Q&A for How to Maintain Kefir Grains

I don't. I just return the grains and add more milk. I wash my jar every couple of weeks on average.

Production slows down in cooler weather. Keep the grains around 68 to 72 degrees Fahrenheit. But kefir will eventually develop even if you leave the container in the fridge, so there is quite a range of temperatures that are acceptable.

Yes. I sometimes leave some grains in the kefir I am drinking, and I also put extra grains in with ingredients for smoothies - a boost in prebiotic.

They can generally be frozen for short periods of time. They may be sluggish initially and your first few batches may not be optimal. I've found them to be remarkably resilient, so plop them in some milk and see what happens.

The kefir powder can create new batches of kefir four or five times, but they are not grains and will need to be replaced. Grains will not develop, you have to start with grains you buy or get from someone.

Yes, but add it to the cultured kefir, after you have removed the grains. I blend in frozen fruits and other things to make refreshing smoothies.

You can make kefir with non-dairy milks, but after a couple of batches, you need to put your grains in dairy milk. The grains will not thrive in the non-dairy milks. I often make it with coconut milk, delicious. If the concern is lactose, please note that the kefir grains eat up the lactose to a great extent. My lactose-intolerant brother-in-law who had not had milk in decades was able to drink kefir every day, after I showed him how to make it. Of, course, each person is different and should proceed with caution.

The milk is likely very sour, and your grains are starved, but they should be okay. The first few batches may not be ideal; just switch the milk until it's back to normal.

Regular, store-bought milk is fine to use, and powdered milk will probably work, too.

I culture my kefir in glass quart or pint jars, with a piece of fabric on top held in place by a canning lid. You want it to be able to breathe, but also keep dust bugs, and other things from getting in there.

I use whole milk -- sometimes organic, sometimes not. I think the kefir has a thicker consistency when using whole milk, but you can make perfectly good kefir with a lower fat content milk. I myself use cow's milk, but many people swear by goat's milk.

Keep a tight lid on the container - that will capture the gases and give you some effervescence.

They won't make Kefir. If they are a pinkish color, they are contaminated and should be discarded. If the color is okay, try putting them in a smaller quantity of milk and changing out the milk twice a day and see if that does not revive them. I revived grains that a friend had left in her refrigerator for three months without replenishing the milk in this manner. It took a week, but the grains are now producing normally.

Rinsing kefir grains under the tap can result in a huge colony but they usually do just fine. It's not ideal but don't worry about it too much, give it a go and see what happens–––either it'll work or it won't but at least you tried. Just follow the correct way next time.

You'll know because the milk won't turn into kefir. Now, keep in mind that if you, say, refirigerated the grains for a long time, the first few batches are likely not going to thicken. If they taste sour, they should be okay, but I would make several batches in quick succession to test them. The grains theoretically could last your lifetime, if you maintain them properly.

Absolutely. They have no flavor on their own; it's like eating a flavorless gummy. You might put part of the grains into the kefir you are drinking. You can blend excess grains into smoothies if you use kefir to make smoothies.

Longlife milk has been subjected to UHT (ultra high temperature pasteurization), so it has a long shelf life without being refrigerated. Such milk is not recommended for kefir, because it's basically cooked. You might get some culturing, but the grains will not thrive.

You can get them on the internet. I got mine on Amazon.com.

If they make kefir, they are live. They should resemble the ones in the photos in this article.

I had this happen once and was never able to figure out why. What I did was break the clump of tiny grains into several pieces, and culture it with cream instead of milk. I also made sure to gently shake the jar a few times to expose the grains to uncultured cream. I ended up withe larger grains. I cannot swear that my treatment was the reason, but it seemed to work for me.

Follow the steps in this article. If you are asking how to maintain them when you need to take a break, as say for a vacation, you can keep them in the fridge. I put the container in the fridge using milk a couple of days before I depart. On the day I am leaving (or the day before), I use light cream instead of milk and I pour in a slightly larger quantity than I usually use. I have done this for trips lasting 18 days or so - for all I know, it may work for a longer period of time.

The kefir starters are good for a limited number of times, I understand around six or seven. For a lifetime supply, assuming you follow the rules, get some kefir grains. Curds and whey is a sign in grain-started kefir that it's gone too long and the grains are hungry. It's still useable, I make cheese when I get curds and whey.

Yes, that's fine. Your body can handle any probiotics! But you cannot mix raw fruit with kefir.

Yes, they are.

It doesn't seem to be. I do this also, and my grains are vigorous. You don't want to smash them against the sieve, but stirring to get the cultured milk off is fine.

It may; Kefir is great for gut health and general and may relieve some of your symptoms. This is a good question for your doctor.

Yes, you can. After you've strained out the grains, you can flavor as desired.

Stir the kefir vigorously to separate the grains from the cultured milk. Your grains will not be harmed. Loosening them will help you strain the mixture more easily.

Stainless steel is fine. I would avoid aluminum or anything that reacts with the mild acid of kefir.

Try giving them a boost by culturing in cream. That's rejuvinated mine. Also, are you leaving them out too long, or using too many grains for the amount of milk?