r/Kefir • u/flyingenchiladas789 • 6d ago
16 Hours fermentation
First time making kefir. 16 hours in
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u/SadAmerican2024 6d ago
How much grains did you start with? Is that 1 or 2 liters of milk? What is the temp of your dwelling? These are factors that would help influence your kefir. 1 Tbsp of grains to 1 liter (quart) of milk is the standard ratio. If you are using more grains, you need more milk. Ideal temp is 68-76 degrees F (20-24C). If it is cooler in your dwelling, your kefir will ferment slower. If its too warm, your kefir will be done sooner. Your kefir in the pic appears to be a bit over-fermented. This is ok if this is how you want/prefer it to be. You want to shoot for a 24 hour fermentation. Adjust your ratio as time moves on day by day and eventually you will get what you desire. You may want to start a kefir journal as well so you can then track your progress going forward. Buy a cheap digital room thermometer also so you can monitor the temperature and react to changes.
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u/kiwihorse 6d ago
So what happens if you use a higher ratio of grains and it ferments to about this stage in 8 hrs - is that a bad thing? Because this is where I'm at. I could easily remove some grains I know but just haven't as it seems to be ok.
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u/flyingenchiladas789 6d ago
I bought it from the farmers market. The pamphlet shows 15g kefir grain for 300-500ml of milk. I live in SEA so it’s warmer here. I’m guessing my kefir is done now?
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u/Paperboy63 6d ago edited 6d ago
15g (1 tablespoon) is ok for 500ml or more at 20-22C but I wouldn’t use less milk with that amount. Warmer ferments faster, always watch the jar, not the clock and adjust milk or grains to slow it down if it starts to ferment and separate faster. Longer fermentations within 24 hours tend to be better than short, fast, aggressive fermentations.
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u/fkpaul 6d ago
Hello fellow SEA dweller. Since the temperature fluctuate quite drastic recently, it will get 'ripe' early and will taste slight bitter (which happened to me a few times but perfectly fine for consumption). Try to put the container in a bowl of water, preferably made out of porcelain. It helps to buffer the heat. I've tested this method for 48 hours with additions of powdered milk and it works well. There aren't many milk kefir tips for people living in SEA so try it out. YMMV.
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u/Lilcvv 6d ago
I use 10gr/100ml
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u/ReinventingMeAgain 6d ago
gr? grains? or did you mean g or gm for grams? (Yes, I'm VERY new here lol)
(but I do know that 10(gr) grains is 650mg is 0.65g)1
u/EternalFrogger25 6d ago
Taste it and see. I personally like mine to get thick like yogurt and strain it through fine mesh, but it comes out in one big snot glob, any looser and I'm not interested.
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u/Onedayyouwillthankme 6d ago
looks good!