Guest guest Posted March 4, 2011 Report Share Posted March 4, 2011 Are small WKgrains ok? They're growing fast but not as big as last summer. Look like canned applesauce. Is this common this time of year? eco in LA Sent on the Sprint® Now Network from my BlackBerry® Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 6, 2011 Report Share Posted March 6, 2011 Mine look the same. They really multiplied, but, the grains are super small. I am trying to achieve large, crystal looking grains but can't seem to do it. ????? Also how do I rest my grains for a while? Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry Small Grains Are small WKgrains ok? They're growing fast but not as big as last summer. Look like canned applesauce. Is this common this time of year? eco in LA Sent on the Sprint® Now Network from my BlackBerry® ------------------------------------ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 8, 2011 Report Share Posted March 8, 2011 Small water grains aren't all bad but they should be firm. Rinse well before every new batch and don't let it overferment. You should not " rest " the grains except by drying and making them completely dormant. It is when they are left in the same sugar solution too long (resting they say) that they are actually starving and going out of balance and breaking up and turning to mush. Marilyn On Mon, Mar 7, 2011 at 2:54 AM, <rosaryacres@...> wrote: > Mine look the same. They really multiplied, but, the grains are super > small. I am trying to achieve large, crystal looking grains but can't seem > to do it. ????? > Also how do I rest my grains for a while? > > Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry > > Small Grains > > Are small WKgrains ok? They're growing fast but not as big as last > summer. Look like canned applesauce. Is this common this time of year? > eco in LA > Sent on the Sprint® Now Network from my BlackBerry® > > ------------------------------------ > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 8, 2011 Report Share Posted March 8, 2011 Everybody seems to handle water kefir grains differently, and I think it's a matter of what works for you. I've tried everything that any suggested on a couple of kefir groups. What I finally settled on was cool, even chilled chlorine-free water (4 cups) to which I added 1/3 cup of demerara and raw organic sugar mixed, plus 2 teaspoons of molasses and the same of ginger juice. If I don't have ginger juice, and I make my own from raw ginger, then I add a squeeze of concentrated liquid minerals. Make sure that is all stirred up nice and no metal anywhere. Then I add 4 ounces of water kefir grains. And I screw the lid down tight allowing about 2 cups in volume of air in the jar. I leave it 48 hours. This makes for a fizzy drink with very little sugar left. After straining the kefir out, I like to rest my grains in the refrigerator for a couple of days, and use spare grains for my next batch. From having sick , tiny mushy grains, I now have big healthy fat grains that often sit on top of the brew.I never add fruit during the brew process, but only for the second fermentation. After bottling the water kefir I leave the bottle out on the counter for another 24 hours. If you have extra grains, I suggest you try different approaches until you find what works best for both you and your grains. Mine are so happy and growing so fast that I'm constantly needing to find good homes for my excess. From: " rosaryacres@... " <rosaryacres@...> Subject: Re: Small Grains Mine look the same. They really multiplied, but, the grains are super small. I am trying to achieve large, crystal looking grains but can't seem to do it. ????? Also how do I rest my grains for a while? From: econurbs@... Subject: Small Grains Are small WKgrains ok? They're growing fast but not as big as last summer. Look like canned applesauce. Is this common this time of year? eco in LA Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 9, 2011 Report Share Posted March 9, 2011 , how do you " rest " your grains? In the last post Mayilyn said not to rest them. What do you mean by " spare grains " ? Can I make a smaller batch? I am not sure that we will consume a 1/2 gal batch quick enough. ~Karla > > Everybody seems to handle water kefir grains differently... After straining the kefir out, I like to rest my grains in the refrigerator for a couple of days, and use spare grains for my next batch. > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 9, 2011 Report Share Posted March 9, 2011 Karla, I actually remove them from the solution and store them in the refrigerator. They aren't totally dry, but they definitely aren't eating, just 'resting.' I'm not sure where I read something about doing that, but since I started doing that, mine are multiplying like crazy when I put them back into my sugar water solution. When I say 'spare grains,' I mean those over what is needed to turn the sugar water into water kefir, the ones I've rested in the refrigerator. I use 4 ounces in 4 cups of water. that gives me a quart, and I can drink that much in a day. I used to mix it with my water and drink it that way. Helped me get a whole lot down. Now I just drink a diluted glass of it before breakfast and lunch. If you have more than one person drinking it, you should be all right. It takes two days to brew, the way I make it, at least, and another day for the second fermentation before it goes in the refrigerator. Hope this helps, ________________________________ From: karlajh2002 <karlajwh@...> Sent: Wed, March 9, 2011 4:42:15 AM Subject: Re: Small Grains , how do you " rest " your grains? In the last post Mayilyn said not to rest them. What do you mean by " spare grains " ? Can I make a smaller batch? I am not sure that we will consume a 1/2 gal batch quick enough. ~Karla > > Everybody seems to handle water kefir grains differently... After straining the kefir out, I like to rest my grains in the refrigerator for a couple of days, and use spare grains for my next batch. > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 10, 2011 Report Share Posted March 10, 2011 I don't understand why WK grains remain small and yet still multiply at a fast rate, even using the same ingredients as when their size was large. The only other thing is that they sat for a couple months. We were drinking less fluids so what's the best thing to do when u know u won't b using as much? They're smaller and more numerous instead of larger and smaller in number. They're getting a little larger so maybe it takes a long time but it would b nice if they would get bigger instead of more in number. Thanks, eco Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 15, 2011 Report Share Posted March 15, 2011 , I got my water kefir grains yesterday!! I'm so excited!! Thank you so much!! I've got them all set up like your instructions except for the ginger juice. Do you make that yourself or can you buy it? I bought a huge hunk of ginger root last week for another recipe, so I could make some if I knew how. The grains look amazing and there are tons, THANKS!! Lori Small Grains Are small WKgrains ok? They're growing fast but not as big as last summer. Look like canned applesauce. Is this common this time of year? eco in LA Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 15, 2011 Report Share Posted March 15, 2011 Lori, I'm so glad to hear that they arrived in good shape and on Monday. Yes! I make my own ginger juice by cutting up big thick ginger root and running it through my juicer. It's quicker to make than it is to set up the juicer and to clean it up afterward, so I juice as much as I have, then store the excess in a glass jar in the refrigerator. I hope the grains are as happy with you as they have been lately with me. But boy did I have a hard time getting them to that stage. Good luck, ________________________________ From: Glhearts <Glhearts@...> Sent: Tue, March 15, 2011 6:28:50 AM Subject: Re: Small Grains , I got my water kefir grains yesterday!! I'm so excited!! Thank you so much!! I've got them all set up like your instructions except for the ginger juice. Do you make that yourself or can you buy it? I bought a huge hunk of ginger root last week for another recipe, so I could make some if I knew how. The grains look amazing and there are tons, THANKS!! Lori Small Grains Are small WKgrains ok? They're growing fast but not as big as last summer. Look like canned applesauce. Is this common this time of year? eco in LA Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You are posting as a guest. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.