Last summer a sweet neighbor lady of mine offered up some of her healthy water kefir grains for me to take home.

At first, I was scared and reluctant to attempt to make fermented drinks after killing my kombucha SCOBY not too recently. That’s a story for a different day.

However, my neighbor assured me just how EASY it was to make delicious water kefir at home and my ears perked right up.

An easy and healthy probiotic drink that I can make from home for pennies on the dollar?! Count me in!

What is Water Kefir

Water Kefir is a fermented probiotic drink that is made from kefir grains and soaked in a sugar solution for 24-48 hours.

Despite the name, water kefir grains aren’t really grains at all. These grains are clusters of bacteria and yeast living in a symbiotic relationship and held together by a polysaccharide (dextran) produced by Lactobacillus higarii.

It is not completely clear where or when water kefir grains originated, but speculation points towards Mexico. The tibicos culture forms on the pads of the Opuntia cactus as hard kefir granules that can be reconstituted in a sugar-water solution as propagating tibicos.

These clusters of bacteria, yeast, and polysaccharide look like little crystals, or “grains” of jelly. The bacteria and yeasts in the grains utilize sugar to produce lactic acid, ethanol (a small amount), and carbon dioxide.

In short, when these clusters consumer sugar, they form bubbles!

Where to get Water kefir grains

If you don’t happen to have a sweet neighbor lady to share her grains with you, you can still buy quality grains online.

The best part about buying grains is that you only need to buy them once and they will continue to make an endless supply of water kefir!

Cultures for health is where I like to purchase all of my fermenting supplies. They have an abundant selection of fermenting kits, including water kefir grains.

Benefits of drinking Water Kefir

Studies have shown that kefir and its constituents have antimicrobial, anti-tumor, anti-carcinogenic and immunomodulatory activity and also improve digestion, among other amazing health benefits.

Water kefir is rich in probiotics. Kefir contains a wide range of beneficial probiotics! Although the strains vary from culture to culture, nearly 70 varieties of microorganisms can be found in water kefir grains. (ref)

Water Kefir Supports the gut microbiome. Because of the amount of rich probiotics kefir contains, it can help regulate the gut. The microbiota plays an important role in digestion, weight management, blood regulation, and immune defense.

Water Kefir is full of nutrients. It’s more than just a bubbly beverage! According to a literature review published in 2021 (ref), the microorganisms in kefir turn sugar and minerals into all sorts of nutrients and compounds during fermentation:

• Organic acids
• Beneficial enzymes
• Organic compounds
• Prebiotic compounds
• Antioxidants

A fun & easy to make beverage (that is also easy on the wallet) is full of so many health benefits. I’ll take more, please!

How to make water Kefir

This is by far the biggest question that I had when I was first introduced to water kefir. Fermenting just sounds so difficult, but I promise, it’s so easy!

All you need to do in order to ferment your water kefir and keep your grains alive is by feeding them regularly.

Every 24-48 hours, all you need to do is to switch up your water kefir’s water along with new sugar for it to feed on.

Here’s a simple recipe:

1. Place 1/4 cup water kefir grains in a glass quart jar. Any jar will work as long as the lid can be loosened.

2. Pour 1/4 cup organic or raw cane sugar onto the kefir grains at the bottom. Organic or raw sugar is best because it not refined like most granulated sugar & contains minerals that help feed the kefir grains.

3. Optional: Add 1 tsp of molasses to the jar. Molasses is full of nutrients that keep the grains fed and happy. When you add this to your mixture, you can expect your grains to multiple & create even more water kefir faster!

4. Fill the quart jar with filtered water, leaving about an inch of space at the top. Loosely cover with a lid or cheesecloth – you want the jar to have the ability to breathe as it forms bubbles.

5. wait 24-48 hours and strain out kefir grains. Pour the strained water kefir into glass jars and set onto counter with sealed lids for another 24-48 hours (this is the second fermentation). You can add fruit or sugar to these jars for extra bubbles while they ferment a second time). Pour kefir grains into a clean quart jar and repeat steps to continue making water kefir.

See the pear ginger water kefir recipe below for how to flavor your water kefir with the second fermentation!

How to store Water Kefir

While you’re fermenting your water kefir in the sugar solution, you can store it on your counter in the kitchen. After the second fermentation, you should store it with a tight lid inside the refrigerator to stay fresh. For best results, drink within a week of placing inside the refrigerator.

However, don’t store it sealed for too long!

Even after placing in the fridge, the probiotics are very much alive and will continue to make bubbles. If too much pressure builds up, the container can literally explode with bubbles once opened.

If it’s been a long time since you placed your water kefir in the fridge, it’s best to either open over a sink or outside.

There have been quite a few times when a long, lost kefir bottle was found in the deep depths of the back of the fridge and when they were opened, it was an event (to say the least).

Pear Ginger Water Kefir Recipe

Now that you know how to make water kefir at home, let’s get down to my favorite recipe! Pear ginger has the perfect blend of a sweet and spicy flavor that makes the kefir taste so refreshing!

Supplies Needed:

• water kefir grains, fermented for 24-48 hours
• 1 quart jar with lid
• mesh strainer
• bowl or additional quart jar
• 2 16 oz swing top bottles (these bottles are very sturdy)
• 1 ripe pear
• 1 inch knob of fresh ginger root

How to make pear ginger water kefir:

– Prepare your water kefir by fermenting for at least 24 hours, or until sugar solution has been consumed by the grains and the water is bubbly.

– Strain the water kefir grains from your quart jar into another jar or bowl, ensuring the strain all of the liquid. Place grains aside in a clean jar.

– Cut pears and ginger root into small cubes, enough to fit through neck of swing top bottles, roughly 1/4 inch thick.

– Evenly distribute the pears and ginger into both swing top bottles and then fill bottles with prepare water kefir (NOT the grains).

– Close bottles and allow to sit at room temperature for 24 to 48 hours. “Burp” the bottles every 12 hours to release any pressure and place in refrigerator after 24 hours. Once chilled, kefir is ready to drink. That’s it! I told you it was super simply to make!

When done, Add 1/4 cup of sugar to your kefir grains and fill the quart jar with water. Try new fruit combinations to see what your favorite flavors are!

Now, I think I’ll go ahead and grab me a cold one of out the fridge.

Have you tried making your own water kefir before? What kinds of flavors do you like the most?!