Support Team

[slacker]

Raj - is there a link accessing the presentation?

[CarrieS]

Welcome, CarrieS! We're delighted to have you and all of our FMCA interns. I had no idea you were a Certified Fermentationist. I really want to learn how to make kefir, both dairy (with A2 milk) and coconut milk. I'd love any tips you can share.

Hi Julie,
I apologize for not responding. Dairy Kefir is actually very easy to make. It's a process that will provide fresh kefir on a daily basis. You can use dairy kefir grains to ferment both milk and coconut milk so that is a definite plus. A great resource to purchase DK grains is www.kefirlady.com. Purchase the small amount because the grains grow like crazy once they are happy. "Kefir Lady" provides lots of information for how to keep the grains happy and producing when she sends out the grains to you. Pasteurized milk works great (kefiring adds back in the good stuff). Some people have problems using fresh milk. You definitely don't want to use ultra pasteurized milk (it's dead milk). You can kefir cow, goat, sheep, camel, buffalo, etc milk. I don't tolerate dairy so had to give away my dairy grains but had a great time playing with them for a few months. You can strain the finished kefir to make a thicker yogurt, cream cheese, sour cream, etc. The whey that you strain out can be used in smoothies, other ferments, on plants, etc. If you would like, I can email you the handouts that I've used in workshops.

Water kefir is also a great ferment. I can send you information if you are interested in this one too.

[floramaria]

Welcome, CarrieS! We're delighted to have you and all of our FMCA interns. I had no idea you were a Certified Fermentationist. I really want to learn how to make kefir, both dairy (with A2 milk) and coconut milk. I'd love any tips you can share.

Hi Julie. If you would like, I can email you the handouts that I've used in workshops.

Water kefir is also a great ferment. I can send you information if you are interested in this one too.

HI, CarrieS,

I am also very interested in added more fermented foods, and making those at home. I would really appreciate your any information you could send out about kefir fermentation. Thanks for the link to the kefir grains. Maybe we could have a Fermentation Thread?? It is great that you have this expertise!

[Jan]

Carrie,
Please add me to the kefir list also!

[Magda]

Hi All,

My name is Magdalena (Magda), and I am FMCA candidate.
I have became interested in ApoE4 when I found out that my close family member suffers from dementia.
When I started my own research on brain degenerative diseases I learned about Dr. Dale Bredesen. His work intrigued me, and inspired to learn even more.
When I read that: "Genes load the gun but the environment pulls the trigger", I was convinced that there is more to brain diseases then the mainstream presents.
I am here to share what I know, support, guide and assist members on their way to optimal health.
I am excited to be a part of this important movement of transforming people's lives and health. Moreover, of the movement that changes how the medical world looks and prevents brain degenerative diseases.

[apod]

Carrie,
Please add me to the kefir list also!

In the past, I was making fermented Ginger Coconut Water every couple days -- this stuff is great, but a royal pain. At the time, the grains were doubling almost every other day... but every now and then I would get lazy and it would totally mess up the propagation rates and I'd eventually have to start over with a fresh culture (from backups kept in the freezer dried on parchment paper.) It's not unlike having a pet that requires a special diet.

I was using these jars with airlocks:
http://www.pickl-it.com/

I'd feed the grains organic cane sugar with a pinch of coconut nectar, then strain the next day, crack open a couple fresh thai coconuts, then throw in sliced ginger and transfer in the grains. This would soak overnight, then in the morning I would bottle in a pop-top bottle, put the kefir grains back in their sugar water, then leave the pop bottles out until night or the next morning... throw those in the fridge, and 2 days later there was a dry (almost champagne-like?) coconut ginger ale water kefir.

It seemed kind of alcoholic / sugary and required daily effort, so I eventually gave it up. Home-made pickles are much friendlier and on my timescale... you just set it and forget it, then you've got low-carb (alcohol-free?) pickles a couple weeks later. I've experimented with making vinegar, but it's a sketchy looking process.

I have read a cup of homemade kefir has something like 2+ trillion CFUs.

[Julie G]

How does your coconut ginger water taste, apod? Sounds good. FWIW, I've made kefir by breaking open a couple of VSL #3s for starter. Bad idea?

[Jan]

Apod, 2+ trillion CFUs is awfully motivating, but it does seem really intensive. I may have to hold off a while in actual implementation.

I have two very inquisitive cats also. I might have to hide my project!

[apod]

How does your coconut ginger water taste, apod? Sounds good. FWIW, I've made kefir by breaking open a couple of VSL #3s for starter. Bad idea?

I experimented a couple times with adding a probiotic into the kefir water -- every time, it messed up the grains. They'd slowly get smaller and smaller. Apparently, it's a pretty delicate balance. The best time to add an extra probiotic would probably be into the "second ferment." I have added probiotics to pickle ferments with great results each time.

I haven't messed with water kefir in a few years. The taste was pretty awesome... almost like a champagne, meets cider / beer, meets ginger ale -- the coconut nectar seemed to offer a good mineral / taste improvement without too much sugar (I'm guessing a lot of it ferments away into the grains growth cycle.) Not really drinking any sodas and liking the taste of beer, it was right up my ally. I toyed with the idea of adding fresh hops to a ferment to see what that would do for it. The taste varies a lot depending on how much grain time vs second ferment time you let them have (and other random factors like the house temperature or whether the grains are having an "off week" or not.) Into the second ferment, you can add various juices and spices to really kick things up and get creative. This does increase the alcohol + sugar, both of which I try to avoid.

This shop has an interesting take on it:


Every now and then, I just pick up store-brand kefirs and figure this is close enough. Just cracking those coconuts open was a total pain, haha. An unsweetened plain lifeway kefir (or alternative A2 variety) with a few drops of the "French Vanilla" liquid stevia drops (or a tablespoon of vanilla whey protein) is a pretty tasty topping over frozen berries. There's a surprising amount of sugar in the non-plain offerings. I usually grab the low-fat options, but my serving sizes are tame enough that full-fat would probably work just as well.

[CarrieS]

Water Kefir is my favorite ferment. Yes, dairy kefir can be time intensive but is totally satisfying if you can get into a daily rhythm with it. The dairy grains multiply quickly so it's more of a matter of being ok with either tossing out or giving away grains now and then. I loved the dairy kefir cheese and was so sad not to be able to tolerate it.

My water kefir ferments for 4 days before I strain out the grains, put the fermented water into clasp top jars and set on my counter for a second ferment (to eat up the residual sugar & carbonate) for a couple of days. The longer you let the second ferment sit on your counter, the drier it will get and create more alcohol. I add fresh ginger so it tastes like ginger lemonade.

True water and dairy kefir require using the grains to ferment.