Re: can old kefir grains make gross kefir?

[Guest guest]

I was drinking kefir regularly for a while, but not really enjoying it. My

kefir grains sat untended in the fridge for a long time. Maybe a year. Now

i'm trying it again as i want a lower-carb milk. It still tastes yucky to

me, like a heavy bitterness settling on the back of my tongue. It doesn't

seem rancid or bad, just a little too bitter and crude. By this point it has

separated into a big curd and whey and i blend it. If i drink it before it

separates it's too milky and thin. Could my grains just be kaput? I recall

at some point having a sparkling kefir. I could tolerate that better. Also,

don't know if it matters, but i make it with milk that has been skimmed (for

my butter).

Elaine

[Guest guest]

Elaine,

i wonder if kefir grains are like sourdough, in that, if you keep

feeding it fresh milk, even if the kefir tastes lousy, eventually

they will produce good tasting kefir. i don't know. but i do have a

lot of faith in those wonderful little grains.

i'm very particular how i ferment my kefir and i'm kind of obsessive

about it (i should obsess like that over my housework.)

when i make kefir i always have 2 jars; one for the kefir and one

empty. i always pour it from jar to jar from time to time to mix it

up and even it out.

and i don't ferment it at too high a temp; i would say the ideal temp

is probably around 50 degrees, for taste. so very often i ferment it

in the fridge but take it out for an hour or so to let it warm up

slightly to speed it up.

the first several hours with fresh milk i always leave it at room

temp as nothing 'seems' to happen those first few hours. after 5 or

6 hours, tho, it seems to turn rather fast and i always have it in

the fridge by then for that.

even if you let it go too long and it's like one giant curd of milk

with whey, you can add some fresh milk to it to thin it out and pour

it from jar to jar to even out the consistency.

i also make skim milk kefir.

laura

> I was drinking kefir regularly for a while, but not really enjoying

it. My

> kefir grains sat untended in the fridge for a long time. Maybe a

year. Now

> i'm trying it again as i want a lower-carb milk. It still tastes

yucky to

> me, like a heavy bitterness settling on the back of my tongue. It

doesn't

> seem rancid or bad, just a little too bitter and crude. By this

point it has

> separated into a big curd and whey and i blend it. If i drink it

before it

> separates it's too milky and thin. Could my grains just be kaput? I

recall

> at some point having a sparkling kefir. I could tolerate that

better. Also,

> don't know if it matters, but i make it with milk that has been

skimmed (for

> my butter).

> Elaine