Water Kefir Grains Question

[Guest guest]

Hi Lois,

My WKG had been growing like crazy, then stopped. For months they just made

kefir but didn't grow. Then I added one eggshell (boiled to sanitize) and about

1/2 tsp molassas and mine went wild again. They grains would more than double

the amount and they got huge. I would continue to use what you are and maybe

add a boiled eggshell. I do not separate the eggshell membrane, just throw it

all in. My kefir went so wild that the egg shell floated up and down rather

wildly, even hitting the cloth over jar and making it wet, so I began using just

enough less water so the shell could not hit my cover cloth.

Alice

Hi! I'm new to the group and have a question about Water Kefir Grains (WKG). I

was given WKG by a friend. The first time I used them they seemed to grow almost

double. Now they are growing only by about an added tablespoonful.

Are there certain modalities one can utilize to make them grow more?

Currently, I'm using 4 Cups water, 4 T. organic cane sugar, 1 T of Coconut

Palm Sugar and 2 organic unsulphured apricots in the brew with 4-5 T of WKG. I

leave it out on the cupboard usually for 48 hours.

With my second through about the third batch, I put lemon slices with it. I

didn't really care for the flavor of the water with the lemon so I began leaving

it out. I'm wondering if the lemon stopped the growth?

I'm currently trying a batch with the above ingredients and a tsp of molasses

added to see if that helps growth.

Is it bad when the WKG's do not grow much? Or is that okay?

Thanks in advance for advice on this matter!

Lois

[Guest guest]

Thanks Alice. That is so funny to picturize in my mind's eye. Joyce

Simmerman

On 6/25/2011 9:01 PM, Alice Connell wrote:

>

> Hi Lois,

>

> My WKG had been growing like crazy, then stopped. For months they just

> made kefir but didn't grow. Then I added one eggshell (boiled to

> sanitize) and about 1/2 tsp molassas and mine went wild again. They

> grains would more than double the amount and they got huge. I would

> continue to use what you are and maybe add a boiled eggshell. I do not

> separate the eggshell membrane, just throw it all in. My kefir went so

> wild that the egg shell floated up and down rather wildly, even

> hitting the cloth over jar and making it wet, so I began using just

> enough less water so the shell could not hit my cover cloth.

>

> Alice

>

> Hi! I'm new to the group and have a question about Water Kefir Grains

> (WKG). I was given WKG by a friend. The first time I used them they

> seemed to grow almost double. Now they are growing only by about an

> added tablespoonful.

>

> Are there certain modalities one can utilize to make them grow more?

>

> Currently, I'm using 4 Cups water, 4 T. organic cane sugar, 1 T of

> Coconut Palm Sugar and 2 organic unsulphured apricots in the brew with

> 4-5 T of WKG. I leave it out on the cupboard usually for 48 hours.

>

> With my second through about the third batch, I put lemon slices with

> it. I didn't really care for the flavor of the water with the lemon so

> I began leaving it out. I'm wondering if the lemon stopped the growth?

>

> I'm currently trying a batch with the above ingredients and a tsp of

> molasses added to see if that helps growth.

>

> Is it bad when the WKG's do not grow much? Or is that okay?

>

> Thanks in advance for advice on this matter!

>

> Lois

>

>

[Guest guest]

Do you use dried apricots, or whole, fresh ones?

How necessary is it for the fruit part of the recipe?

Thanks!

in HK

>

> Hi Lois,

>

> My WKG had been growing like crazy, then stopped. For months they just made

kefir but didn't grow. Then I added one eggshell (boiled to sanitize) and about

1/2 tsp molassas and mine went wild again. They grains would more than double

the amount and they got huge. I would continue to use what you are and maybe

add a boiled eggshell. I do not separate the eggshell membrane, just throw it

all in. My kefir went so wild that the egg shell floated up and down rather

wildly, even hitting the cloth over jar and making it wet, so I began using just

enough less water so the shell could not hit my cover cloth.

>

> Alice

>

> Hi! I'm new to the group and have a question about Water Kefir Grains (WKG).

I was given WKG by a friend. The first time I used them they seemed to grow

almost double. Now they are growing only by about an added tablespoonful.

>

> Are there certain modalities one can utilize to make them grow more?

>

> Currently, I'm using 4 Cups water, 4 T. organic cane sugar, 1 T of Coconut

Palm Sugar and 2 organic unsulphured apricots in the brew with 4-5 T of WKG. I

leave it out on the cupboard usually for 48 hours.

>

> With my second through about the third batch, I put lemon slices with it. I

didn't really care for the flavor of the water with the lemon so I began leaving

it out. I'm wondering if the lemon stopped the growth?

>

> I'm currently trying a batch with the above ingredients and a tsp of

molasses added to see if that helps growth.

>

> Is it bad when the WKG's do not grow much? Or is that okay?

>

> Thanks in advance for advice on this matter!

>

> Lois

>

>

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Alice,

Thank you for your reply. The molasses I added was too much (flavor-wise), but

it did help the grains to grow a bit. I will try adding less molasses. I

wonder what the eggshell adds to it, maybe more minerals? Thanks much for the

suggestions!

Lois

[Guest guest]

I use dried organic figs.

Amyjo

Sent via BlackBerry by AT & T

Re: Water Kefir Grains Question

Do you use dried apricots, or whole, fresh ones?

How necessary is it for the fruit part of the recipe?

Thanks!

in HK

>

> Hi Lois,

>

> My WKG had been growing like crazy, then stopped. For months they just made

kefir but didn't grow. Then I added one eggshell (boiled to sanitize) and about

1/2 tsp molassas and mine went wild again. They grains would more than double

the amount and they got huge. I would continue to use what you are and maybe

add a boiled eggshell. I do not separate the eggshell membrane, just throw it

all in. My kefir went so wild that the egg shell floated up and down rather

wildly, even hitting the cloth over jar and making it wet, so I began using just

enough less water so the shell could not hit my cover cloth.

>

> Alice

>

> Hi! I'm new to the group and have a question about Water Kefir Grains (WKG).

I was given WKG by a friend. The first time I used them they seemed to grow

almost double. Now they are growing only by about an added tablespoonful.

>

> Are there certain modalities one can utilize to make them grow more?

>

> Currently, I'm using 4 Cups water, 4 T. organic cane sugar, 1 T of Coconut

Palm Sugar and 2 organic unsulphured apricots in the brew with 4-5 T of WKG. I

leave it out on the cupboard usually for 48 hours.

>

> With my second through about the third batch, I put lemon slices with it. I

didn't really care for the flavor of the water with the lemon so I began leaving

it out. I'm wondering if the lemon stopped the growth?

>

> I'm currently trying a batch with the above ingredients and a tsp of

molasses added to see if that helps growth.

>

> Is it bad when the WKG's do not grow much? Or is that okay?

>

> Thanks in advance for advice on this matter!

>

> Lois

>

>

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Lois,

Whoops, what I forgot to mention is that I make a gallon of Water Kefor at a

time, so the amount of 1/2 tspspoon would be too much for a quart, sorry.

As for egg shell, it is supposed to add minerals. After seeing how wild my

kefir grew and moved about as it grew using an eggshell, I have decided that egg

shells have to be full of good nutrition. I am wondering if I should even

simmer more and use the water for my soups etc.

Joyce, yes I got excited watching my eggshell bounce as it hit the cloth on top

of my jar. On another note, I am amazed at how much my dogs love the WK. About

a week ago 3 of my big (some120lbs) got in a serious fight after becoming

startled when one of them got too excited in seeing someone at our gate and got

the curtain caught on him and brought it down. He thought the dog next to him

was doing something, so jumped on him and the 3rd one decided to help. I was

alone and quick action was needed, took my nearly gallon of kefir water of 2nd

ferment, and poured it onto the heads of two working together. They instantly

let go and all settled down after a bit but before I could calm down and get the

kefir cleaned up, the dogs began happily licking it up. Also, as they dried off

their fur became so soft. Of course, I use water kefir for my hair rinse

because it does leave hair nice so should have known. So my kefir does give me

entertainment and more.

Alice

Alice,

Thank you for your reply. The molasses I added was too much (flavor-wise), but

it did help the grains to grow a bit. I will try adding less molasses. I wonder

what the eggshell adds to it, maybe more minerals? Thanks much for the

suggestions!

Lois

[Guest guest]

,

while I have not used apricots, I have used dried fruits and they worked well.

However, I have tried some fresh fruits and they seem to get too mushy or

something. So I would wonder if most of you all who use fruit in WKefir use

dried or fresh and if that makes a difference.

I have started to use my dried friuts in my second ferment instead of first too.

Alice

Do you use dried apricots, or whole, fresh ones?

How necessary is it for the fruit part of the recipe?

Thanks!

in HK

[Guest guest]

,

I'm using dried and unsulphured organic apricots in my water kefir.

Lois

[Guest guest]

Has anyone ever grown what looks like a scoby from their WKG? I'm actually

thinking of treating it like one just to see what happens, but it really

does look just like a scoby but I've never had that happen before and I've

had this batch of grains for over a year now.

Devra

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