# Kefir questions



## Painted Pony

I've tried making a few things with my goat milk and today I decided to try Kefir. I have a few questions if you all don't mind helping me. I bought some Kefir mix from a cheesestore. I poured that in to a pasteurized gallon of milk that was reduced in temp to 86 degrees (per the instructions). The gallon is now sitting on the counter while the Kefir develops. 

So, tomorrow when it is done can I strain it and have more Kefir grains to make a new batch? If so, can I strain it through my regular milk strainer? 

Do I have to pasteurize the milk? We really don't pasteurize any milk except for the stuff for the goat babies, but it seems all my Kefir/cheese instructions start with "pasteurized" milk. Is this necessary?


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## buckrun

I make my kefir from raw milk. But I can't help with the process for using the grains- I use a mother culture because Squidge does not like the flavor of the kind made from grains. 
But yes- raw milk is fine as long as there is not alot of competing bacteria.
Lee


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## homeacremom

If you didn't start with grains you won't get grains out of this batch. I have heard you can use 1/4 cup of kefir made from the powdered cultures to set a qt of kefir, but you have to restart every 4 batches or so.
I use our own fresh(no more than 48 hrs), raw milk for all our dairy products. If you know your milk is clean and fresh then, no, I don't think it is necessary to pasteurize. I've not had a problem yet.
I strain through a regular stainless steel sieve. Cultured kefir is about the thickness of whole milk cultured buttermilk and won't strain through a milk filter.


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## Painted Pony

Thank you for the replies. I wondered how the powder could be considered a "grain" later but what do I know...
What you said makes sense. I am glad both of you said the raw milk is fine for making this. I figured the company was saying pastuerized as a CYA, but wanted to make sure. Our milk is clean & brought in twice a day (fresh) so no worries about that stuff. Thanks! (off to see who has Kefir grains for sale or trade)


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## adillenal

I have been making kefir from grains for over two years and DH and I are both still living proof that raw goat milk kefir is fine and dandy.


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## Sheryl

:hi questions

I just started my first batch of keifer. After I started it, I was reading different keifer posts, and realized that everyone was talking about using cold milk to start keifer....uh oh :shocked I put my keifer starter in fresh milk from the am milking.....will it be the same? Does it matter if it is cold, or goat tempretaure? help

I havn't tasted it yet.....waiting to hear from you guys as to whether or not I messed up. :help

Sheryl


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## adillenal

I use warm milk straight from the goat. I have never used cold milk.


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## Sheryl

:whew so all is not lost, and it will not kill me.....yipee. Okay mine has been brewing for 24 hours, so now I can strain it, and put it in the fridge and get it cold to await frozen fruit smoothies later? Do you use all keifer in your smoothies, or mix a little keifer with a little milk, and frozen fruit???? I don't want to overload my tummy with too much good stuff, I have heard you can move really fast afterwards....not really looking forward to that. suggestions?

Sheryl


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## homeacremom

Probably want to start with no more than 4 oz of kefir in your smoothie so that things move but don't run away on you.  
Yeah, you can mix kefir, milk and fruit. Kefir and yogurt. Kefir and juice....There is no set recipe for a smoothie. I use straight kefir now that we are used to it. 
Just don't mix up qts with cod liver oil, and oat bran....and maybe some spirulina and kelp. :nooo 

And I use cooled milk in the summer, but fresh milk anytime normal room temp is in the 70s. I think it tastes better that way. Less sour and more just thick and tangy. Won't hurt you either way.


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## Sondra

never do I use real milk with my kefir only strained kefir /frozen fruit /honey. the kefir is not going to hurt you in anyway. Also use raw milk straight from the goat if you use cold milk it takes longer to get to the stage you want.


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## favablue

We always add milk to our smoothies with Kefir. Especially if the weather is warm( we dont use the A/C) and it makes faster. It wont hurt you doing it straight, but we dont like all the Kefir taste, just a little. As you get used to the taste you can handle more. Sometimes we only let it sit for 10 hrs making a less powerful Kefir. We like to start with fresh warm milk, but they both work. We use the real grains.


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## Painted Pony

My batch of Kefir went well I think. It is creamy, not to thick though. It seems a little like buttermilk. DS thinks it's gross if he drinks it straight so we've been playing with mixes to find one that tastes good. My favorite is a glass of 1/2 kefir with 1/2 orange juice. I did find some kefir grains online & hope to have them next week. 

Next batch I am going to just pour the kefir in to fresh milk. That seems a lot easier! I am trying to make various things with the milk so it doesn't go to waste. Now that the kids are almost weaned I have a lot more milk than I need just for us to drink. Chickens & dogs already get a lot each day but with the heat the chickens amount of milk has been reduced to prevent it from spoiling. 

Thank you all for your input.


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## Sondra

ah just a thought but how abt kefir orange juice popsickles for the kids. I used to make yogurt and orange juice posickles for my kids back then I knew nothing abt kefir but the kids loved them and I let them have all they wanted because it was good for them.


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