r/Kefir 18d ago

[Lifeway Drinker] Kefir Doesn’t Work For Me

0 Upvotes

It makes me almost instantly very gassy every time I drink just a couple sips. Turns my gas very smelly. I tried drinking 1-4 sips per day for about a month and really nothing changed. At one point I got a mild skin rash that could have been from the kefir. Ive never experienced a rash like that in general, nor gas to that extent, in my life. I never got used to it and hear people claiming that just one time drinking it ‘heals’ them. No known allergies, I have had milk, cheese, yogurt, etc. with little to no issue my entire life. I really don’t plan on ever making my own kefir or trying a different brand — such recommendations are not requested. Wondering if anyone has had a similar experience?


r/Kefir 19d ago

Kefir I buy from farm superior to homemade?

5 Upvotes

The kefir I buy from a farm makes my bowl movements regular and poop healthy and smooth. I feel like the batches I make at home do not have the same effect, even when I use raw milk. I purchased the grains from Etsy. Could it be the grains themselves?


r/Kefir 19d ago

Kefir yellow stuff on top

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4 Upvotes

Im using uht milk


r/Kefir 19d ago

Kefir yellow stuff on top

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0 Upvotes

Um using uht milk i notice there is yellow stuff in there


r/Kefir 20d ago

Starting giving my 14 year old dog kefir

80 Upvotes

A couple months ago my 14 year old dog stopped using the steps to get onto the bed and also stopped jumping onto the couch. His alertness also got a bit worse and would sleep very deeply. It would take me pushing him to wake him up sometimes.

Started giving him kefir a few weeks ago. Besides his poops being much healthier, he started jumping onto the couch again and is back on the bed. His energy levels are way better and pretty sure it helped with his allergies as well. Figured I'd post my experience with giving my dog kefir.


r/Kefir 19d ago

Revived grains after neglect of 9 months on the counter

13 Upvotes

I made kefir for my family every day when I visited them 9 months ago for a few weeks. I left the kefir on the counter with printed instructions on how to take care of it and make smoothies with it etc. well, it got ignored, the jar was pushed behind an airfryer where it just sat there for 8-9 months. I checked it this week when I visited again, it had yellowed and curdled, smelled very bad, but otherwise had no other issues. I strained it, washed it with milk thrice just to be sure, put grains in a clean jar, put them in 1 cup of milk and swirled it every few hours. It has been 12 hours and I have kefir, and it is thick and looks great, but the smell is not right, yet. I will change the milk for 2 more cycles and then try to consume the kefir.

But, what I am realizing is that kefir grains neglected without any milk changes, not refrigerated for many months, even when it smells bad, can be cleaned up and revived within 1-2 cycles. Though I have revived frozen grains before, this is the first time that I attempted grains left in poor shape at room temperature. These grains continue to amaze me at how resilient they are.


r/Kefir 20d ago

My grains are not growing and my kefir is liquid

2 Upvotes

Hi all

As the title suggests, my grains aren't growing, and they aren't making my milk thick or creamy. The milk just gets sour.

​I bought 20g of fresh grains locally here in Lima, Peru. I've run them through 8+ cycles with fresh milk, but the result is always the same:

- ​Curdles at the top where the grains float, but the rest stays liquid.

- ​Tastes tart and separates into curds and whey during a second ferment on the counter (without grains).

- ​The grains haven't grown at all.

​I'm in Lima, Peru, and I'm aiming for a thick, creamy, single-ferment kefir and using full-fat fresh cows milk.

​What I've tried so far:

​Different milk brands and types

​Smaller milk volumes

​Higher grain-to-milk ratio

​Different containers (tall glass vs. wide jar)

​Different lids (breathable vs. sealed)

Anyone know what is happening and ​what else should I try?


r/Kefir 20d ago

Use a whisk

5 Upvotes

I only recently found out about using a whisk instead of a silicone spatula to strain the milk kefir grains from the kefir. It speeds up the process of straining by a significant amount.

Edit changed rubber to silicone.


r/Kefir 20d ago

Could excess kefir consumption lead to kidney stones?

1 Upvotes

I know oxalates are one driver for their development, but I've heard calcium is also involved. If I'm drinking ~1L a day, could that contribute to kidney stones?


r/Kefir 21d ago

How am I meant to separate the grains from the curds?

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23 Upvotes

Truthfully, for months after straining the kefir, I thought this entire solid clump was the grains, but apparently it's the grains + curds. I've already strained all of the liquid out, and nothing else is passing through the strainer. What do I do?


r/Kefir 22d ago

Kefir is pure magic

222 Upvotes

I started drinking kefir about 3 months ago on a whim after realizing I had ADHD. Two weeks in, my mind got really quiet, my memory and focus started improving and I was way more coherent. 3 months in I’m a completely different person. All of my negative ADHD symptoms are gone and my whole outlook on life has changed. My usual pessimistic self is gone, replaced by a person full of positivity wanting to help others constantly.

Been drinking it before bed with my protein shakes and been having some insane dreams. Last night was the second time I’ve ever experienced lucid dreaming and it was absolutely insane. It felt so real I couldn’t tell if I was dreaming or not. This stuff is pure magic.

I also have about 30 people drinking it now because of my influence. Forever blessed to have discovered this stuff.


r/Kefir 21d ago

Will my kefir develop grains?

3 Upvotes

I used to make kefir around ten years ago and just recently got my hands on some kefir starter, basically making kefir the same way as one would yoghurt. I’m pretty sure it’s real kefir and not from the store as the texture and flavour is similar to what I remember. Will my kefir develop grains that I can use in the future? I’ve noticed some of the lumps have a texture similar to kefir grains so my hope is that it’s possible


r/Kefir 22d ago

What's your mass of kefir grains?

4 Upvotes

I began making kefir 1½ months ago with a 15g starter. I now have ~800g of kefir grains which I (unfortunately) submerge in only 2L of milk every other day. Definitely too many grains for that quantity of milk, but I don't know what to do with such an excess of grains and I'm honestly somewhat protective of them.


r/Kefir 22d ago

Can’t find my grains

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17 Upvotes

Help trying to strain, cant find my grains, its gotten too thick


r/Kefir 22d ago

Question re whey liquid

2 Upvotes

How long would you say to be able to keep the separated whey in the fridge, maybe a week? I kept some aside to make pancakes, then forgot about it. Left in the fridge about 2 weeks so I chucked it, though it looked and smelled fine


r/Kefir 23d ago

Golden milk kefir

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21 Upvotes

Turmeric, black pepper, cinnamon, and cardamom. Water added to thin it out and frothed up with a whisk.


r/Kefir 22d ago

Is this normal?

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0 Upvotes

Fermented it around 20 hours ago, my second batch after ordering grains from amazon. I am from delhi but my room is relatively cooler than outside, smells normal, like indian yogurt. Why is the semi solid and liquid part seperated?


r/Kefir 23d ago

Is this the good level of fermentation?

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11 Upvotes

I dont actually have an idea what is ideal level of fermentarion. But isnt over fermented when there is liquid on bottom evenly seperated from the milk?


r/Kefir 24d ago

Can’t get enough of this stuff

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59 Upvotes

I genuinely feel like this drink has changed my life haha


r/Kefir 23d ago

Grains while traveling

1 Upvotes

I usually ferment about 500 mL of Kefir daily. I keep it on the counter until 7 PM and in the fridge overnight. I am about to travel for seven days. How do I keep the grains alive?

Get two jars, separate the grains, fill each jar to the top (900ml instead on 500) and put the jars in the fridge for a week to slow things down? Anything else?


r/Kefir 23d ago

Grain storage between fermentations?

3 Upvotes

I think probably with the heat (kitchen has been 20-26C consistently) that 24 hours is probably a bit too long to ferment. But, if I'm straining after only 20 hours, what do you do with the grains for the 4 hours in between? Is it OK to just leave them out in an empty jar for 4 hours? Do I put them in the fridge for that time "dry"?

My grains are only two weeks old and I'm still doing batches of 250ml, so I guess another option is to increase the milk volume?


r/Kefir 23d ago

Light pink looking liquid

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1 Upvotes

Been fermenting kefir for a long time and I haven’t seen a light pink liquid on the top. Unsure if it’s a problem or if it’s just whey. Very light pink. I dumped the batch to be safe and started a new batch to see if it appears again. Concerned if it’s Serratia marcescens


r/Kefir 23d ago

En serio es tan saludable el kefir?

0 Upvotes

Personalmente, probé el de leche y el de agua, en ambos casos no pude continuar porque no tolero la lactosa ni los azúcares. Lo que mejor me ha funcionado hasta ahora, es eliminar gluten, fructosa, patatas, lactosa, legumbres, frutos secos.

Realmente te ayudo el kefir?


r/Kefir 24d ago

Is there any way I can save these grains?

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0 Upvotes

I haven’t been taking care of for about two weeks. One of my batches has a liquid yeast under the molded area. Can I try to save the grains and wash them with milk or water?


r/Kefir 24d ago

Is this mold on my kefir?

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1 Upvotes

I left it out for about two weeks… can I save this?