Description
A refreshing and bubbly fermented drink made with water kefir grains, sugar, and fresh fruit.
Ingredients
Scale
- ½ cup alive water kefir grains
- 8 cups tap or well water – divided
- ½ cup sugar (divided) organic cane sugar, coconut sugar, or a mixture – see notes
- 2 lemon wedges (optional)
- 2 prunes (or dates, or dried fruit) optional
- 1 – 2 cups fresh fruit – berries, stonefruit (peaches, plums, nectarines), apples, pears, mango, pineapple, etc.
Instructions
- Fill two half-gallon mason jars with 4 cups cool tap water in each.
- Add ¼ cup sugar in each, stirring to mostly dissolve.
- Add ¼ cup kefir grains to each jar.
- Add ¼ cup kefir water to each jar (optional – you can only do this after your first batch of kefir, so just leave it out for the first batch).
- Add ¼ of a lemon wedge to each jar.
- Add 1 prune to each jar.
- Cover both jars with a thin kitchen cloth and leave on the counter for 2-4 days. 2 days if warm out, 3-4 days if cold.
- After 2-3 days, taste the kefir, it should be tangy or lightly sour.
- Get a third jar ready and place 1-1 ½ cups fresh, ripe fruit in it. Muddle them to release their juices. Add a few thin slices of ginger or whole spices if you wish or add 1 cup fruit juice.
- Strain both jars of fermenting kefir water into the third clean jar filled with the fresh fruit, straining out the kefir grains (set aside), tossing the lemon and prunes, filling the jar to a ½ inch from the top.
- Cover tightly with a lid and leave on the counter for another 24 hours, burping the lids every 8-12 hours.
- After 24 hours, when the fruit floats to the surface, refrigerate it.
- When chilled, try the kefir, you can strain it or leave the fruit in for maximum infusion.
- The kefir grains should be stored in a smaller jar with extra kefir water, refrigerated and fed with a tablespoon of sugar every week.
Notes
- The sugar will be metabolized by the kefir grains, so it will not end up in the finished drink.
- Burp the jars to release pressure during the second fermentation phase to prevent explosion.
- You can use both metal and plastic lids for fermentation, but be cautious with pressure buildup.
- The kefir grains thrive at room temperature and can be fed more frequently if they are being used.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Beverage
- Method: Fermentation
- Cuisine: Fermented
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 50
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 0mg
- Fat: 0g
- Saturated Fat: 0g
- Unsaturated Fat: 0g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 13g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 0g
- Cholesterol: 0mg