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High-Alcohol Water Kefir

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Prep Time 15 minutes
Fermentation Time 16 days
Course Beverage
Makes 1 gallon

Equipment

  • digital kitchen scale
  • muslin or other reusable tea bag
  • funnel

Ingredients

  • 4 liters (1 gallon) filtered water
  • 350 g raw organic sugar
  • 8 tbsp (100 g) water kefir grains
  • 112 g fresh grated ginger
  • 1 slice lemon
  • 1/8 tsp. sea salt
  • 3-4 g molasses
  • 10 g (about 4 to 5) dates

Instructions
 

Make Solution for Primary Fermentation

  • Add water to a large (1 gallon or more) glass or ceramic container. You can warm the water (up to 100°F/37°C) to speed up the sugar dissolving in the next step.
  • Place container on a kitchen scale. Tare (zero) the scale.
  • Measure and add sugar to container and dissolve in water.
  • Zero the scale. Measure and stir in molasses until it dissolves.
  • Add salt, lemon and dates to container.
  • Grate ginger, then add to a muslin tea bag. Capture as much of the fresh ginger juice as possible.
  • Add muslin bag to container.
  • Zero the scale. Measure and add your water kefir (WK) grains.
  • Cover with a clean dish or tea towel, or coffee filter and secure with a rubber band.
  • Ferment 6 to 8 days (primary).

Secondary Fermentation

  • Strain liquid through a fine mesh strainer or cheesecloth and funnel into swing top bottles (or other bottles that can seal tightly, such as upcycled kombucha or mineral water bottles. The grains and fruit will be left in the strainer. Remove the fruit pieces from the strainer by hand and add to the liquid. Do not throw away the grains!
  • Close the container(s) and let ferment 2 to 14 days at room temperature. Check every few days and "burp" the bottles by opening them gently over a sink. BE CAREFUL WHEN OPENING! Contents may have built up substantial pressure and can cause a mess (or worse, an injury).
  • Move to refrigerator when you like the taste. Serve chilled.

Care and Feeding of WK Grains

  • The culture you strained out from the primary fermentation will probably have multiplied. Add the grains to a fresh solution of sugar water by dissolving 1 Tablespoon/15 ml sugar to 1 cup/ 250ml of water. Store grains in the refrigerator for up to a few weeks (before using again).