Making Non-Dairy Milk Kefir

Adapting kefir-making for non-dairy milk alternatives

1. Dairy-free kefir normally has a thinner consistency, but it is still rich and creamy, and also absolutely delicious! You can make vegan kefir from many different types of milk, including coconut milk, oat milk, soy milk, and almond milk. Whatever your choice, just be sure to account for the fact that alternative milks will impart flavor to your finished product - which is great, just something to be aware of if you want a more neutral base.
2. Most importantly, you need to buy good quality milk without preservatives or other additives. This is crucial since these added ingredients could potentially damage the grains or prevent them from fermenting.

Special considerations and adjustments for non-dairy milk

1. The bacteria in the kefir grains use up the natural sugar found in dairy milk as food, which is later converted to sour lactic acid.

2. With dairy-free milk alternatives, there is no lactose present. There are small amounts of natural sugars in some nut milks, but still not enough to allow for fermentation.

3. To adjust the original milk kefir recipe and make sure the grains have enough food to ferment properly, you need to add a small amount of sugar before fermentation. Opt for white sugar, maple syrup, or even honey. 1 teaspoon of sugar is enough to nourish one quart of non-dairy kefir.
4. Also important to know is that the grains will not get the necessary nutrients they need from these milks. So when you first acquire your grains, you need to let them sit in full fat cow’s milk for 24 hours, strain them, and then feed the grains some more full fat cow’s milk. If you have the time, repeat the process 2 or 3 times. This will help the grains acclimatize and settle. You can now use nut milks to make your dairy-free kefir.