If you’ve ever tasted water kefir, you’ve most likely fallen in love with the tart, sweet, and effervescent drink that is growing in popularity each day. Commonly referred to as the “original soda,” water kefir is fermented sugar water known for its characteristic “grains,” also referred to as bulgaros de agua or tibicos. These grains are a cellulose byproduct of the water kefir fermentation process and contain the SCOBY or symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast. The growth in popularity is not only due to the taste of the final beverage, but also its health benefits for better gut health due to the live microbes that thrive in fermented foods, as noted by Harvard. And more and more people are learning every day one exciting fact – water kefir is actually very easy to make. In this post, we’ll walk you through making water kefir using your Dehydrated Water Kefir Grains.
Dehydrated water kefir grains are fresh water kefir grains that have gone through a dehydration process, most effectively done using a dehydrator. The dehydration process we use ensures microbial preservation as the grains dehydrate, so rehydrating, sometimes referred to as activating, your grains and water kefir culture is a simple and seamless process. After rehydrating your grains, you’ll be able to make delicious batches of water kefir and flavor them with all your favorite fruits, herbs, and spices. Before we rehydrate our grains, let’s review what these processes entail.
It’s important to note that once you have rehydrated your water kefir grains, 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 primary fermentation and secondary fermentation.
5
minutesThis recipe is for rehydrating one 10-gram batch of dehydrated water kefir grains. Upon completion of this rehydration brew, discard the liquid and begin your primary fermentation.
1/4 cup Organic Cane Sugar
3 cups Filtered Water*
1 32 oz Brewing Container (1 Quart), Breathable Cloth Cover, And A Rubber Band.
1 Spoon (or something to mix sugar and water)
Measuring Spoons
In a clean, quart-sized jar, add 1/4 cup of organic cane sugar.
Add the three cups of filtered water to the jar and mix ingredients until sugar is almost completely dissolved in the water.
Add your dehydrated kefir grains into the quart sized jar with water and sugar.
Place a breathable cover over the opening of the jar and secure it with a rubber band. Place the jar in a warm location (Ideally 76-78° F) out of direct sunlight and let it ferment.
After 24 hours, check your kefir grains. They should have rehydrated to their normal state and increased by about 7 times in size, from 10 grams to around 70 grams. If they still look smaller and dehydrated, let them rehydrate for another 24 hours or until they resemble fresh water kefir grains.
Once your grains and water kefir culture have been rehydrated, you can strain the grains, discarding the liquid, and begin your primary fermentation.
