Handling Kefir Grains .

Here I give you a low -down on how to handle the kefir Grains . These tips will help you preserve your grains and also advise you in handling them   .

 Tip 1) NEVER wash your kefir grains. In case of a dire need or an emergency  like when kefir grains get contaminated by falling  on a unclean surface rinse them with   filtered water and not tap water( Tap water is very dangerous for the grains )  . Also make sure that water is cool and not hot .

Tip 2 ) You must not overheat or boil the kefir grains as too much  heat can kill the beneficial bacteria present in kefir.

 Tip 3) Put the grains in room temperature milk and not  cold milk , as this will shock the grains.

 Tip 4) The kefir grains should not be starved. You must change the milk after 48 hours. When the kefir grains are fed with fresh milk, they stay alive and active . Think of them like a pet. You have to feed them every day or they will misbehave or even die.


Tip 4) If you are going to be gone for more than 2 days and can't change their milk, put them in the fridge. They can stay this way for up to a month. When you come back, it will take about 3-4 batches of baby food sized milk batches , to revive them.

Tip 5) You should not freeze the kefir grains. Freezing totally stops or halts the fermentation process. Many kefir grains cannot be revived after freezing. They immediately go to a deep-sleep-freeze zone  on freezing. The process of reviving frozen kefir grains is difficult. A better option is to dry  the kefir grains .

Tip 6) Though there are no fixed kefir grains to milk ratio, the general rule is to use 1 part kefir grains and 6 parts milk by volume. The milk is the food for the grains .

Hope my tips will help you preserve and handle your kefir grains in a better way  !

Happy kefiring !!!

Handling KEFIR !

Some Tips on handling KEFIR  grains .....  Do's & Don't

1) Do not use metals when handling kefir. Metals react with kefir and contaminate them. Use glass, wooden or plastic utensils instead. Most of people  prefer using glass because this is toxin-free and easier to sterilize.

2) Don’t freeze Kefir Grains. Freezing halts or stops fermentation and some grains are difficult to wake up after putting in a deep-freeze-sleep phase.

3) Do not boil or overheat the kefir. Boiling kills the good bacteria.

4) Do not starve the grains. If you wish to store the kefir grains  for a longer time (more than 2 weeks), change the milk every few weeks. Feed the grains with new fresh milk to make sure they stay alive and active.

5) Never mix tap water with kefir. The chemicals, chlorine and fluorine, in tap water damage the kefir. Always use  filtered water .

6) Donot use hot and boiling  milk  to make kefir . Use room temeperature or refrigerated  milk either .

7) Always cover the jar with a cloth or lid  to avoid contamination.