Christy's Kefir Making Recipe-Procedure

[StinkyCheese]

So far, so good.  Rinsing the grains has removed the strong goaty taste, and the kefir is not curdling nearly as much during secondary ferment.  :)  Can't wait to make a batch of lebneh with it (whenever I can stop drinking so much of it >:D).

[Tiarella]

I have a question for all you kefir folks.....I made a lot of kefir for years but then lost my grains when my goats were dry.  I had two different friends give me kefir grains but they both are producing kefir that has a fesh yeasty bread smell.  it's not unpleasant but it's so different than my other experience.  Any ideas about what's going on?  The kefir is tasty, the smell is good, just different......

[george]

Differences in how they did theirs, pretty much I think - different things grew more, others less, than what you were doing with your own.  I've actually done this myself with the same grains - usually when I didn't refresh that often during times when I wasn't using that much kefir.

Unlike you, however, I don't really like that strong yeastiness - I got rid of it by rinsing the grains between refreshes for a while (normally I don't bother to rinse, seems silly) - then they went back to what passes for normal for me.   ;)

[Tiarella]

Thanks MaryJ!  I have been washing them daily and like you that's not a normal part of care when I'm liking what I'm getting.  It's been a week of washing with no change but I'll keep at it and see.  Good to know it has happened to others and has changed around.  I was just flummoxed and didn't know what to think.  My cheeses don't seem to be contaminated by errant yeasties in the kitchen and the kefir jars are covered so I've just been puzzled.  Although the smell is not unpleasant to me, it's still not what I want my kefir to smell like.   Thanks.......   :)

[Mighty Mouse]

If the kefir is smelling and tasting super strong it might be that the cultures have grown too large and it is time to divide them. Personally, I do not like kefir that has a strong yeast taste to it. Light yeast is good for me, so I tend to keep my grains pretty small. I just divided my culture a week or so ago in fact. I was going to dry some out and keep as a dry backup.