Milk Kefir FAQ | Common Questions & Troubleshooting
Welcome! This page will take you through common questions that you may have about your kefir grains and help you troubleshoot many common issues. You can buy organic milk kefir grains here if you haven’t already. Our kefir grains are posted freshly fed and live.
Will My Milk Kefir Grains Survive Shipping?
Our kefir grains can safely survive in transit for 2 weeks, which is in the delivery window for the vast majority of our orders. In the unlikely event of a delayed delivery, we will always make it right with you. Please note that after receiving your grains, they will need a short recovery period, which you can read about below.
I’ve Just Received My Milk Kefir Grains And They Aren’t Working
It can take up to a week for your grains to adapt to their new environment and recover from transit. So, don’t be concerned if the first batch or two doesn’t fully ferment.
Just keep feeding the kefir grains fresh milk every 24 to 48 hours, as per the instructions, and keep an eye out for signs of fermentation – that being, a change in smell, taste, and/or texture. If you have any concerns or questions, please contact customer support.
My Milk Kefir Smells Yeasty/Bitter
It’s normal for milk kefir to have a slight yeasty taste to it, especially if you do an open lid/aerobic fermentation or ferment at a warm temperature – both of which encourage the growth of yeast over lactic acid bacteria. However, if the yeast smell is overly strong, has a rotten egg/sulfur smell, or a bitter taste, then it’s likely that your grains have been contaminated by foreign bacteria or that the yeast and lactic acid bacteria are out of balance. If you find this to be the case with your grains, please contact customer support for assistance.
Why Aren’t My Milk Kefir Grains Growing?
Milk kefir grains will roughly double in volume every 2 weeks under ideal conditions, so don’t be concerned if you can’t see them multiplying from batch to batch. However, if your grains are growing significantly slower than this or aren’t growing at all, it’s likely due to one or more of the reasons below. Sometimes a small tweak is all that’s needed to get the grains growing again, but in other cases, the only option is to source new kefir grains.
Ambient Temperature Is Too Low Or High
An ambient temperature that is too high or low can negatively affect the growth rate of your kefir grains. The optimum temperature for fermentation is 23°C (75°F) – about room temperature. However, anything in the range of 18°C - 28°C (65°F - 85°F) is acceptable. Temperatures below this range can cause the kefir grains to become sluggish in growth, whereas temperatures above this range can start to kill the kefir grains.
Overcrowding
As the kefir grains grow over time, more milk needs to be added to each batch, or some of the grains should be discarded. Aim for a ratio of 1 teaspoon of kefir grains to 1 cup of milk. If you don’t do this, over-fermentation and overcrowding can occur, which will slow down the growth of your grains or even damage them.
Infrequent Feedings
Letting your fermentations go for more than 2 days can cause damage to the kefir grains.
Type Of Milk
Milk kefir grains will nearly always grow best in full-cream, organic cow's milk, goat’s milk, or sheep milk. The grains will grow a bit slower in lite milk, but it’s still a perfectly okay choice. Milk kefir grains won’t grow at all in plant milk, skim milk, and lactose-free milk.
Over-Fermentation
When over-fermentation occurs, the milk kefir that the grains are in can become very acidic and start damaging the kefir grains. Read more about this below.
Why Is My Milk Kefir Separating Into A Clear And White Layer?
A clear sign that over-fermentation is occurring is when the milk kefir separates into a watery clear layer of whey and a thick white layer of milk curds. While this is a great sign that your grains are very active, it results in milk kefir that is too sour to be comfortably consumed, and over time, it can cause damage to your kefir grains. If this happens, try one of these solutions:
Discard some of the milk kefir grains: We recommend using about 1 teaspoon of kefir grains per cup of milk.
Shorten the fermentation time: If you’re fermenting for 24 to 48 hours, shorten the fermentation time to 12 or 24 hours.
Make larger batches: Increase the quantity of milk added to the batch so that you can achieve a ratio of ~1 teaspoon of kefir grains to 1 cup of milk.
Move to a cooler location: Milk kefir grains ferment best at a temperature range of 18°C - 28°C (65°F - 85°F). If you’re fermenting at close to 28°C (85°F), move your jar to a cooler location.
Can I Use A Metal Strainer And Spoon?
Using a stainless steel strainer and spoon is perfectly okay and will not harm your kefir grains. Do not allow the grains to come in contact with any other type of metal. Not only could it kill the grains, but there’s the potential for metal ions to leach into the milk kefir, which could be harmful to your health in the long term.
I Have A Holiday/Want To Take A Break From Making Milk Kefir
If you need to take a break from making milk kefir, you can follow the steps listed here in our milk kefir instructions and recipes.