According to Wikipedia:

Kefir grains are a combination of bacteria and yeasts in a matrix of proteins, lipids, and sugars. This symbiotic matrix forms grains that resemble cauliflower. Today, kefir is becoming increasingly popular due to new research into its health benefits. Many different bacteria and yeasts are found in the kefir grains, which are a complex and highly variable community of micro-organisms.^[2]

^{I have been learning about kefir and its benefits for awhile now and was thrilled when my friend, Julia, invited me over to share some of her grains with me and to teach me the art of kefiring!}

First the finished kefire was poured into a strainer.  It must be a plastic strainer and only non metal items can be used on the kefir. Metal will deactivate the good bacterium.

After stirring until all the curds and whey were in the bowl and the kefir grains were left in the strainer the finished product was poured into very clean glass jars.  The jars must not be hot. Heat will also deactivate the kefir's full effectiveness.

Here you can see the curds and whey of the finished product BEFORE it was strained.

Plastic lids are the easiest, but you can also wrap metal lids in plastic wrap.

I have read that it is good to not fully tighten down the lid to leave room for the new gases to escape.

In this case 2 Tbs. were placed in each clean jar and then they were "fed" with 2 c. of raw milk.  Raw milk is the most beneficial.  I have read sugar/lemon water, rice milk and other forms of kefiring can also be useful.

Here is what is called the kefir grains.  They are not grains like wheat.  They are clusters of beneficial bacteria that look like a sort of gelatinous cottage cheese.

The kefir grain is coated with a stringy sort of gel.  It is a good thing Julia pointed this out to me because I would have thought that hair had gotten into the kefir!

The kefir smells somewhat sour... like sour dough or plain yogurt.  Actually kefir is a lot like a liquid yogurt and I have read that it will be thinner or thicker depending on the amount of time it is allowed to ferment and the exact ingredients used in the process.

 The flavor is also similar to plain yogurt, but is quite pleasant when added to a smoothie! 

It grows quickly!  I started with 4 Tbs. of kefir grains 10 days ago and now have 12 Tbs. worth of grains!

Every 1 1/2 to 2 days the process is repeated by allowing the grains sit on the kitchen counter until it reaches the curds and whey stage.  The finished product is placed in the fridge to be used through the coming days and the grains are fed and set out to make more!

The kefir can ferment in the fridge but will take longer...  about a week.  The grains are most "awake" at room temperature.

The finished kefir can last for a month in the fridge or so I am told.  We are using it pretty quickly so we don't really know yet! We are looking forward to sharing grains with others interested in improving their health!

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