Summer produces a large amount of water kefir at my house, which means we end up with an abundance of water kefir grains.
As you know, the grains grow as they are fed each culturing process. Last summer I had extremely healthy grains that grew and grew. Once the summer was over and we weren’t drinking as much water kefir, I shared my grains with some friends and then I dehydrated the rest and stored them in tiny Ziploc bags.
It was like their very own hibernation period. It is said that letting them ‘rest’ for a good 6 months won’t do them any harm. Not bad for a small investment under $20 – it just keeps on giving and giving!
When I dehydrated them, I did them in 3 tablespoon portions since that’s how much you need to make one quart of water kefir. This way once it was time to rehydrate them, I just stuck the contents of each bag in a quart jar.
There are a couple different ways to dry out your grains. Last year I decided to just dry them at room temperature for a few days. At the Cultures for Health website they state:
“If you require a longer period than a few weeks, we recommend drying the kefir grains. To dry your kefir grains, simply rinse them thoroughly with filtered water then lay them on a piece of unbleached parchment paper in a safe location. Allow the kefir grains to dry at room temperature (takes 3 to 5 days depending on humidity and room temperature). Or, you can use a dehydrator if you make sure the grains do not get heated above 85°F.”
Once summer time rolled around again, I brought out the kefir grains and had to bring them back to life.
This is easy.
All you have to do is prepare the grains just as you would for any normal batch. The hitch is this – they can take around 6-8 weeks to come back fully alive and ready to produce a cultured beverage. Keep this in mind and maybe start a few weeks before you want to have your continual batches going.
Rehydrating Water Kefir Grains
- 1 bag of dehydrated grains (3 tablespoons when alive)
- 1/4 cup organic, unrefined sugar* (coconut, palm, cane, sucanat), the type of sugar is extremely important
- 1 quart spring water* (type of water is important)
- 1 glass jar, quart size
- 1 round ring for the jar
- 1 coffee filter
Like I stated earlier, this can take a few weeks to bring them out of their hibernation state, so be patient. Once they get going again, you’ll have healthy grains and I’m sure they’ll keep growing. I always like to share my excess grains and then save about four batches (total of 12 tablespoons when wet) to dehydrate and use the following season.
Why is it important to use the right water and sugar? Again, the Cultures for Health website states:
“Whole sugars that are less processed will generally have higher mineral content than more processed sugars. Therefore, whole sugars such as rapadura, Sucanat, molasses, and the like will have higher mineral levels than white sugar. Keep in mind though that the type of sugar used will also effect the taste of the kefir. Whole sugars will yield a stronger-tasting kefir than will white sugar.
If possible, use a whole sugar or add a teaspoon of molasses to each quarter cup of white sugar. Either method will increase the mineral levels. If you are looking for a lighter tasting kefir and prefer to just use white sugar, you’ll need to rely on your water source or adding minerals to keep your kefir grains healthy.”
“Kefir grains can also derive minerals from the water. Some water sources such as well water or spring water can be naturally high in mineral content and are ideal for making kefir. On the other hand, distilled water, reverse osmosis water, and water which has been filtered through an activated carbon filter (such as a Brita or Pur filter) often have extremely low or non-existent mineral levels. If using one of these types of water, it is a good idea to either use a high-mineral sugar or add minerals to your water (see below). If you use tap water, we do recommend filtering the water to remove as many additives, chemicals, and contaminants as possible. If filtering is not possible, aerating or boiling the water will generally remove at least the chlorine.”
If you find that you are not able to supply your grains with ample minerals via your sugar or water, you can add 1 teaspoon molasses for each 1/4 cup of sugar. You can even add a pinch of salt. If you happen to have liquid minerals – a couple drops in each quart (during the fermenting process) can work as well.
All in all, rehydrating water kefir grains is simple. Any time spent in reviving these precious little grains is well worth it! The benefits of water kefir are amazing, it’s a great substitute for sodas and juices and it’s SO inexpensive!
If you’ve never tried making your own water kefir, you can order quality grainshere. To learn all about making water kefir, you can watch this video tutorial from Cultures for Health!
For all you water kefir drinkers out there….Cheers!
Sources:
Cultures for Health http://www.culturesforhealth.com/how-to-take-a-break-from-making-kefir#
Cultures for Health http://www.culturesforhealth.com/encouraging-water-kefir-grains-to-multiply
Cultures for Health http://www.culturesforhealth.com/water-kefir-frequently-asked-questions-faq
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