How to make Milk Kefir

• Put your grains into a clean glass (pint sized) or Glass Jar (1ltr is best)
• Fill the container with milk (any milk will do) 2/3 full
• Place in cupboard or other spot out of direct sunlight.
• Cover jar with a clean dish towel.
• Let it sit for 24 hours or until it reaches desired sourness.
• When kefir is finished, strain grains (with a plastic strainer NO METAL) from kefir milk.
• Drink kefir, reuse grains. Go back to step 1.

• Don’t use metal with kefir. To strain the grains you can use a nylon strainer, a plastic slotted spoon, or a plastic colander.
• Don’t keep the brewing kefir in the direct sun.
• Don’t expose the grains to heat

Trouble shooting:

Adjusting to a new home.

Your first batch or two of kefir may seem extra yeasty. If that’s the case, the kefir is still fine to drink, but your kefir will mellow after the grains have been a week or so in their new home.

Tune-up: Kefir grains take on other strains of bacteria. It is possible for your kefir to seem “off.” You may even think you killed your grains. You probably didn’t. Rinse them with filtered water (non-chlorinated), put them in a glass container, cover with filtered water, store in the refrigerator for 24 hours. Strain them and make a new batch of kefir. 

Storing grains: 

If you want to take a break from your kefir making for a while, put the grains in a jar with milk (as you would to make kefir), cover with a tight fitting lid, and store in the refrigerator. The low temperature will slow down the fermentation process of the grains; they will go into a semi-dormant state. Every week or two, change the milk and drink the kefir that you made in your refrigerator. Your grains may last longer than this, so if you do neglect them for a time, try to rejuvenate them before deciding you have killed them. Make a batch or two of kefir and see how they do.