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Makes 8 cups
Ingredients:
1/2 cup alive water kefir grains
8 cups well water (It is best if it is not chlorinated water)
1/2 cup organic cane sugar (this is metabolized by the kefir grains and will not end up in the finished drink)
2 lemon wedges
2 prunes or dates
2 Tbsp organic cane sugar
2 cups fresh fruit or frozen & thawed fruit
Other optional additions: fresh ginger slices, whole spices, herbs
Instructions:
1st Ferment:
• Wash and rinse 2 - 2 quart mason jars
• Fill 2 half gallon mason jars with 4 cups cool tap water
• Add 1/4 cup sugar into each and stir to mostly dissolve
• Add1/4 cup kefir grains to each jar
• Add 1/4 lemon to each jar (I like to squeeze a little juice out of each one)
• Add 1-2 prunes to each jar
• Cover both jars with a clean cotton cloth and secure with elastic or jar ring
• Leave jars on the counter for 2-4 days. 2 days if its warm out, 3-4 if It’s cold. This time allows the kefir grains to eat the sugar, so most of the sugar will be metabolized. The water should get where it is just slightly sweet and a little tangy. I wait until the prunes float before moving on to the next step.
• Remove lemon wedge and prunes from each jar
• Pour the kefir through a strainer into a jug to separate the kefir grains from the water
2nd Ferment:
• Place 1 cup fruit into the bottom of the jar along with 1 Tbsp of organic cane sugar
• Pour the water kefir back into the jar and place the lid and jar ring on top and tighten
• Do this for both jars. They can be flavoured differently if desired
• Set on the counter for 24 hours -every 8-12 hours if the lid begins to show pressure, just open the lid to burp it, then close it again so the jar does not explode
• Strain out the fruit and place water kefir in a narrow mouth bottle with a snap-down cap
• The water kefir should be nice and bubbly in 2-3 days
• Be careful when you open the lid… I like to do this in a sink, because sometimes they get really bubbly and want to flow over
Store the kefir grains:
• Place the kefir grains into a third jar or glass container to store until your next batch of water kefir
• Add enough water to cover and put 1 tsp of sugar in the water for the grains to consume
• Place kefir grains into the refrigerator until ready to use again
• Kefir grains should be fed every week or two just a little sugar to keep them healthy, they should look plump and white-ish
• If you want to grow your kefir grains, just let them sit on the counter at room temperature and feed every couple of days.
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