Kefir myths
I'm sure most people have heard of Kefir these days but there's a lot of BS on the interwebs that seems to be regurgitated by so called experts.
I've had my Kefir grains for about 15 years and in that time I've committed nearly every sin the so called experts warn against and my grains are going stronger than ever.
Myth no 1
You can't use stainless steel strainers or utensils - complete bollocks and conversely a stainless steel strainer can be an important tool in reviving old stagnant Kefir grains. Non propagable milk Kefir grains rubbed against a stainless mesh strainer removes the tough outer coating and allows their dormant microbial population to re-surface and start growing again.
Myth no 2
You need to ferment Kefir in a sealed container or under an airlock - Kefir grains need to adapt to the endemic species of airborne Lactobacillus and other airborne microbes to assimilate them into the polysacharide matrix that binds the grains and their respective microbiota. In effect you are growing anti-biotics tailored to your own location. Kefir can neutralise almost any pathogenic microbe it is exposed to. Sealing them in something slows this process down, it won't hurt them but it's really unnecessary and a complete waste of time.
Myth no 3
You need to rinse your grains with water - I can't understand why anyone could think washing the bulk of the beneficial microbes down the sink would be a good thing. If you do the grains just take extra time to re-establish their slimy coating which is microbe rich & rich in Kefiran. Kefiran is partly what makes Kefir so beneficial so washing it down the sink is a great leap backwards.
Myth no 4
You can only store Kefir grains in the fridge for two weeks without changing the milk - I've had Kefir sitting in the fridge without changing the milk for over 6 months. It got a bit funky but it's easy to fix. Just place the grains in any healthy cultured milk product diluted with fresh milk for a few days and change the milk a few times and they will regain their vigor and health in three or 4 changes of the milk.
And whatever you do don't call it "KEEFER" that just makes you sound like you have no idea what you are talking about. The traditional pronunciation sounds like K'Fear, but most western people with half a clue say it more like "Keff-ear"
Image : Wikimedia commons https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Kefir_junto_a_moneda.jpg
I have often thought about doing Kefir so if I do thanks for the tips😀
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I didn't even know any of these myths existed! Probably a good thing, because I stain them in a metal sieve, leave the lid loose so they can breathe and the bottle doesn't explode if they expand and often leave them refrigerated for long periods if I don't get around to issuing the product. The first thing my friend said when giving them to me was not to rinse them, so obviously she had the right advice. I have heard you shouldn't store/ferment them in metal, which sounds sensible enough.
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I wouldn't store or ferment them in metal either, they can get to quite a low PH and start liberating metal ions into the solution.
I have rinsed mine a few times when I've dropped them in the sink ect. but I certainly wouldn't do it regularly. If you plan to freeze some grains for long term storage a rinse could be beneficial but I prefer to keep mine growing and just eat the excess.
I've never tried eating them. I give my excess to the chickens and they go wild for them! A bit like snot, though, isn't it? 😆
I suppose it is a bit like snot :)
That just reminded me of the time I found out chickens love gollies (phlegm) , if you hack one into the pen they rush it and peck at like it's a delicacy. There's no accounting for taste.
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