Basic Water Kefir

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Water kefir is a great replacement for soda pop. There are many beneficial bacteria and yeasts present in the water kefir crystals. These special probiotics metabolize the sugar, making it a bubbly effervescent drink that is loaded with over 14 different probiotics along with extra vitamins and minerals too. Your water kefir crystals can change in color due to the sugar you use or if you add molasses or another mineral.
Course: Beverages

Ingredients

  • 2-4 tablespoons Water Kefir Crystals
  • 4 cups Water spring or filtered with minerals
  • 4 tablespoons Cane Sugar

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Instructions

  • To a glass jar, add 4 cups of room temperature filtered or spring water.
  • Add 4 tablespoons of cane sugar to your jar.
  • Stir sugar to dissolve. You can use brown sugar, white sugar, Sucanat, or raw sugar. (See note for different types of sugar you can use.) If you use Sucanat or raw, you need to heat the water to dissolve the sugar and then allow it to cool before placing your grains in your jar. Certain types of sugars don’t dissolve in water very well and will stay stuck on your grains unless heated.
  • Add your water kefir crystals to your jar.
  • Let sit on your counter for 2 days with a cover made from a cloth napkin secured by a rubber band, or use a mason jar ring placed securely on the lid of your jar. (It might take 3 days the first time you brew with your grains.)
  • Mixture will become slightly cloudy and slightly bubbly with a mildly sweet taste but not as sweet as the sugar water.
  • Strain your water kefir crystals with a strainer. Water kefir crystals can change in color depending on the sugar and minerals you add.
  • You can drink the water kefir right away with a squeeze of lemon or you can second ferment for more flavor and fizz! Place what you’re not drinking in the refrigerator with a secure lid.
  • With the remaining kefir crystals, repeat the recipe above for your next batch.

Notes

Note: You can store your water kefir crystals in fresh sugar water in the fridge for up to 1 month until ready to use again. When ready to resume brewing, strain the old water and add new water and sugar.
Tip: Every few batches, add a drop of molasses for extra minerals to keep your grains healthy.