Repost for replies -- Kefir question

[Guest guest]

I'm reposting this, because I didn't get any responses the first time.

I've been making kefir for about a month now, and it has been going

great.  I just have one question.  About a week ago, I switched from

cow's milk to goat's milk.  The kefir seems to be culturing just fine,

but it is WAY thinner than the cow's milk was.  The cow's milk was the

consistency of a yogurt smoothie, but the goat's milk kefir is not much

thicker than the uncultured goat's milk.  Other than that, it tastes

good, smells good, and my grains seem fine. 

Is this difference in consistency normal? 

- Aileen

[Guest guest]

I have been making kefir with fresh goat's milk for about 6 years now. My

thoughts are that your kefir grains are just adjusting and the consistency

should improve eventually. However, if your goat's milk doesn't have a high

cream content (due to the goat's diet or the variety of goat) that could be why

it's not thickening up more. I find that if I refrigerate my kefir with the

grains still in it and strain it after chilling for a day or more, it often

thickens up in the fridge. Sometimes if the temperature in my kitchen is too

hot (above 78 degrees or more) my kefir will come out very thin in spite of

other conditions. Consistency improves when my kitchen is cooler.