How to make bubbly, fermented water kefir which is a traditional cultured beverage loaded with probiotics and enzymes. A healthy alternative to soda.
Many people are surprised to learn that soda is actually a traditional food! Of course, ancestral cultures did not sweeten fermented beverages artificially or add unhealthy chemicals and GMO sugar like today.
Water kefir is a very popular example of a healthy traditional beverage that is tasty, fizzy, satisfying and thirst-quenching without any of these additives.
Many people are familiar with homemade dairy milk kefir or coconut milk kefir. Be aware that a slightly different type of culture is used to make water kefir.
Water kefir grains look different than milk kefir grains. They also grow much faster, which is great because there is more to share with your friends!
The probiotic properties of water vs milk kefir grains vary quite a bit as well.
You should be able to procure some water kefir grains within your local community by asking your health-conscious friends or at farmers’ markets.
If you still cannot find some locally, you can order them from the vetted sources in my shopping guide.
If you wish additional flavor and fizz, be sure to bottle your homemade water kefir after it is finished culturing.
Homemade Water Kefir Recipe
Bubbly, homemade water kefir recipe that the whole family will enjoy to help kick the unhealthy soda habit once and for all!
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup water kefir grains
- 1 quart filtered water
- 1/4 cup sucanat
Instructions
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Mix all the ingredients together in a mason jar leaving 1 inch at the top.
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Screw on the lid and leave on the counter for 48 hours. Taste after 48 hours, and if it is too sweet, leave for another 24 hours. Taste again, if too sweet, leave another 24 hours. Repeat for up to 5 days until the a fermented, apple cider type flavor with minimal sweetness has been achieved.
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Strain out the water kefir grains and refrigerate the liquid (no metal please), clean the mason jar, and repeat the process for a new batch of water kefir. You will have approximately double the kefir grains as they grow rapidly with each batch. You can give them away, eat them as a live probiotic, or make a larger batch of water kefir.
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To add variety, you may also reduce the sugar to 1/8 cup, reduce the water to 3 cups, and add 1 cup of fresh fruit juice. Juice from the store is almost always pasteurized and as such, is not recommended as it significantly increases the risk of fermentation mold. Fresh juice has minimal mold issues when fermented and is much more nutritious, and is therefore best to use. If using fresh lemon or lime juice, keep the sugar at 1/4 cup and only use 1/2 cup fresh juice.
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After fermenting, you may bottle the liquid to achieve extra fizz. This is an optional step. The picture with this step shows the types of bottles I use. Only fill the bottles to the bottom of the neck and leave on the counter for and additional 24-48 hours.
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Chill well and open the bottles slowly over the sink as the level of carbonation is quite surprising!
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To store your water kefir culture, place up to 1/2 cup water kefir grains in 1 quart of filtered water mixed with 1/4 cup sucanat, coconut sugar, or maple sugar and refrigerate until you are ready to use again.
Recipe Video
Recipe Notes
Maple sugar or coconut sugar may be substituted for the sucanat. Raw honey does not work as well in my experience.
I used white sugar for my first brew. Will it be ruined? Why not white sugar as in the way kombucha is made? Thanks so much!
I started making Kombucha about 3 weeks ago after viewing your video, my husband and I love it as well as a visiting relative who took the information and a culture back home with her to make it herself. I wanted you to know how much I appreciate the effort you put out to help those looking for a healthier way to eat and the videos are really great! I am trying to make the water kefir presently. It has been on the kitchen counter for about 24 hours and I am wondering if I will see the kefir grains multiplying in the jar, there doesn’t seem to be much activity yet, or will they grow more as time passes? Also will they grow on the bottom of the jar or float at the top. I do see a couple of grains floating at the top. Thank you so much for the information you provide.
Hi Corrinne, the water kefir grains don’t grow in size, they just multiply so you should have roughly double the amount at the end of 2 days on the counter as you did when you started. Most will remain at the bottom of the jar.
Hi Sarah! Thank you so much for your wonderful blog and videos, I have been learning so much. I just got my first water kefir grains and am fermenting my first batch now, per your video. My question is – can you drink it without bottling it? I mean, after the initial 48 hours, just strain, refrigerate and drink? I don’t have access to the types of bottles stated, and don’t actually care for all the fizz anyway ๐ Also, as per questioned above, how much is safe to drink the first time around? THANK YOU!
God Bless.
Shellie
Hi Shellie, absolutely you can drink it without bottling it! In fact, this is how my family drinks it most of the time! If you put the finished kefir water in the fridge and leave it for a week or two, the flavor improves into a beautiful apple cider type of flavor. Fantastic! We then drink it with a bit of seltzer water and it is nice and bubbly. When you first starting drinking, it just start with a couple of ounces and see how it goes, increasing slowly as you observe how you feel using it.
Oh, by the way…Whats a good way to store the grains?
Hi Sarah, Love what you do. Excellent work.
I made some kefir water but it comes out very thick and gelatinous. Almost like a maple syrup consistency and jello-y. Shouldn’t be thinner? I think I am putting too much sugar in? It has a slight sugary taste to it. I just got the grains and I don’t have too many of them. What is the proper ratio of grains-to-sugar so you have the right balance? In your video, I think its a 1:1 ratio of grains to sugar? What should I do with the thick kefir? Do I keep it on the shelf to ferment longer? Do I thin it out with more water? Do I start over?
Thanks for all your help, Frustrated on fermentation.
I use canning jars for my kefir water and it works great for me. They don’t close quite tight enough and around the second day you can hear air escaping but it is still really fizzy. I use rapdura and it make my grains quadruple in size with each batch. I cant find enough people to give them away to!! My favorite 2 so far have been adding blueberries after the first fermentation or adding some apple juice (not pasteurized or concentrated) to the first fermentation.
Hi Marta, yes it is safe.
Hi Sarah!
I have a question, is it safe to drink kefir soda while I am nursing a 4 month old?. I have never drink it before, I am new to the weston price diet, however, my older son is autistic and I know he could benefit from it, especially coconut kefir, I just need to know if it is okay for me to drink it as well. I hve looked on the internet and have found some say yes, some say no, so I am very confused.
Thanks,
Is water kefir like the kombucha in that you need to start drinking a little at a time, so when your family or friends come over and you offer them a soda alternative they don’t get sick from it if they drink more than, say, 4 to 6 ounces?
Turbinado sugar is not as processed as white sugar but sucanat or rapadura would be a more whole food based choice. Yes – you can take the kefir back to the counter for a little more fermentation once refrigerated if desired.