Generally, kefir grains are buoyant, resilient, and can stay alive for years.
However, if they are abandoned bynot regularlyfeeding them orkeeping themin the fridge for too long (6+ weeks), they can become weak and eventually die. To begin with, it is very important to know what your kefir grains look like when they are healthy, so you can easily tell if something goes wrong.
All Symbiota cultures are fed and nourished right up to the time of dispatch.
What should my kefir grains look like?
Kefir grains can vary in color depending on the sugars they are fed. From white translucent to a yellow/browncolor.Kefir grains, otherwise known as kefir culture, can vary in size and shape.
How do I know if my kefir it fermenting?
Normally, if the water kefir grains are able to turn sweet water into tangy kefir within 72hours at temperatures between 22-26 degrees Celcius, then they are fine.
To know if your water kefir grains are dead, use them to ferment a new batch and repeat this cycle at least 4 times. If the grains are dead, the water will remain sweet, and there wouldn'tbe a sign of fermentation. Another way to know is the appearance of mold on the surface. Unfortunately, you can’t do anything when this happens, you would have to buy new grains and start again.
Should my kefir culture be multiplying?
Please note that culture multiplication is not necessarily an indicationof your grains' health. If your sugar water is changing in flavour and fermenting, this is your most reliable indicator for alive grains.
To know if your water kefir grains are dead, use them to ferment a new batch and repeat this cycle at least 4 times. If the grains are dead, the water will remain sweet, and there wouldn't be a sign of fermentation.
Sometimes you can revive neglected or forgotten grains. Simply separate the grains in a strainer, give them a rinse with some clean cold, preferably non-chlorinated water, and put them in a new batch of sugar-water.
Add 1/4 cup of sugar to one litre of filtered or spring water. Cover your jar with a piece of breathable fabric and rubber band. Leave in a cool place on your kitchen bench and test solution 2-3 times per day. If your grains have still not revived after a few days, start the 'rest and reset' process again.
They're living organisms and need food. Treat them like a pet and make sure you feed them. The only way to tell is to try to make a jar of kefir. If the milk turns sour and tart tasting then the good bacteria is working and your grains should be fine.
When water kefir is finished, it tastes a bit sweet still. If you prefer it more sour you can overferment it. If you leave it for a very long time it may become even to sour to drink. The same is with kombucha.
Rinse your grains. Doing so takes off the protective bacteria that makes them thrive. We would only recommend rinsing them as a last-ditch effort if they're covered in mold or about to die anyway.
Water kefir grains can change colour depending on the ingredients used. White sugar can give translucent kefir grains, while brown sugar, molasses, and minimally processed sugars give a brown tint to kefir grains. Remedy: Don't do anything, it's normal!
It's very difficult to have truly contaminated kefir due to the very nature of the billions of cultures in contains. If however it is contaminated, it will be an off color, thick texture to the water and/or off smell and you will be able to recognize this (it will not be subtle).
Why are my water kefir grains floating? Water kefir grains will sometimes float when enough sugar has been eaten by the organisms. They create effervescence as a byproduct of the fermentation process which will propel some grains to float around in the vessel.
Sometimes grains for one reason or another are stubborn and will simply not grow. They will usually still properly ferment milk into kefir though, and is not something to be concerned about. If they are floating, not soft, and not producing kefir, they are not viable any longer.
Introduction: My name is Errol Quitzon, I am a fair, cute, fancy, clean, attractive, sparkling, kind person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
We notice you're using an ad blocker
Without advertising income, we can't keep making this site awesome for you.
