Water kefir is the vegan version of the best drink for your gut health!

The best-known kefir is made using cow’s or goat’s milk. A no go option for vegans. In this age of unlimited accessible knowledge, I feel stupid for not knowing that there was an easy vegan option out there! Water kefir! And it’s been there for centuries. Maybe it originated in South America, maybe in Japan but then again maybe both. Anyway, it has been there all along and yet, it took some eavesdropping at my health food store, to hear about it. Now, I’m hooked!

I just can’t believe how easy it is to make this deliciously fizzy drink full of probiotics. My tummy is super happy nowadays!

Water kefir grains

The first and most important ingredient required to make water kefir is water kefir grains. These are also called tibicos, Japanese water crystals, California bees or African bees, Australian bees, ginger bees, vinegar bees, bee bees… You name it!

They look like little translucent crystals but don’t get fooled, these are alive as they are a symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeasts. The kefir grains feed on sugar and turns the water into a delightfully fizzy drink. They also multiply!

Water kefir recipe

You will find various recipes online with slightly different indications. The one I was given is a 2 steps fermentation process.

The first fermentation:

• 2 big spoons of water kefir grains
• 1l of water (best to used filtered water)
• 3 big spoons of sugar (to feed the kefir grains)
• 3 dried figues
• 2 slices of lemon

Put all the ingredients in a glass container with a big opening, cover with a fine mesh clothes so the kefir can still breathe and to prevent fruit flies, from enjoying your kefir before you.

Place somewhere warm and with lots of daylight. After 24h, the figures will be floating and a sort of foam will have formed. You can leave it for another 24h if you wish.

Then remove the figures and lemon and strain your mixture to reserve your kefir grains.

The second fermentation:

Your water kefir is already a little fizzy, but now it’s time to make it delicious!

Add some fruit juice! The choice is yours. Here I added some pomegranate juice I already had and goodness it’s amazing! I can’t wait to do peach juice and try that.

Bottle up in pressure resistant bottles, refrigerate and enjoy a glass a day!

Storing water kefir grains until your next use

Just rinse and put your kefir grains in a tight container with a little bit of sugar and water, in the fridge. They get the food they need with the sugar, but not so much that they multiply. You can store this way for up to 2 weeks. If you need to leave them longer, you can repeat the process.

Since the grains multiply with every use, you can dry some and freeze them and store them for up to one year this way. You’ll need to reiterate them as above before using.

When you have more than enough, you can give some to your friends and neighbours!

Very important notes and precautions!

First it seems that Kefir grains do not like metal. I can’t believe I’m going to write this, but use plastic utensils to handle. Store in glass containers.

Most importantly… beware of the pressure created!

When fermenting and especially during the second fermentation, pressure in the bottle will increase over time, like a whole lot!

Drinking a glass a day means some of the pressure will be released but you might want to pop your bottle open at least once more per day. I’ve heard stories of kefir splashing out with such strength that the kitchen ceiling was redecorated!

Enjoy!

It is quite simple really. Don’t sweat it too much. Experiment with different juices to find what you like best. Most importantly enjoy your daily dose of goodness!