Water Kefir, making and sauerkraut

cerastes

I'm making some Water Kefir
There doesnt seem to be any activity going on in the jar?? it is out of direct sunlight, should I have it in the dark or covered?
Its only been 30 hours, the house is colder in this weather now, but the heating is on from time to time, I dont think its getting down below 18 degrees C inside or for very much time, maybe at night. I was thinking it may have to be left for longer up to 72hrs as Ive read.

Should there be noticeable growth in the grains?? during the process or after? how do you know when its complete? the fruit in there hasnt started floating, one of the lemon slices which were floating has sank, other than that it all looks the same, should I stir the mix or leave it be?

marizpan

Is this the first batch you've made since receiving the grains?
If so, you grained are likely to be dormant due to stress of temperature, travel etc

To get them going at first, I would put them on a heat mat and feed well with sugar.
After a few days you will see air bubbles along the sides of the jar.

Discard the liquid and start a new batch as you had intended. Your grains are now active and should start multiplying over the next few days

cerastes

marizpan wrote: »

Is this the first batch you've made since receiving the grains?
If so, you grained are likely to be dormant due to stress of temperature, travel etc

To get them going at first, I would put them on a heat mat and feed well with sugar.
After a few days you will see air bubbles along the sides of the jar.

Discard the liquid and start a new batch as you had intended. Your grains are now active and should start multiplying over the next few days

Thanks for the reply, I didnt realise anyone had replied as the thread wasn't highlighted in my list of followed threads? that's happened from time to time before, don't know why? anyway, I just searched for it to do an update.

I dont have a heat mat, I'll have to look that up, is that a low temperature mat? whats it normally used for? or where can they be gotten? I'll check anyway, but if you happen to know already.

It's getting fairly cold here and I wondered was the cold affecting the growth, so presumed Id have to leave it longer, I checked on my cheap digital room thermometer and it says its 15 degrees now, it does feel cold, but it will be getting on 3 days by lunchtime today.

I used filtered water left to stand, which I boiled to mix the sugar and let it cool right down before proceeding, when making it up.

Earlier today I noticed there seems to be some material floating in there, i.e. the water which was slightly coloured but looked as thin and clear as water after the ingredients were added, this has since gone cloudier with some floating stuff, is this the normal process? (apologies, yes this is my first batch, I had the grains for a few weeks (just checked, its been almost 4 weeks) before I got around to doing it, did I ruin them? they were sealed in a bag, in an envelope, also in a plastic tub, in an undercounter press (dark, but opened from time to time), I checked to see were they any different to when I received them but they looked the same. I should have gotten in gear and just made the stuff, didnt realise I had the brown sugar already. The last lemon slice is still managing to hang on floating, I couldn't find de-sulpherised dry fruit so bunged in a few dried apricots , there were some dried raisins in with the grains already, they are also in the mix.

How much extra sugar should I feed them? to help activate them to produce kefir? if I get a heat mat, how long should I heat them for to aid production? daily? continuous?
Do I need to do that now in colder weather? apply a bit of low heat? we dont have the house heating on lots, just enough to stave off the recent biting cold.
Any problems with storing kefir in recently used plastic drinks containers? I use sugar free diluteable (it helps me drink more water and after getting used to it, prefer the taste of that to just plain water) but plan to reduce it and maybe switch over to some kefir or other kefir fermented drinks.

So I should feed more sugar and maybe use a heat mat if I can get one?
do I have to dispose of this batch of kefir? I thought heat might kill the grains/reduce their ability to grow.
Should there be air bubbles at the sides of the jar always? I can see some at the surface of the liquid now that I rocked it back and forth a little.
How long once I make a water kefir batch can I keep the grains before making another

Apologies for the detail, seems relevant not to omit the information. Also Im new and cluleless as to all things kefir.

Edit, just did a quick search for heat mats, seems to be a few types out there from pets to beauty products, if you have something specific in mind, ie size and rating (the wattage) as dont want to cook the grains.

marizpan

I didn't get a chance to read all your post.

I have a heat mat that is used for culturing yogurt.
Your house is far too cold. Put it in a warm place ie. hot press, warming plate of a range etc.
don't let it get hot, but warm

cerastes

marizpan wrote: »

I didn't get a chance to read all your post.

I have a heat mat that is used for culturing yogurt.
Your house is far too cold. Put it in a warm place ie. hot press, warming plate of a range etc.
don't let it get hot, but warm

Ok, I have to leave it somewhere it wont get knocked over, the kitchen is probably the coldest room as it gets warm from cooking and is then ventilated to let out steam/cooking smells.

I started by leaving it beside my laptop fan when beside it earlier, its warmer during the day, but the stat in the kitchen still only says 16 degrees.

I havent seen that warming mat type, ebay?

marizpan

It need good warmth to get going-22 degrees is ideal.

I bought a yogurt maker ages ago that consisted of six jars on a heat mat.
Google yogurt makers.

cerastes

Any opinions on how tap water allowed to stand in a jug and then filtered in a brita filter compares to bottled mineral water?

In the case of bottles mineral water, are some best avoided, certain brands or cheaper ones?
Sparkling or still? allowed to stand with lid off or open bottle and pour into the mix?

In the interim of getting a heater, Ive put the container Im using for the mix over a cool rad insulated by an argos catalogue from direct contact or heat.
I measured the temp with a digital stat and its showing 22 now, although the contents were cooler and the jar felt cooler, the air temp from the rad was 27-29 degrees away from the insulating argos catalogue.

If this works, I think I might set up a shelf/rack maybe at chest height over my kitchen rad to absorb the heat from there as that rad is usually on low, I could probably make some kind of insulating diffuser to divert heat if it was in higher.

marizpan

You will only need to put the kefir in a warm place during the winter months.

I only ever used tap water and sat out over night.

It is all very easy and straight forward and you'll get the hang of it in no time.

I would brew/ferment it for 2-3 days and then put into good brewing bottle for another 2-3 days to build up the fizz. Then into the fridge, ready for use.

Adding a small amount of sugar helps with the second fermentation. Quarter tea spoon. Be careful of explosive fizzy bottles

FluffTheDog

I just made some water kefir and it smells like vinegar. This is after about 40 hours, I thought it was to be left for 48? What went wrong?! i had it in the hot press so it could be warm. Are my grains dead now?


I used sugar, dates, and half a lemon. I read somewhere that you could just use sugar. Anyone think this be ok?

cerastes

I read online that it might be preferable to NOT use refined white sugar, I believe it said because of bleach used in refined white sugar.
I'd planned to try a few different things, but on extra spare batches which I managed to cultivate/grow, I thought my kefir grains would multiplying each use, I'm concerned I've done something to them too, not sure of the rate they grow.

Maybe you can seperate all the other products and water, rinse them with water, possibly filtered or mineral water or as Ive read, boiled tap water allowed to cool down supposed to eliminate chlorine??

Might be possible to re use them and use cooled boiled tap water or filtered water or mineral and some form of brown or organic sugar?

http://www.traditional-foods.com/fermentation/water-kefir-grains/

This link suggest white sugar is ok though, check the youtube link.

Someone more expert might come along,
if they have any ideas the rate of kefir growth, maybe you can let me know too, mine did appear swelled after the first use, but there seemed no extra.

FluffTheDog

Yeah I used rapadura sugar I think it's called. It's just raw cane sugar and it's brown. I used filtered water too. Ugh so annoying, this is the second time I messed it up. First time I used milk grains instead lol!

I don't think they multiply very quickly. I'm a newb though!

cerastes

FluffTheDog wrote: »

Yeah I used rapadura sugar I think it's called. It's just raw cane sugar and it's brown. I used filtered water too. Ugh so annoying, this is the second time I messed it up. First time I used milk grains instead lol!

I don't think they multiply very quickly. I'm a newb though!

Me too