Guest guest Posted January 13, 2011 Report Share Posted January 13, 2011 I got some WKG's before Christmas. These were growing so fast I started using refined sugar (cheaper). It stopped being fizzy and then it didn't grow. The grains were not as large either. Lately the finished kefir has been cloudy, but the flavor has been O.K. Is the non-organic refined sugar causing this? I'm almost afraid to try fruit juice concentrates. I have used raw cherries that I blended and put in 2nd ferment. Liz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 13, 2011 Report Share Posted January 13, 2011 I've got some WKGs that are fairly juicy and bursting at the seams. You don't mention if you're adding mineral drops to your water or if you're using non-chlorinated water , but that can make the grains shrink. I use mineral drops, white (refined) sugar, AND a half-teaspoon of molasses - the grains really seem to like this combo. Right now, I'm brewing filtered water, home-cooked apple juice (from making apple butter), white sugar, and a tiny splash of mineral drops AND molasses. The bubbles/foam the jar produced overnight suggests that they REALLY like this. LOL HTH Grace, Sue Wife to Mark Mama to n (8) ~A nation of sheep will beget a government of wolves. - R. Murrow A Mother's Heart <http://www.mamasheartblog.com>: first (and second) takes on marriage, motherhood, and life gen224 [image: Twitter] <http://twitter.com/gen224> Last post: homemade play-doh™ <http://www.mamasheartblog.com/?p=1691> On Thu, Jan 13, 2011 at 11:45 AM, christiansquash <christiansquash@... > wrote: > > > I got some WKG's before Christmas. These were growing so fast I started > using refined sugar (cheaper). It stopped being fizzy and then it didn't > grow. The grains were not as large either. Lately the finished kefir has > been cloudy, but the flavor has been O.K. > Is the non-organic refined sugar causing this? I'm almost afraid to try > fruit juice concentrates. I have used raw cherries that I blended and put in > 2nd ferment. > Liz > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 13, 2011 Report Share Posted January 13, 2011 We use well water, no chlorine BUT we do have an orchard next to us. I haven't used mineral drops but the wll water is high in minerals around here and I add an egg shell per gallon. I just bought some black-strap molasses, this seems to be helping, but the cloudiness is still there. I had wanted to try some nettle tea to make the kefir, this looked good, was clear, the bubbles came back, the grains were bigger; but not even the dogs like it and they usually wag their tails when I give it to them. Thanks for writing back so soon. Liz > > > > > > > I got some WKG's before Christmas. These were growing so fast I started > > using refined sugar (cheaper). It stopped being fizzy and then it didn't > > grow. The grains were not as large either. Lately the finished kefir has > > been cloudy, but the flavor has been O.K. > > Is the non-organic refined sugar causing this? I'm almost afraid to try > > fruit juice concentrates. I have used raw cherries that I blended and put in > > 2nd ferment. > > Liz > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 14, 2011 Report Share Posted January 14, 2011 Which mineral drops are you using? I started with WKG back in November; things were going well and growing, with filtered water and the use of only brown sugar and nothing else. I switched to white refined sugar after the holidays; now the water tastes sugary and the grains are shrinking. Sorry if this might have been mentioned before, but do the WKG are affected by light? What's the best temperature that works for you? I added about 1/8 tsp of powdered boiled egg shell yesterday but didn't see much difference today. NR > > > > > > > I got some WKG's before Christmas. These were growing so fast I started > > using refined sugar (cheaper). It stopped being fizzy and then it didn't > > grow. The grains were not as large either. Lately the finished kefir has > > been cloudy, but the flavor has been O.K. > > Is the non-organic refined sugar causing this? I'm almost afraid to try > > fruit juice concentrates. I have used raw cherries that I blended and put in > > 2nd ferment. > > Liz > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 15, 2011 Report Share Posted January 15, 2011 My drops are from Whole Foods - let me go get the name from the bottle .... it is Nature's Answer Liquid Multiple Minerals with Quik-Sorb. I don't know fully what all of that means, but I remember comparing price and minerals included at the store, trying to avoid drops with chloride and bromide, as I'm currently on a detox program for those two metals. No point in putting them in my WK and the taking something else to detox them from my body, right? I suggest adding a half-teaspoon of molasses (I just use regular blackstrap molasses) to the sugar-water mixture. Stir well - my foams and bubbles up like crazy, esp. in the first day. I try to strain it daily (I have a large amount of grains in the jar) and if I get to it too late, it has a faint bitterness like grapefruit on the back of my palate. If not, it tastes quite " apple-y " even when I don't add apple juice. HTH Grace, Sue Wife to Mark Mama to n (8) ~A nation of sheep will beget a government of wolves. - R. Murrow A Mother's Heart <http://www.mamasheartblog.com>: first (and second) takes on marriage, motherhood, and life gen224 [image: Twitter] <http://twitter.com/gen224> Last post: “food safety modernization” act and Farmer Brad<http://www.mamasheartblog.com/?p=1695> On Fri, Jan 14, 2011 at 11:21 PM, noeliabq <noeliabq@...> wrote: > > > Which mineral drops are you using? > > I started with WKG back in November; things were going well and growing, > with filtered water and the use of only brown sugar and nothing else. I > switched to white refined sugar after the holidays; now the water tastes > sugary and the grains are shrinking. > > Sorry if this might have been mentioned before, but do the WKG are affected > by light? What's the best temperature that works for you? > > I added about 1/8 tsp of powdered boiled egg shell yesterday but didn't see > much difference today. > > NR > > > > > > I've got some WKGs that are fairly juicy and bursting at the seams. You > > don't mention if you're adding mineral drops to your water or if you're > > using non-chlorinated water , but that can make the grains shrink. I use > > mineral drops, white (refined) sugar, AND a half-teaspoon of molasses - > the > > grains really seem to like this combo. Right now, I'm brewing filtered > > water, home-cooked apple juice (from making apple butter), white sugar, > and > > a tiny splash of mineral drops AND molasses. The bubbles/foam the jar > > produced overnight suggests that they REALLY like this. LOL > > > > HTH > > > > Grace, > > Sue > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 16, 2011 Report Share Posted January 16, 2011 Thank you! We went straight from brown sugar to honey when we changed things at home. I have to get molasses for the first time, I figure they would have it in Whole Foods, right? Do you strain them daily because they are getting fermented in only 24hrs? Wow, I would love to have that situation. NR > > > > > > I've got some WKGs that are fairly juicy and bursting at the seams. You > > > don't mention if you're adding mineral drops to your water or if you're > > > using non-chlorinated water , but that can make the grains shrink. I use > > > mineral drops, white (refined) sugar, AND a half-teaspoon of molasses - > > the > > > grains really seem to like this combo. Right now, I'm brewing filtered > > > water, home-cooked apple juice (from making apple butter), white sugar, > > and > > > a tiny splash of mineral drops AND molasses. The bubbles/foam the jar > > > produced overnight suggests that they REALLY like this. LOL > > > > > > HTH > > > > > > Grace, > > > Sue > > > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 16, 2011 Report Share Posted January 16, 2011 You can definitely find molasses outside of WF - try any regular grocery store. Usually marketed under the brand " Grandma's " and should be less than $4 per bottle, depending on your location. Grace, Sue Wife to Mark Mama to n (8) ~A nation of sheep will beget a government of wolves. - R. Murrow A Mother's Heart <http://www.mamasheartblog.com>: first (and second) takes on marriage, motherhood, and life gen224 [image: Twitter] <http://twitter.com/gen224> Last post: “food safety modernization” act and Farmer Brad<http://www.mamasheartblog.com/?p=1695> On Sun, Jan 16, 2011 at 7:24 AM, noeliabq <noeliabq@...> wrote: > > > Thank you! > We went straight from brown sugar to honey when we changed things at home. > I have to get molasses for the first time, I figure they would have it in > Whole Foods, right? > Do you strain them daily because they are getting fermented in only 24hrs? > Wow, I would love to have that situation. > > > NR > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 16, 2011 Report Share Posted January 16, 2011 I use Concentrace mineral drops that can be found at most health food stores. O > > > Which mineral drops are you using? > > > > > > I started with WKG back in November; things were going well and growing, > > > with filtered water and the use of only brown sugar and nothing else. I > > > switched to white refined sugar after the holidays; now the water tastes > > > sugary and the grains are shrinking. > > > > > > Sorry if this might have been mentioned before, but do the WKG are affected > > > by light? What's the best temperature that works for you? > > > > > > I added about 1/8 tsp of powdered boiled egg shell yesterday but didn't see > > > much difference today. > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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