Yes. It's made with sugar water, not milk.

Need help? Happy Kombucha customers can contact us any time, and our Happy Brew Buddy app has a troubleshooter.