Apple Kefir

I've been making kefir for a while, and long ago tried grape juice kefir. It was interesting for a brew, and definately alcohol-stocked, but not worthy of being called a wine. The most interesting aspect was that I didn't know about air locks then and just capped the plastic bottle that the grape juice came in. Left it one day sitting on the counter, and came back that night to find it lying on it's side, the bottom pushed from concave to convex from the pressure. Fizzy, sweet, alcoholic grape juice.

I figured to do the same thing with a 1/2 gallon of juice I've had waiting for a batch that never materialized...

Kefir in, left it with cap ajar in the sink. Days later, the bottle was again over-pressure (I forgot I had a spare airlock).

I don't have a gravity meter so I can't judge the proof, but it still tastes apple-y, but very carbonated and a little alcohol in effect. I woudn't call it a finished product by any means, but an interesting kitchen science project... not as good of results as actually cultured yeast (beer, wine, cider).

Still very active, but maybe in a week or so, I can taste it for real and cap some bottles off for aging.

are you using milk grains or water grains? i used to have a pipeline of converted milk grains going on grape juice. pretty good stuff.

Sorry to be so late...

Yes, it's milk grains. I have yet to finish the kefir cider. I've had a couple tastes, and I should have bottled it a while ago. It's gone past the "appley" stage, and into the "beery" stage.

The sample tastes were ok, but you could tell that
1) it wasn't "finished", and
b) it wasn't a standard yeast.

Of course, I had a growler of Crispin in the apartment, and I couldn't help but compare my poor kefir cider with that!

I guess I'm going to have to bite the bullet and either drink it or bottle it or throw it out.

.

I learned most of what I know from Dom's pages. Good stuff there, although some of it can be weird.

I didn't keep the grains from my grape juice experiment... the grains were purple, and there wasn't any going back from there.

Or keep it a while, it'll make a nice cider vinegar shortly.

How can you keep the kefir from carbonating too much without an air lock? I have some grape juice fermenting (with kefir starter) in the glass bottle it came in. I don't want the bottle to break, but I want it to be fizzy and alcoholic. Any ideas?

hollylu said:

How can you keep the kefir from carbonating too much without an air lock? I have some grape juice fermenting (with kefir starter) in the glass bottle it came in. I don't want the bottle to break, but I want it to be fizzy and alcoholic. Any ideas?

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Allow to ferment just covered with towel/coffee filter/whatever, or lid just covering, then remove the grains when it is almost close to your desired taste and then apply the cap. If you move to refrig tightly sealed it will slowly carb up, or leave on counter for a day or two, temp dependent, and it carbs up. If you find you allowed the 1F(primary ferment) to go too far just add a bit of juice or thawed concentrate.
If using powdered kefir starter, consider getting water or milk grains (which you can convert to use in juices only), you will not need to buy starter again plus your organism strains are much expanded.

Thank you for responding sara!

I tried making milk kefir from grains last year, and was not successful - I ended up throwing the grains away. Maybe I will have to get some water grains and try again. (not thrilled about the prospect :-/)

hollylu said:

Thank you for responding sara!

I tried making milk kefir from grains last year, and was not successful - I ended up throwing the grains away. Maybe I will have to get some water grains and try again. (not thrilled about the prospect :-/)

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Hey if the powder works for you then stick with it, but if you like kefirized juice then milk grains are what you really need. Just go straight in juice, no messing with milk. Though they eventually die off and you replace them. They are called transmogged grains in some circles.

Thank you for pointing out that I would need milk grains - I was thinking water grains were what I would need for juice. It's all so confusing to me...

My grape juice is on it's second day of fermentation with the starter powder. I checked it yesterday and it had no fizz at all.

hollylu said:

Thank you for pointing out that I would need milk grains - I was thinking water grains were what I would need for juice. It's all so confusing to me...

My grape juice is on it's second day of fermentation with the starter powder. I checked it yesterday and it had no fizz at all.

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You can use WKG, they typically break down much sooner unless you keep returning them to a basic water kefir formula (water, sugar, lemon, raisins/fig, etc), but many find the MKG are less fuss when you just want to kefirize pure juice or even nectar.
With the powdered, do you have your jar tightly sealed...it simply does not carb up if it cannot absorb the CO2 it creates. And you are at what temp? On day #2 total, from the time you added the powder?

saramc said:

You can use WKG, they typically break down much sooner unless you keep returning them to a basic water kefir formula (water, sugar, lemon, raisins/fig, etc), but many find the MKG are less fuss when you just want to kefirize pure juice or even nectar.
With the powdered, do you have your jar tightly sealed...it simply does not carb up if it cannot absorb the CO2 it creates. And you are at what temp? On day #2 total, from the time you added the powder?

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I have it at room temp - about 76-77 in our home now. I do have it tightly sealed, and yes, it is three days now. I think I will wait and check it tomorrow; not disturb it at all today.