Water Kefir – Core Recipe

Clara G.
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Servings: 1 Total Time: 48 hrs 10 mins Difficulty: Beginner
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How to Make Water Kefir
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Water Kefir – Core Recipe

Created by: Clara G. Cuisine: Courses: ,
Difficulty: Beginner Prep Time 10 mins Total Time 48 hrs 10 mins
Servings: 1

Description

This recipe explains how to make Water Kefir, a delicious, bubbly drink that may or may not be infused with fruit or other flavors. Once mastered, the basic recipe can be easily adjusted to your liking.

*Feel free to halve or double the recipe according to your needs.

For ingredients to get started, you will need:

Instructions

Step 1: Making The Sugar Mixture & Mixing Ingredients

  1. Add the sugar to a large glass jar.
  2. Add the water to the jar and stir until the sugar is mostly dissolved. Make sure to leave a little space at the top. Ideal water temperature is between 68-78°F (20-26°C).
  3. Add your water kefir grains and gently stir.
  4. Cover jar with a breathable fabric and secure it with a rubber band. You can use a clean kitchen towel or even a coffee filter.

Step 2: First Fermentation

  1. Place the jar in a warm location (Ideally 76-78°F / 24-25°C) away from direct sunlight and let it ferment for 24-48 hours. Time will vary depending on the temperature of your kitchen and the level of sweetness you want. Less time will result in a sweeter kefir; while a longer fermentation yields a less sweet product. We typically recommend leaving it for 48 hours for optimal results.
  2. Taste the kefir after 24 hours so you can understand the subtle changes over time. Visually, you should be able to see some bubbles when you move the jar. Taste wise, if it is too sweet, that’s probably a sign to ferment it longer. With time, it will start to taste less sweet, with some tartness. Find your ideal balance.
  3. Strain the kefir grains from the liquid, reserving the grains for future batches. Pour the water kefir into glass bottles for easy storage. You now have basic, plain water kefir - first ferment. At this point, it tastes very neutral and doesn’t have much fizz. If you wish to add flavor and carbonation, continue to the second fermentation instructions.

Step 3: Bottling & Flavoring

  1. It’s time to flavor your water kefir. There are many different ways to do so (we’ve included a variety of delicious recipes you can explore in the next chapters!), but the most straightforward way to start experimenting is simply to add either fresh fruit pieces or fruit juice to a clean glass bottle and top it with the strained kefir.

Step 4: Second Fermentation

  1. Cover with a lid and leave it on the counter to ferment a second time for an extra 24 hours.
  2. The water kefir will build pressure this time around, and should start bubbling - so don’t fill the bottle all the way to the top or the glass could shatter.
  3. After 24 hours, it’s time to refrigerate and enjoy. You may strain out the fruit or keep it in to infuse for longer.

Note

Understanding The Process

First Fermentation

The first ferment begins once you mix the grains with the sugar water, which allows the bacteria and yeast in the grains to feed off the sugar, converting them to carbon dioxide (carbonation), acids, and more bacteria and yeasts.

The first, or primary fermentation, is the most crucial step of the water kefir brewing process. Simply mixing the grains and sugar water together, creates the perfect environment for the magic to happen.

At the end of this stage, your water kefir is ready to be consumed if you wish, but it will be unflavored and not yet properly carbonated. (We strongly recommend letting it ferment a second time for ideal results).

Bottling and Second Fermentation

The second fermentation is the step when you strain out the grains from the liquid and bottle it. Basically, it’s a second process where you can carbonate and / or flavor your water kefir by letting it culture for some extra time.

Carbonation Tips and Tricks

Carbonation happens mostly during the second fermentation! If you want bubbly, effervescent water kefir, it’s important to go through both processes.

To avoid explosions (yes, it happens), make sure to use glass bottles designed specifically to seal and handle high pressure. You should also leave an inch or so of space at the top of each bottle.

Exploring Unique Flavoring Options

One of the best parts of learning to make water kefir at home is you get to flavor the basic recipe however you like. Experimenting with new flavor combinations is so much fun!

You can start with the easiest option: fresh fruit pieces or fruit juice. Mix and match to make your own blend of flavors, if you feel inclined. You can also use herbs and other aromatics such as cinnamon and ginger to make syrups - the possibilities really are endless. 

Ideal Type of Water for Making Water Kefir

Yes, the water you use can influence your results. As a general rule, it’s best to use chlorine-free water. Water kefir grains also benefit from water sources with higher mineral content, such as well water or spring water. Filtered or bottled water may also be used if that is what’s available to you.

Although tap water can be suitable, it may contain some chlorine. To make sure it won’t hurt the grains, let the water stand at room temperature for 30 minutes to let some of the chlorine evaporate.

When using one of these types of water (with no mineral levels), you could opt to use a high mineral sugar or even add a mineral supplement to the water, such as a small pinch of unrefined sea salt or plain baking soda.

Experimenting with Different Sugars

Water kefir fares better with sugars that still retain some mineral content, so evaporated cane sugar and raw sugars such as demerara and turbinado are all good options. A lot of other types of sugar will also work, like rapadura or brown sugar, but they may impact the overall flavor of your water kefir.

If all you have on hand is refined cane sugar, that is fine to use. Although not ideal, it is the easiest option. Since it’s low in minerals, consider boosting it by adding another source of sugar to the mix: By itself, honey, molasses, maple syrup or coconut sugar don’t provide the proper nutrition the grains need, which can damage them in the long run. However, a small amount of either of these can be added to your sugar water mixture for the mineral content.

Sugar substitutes (including stevia, agave and Splenda) won’t work. Since they don’t contain fructose or sucrose, they’re not able to feed the kefir grains.

Keywords: beverages, drinks, water kefir, kefir

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  1. Andy

    This is a great overview. I sometimes add whole peeled ginger, dates, and a whole fresh lime to my water kefir grains and water as they do their first ferment. And maybe a tiny pinch of salt!

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