Hummm...is my kefir still ok?

[Guest guest]

I have been changing the milk every day, but today, when I strained (in the

evening instead of in the morning like usual), what was left in the strainer was

like cottage cheese. There was so much of it, I'm not sure where the grains are

in that mess. It doesn't smell bad, in fact, it hardly smells at all.

I have noticed the kefir has been much thinner lately, so yesterday I added less

milk. Today, I put everything that was in the strainer back in the jar and

poured about 2 1/2 cups of milk over it because that's all I have.

The only change I have made is that a couple of weeks ago, I used raw milk. It

is too hard to get and too expensive for me to get again (out of state

contraband -- silly, isn't it?) Other than that, it's been my usual milk.

Does anyone have an idea what might be going on with my kefir? It looks very

different.

Thank you,

[Guest guest]

,

I am really new at this - I've made half a dozen batches - and maybe some of the

veterans can give you better feedback, but this has been my experience:

I use raw milk only [pasteurized cow's milk makes me really A.D.D., even if I

use organic, cultured, whole milk products], and every batch I have made has

been " odd " . Mine doesn't have much smell either, and I never can get my kefir as

sour as my taste buds would like - it always separates first. And it doesn't

take but about 8-12 hours for the whey to start separating. For my last batch I

used a whole half gallon, and it still separated in < 10 hours. I finally

decided Margaret must have sent me the most Hallelujah Happy Grains she had. ;->

[bTW, the best batch I made was with goat's milk, what they were used to, but I

could only get them a small quantity of that yummy stuff.]

Anyway, every time, I have had to separate out my grains by gently feeling for

them with my fingertips, because whatever is not whey is a thick, yogurt-like

stuff that my grains like to snuggle in. Oh, and I also get a lot of those

" cottage cheese " formations too. My grains are so prolific that I have just

eaten the " cottage cheese " stuff.

Like you, I have to go out of state for my bootleg milk. The wonderful family I

buy from charges next to nothing, but the time it takes to go get it and the

travel expenses make it impractical to try to keep myself stocked with milk. So,

I have decided to convert my grains to WKG per Margaret's instructions on the

hand-out she sent.

Does anybody know if you can " convert " them back to MKG? [in case I get blessed

enough to get a steady supply of real milk sometime in the future.]

ie

________________________________

[Guest guest]

You are making cheese. You need to give them more milk, not less. Strain

them all the way and rinse them with water if you need to, so you can find

them. After you find them you can determine if you need to remove some from

your culture jar so they don't use so much milk. You want about a 5:1 ratio.

Marilyn

On Thu, Aug 11, 2011 at 8:40 PM, <lisa.littler@...> wrote:

> I have been changing the milk every day, but today, when I strained (in the

> evening instead of in the morning like usual), what was left in the strainer

> was like cottage cheese. There was so much of it, I'm not sure where the

> grains are in that mess. It doesn't smell bad, in fact, it hardly smells at

> all.

>

> I have noticed the kefir has been much thinner lately, so yesterday I added

> less milk. Today, I put everything that was in the strainer back in the jar

> and poured about 2 1/2 cups of milk over it because that's all I have.

>

> The only change I have made is that a couple of weeks ago, I used raw milk.

> It is too hard to get and too expensive for me to get again (out of state

> contraband -- silly, isn't it?) Other than that, it's been my usual milk.

>

> Does anyone have an idea what might be going on with my kefir? It looks

> very different.

>

> Thank you,

>

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Thank you very much!

>

> > I have been changing the milk every day, but today, when I strained (in the

> > evening instead of in the morning like usual), what was left in the strainer

> > was like cottage cheese. There was so much of it, I'm not sure where the

> > grains are in that mess. It doesn't smell bad, in fact, it hardly smells at

> > all.

> >

> > I have noticed the kefir has been much thinner lately, so yesterday I added

> > less milk. Today, I put everything that was in the strainer back in the jar

> > and poured about 2 1/2 cups of milk over it because that's all I have.

> >

> > The only change I have made is that a couple of weeks ago, I used raw milk.

> > It is too hard to get and too expensive for me to get again (out of state

> > contraband -- silly, isn't it?) Other than that, it's been my usual milk.

> >

> > Does anyone have an idea what might be going on with my kefir? It looks

> > very different.

> >

> > Thank you,

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Thanks! I makes me feel better to know I'm not the only one whose kefir seems

to change almost daily!

I gave them more milk this time. Tomorrow, I'm planning to try making some

ricotta type cheese. My daughter is in love with homemade pizza pockets, as are

all her high school friends (make me feel great!). So, I'm going to try some

kefir ricotta in the pizza pockets.

The raw milk I was able to get had to come from PA and I'm in NC. The price

varies from $9-$12 per gallon which is just too much to spend -- and I scrimp in

other areas so we can consume quality food, but the wallet is only so deep. I

have a friend with goats, but she's terrified of giving away goat's milk for

human consumption and getting caught. There's been a big crackdown here...as if

it's crack!!!!! Makes me mad, but I don't see it changing any time soon.

>

> ,

>

> I am really new at this - I've made half a dozen batches - and maybe some of

the veterans can give you better feedback, but this has been my experience:

>

> I use raw milk only [pasteurized cow's milk makes me really A.D.D., even if I

use organic, cultured, whole milk products], and every batch I have made has

been " odd " . Mine doesn't have much smell either, and I never can get my kefir as

sour as my taste buds would like - it always separates first. And it doesn't

take but about 8-12 hours for the whey to start separating. For my last batch I

used a whole half gallon, and it still separated in < 10 hours. I finally

decided Margaret must have sent me the most Hallelujah Happy Grains she had. ;->

>

> [bTW, the best batch I made was with goat's milk, what they were used to, but

I could only get them a small quantity of that yummy stuff.]

> Anyway, every time, I have had to separate out my grains by gently feeling for

them with my fingertips, because whatever is not whey is a thick, yogurt-like

stuff that my grains like to snuggle in. Oh, and I also get a lot of those

" cottage cheese " formations too. My grains are so prolific that I have just

eaten the " cottage cheese " stuff.

>

>

> Like you, I have to go out of state for my bootleg milk. The wonderful family

I buy from charges next to nothing, but the time it takes to go get it and the

travel expenses make it impractical to try to keep myself stocked with milk. So,

I have decided to convert my grains to WKG per Margaret's instructions on the

hand-out she sent.

>

> Does anybody know if you can " convert " them back to MKG? [in case I get

blessed enough to get a steady supply of real milk sometime in the future.]

>

> ie

>

>

>

> ________________________________

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Tell her you want to buy some raw goat milk for your dogs and cats. Label it

" For pet consumption - Not for human consumption " on container.

Alice

I have a friend with goats, but she's terrified of giving away goat's milk

for human consumption and getting caught. There's been a big crackdown here...as

if it's crack!!!!! Makes me mad, but I don't see it changing any time soon.

---