2nd ferment

[Gypsy]

Hi y'all, im a total newb and have been at it for 2 weeks now, id say the first week was watching the grains and milk, trying to figure out whats happening, perhaps an initial learning curve. Im doing the 24hr ferment and then into the fridge after removing the grains, ive come to find that even in the fridge(cold) fermenting continues to happen and the seperation of curd/whey takes place, interesting! with a tight lid on a mason jar the kefir has been delicious, after a vigorous shake prior to drinking, thats the only way ive done it thus far, have read of fermenting on the counter but opted to refridgerate due to the grains being removed, so hence, fermenting still occurs regardless, which then tells me that if i was to 2nd ferment on the counter, the time for seperation of curd/whey would be even quicker. With a tight lid and in the fridge, the kefir is effervescent(fizzy), its absolutely great, never drank it yet after the inital 24hr ferment but i just wanted to share my limited experience thus far. My setup is 1 mason jar thats 1 liter in size with 1% milk filled approx 3/4 with a paper towel over top for the initial ferment, and then removal of the grains into another same size mason jar with the same amount of milk. The fermented straight into the fridge from anywhere 12-18hrs prior to drinking/consuming. Approx. 2 tbspn of grains for this amount if milk and these guys are growing exponentially, very active/aggressive. Thought id share this for what its worth, happy kefiring.

[AlexP]

Hi Gypsy,

Sounds like you are doing great As you noticed, finished milk kefir will still continue to ferment even in the cold fridge, just at a slower rate. Some people like to do a 2nd ferment at room temperature, but it can overferment, especially if the first ferment was highly active. I prefer to put it directly in the fridge like you are doing. You can dink it fresh, but I like to let it sit for a day or so in the fridge to help meld all the flavors. Also keep in mind that once it is active and the room temperature is fairly warm, 1 tablespoon of grains can ferment up to 1 quart / liter. Try blending the kefir with some fruit, its delicious.

Alex

[Gypsy]

i agree Alex, i went with the fridge option because ive never consumed any dairy ever at room tempertature, seems wierd to me. im getting used to the way the grains i have currently are working buit as everyone know, they grow so adjustment will always be needed but shouldnt be a problem for anyone. I shake the kefir as it has seperated and use it in both oatmeal and flax and also blend with bananas and whatever berries are in the house for a morning smoothie. I will try the orange/lemon peel version during the 2nd ferment perhaps this weekend and see how it goes. The hardest part of this whole process is obtaining the grains, seems that one can get just about anything these days easier than them.

Matt

[Robinstar]

That sounds yummy. I heard about the lemon or orange peel 2nd ferment a long time ago, but completely forgot about it! That's the next thing on my list to try. Thanks for reminding me.

[Gypsy]

getting the hang of this now, havnt tried the lemon/orange peels yet as we're trying to find the right taste and time but have put two sticks of cinnamon twice now during the 2nd ferment, adds a nice flavor, not bad but im liking the honey or sweeter version when blending for shakes in the morning.

i saw a video with donna?? she adds cloves of garlic to her kefir during the 2nd ferment, sounds good if the kefir is nice and thick to begin with, good on toast!

[aryaya]

yeah I could see that working - at first I thought yuck but hey - it's like any other savory spread. And you could always get it a little thicker with a coffee filter or cheesecloth too.

Come to think of it I think I once did milk kefir cheese with italian herbs and garlic a long time ago!

[msbuksar@aol.com]

Hi to All!

Just wanted to add my observations on a secondary fermentation. It truly is a 48 hour process. That is how long it takes (48H) for all the B, A,K and other vitamins, yeasts, peptides, and other biologically active molecules to complete their synthesis. I make kefir just for me so it is easy to put together a production schedule to drink kefir 48 hours after it has been strained. Mon. straining to drink Wed., Tue. straining to drink Thur., etc. You get the idea. What I have found to make a difference in the overall consistency of my kefir is this. I fill my mason jar with strained kefir and let it sit with a tight lid in the dim corner of my kitchen counter for 24 hours then place it in my frig for the final 24 hours. In Ohio right now my Yemoos grains are adjusting well with whole milk to an average temperature of 83F and barometric pressure of 93.7 HgM. Currently my kefir is creamy, smooth with no lumps, slightly bubbly, and tart. All you can expect with proper handling from excellent grains in high temps. Cheers!

[aryaya]

yum! thanks for the update. I'm gonna have to try the split 2nd ferment like you did (last half in fridge). I like the idea. It's making me crave a glass reading your post! My grains are still doing great from them too, best I've had.

[msbuksar@aol.com]

Let us know what you find out about your secondary fermentation using my template: 24H on the counter final 24H in the fridge before drinking. One more observation on 2nd. fermentation to pass on. If the temp in your locale is above 77F for several days or more the secondary fermentation may take less than 48H. A good rule of thumb I have found is when the volume of curds equals the whey(half white over half clear)the 2nd fermentation is done and time for the fridge. If it gets above 77F in your town 48H's in the fridge will complete a second fermentation as well. If one really wants the true benefits of kefir a secondary fermentation is necessary. If you drink kefir after a 12-24H straining you are wasting your time dealing with grains. One is more time efficient buying buttermilk or commercial kefir from the grocery store. For the limited number of probiotics available in commercial products due to heat treating (pasteurization) and the need for consistent taste and viscosity (limited strains of bacteria and yeasts: 10- 12 in #'s ) this what you get. True artisans crafting home brewed kefir with a 2nd fermentation are those receiving all the biologically active strains and molecules (30-60 in #'s) kefir can synthesize. To your health! Cheers!