Kefir Water

Water Kefir Grains, also known as Sugar Kefir Grains, Tibicos, Tibi, Japanese Water Crystals, Ginger Beer Plant or California Bees, are a culture of bacteria and yeast held in a polysaccharide matrix created by the bacteria. The microbes present in Water Kefir Grains exist in a symbiotic relationship thus maintaining an incredibly stable culture. The friendly microbes feed off the sugar in the sugar water solution, producing lactic acid, alcohol (ethanol), and carbon dioxide gas which carbonates the drink.

Water Kefir Grains facilitate the fermentation of sugar water or juice to create a carbonated lacto-fermented beverage. Extremely easy to brew, water kefir grains can be used as a starter to create a new batch of water kefir every 36-48 hours cycle.
Water kefir is a fantastic non-dairy alternative to milk kefir and can be flavored after brewing to make a variety of delicious sodas. If you are serious about replacing those sweet carbonated soft drinks which cost you your health and money, you are surely going to love the water kefir.
What’s the benefits of Water Kefir?
PROBIOTICS and ENZYME !!
The probiotic benefits of water kefir are similar to those of milk kefir even though they share different strains of bacteria and yeast. Typically, water kefir grains have a mix of Lactobacillus, Streptococcus, Pediococcus and Leuconostoc bacteria with yeasts from Saccharomyces, Candida, Kloeckera and possibly others.
Depending on the fruits or juices you use, the water kefir grains may pick up other beneficial yeast and bacteria which may pre-exist in the fruits. So, no two cultures shares the same strains of microbes at any one time.
The only slight setback is, water kefir lacks the nutrients and goodness of milk which is found abundantly in the milk kefir.
Water Kefir is extremely cheap to prepare and you will save a lot from buying canned soda and most of all, probiotic supplements which will cost you heaps of money.

Basic Preparation of Water Kefir
The basic preparation method requires you to add Water Kefir Grains to a sugary solution and allow to brew 36 to 48 hours. A typical recipe might be:

• ½ cup of Water Kefir Grains (3 soup spoons)
• ¼ cup of brown sugar (from cane sugar) or raw honey
• 1 litre (4 cups) of filtered water

Methods

• Dissolve the sugar in the water
• Add the lemon (cut into 2 thick slices) and the figs.
• Drop in the Water Kefir Grains and cover the jar. If the lid is tightly closed, you will get a carbonated and fizzy drink. If covered with cloth, it will be less fizzy.
• Set the jar aside to ferment at room temperature for 36 to 48 hours, away from direct sunlight and heat
• When ready, strain out the Water Kefir Grains
• Discard the figs or dried fruits
• Squeeze the juice of the lemon slices into the strained water kefir
• Store the strained water kefir in a narrow neck glass bottle with lid on and keep chilled in the fridge for 24hrs to get extra fizz
• Give the grains a quick rinse before making the next new batch

Utensils you need

• 2 litre glass jar with lid
• Nylon strainer
• Plastic or porcelain spoon
• funnel
• Narrow neck bottle with lid for storing the strained water kefir