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Milk Kefir

Do I have to prepare the milk kefir immediately after receiving it or can it also be stored?

All our crops are alive, so they can't go indefinitely without nutrients. Once our package arrives you have 2 options:. You start right away and produce your first own milk kefir. You send your new roommates into the fridge for the time being, after

The milk has thickened. How should I proceed?

It is perfectly normal for the milk to thicken and this is part of the fermentation process. If your kefir tastes sour enough, you can now strain the milk kefir and collect the tubers for the next batch.

Can vegetable milk also be used to make milk kefir?

You can also make kefir from plant milk, such as almond, oat, coconut or soy milk. The results can vary, so it's best to find out for yourself which ingredients taste best. Anyway, many vegans swear by coconut milk kefir, made with canned coconut mil

Which bacteria and yeast cultures are contained in milk kefir?

The composition can vary with each brewing process. In terms of numbers, the bacteria (mainly lactic acid bacteria and acetic acid bacteria) make up the largest proportion in milk kefir. For example, the following genera of bacteria are included: Lac

Which milk alternatives can I use? What do I have to bear in mind?

Vegetable milk can also be used to make kefir. Coconut milk is particularly suitable. However, you should make sure to feed the kefir culture its usual medium - animal milk - from time to time, because with vegan alternatives you put the milk kefir o

Do I need to rinse the milk kefir tubers with water?

It is sufficient to separate the tubers from the milk or the finished kefir with a sieve and then simply start again. You should only rinse the tubers if you suspect contamination of the culture, for example by cream yeast.

What ingredients do I need to make milk kefir?

You need milk kefir tubers, a container and milk. Goat's, sheep's or cow's milk all work well. Some plant-based alternatives are also suitable for making kefir, such as soy and coconut milk.

Can children and pregnant women safely drink milk kefir?

That's something everyone has to decide for themselves. During the fermentation, alcohol is also produced in small amounts. Basically, you can assume that the alcohol content of homemade kefir is between 0 % and a maximum of 2 %, about the same as in

Which milk is suitable for milk kefir?

Basically, all types of milk of animal origin can be used. It does not matter whether you ferment cow's, sheep's or goat's milk. Some people recommend boiling fresh or even raw milk briefly before fermentation. It does not matter which fat content yo

How long is the shelf life of the finished milk kefir?

The fermentation increases the shelf life. Milk kefir has a very long shelf life and does not go bad or spoil. However, as a living product, it naturally changes its properties. Over time, it becomes more and more acidic and solid. In the refrigerato

How do I store the milk pea tubers when I travel?

If you want to take a break from brewing kefir or are going on holiday, you basically have three options:

How much milk kefir can I make with the Fairment milk kefir tubers?

We supply 10 g of milk kefir tubers, with which you can produce 1 l of milk kefir to start with. However, as you use the tubers again and again and they multiply and grow, you can continuously increase the amount of kefir.

How can I tell that the milk kefir is ready?

You decide when your milk kefir is ready. It can be enjoyed at any time without any problems. For a mild kefir you can finish the fermentation after 12 hours, for a sour result you need up to 48 hours. The rule here is try before you buy, and over ti

Which vessel is suitable for making milk kefir?

The vessel for kefir production does not have to meet any special requirements. What is important is that it is large enough for the planned production. It is good to have a suitable metal lid (alternative: metal lid and band). If you have a screw ca

It was very warm during the transport of my milk kefir tubers. Can I still start them?

Milk kefir tubers usually survive the transport quite well. The white liquid is a nutrient solution and provides the small tubers with all the important nutrients during their journey and the stay until they are used. They can easily stay in the bag

What is the difference between milk kefir and water kefir?

Milk kefir and water kefir are two completely different cultures. They certainly don't share the name kefir because of their relationship. They have different microorganisms that produce different metabolic products and also need different nutrients

My milk kefir is very slimy and pulls threads. What can I do?

Sometimes the balance of the culture is upset. If your milk kefir is slimy and a little thicker than usual, it may be that your culture is a little stressed and needs to adapt to different living conditions. By carefully washing the tubers with lukew

How can I tell if the milk kefir is bad?

Fortunately, milk kefir is a very stable ferment, which rarely goes bad and can protect itself well against harmful microorganisms. If your milk kefir does go bad, you will definitely notice it with your senses. Your instincts will protect you. Mould

My milk kefir is not getting thick. What can I do?

First, ask yourself how long your milk kefir has been standing. After 24 hours, it should smell slightly sour and start to bubble. If it still doesn't thicken, you can try the following things:. - After one day of fermentation, stir the entire mixtur

My milk kefir does not grow/ very slowly and the milk does not turn sour. What can I do?

In general, milk kefir is a culture in which the nodules grow much slower than, for example, kombucha mushrooms or water kefir crystals. However, kefir usually just needs a little time and if it is well cared for, it will also multiply. Here are some

My milk kefir has become too sour.

If your kefir has become too sour or harsh, we recommend the following:

My milk kefir separates into two layers and a liquid settles.

If the kefir becomes very acidic, the milk protein begins to coagulate and the whey settles: two layers form: a white, thick layer, which is the curd, and a yellowish, watery layer, which is the whey. In this case, you can simply stir vigorously or h

How can I make my milk kefir as creamy as possible?

Many kefir fans like the consistency to be as thick and creamy as possible. To achieve this, we have a few tips for you:

What is that white or yellowish fluffy layer on my milk kefir?

What has formed there on the surface is a yeast-like microbial fungus called Geotrichum candidum, also known as milk mould in Germany. Fortunately, it is completely harmless and also often a normal component of the kefir microflora. It can actually o

My milk kefir pulls slimy strings.

When you harvest your milk kefir and separate tubers from each other, sometimes you may see slimy, translucent strings coming out. Congratulations! This is a great indication of how healthy your culture is and that it is doing well. If you don't have

No carbonic acid forms.

To produce fizzy milk kefir, it is important to use a tightly closed fermentation vessel so that the CO2 cannot escape. Further carbonic acid can also be produced during a secondary fermentation. To do this, the finished milk kefir is filled into tig

Do I have to wash my kefir balls?

This is a tip that you sometimes find on the internet. Most of the time, however, it is actually more harmful than useful to wash your nodules with water, as many of the beneficial kefir cultures are washed away in the process. If you wash your kefir

Can I touch my kefir with metal utensils?

Since kefir builds up quite a decent amount of organic acids during fermentation, it can actually attack and corrode some metals. In the process, potentially harmful components can also dissolve from the metal; this applies to aluminium, for example.

How much milk kefir should I drink daily?

In principle, there is no generally applicable consumption recommendation for milk kefir. But as with all other fermented foods, you should approach the pleasure slowly. Recommendations from relevant specialist literature advise taking one glass with

Does milk kefir contain alcohol?

In the course of fermentation, small amounts of alcohol are also produced when sugar is broken down. The alcohol content depends on the composition of the culture, the temperature during fermentation and the ingredients. Basically, you can assume tha

Can I also freeze the milk kefir tubers?

In principle, there is nothing wrong with this. However, freezing is a great stress for the living organisms (especially the yeasts) and sometimes the cultures do not recover and die. If you still want to try it out, you have to make sure to rinse th