Yummy fermented Kefir just a step away.

Have you ever come across the word “kefir?” Do you know how to make kefir? It is a most delicious fermented beverage that is available in two types: water kefir and milk kefir. One can purchase this fermented beverage ready to drink or can even prepare it at home. It is a healthy drink that helps in relaxation.

Sometimes other ingredients are added to it to ease fermentation, or to alter the flavor. Traditional kefir is generally fermented overnight at an ambient temperature. Kefir is a combination of both bacteria and yeast. Since this beverage is fermented, it usually taste sour and thus many tend to add some flavors or fruits to bring out some sweetness. Traditional way of how to make kefir is interesting it slightly tends to be an alcoholic beverage with minimal percent of alcohol in it. But modern method of production has even lessened that percent may be due to reduced fermentation time. It is mainly similar to that of thin yogurt since it is tart in taste and is carried out by small scale dairies. It varies in both appearance and microbial composition as there are many different methods to prepare it. However, the latter is not well known but is easy to make at home like a cup of tea. It is a better substitute for buttermilk which can also be used in baked products if needed.

Now if you ask how to make kefir the traditional way? Then making kefir is very easy which even a 5 year old could follow. Take a large glass jar which can contain at least eight glasses of water. Mineral or boil water should be used with preferably half cup of sugar. If one wants to add more taste then dried fruits, peeled lemon or sliced ginger can be used. It is a procedure to blend the ingredients and ferment it in a warm place having the jar covered with cloth or put lid on it.

Firstly, let the sugar dissolve in water completely and then add kefir grains and add some more water but jar should not be filled with more than three quarter full. Once the grain is mixed the whole mixture is allowed to be fermented for the next 24 to 72 hours. After the fermentation, the liquid is stained from other components and is transferred into small containers. Now fill the three quarters of bottles with water for next twenty four hours so that the drink can be utilized as mixture to prepare other drinks. This is not the only way of how to make kefir, but there are several others wherein sugar is added to water can be replaced with similar other liquids. The fermentation time varies from kefir to kefir. The longer you leave it the sourer it will taste. Some people like a lightly fermented kefir, so they ferment it for only 12 hours while others like it much stronger and thus leave it for 2 or 3 days. So these are some of the ways of how to make kefir.

Jillian Berga is the author of this article on How To Make Kefir. Find more information about How To Make Kefir here.