# Slimy Kefir??



## J-Basqo

So I have been reading about "thick" kefir, but I am wondering if I damaged my grains or something.. I just started doing kefir a few weeks ago and it seems to be different every day! I have been letting it sit on the counter to cure for 24 hours, then straining.. The last few times it has come out thick and _slimy_ like eggwhites.. It also isnt real tart or fizzy any more either and I remember the kefir I ate before I made it at home being smooth yogurt texture not sticky, stringy and slimy egg whites..it is gross! It makes me gag to eat it!
I let my grains rest in the fridge for a day or two last week, they were strained but still coated in kefir (didnt leave it in standing milk or water), then taken out and rinsed in cool tap water, I dont have a filter but it is fresh clean well water.. so I didnt know if I had bothered the culture by doing that (what can I say, I am still learning!). Hubby says its like eating snot..the dogs like though!
So I just wanted to know if that was normal? Is it just curing to fast, should I move it to the fridge? My grains have grown so I separated them tonight and left 1T of grains to 2c milk to see if maybe too many grains was affecting the culture?? Not sure..
I was told I could keep the grains in the freezer for up to 6 mo? I rinsed them and patted them dry and wraped them in a paper towel and put them in a freezer bag (was also told that powdered milk would help protect them for longer storage)??
Also, I would like to make some for the kids eventually, since all my grains have been used in raw milk for me, how do I go about making sure my grains are safe for the kids milk for CAE prevention??
Thanks in advance!
Patina


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## Guest

Hi Patina,

I have heard people have mixed results when freezing Kefir. I put mine in fresh milk and leave them in the refrigerator over my two month dry period and they are fine.

Yours are slimy because the bacterial balance is off some where. You can strain and rinse them then cover with fresh milk every 24 hours for a few days and see if they come back for you.

Chrsity


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