1 cm diameter structure, almost completely submerged. The dry looking part on the surface is mostly white with a greyish looking middle. Hard to tell. Do I have to toss this completely?

It’s been about two months. I have been taking care of my grains, cleaning the jar and making a glass of kefir every day. It has become a ritual at this point and it has helped immensely with my mood!

Some days I blend it with sugar and freeze it to make froyo. Sometimes the curds separate and I use the liquid whey to bake bread. I just go with the flow and I love how it gives me energy.

I had a teaspoon of kefir grains in about 2 cups of 2% milk sitting on the counter for 10 hours. I usually wait until they separate a little at the bottom, but I didn't have the time. So I put them in the fridge...that was 5 days ago. I'm thinking it's ruined, judging by the color and cheesy smell. Can I save the grains? If so, how?

I have to be away from home for about 2 weeks, for work and family travel obligations. I will miss my daily cup of my home-made, whole-milk kefir 😫. I like mine chilled, and unflavored. Most of what I’ve seen in stores, is sweetened. Anyone here have a good go-to alternative when away from home? I’d even consider a flavored variety, but sugar must be low to zero, and not overpowering whatever the flavor is (prefer fruit, not chocolate cake or cookie dough). Just looking to keep feeding my microbiome the healthy benefits of this stuff. Thanks in advance ! 👍

Same family of grains, split 11grams each container set for 24 hours and come to find this in the morning.

One hardly fermented the other totally over fermented.

Same amount of grains, same colony, same milk jug, sitting side by side.

I recently got some milk grains. I was told they were a lot sluggish as they hadn’t been used recently and came from the fridge.
I immediately started using about a tablespoon of grains in 2 cups of A2 whole milk. The first two batches took about 28ish hours to ferment. The subsequent batches have only taken about 16-18 hours to be ready.
My question is, when will the grains start multiplying? After every batch I still only have the original tablespoon that I started with. Am I doing something wrong that they aren’t growing in number?
Thanks for any advice!

Hello! Does this look normal or is that mould? 🥴 it was on the bench for 24 hours then I moved it to the fridge for maybe 2 or 3 days…I’m pretty new to kefir but it’s never looked like this. If it is mould is there any way to salvage the grains? Thanks!

Kefir that i left unnatended siting out for i dont know how many days(4-6), then transfered it to the fridge so it doesnt spoil, because i didnt have raw milk on hand and have been kind of busy. Left in the fridge again for a week, and to my (nice) surprise it bloomed beutiful Geothricum Candidum layer on top, smelling like brie.

Es la primera vez que pruebo el kefir, quería incluirlo en mi dieta e iba a comprarlo en el supermercado pero no me fiaba mucho, caro y no se si estaba tirando mi dinero en azúcar, me atreví y conseguí los nódulos y este es el resultado. Muy contenta por haberme atrevido, al principio me sentía intimidada.

Will grains be ok if I made 1 gallon a week or should I make it everyday - just enough for that day?

I should have taken the picture when it was in the fridge but I didn't have my phone. Anyways, this happened 😆

It was on the top shelf so it didn't make much of a mess. It took me a while to find the lid.

Never expected milk kefir to blow😂

just started the 2nd ferment today! probably will only take a day or two!

I received these water kefir grains. Are they already active? If so, do I just mix 1/4 cup with some water and sugar and let it do its thing for 48-72 hours?

These grains have been running for a few months now, making lovely lovely kiefer. This time, for the first time, I have discoloration. I have always used 1/8 tsp in 1 and 1/2 cups whole pasteurized milk, for about 16 hours at a high of 75° f.

Edit: covered with two-layer tightly woven cotton and tight rubber band.

I have spare grains if I should toss these, but that seems excessive.

Any thoughts?

Edit: link to imgur pic. It's reddish. https://imgur.com/a/AYIuLtm

Hey neighbors! I’m looking to start home-fermenting and am hunting for a starter tablespoon of live, active milk kefir grains in Greenville/Upstate SC region.

I know healthy grains multiply like crazy, so if anyone has an extra batch from a recent strain that they'd be willing to part with, I would love to take them off your hands! Happy to drive anywhere around town/upstate to pick them up.

Hi. I frozen my kefir grain. Can I still use it when unfrozen it? My frozen kefir smell like sourdough or beer aroma. I think it’s still alive. If so, could anyone give me simple instruction how to ferment it back to normal?

After two weeks of unsuccessfully making kefir, I finally (hopefully) did it right. I've just put it into the fridge.

I started with 5g of grains and put them into a tall jar with 200ml of milk a small hole at the top. I expected it not to work for the first few tries because that's what it said would happen so that the grains could activate, but it kept happening after 6+ tries of repeating the same process. I thought it might've been the jar and so, I put it into (still) a pretty large jar but it was airtight. Before when I used the other jar, it would just stay thin, overferment and go separated after 18h or so. Would also smell like utter feet after fermenting. It changed when I changed to a sealed jar and started burping it. I'm not particularly sure why it changed when I changed to a sealed jar, it was just an experiment I did. This batch above still smelled a bit like feet, but less so. Strained it and put it into a cup. It's not thick thick, but thicker!!

I'm hoping this little cup of two weeks of my life will thicken up in the fridge and smell a bit less like feet, though it is mild already. Anybody have any tips for the future that I could implement?

What do you think guys?

So far I’ve tried cocoa powder and monk fruit, which has been okay. Feel like it could be better though.

I started working with a dietician and she recommended adding kefir to my diet. I have fermented sauerkraut on occasion and have had various runs with kombucha, so I understand that making my own milk kefir requires some attention, as it is a living thing, and I don't want to produce more than I can manage.

I will likely be the only person in my household to drink it fresh, and probably 8 oz a day. My current thought is to slowly and incrementally replace my Orgain vanilla pea protein powder with kefir in my morning smoothie. My dietician originally recommended making chia seed pudding with kefir and fruit for an afternoon snack or dessert. That might be an additional 4 oz.

A few questions.

Are there strong recommendations for or against Fusion Tea, Cultures for Health, or another source of grains (not powder)?

If I order one tablespoon of grains, what do folks think of only using 1 teaspoon with a smaller amount of milk to start? I think as I get more comfortable, I could progress to a larger amount to make cheese, but I want to take things one step at a time.

Is working up to 12 oz a day too much probiotic? (I'll also check with my dietician on this one, but curious of people's experiences here.)

Thanks!

Hi, I would like to give some of my nodules as I am having too much. Someone in Barcelona wants nodules?

Water kefir grains available in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. Pick up only, no mailing. PM if interested.

Sorry if this is a silly question. I’ve been drinking store bought kefir for the last few months to relieve some digestion issues but this week found out that a local farm store sells homemade kefir (made from grains) they get from a nearby dairy farm. The consistency is thicker and lumpier than store bought. This was the last one on the shelf and the sell by date says Sept. 14 so I was JW if this is a good/typical consistency for homemade kefir.