| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| MEWolf |
Posted - Jun 18 2011 : 2:23:31 PM
I have been making Lacto-Kefir for several months, but with the onset of summer and hot weather, I thought I would give water Kefir a try. Made the first batch of Ginger and Lemon two days ago (it takes two days to ferment) and it is so refreshing! It is an absolutely wonderful replacement for soda.The following is a link which talks about all the health benefits of drinking water Kefir:
http://www.weim.net/homeovet/Docs/water%20kefir.pdf
If you are interested, Jenny over at the nourished kitchen blog has great instructions here: http://nourishedkitchen.com/water-kefir/
And here are several sources for ordering the grains:
http://www.waterkefirgrains.com/
http://www.kefirlady.com/waterkefirgrains.htm
http://www.culturesforhealth.com/water-kefir-grains.html
Share your favorite recipes for Kefir...here!
Margaret
If one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams, and endeavors to live the life which he has imagined, he will meet with a success unexpected in common hours.
Henry David Thoreau
Farmgirl #3020
www.grey-wolf-farm.com |
| 10 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| City Chick |
Posted - Jul 06 2011 : 5:48:17 PM
I've been wanting to buy grains and haven't made the jump yet. Going to read up on the how-to's.
I haven't brewed kombucha in awhile. I put my scoby's in the fridge. I've probably killed them. 
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My new blog - http://citychickadventures.blogspot.com/ Come visit me!
Farm Girl #790
http://pinterest.com/debbie_s/
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| AmberNWichita |
Posted - Jul 06 2011 : 5:14:37 PM
I have been drinking lacto fermented ginger-ale and Kombucha for about 7mos now. I am hooked.
I want there to be no peasant in my kingdom so poor that he cannot have a chicken in his pot every Sunday.
Henry IV |
| urban chickie |
Posted - Jun 22 2011 : 10:54:29 AM
Just wanted to add that there are lots of gals on Etsy selling these grains for much less than the sites listed above....usually 5 or 6 bucks :)
Catherine
Farmgirl #1370
City Girl By Birth,
Suburbanite By Location,
Farmgirl at Heart
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| urban chickie |
Posted - Jun 22 2011 : 10:45:30 AM
I always use ginger in mine, but my favorite fruit to add is apricot. I also like to do a second fermentation with fruit juice, after removing the grains. Grape or apple are good for that! And while it makes your grains brown, it does no harm to use turbinado or muscavado sugars if you like that molasses taste.
Tibicos smells much more yeasty that it tastes, I would never go on the smell alone. In fact, I was advised when I first started making it to always pour it off into a glass before drinking. The gasses from the fermentation get trapped under your closed lid, unlike with kombucha where you use an open, air-flowing top. So it smells bad even when it is still too sweet to drink. Despite fermentation, tibicos is higher in sugar than some folks want - way higher than vinegar water. Still, it's much lower than soda pop or koolaid or that sort of crap. Tastes way better, too! And yes, it does have good probiotics, way better than trying to get that stuff from a pill or dietary supplement of some sort. Mother Teresa supposedly used tibicos in the areas where poverty and lower ig issues were frequent.
I just proofed this for typos (I am a terrible typist!) and realized I am calling it tibicos...that's just another name for water kefir, another is Japanese water crystals. They all refer to the same thing. I like using tibicos because this isn't really a water version of kefir, which some out there seem to think. To me, the different name better represents the different bacteria and yeast in the culture, but I think it is more common to call it water kefir. Just didn't want anyone to be confused lol!
Catherine
Farmgirl #1370
City Girl By Birth,
Suburbanite By Location,
Farmgirl at Heart
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| MEWolf |
Posted - Jun 19 2011 : 3:40:45 PM
I made Lemon Ginger Kefir first, when I first smelled it after the first ferment it had this slight "beery" smell. The next day after I had removed the grains and added additional water, Lemon and Ginger and let it "set" it had this bright lemon-ginger flavor that was marvelous!
Herblady, this would be wonderful for your tummy! it is adding good bacteria back into your system. Even though you use sugar to ferment the water with the grains (it is what they feed on)it is not a sweet drink after the second ferment. Just refreshing and I think it tastes way better than vinegar water!
rksmith, you make Kombucha the same way...just add already made cooled tea your fermented water (after you remove your grains, that way your grains do not get spoiled). For the steps to make it, click the second link in my original post...Jenny @ Nourished kitchen lists all the equipment, supplies and steps!
Margaret
If one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams, and endeavors to live the life which he has imagined, he will meet with a success unexpected in common hours.
Henry David Thoreau
Farmgirl #3020
www.grey-wolf-farm.com |
| rksmith |
Posted - Jun 19 2011 : 1:58:02 PM
I would love the steps MamaCrunch! Thanks.
Rachel
Farmgirl Sister #2753
Do not ask the Lord to guide your footsteps, if you are not willing to move your feet--Dr. Kioni
http://madame1313.wordpress.com/ |
| MamaCrunch |
Posted - Jun 19 2011 : 1:04:43 PM
Rachel, I wish I'd known you wanted to make Kombucha. I just composted my SCOBY today bc I wasnt drinking enough 'booch to make it worth it. I would have totally given you mine.
There is a really easy way to start your own. I can type out the steps if you are interested.
Farmgirl #2161
Just tryin' to homestead in the middle of a suburban neighborhood!
Blog~ http://thelittleboygreen.com |
| herblady55 |
Posted - Jun 19 2011 : 08:42:48 AM
I'm fascinated too. I have "stomach-complaint" all the time, maybe this would help me. I think I fear that I won't like the taste. I drink vinegar-water over ice all summer long and I like that taste.And I drink hot vinegar water sweetened with honey all winter. But what does this kefir water taste like?
Sister-chick# 905(Sept.14th 2009)
Judy
French-Hugs&Squeezles!
I am not contained between my hat and my boots! -Walt Whitman-
"Why couldn't I have been born Rich instead of So Good Looking?" |
| rksmith |
Posted - Jun 19 2011 : 05:08:44 AM
I've never even heard of water kefir before although I do enjoy dairy kefir. I was just browsing online for some kombucha starters and this sounds really interesting.
Rachel
Farmgirl Sister #2753
Do not ask the Lord to guide your footsteps, if you are not willing to move your feet--Dr. Kioni
http://madame1313.wordpress.com/ |
| MamaCrunch |
Posted - Jun 18 2011 : 7:01:36 PM
I had both water kefir and dairy kefir grains. I was the only one in our house who would drink the homemade stuff so I ended up just composting them all. I really liked strawberry/lemon and apricot.
Farmgirl #2161
Just tryin' to homestead in the middle of a suburban neighborhood!
Blog~ http://thelittleboygreen.com |
