On 5/12/2024 at 8:01 PM, Smithy said:I've been making my own kefir from a packet of dry granules...
My my, I've never seen such a product!
I'd advise you to ditch that stuff ASAP and find some real kefir grains. I bought mine from the Kefir Lady in 2013, and my culture is still going strong! According to my math, I've made over 250 gallons with my original purchase of grains -- I've also given away excess grains, dumped them in smoothies, etc. A one time purchase will offer years of production.
And when I'm away for a few weeks, I'll just cover the grains with some fresh milk and throw 'em in the freezer. When I return I add more fresh milk to the container, place it back in the fridge, and within a few days I'm back in business.
P.S. I just checked Nextdoor, Facebook Marketplace, and Etsy; they're all over the place, sometimes for FREE.
P.P.S. From Wikipedia: "Kefir can be made using freeze-dried cultures commonly available in powder form from health food stores . A portion of the resulting kefir can be saved to be used a number of times to propagate further fermentations but ultimately does not form grains."
