How To Make Milk Kefir: Food From The Gods (+ Troubleshooting Help!)

Properly fermented milk kefir is about 99% lactose-free. The symbiotic colony of bacteria and yeast (SCOBY) that form the kefir grains radically reduce lactose in the milk and also break down milk proteins.

You can, although I don’t personally recommend it unless you don’t have any other options.

This is because most store-bought brands don’t use actual kefir grains but instead a powdered formulation of select bacteria and yeast. Additionally, you don’t know how long it has been sitting. Freshly made kefir is best to use, and can only be used for maybe 2-3 subsequent batches.

Here’s how to make kefir from store-bought kefir: in a clean jar, put 1-2 tbsp of the store-bought kefir per cup of milk. Stir, close the jar, and let it sit at room temperature for approximately 24 hours. Check if it has thickened into kefir, then refrigerate.

Unfortunately, there isn’t a way how to make kefir grains from store bought kefir. The best way to get kefir grains is to buy them from someone who is actively using them, or find someone kind enough to share from a sharing group!

From my experience, the best place to buy kefir grains is on Etsy. When you buy kefir grains online, make sure you buy active kefir grains. Live, active kefir grains are already in use and being maintained by the person you are purchasing them from. They are more likely to produce great kefir from the beginning than dehydrated grains are.

Click here to buy milk kefir grains from a seller I’ve personally received great kefir grains from!

It is super simple to learn how to freeze kefir grains! Just follow these easy directions:
1. Get a clean, freezer-safe glass jar. I generally use a 8oz mason jar.
2. Put excess kefir grains in the jar.
3. Cover with a little milk.
4. Freeze!
Your kefir grains will store this way for a year or more. I like to do this to store some excess kefir grains in case I accidentally kill or lose my current milk kefir grains.
To use, all you have to do is set the grains out to defrost, and since there is some milk in there you can leave it for a day or so. Strain, then make a small batch of milk kefir (I generally make one pint (16oz) first before going back to my usual amount).

Milk kefir is best consumed within a week of making it. But kefir can last for well over a month in the fridge.

It doesn’t necessarily spoil for a long time. Instead, it will continue fermenting, turning more sour and developing slight alcoholic notes. After a while, it becomes unpalatable.

Eventually, you may notice off flavors or mold developing on the kefir. At this point, it has gone way too far and has lost the proper acidity and probiotics necessary to protect it from spoilage.

With milk kefir becoming such a popular drink, you’re probably wondering if there are any drawbacks. Based on my research (which is continual as new science emerges), I’ve come to the conclusion that properly fermented milk kefir is even more safe than raw milk. The milk kefir grains contain powerful bacteria and yeasts that can fight against harmful bacteria such as E. coli.

That being said, you can experience negative events from kefir. The most common negative experience is diarrhea or constipation. These negative symptoms can occur when you drink too much kefir at once, especially when you are new to kefir. With strong probiotic foods, it is best to start small. Depending on how sensitive you typically are to new foods, you might choose to start with only a tablespoon to a quarter cup, and increase the amount every 3 or so days. This can help you avoid a negative experience from milk kefir.

Otherwise, I would not worry about consuming milk kefir if it is fermented properly. It should have a somewhat pleasantly sour smell, and the taste will vary based on the type of milk used and how long it has been fermented. It can range from mildly tart to quite pungent. Your kefir should not have any off colors or fuzz such as yellow (beyond the natural color of your cream), pink, green, or grey. It should not look, smell or taste moldy. Do not consume if you witness any of these things.

If you are particularly concerned, you can invest in a pH meter to test the acidity of your finished kefir. The safe zone is below 4.2 pH, and my kefir generally tests at around 3.7.

If your milk kefir is not thickening, there could be a few reasons.

First, your grains may not be working properly. If they are brand new grains, you may need to do a few batches before they start working. Use less milk while activating so that you have less waste.

If your grains were working fine before, then maybe you left them too long without straining, it can cause the grains to be stressed out. Rest your milk kefir grains in fresh yogurt with live active cultures for a day to help them rebalance, then try again with a smaller amount of milk. Your kefir grains can die if they are left too long without fresh milk. So if you try this and it does not help, you may need to get new grains. It’s a good idea to freeze a tbsp or so of your grains when they grow so you have back-up.

Another reason for thin kefir is moving the jar around too much while fermenting. I’ve found it best to just set up the jar and leave it until I can visually see that the milk has thickened. Then I’ll strain and refrigerate the kefir right away.

Also keep in mind that some milks are much thinner than others. You can add cream if you are not using milk with high fat content (such as that from Jersey and Guernsey cows). Goat milk tends not to thicken much, but you should notice it has developed curds instead of being smooth milk.

Milk kefir is keto friendly. It is high in protein and fats and very low in carbs. In fact, fermentation lowers the sugar and carbs naturally found in regular milk.