Making Homemade Kefir.

Kefir is a fermented milk food/drink that is similar to yogurt. Kefir has more probiotics than yogurt has, and is a thinner consistancy, more like cultured buttermilk.
Kefir is usually made from kefir grains, although it can also be cultured using a starter. Unlike making yogurt, you do not need any special equipment to make kefir. Kefir originally came from the Caucasus area, and has been popular in Russia for several thousand years; so this is a very old drink.
When making kefir, you basically just add fresh milk to the kefir grains (which are not actually any kind of a grain, by the way) and leave it to culture overnight,or up to 24 hours. The longer it sits, the thicker it will get and the taste becomes a lot more sour as it thickens. I like mine just when it starts to thicken and pulls away from the side of the jar.
If you like yogurt, you will probably like kefir.
It can be used in smoothies, or even made into a soft cheese if you let it drain overnight in a cheesecloth. I have been using the Yogourmet kefir culture (which I buy from Amazon) and then using a starter from the batch to make more kefir. Eventually, it gets a bad taste, and then I start a fresh batch with more of the dried starter packets.
I tried using the grains, but you have to strain the grains out every day, and then start a fresh batch of kefir. Since I am the only person drinking it, and I don't drink the whole quart every day, I soon ended up with way too much kefir , which is why the starter packets work best for me.

 

I am sure it is much cheaper to do it that way then to buy it in the store. It would be much simpler to make yogurt though, which is almost as god for you. All you really need is some yogurt to use as a culture. This will allow you to make yogurt. You jus bake it in the oven at a low heat for a few hours.

 

It sounds like something I'd be interested in.

Personally, I've heard that you can use clabbered milk to start kefir. What are your opinions on this?

 

We tried making it with the grains, it was a little slow at the begining but the culture seemed to get going a lot faster after a few mixes. It also helps if you have a really even temperature where you're making it (our house temperatures vary a lot and this caused a couple of cultures to stall)
We also make yogurt, of the two I find yogurt to be easier but Kefir more rewarding.
Nice post Tumbleweed, good to see you still around.