Blueberry Water Kefir Recipe

Name: Blueberry Water Kefir Recipe
Prep time: 10 min
Ingredients: 16 Oz Water Kefir from a completed primary fermentation; 1/4 Cup Blueberries; 16 oz Swing Top Bottles; Funnel; Measuring Spoons; Blender

Sweeter than grapes, blueberries satisfy your sweet tooth for flavoring.

The summertime heat can be hard to beat, but nothing is more refreshing than an ice-cold cup of blueberry kefir! The sweet but tart flavor of blueberries pairs perfectly with the tart effervescence of water kefir. Fresh blueberries are a summer favorite here in the south; they are in season from May until August, making this the perfect time of year to brew your own blueberry kefir.

You can pick up blueberries at your local grocery store, produce farm, or even a U-Pick Farm. U-Pick farms are a fun summer activity that the whole family will enjoy. When looking for your blueberries, make sure to pick ones that are round and frosty blue in color.

PRIMARY VS SECONDARY FERMENTATION

It’s important to note that brewing homemade water kefir is almost always a two-step fermentation process. Brewing water kefir is only a one-step process for those who prefer unflavored and mostly flat water kefir. Otherwise, the steps consist of a primary fermentation and secondary fermentation.

Primary Fermentation: The primary fermentation is the first step of the water kefir brewing process. This is where your water kefir grains transform regular sugar water into the tart and slightly sweet water kefir we love. At the end of this stage, you will have finished water kefir, but it will be flat and, depending on the source of sugar used, unflavored.
Secondary Fermentation: The secondary fermentation is the step where you bottle, carbonate, and flavor your water kefir by the addition of sugar and flavors. This step is essentially adding a bit of sugar/flavor to each airtight bottle and letting it ferment a little longer, allowing the yeast to carbonate the beverage in an airtight environment naturally.

Since this recipe is for the secondary fermentation, to make this recipe, you will need to have water kefir that has finished the primary fermentation and is ready to bottle.

INGREDIENTS

Water Kefir: You need water kefir that has completed primary fermentation and is ready to bottle and flavor.
Blueberries:You can use fresh or frozen blueberries. You’ll want about 1/4 cup per 16 fl oz bottle of kombucha.
Sweetener: Brewer’s Choice! Use 1 tsp of the sweetener of your choice. We always recommend organic cane sugar for the purest and most refreshing flavors.

SECONDARY FERMENTATION PREPARATION

This recipe makes one 16 fluid ounce bottle. Before beginning this recipe, you will want to:

Reserve your grains from your completed primary fermentation and set them aside. You will use these grains as your starter for your next batch of water kefir.
With your water kefir grains placed aside, you will have all the finished water kefir separated and ready to bottle. These bottles are the most popular as they are considered the best bottles for water kefir secondary fermentation, but any other airtight bottles made for carbonation will work.

INGREDIENTS

Water Kefir: You need water kefir that has completed primary fermentation and is ready to bottle and flavor.
Blueberries:You can use fresh or frozen blueberries. You’ll want about 1/4 cup per 16 fl oz bottle of kombucha.
Sweetener: Brewer’s Choice! Use 1 tsp of the sweetener of your choice. We always recommend organic cane sugar for the purest and most refreshing flavors.

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SECONDARY FERMENTATION PREPARATION

This recipe makes one 16 fluid ounce bottle. Before beginning this recipe, you will want to:

Reserve your grains from your completed primary fermentation and set them aside. You will use these grains as your starter for your next batch of water kefir.
With your water kefir grains placed aside, you will have all the finished water kefir separated and ready to bottle. These bottles are the most popular as they are considered the best bottles for water kefir secondary fermentation, but any other airtight bottles made for carbonation will work.

Blueberry Water Kefir Recipe

Recipe by Fermentaholics Course: Water Kefir Recipe, Water Kefir, Blueberry Water Kefir, BlueberriesCuisine: Water KefirDifficulty: Easy

16 FL Oz Bottles

1

Bottles

Prep time

10

minutes

Second Fermentation

1-3 Days

This blueberry water kefir recipe is for one 16 fluid-ounce bottle. For a quart batch, make two bottles. To scale this recipe to a quart batch, multiply the ingredients by two or toggle the serving size up to two above. Before bottling your water kefir, remove the water kefir grains and reserve them for your next batch.

Ingredients

16 Oz Water Kefir from a completed primary fermentation
1/4 Cup Blueberries
SUPPLIES
16 oz Swing Top Bottles
Funnel
Measuring Spoons
Blender

Directions

Place blueberries in a blender with 1/2 cup of water kefir, puree until smooth.
Place clean 16 oz bottle in the sink.
Using a funnel, pour the blueberry puree into an empty bottle, ensuring puree and extract blend together.
Using a funnel, slowly pour Water Kefir into the bottles, ensuring there is about one inch of headspace left from the top of each bottle. The Water Kefir may foam up as you pour so be sure to pour carefully.
Keep bottles at room temperature for 2-10 days; it will carbonate faster at higher temperatures and slower when cold.
Burp the bottles as necessary to release excess pressure. This is done by removing the cap to allow built-up pressure to escape then placing the cap back on.
Chill in the refrigerator once you’re happy with the carbonation levels. Based on preference, you can serve as is or strain before drinking.

Notes

First-time brewers may find it helpful to substitute a glass bottle for a plastic bottle of equal size. Fill the plastic bottle as directed above, leaving 1-2 inches of empty headspace at the top. This plastic bottle will now be used as a pressure gauge. Once this bottle becomes rock solid, you will know the remaining are ready. This method can help prevent bottle bombs.