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Water Kefir

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Prep Time 10 minutes
Fermentation Time 4 days
Course Beverage
Cuisine Fermented
Makes 2 quarts/liters

Ingredients

  • 100 g (1/2 cup) cane sugar
  • 4 g by weight / ¼ teaspoon/2 ml by volume molasses piloncillo, jaggery, panocha/panutsa or other dark brown solid sugar form
  • 25 g about a 2 inch/5cm piece fresh ginger root
  • 50 g 4 Tbsp. water kefir grains

Secondary Fermentation (optional)

  • 120 g (4 oz.) fresh fruit OR
  • 120 ml (½ cup) fruit juice
  • 5 ml (1 tsp.) dried herbs (chamomile, lavender)

Instructions
 

Make Solution for Primary Fermentation

  • Add 2 quarts (liters) water to a large (1 gallon or more) glass or ceramic container. You can warm the water first (up to 100°F/37°C).
  • Add sugar and molasses to water and stir until it dissolves.
  • Slice ginger into thin slices, or grate it and add it to a muslin tea bag. Add slices or bag to container.
  • Add water kefir (WK) grains.
  • Cover with a clean dish or tea towel, or coffee filter and secure with a rubber band.
  • Store in a warm place for 1 to 2 days. (Taste it after 1 day and if you like it, you're ready to bottle and/or secondary ferment.)
  • If you used a bag for the ginger, remove it from container, and squeeze to get every last drop of gingery goodness. Compost the spent ginger.

Transfer to Bottles for Secondary Fermentation (Optional)

  • 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!
  • Add some fresh fruit slices, fruit juice, herbs, or other flavoring. A little goes a long way when it comes to fermentation, as flavors are amplified.
  • Close the container(s) and let ferment 2 to 4 days at room temperature. Check every few days and "burp" the bottles by opening them gently over a sing. BE CAREFUL WHEN OPENING! Contents will build up pressure.
  • Move to refrigerator. Enjoy chilled within a few weeks.

Care and Feeding of WK Grains

  • Add the grains back to your kefir korral (a jar filled with solution of sugar water). dissolving 1 Tablespoon/15 ml sugar to 1 cup/ 250ml of water. Store grains in the refrigerator for up to a few weeks.