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Fellow forum Member Christy offered me some of her Kefir Grains and I gratefully accepted.

Christy US Postal Surface Priority Mailed them to me Monday from Kansas State, arrived today Wednesday in Houston Texas, 2 days! Good as our mail box is ~ 85F/30C, even in mid September!

The 2 ounces of grains which I can't see are double plastic baggy packed then paper towel wrapped in case leak, and in 8 ounces of goat's milk along with a little present of goat's milk soap from her Farm , thanks, my wife quickly scooped that up.

In Christy's PM she says "It will probably turn into kefir by the time you get it. You might want to get a fish net to strain your kefir."

Christy, many many thanks! OK so now what do I do? I assume, open package, strain and dispose of shipping milk now kefir, very lightly wash grains in water, and then follow your recipe?

Since you are going to get these grains to go from raw goat milk to store milk I suggest you put the entire contents of the baggie, milk and grain, into a quart jar then add enough store milk to fill the jar 3/4 full. Then we will see how thick it is in the morning.

Question, is the milk they were shipped in thick?

You are very welcome
Christy

Christy

I know this is going to sound weird but I am squeamish of goat's milk, I guess as never drunk it before in my life plus been in warm heat for last two days so I really really wanted to drain and rinse and scrub those kefir grains but I agree they are already in shock from travelling plus going to cow's milk so I've done as recommended, at 6PM I:

• Poured goat's milk kefir and grains into a clean 1 US quart/1 liter plastic container, viscous, few large plops as grains dropped in.
• Rinsed baggy, found few presumably grains left behind in baggy, placed in container.
• Filled container 3/4 full with store bought past & homogenized 2% cow's milk.
• Stirred and checked viscosity with spoon, already viscous!
• Sealed with plastic cover and left outside fridge at room temp which for me is currently averaging 25C/77F day and night.

Yes milk was thick, not like store bought liquid yogurt but still quite viscous, I hope some of the attached pictures show that, so I believe/understand the grains in their voyage made kefir!

Are the kefir grains actually some sort of wheat grain or are they just a nucleus of the bacteria?

Thanks again!

Don't worry John!! The first time you make it I want you to culture all the way to whey separation. This will be too strong for you too drink and will smell like 90 proof!! After that you will strain and discard the kefir, rinse the grains with milk and make a drinkable batch with regular milk. This way we can make sure the grains are going to do their job for you in your milk. You culture kefir at room temp. I know it seems a little freaky but they have been around for thousands of years.

I advise against rinsing the grains in water because it can stall them out. Some people 'fast' their grains in water if they want to stop making kefir but they can be a pain to start again. If you want to rinse them use milk and if you want to store them store them in milk in the refrigerator.

The kefir grains look like cauliflower bits and feel like rubber. The are a living colony of beneficial yeast and bacteria.

Christy

Kewl! Now I can watch what a kefir does. I didn't want to waste them by not knowing what to do with them.

Christy, thanks for your support and patience. You said:

QuoteI want you to culture all the way to whey separation. This will be too strong for you too drink and will smell like 90 proof!!

Wah, at 9:30PM I just went to stir it before bed, already ~1/4 in/7 mm of whey on top after only 4 hours, removed lid, no gas pressure build up (lid may not be pressure air tight), stirred for 10 seconds with spoon, replaced lid. That Kefir from out in heat for 2 days must be strong/ripe! Doesn't smell like 90 proof booze . . . yet.

Should I stir it and leave it out and check in morning? TIA, John.

Sorry, couldn't wait up longer, stirred and left out for night.

Sorry John. You know us farm folk, early to bed, early to rise

Usually at whey separation the kefir is very thick and the whey is kind of marbled through. Let me know if it has changed by morning.

Christy

Christy, no sorry and no problem, 9:45PM here was it for me to.

After overnight on kitchen counter at 5:30AM I now have ~1 in/25 mm of whey on bottom and soft curds above. Texture is almost foamy from tiny bubbles, smells fermented.

Let me know if this is good enough to drain and rinse in milk to use for 1st true batch or if I should leve until tonight.

Thx, John.

That looks great!! It looks like 'medium kefir' to me. Because the grains seem healthy and active I don't think you need to wait until '90 proof' before straining, you can go ahead and make a fresh batch now.

Christy

Christy, good, curds must have gotten effervescent as they are floating and whey on bottom versus opposite last night.

At 5:45AM rinsed curds in small bowl with ~3 ounces of store bought past & homogenized 2% cow's milk three times, then used for first batch, records here.

More pictures . . .

It looks like yogurt. Does the kefir turn into yogurt?

Debi, my understanding is that the grains turn the milk into Kefir which looks like yogurt but is not yogurt as slightly effervescent doesn't fully set up, and way more probiotic cultures. See listing of 10 of them on side of this manufactured Kefir.

Once you get used to brewing it, you can make Kefir as thick as yogurt. Also after you refrigerate 24hrs it gets thicker. I mean thick enough to eat with a spoon but it will not it will not 'set' like yogurt.

Great pics John!!

Christy