Water Kefir in a tropical climate

[Kripaa]

Hi yemoos!

Firstly can I express my gratitude for this website. The articles enter into great detail about these cultures, from many angles, and moreover are written very elegantly ..

As a complete beginner, having ordered the grains over the internet and having no hands on support, I have found this site to be of immense help.

So, I am from england but living in tropical India (very southern Maharashtra) .. and I think I’ve had success with two days of water kefir.. we’ve drunk them both.. within 24hours of starting.. and the second one I put raisins and lemon and I felt it was more “cultured” than the first .. more smelly and more bubbly

Essentially My partner and I are taking kefir for health purposes, to help good bacteria to grow in the gut. I took a huge amount of antibiotics earlier this year and have had this suggested as the ideal probiotic...

So my questions:

: firstly - washing/ rinsing/ old pieces of lemon remaining in water in tropical weather ...

I am very careful about rotten / rotting things in water here.. our temperatures easily go above 30oC and in the summer up to 40oC so I tend to rinse and avoid anything live sitting in water for more than 24 hours. This morning after our second batch of kefir I saw small strands of lemon fibre with the grains and I automatically rinsed them. Then I put the new water and jaggery and raisins and realised that the “kefir” smell was gone.. then I googled it where I read that we should not rinse water kefir. Is it fine then for old pieces of fruit just to remain with the grains ? Or should I try to pick them out?

Secondly,

I read that the water should be thickish or gloopish.. ours is absolutely watery- is this something that would change as the grains get happier? OR an indication that I am straining too early?

Basically I have a slight tendency towards constipation, as I understood- less fermented water would have a diarrhetic effect, and more fermented water a constipating effect. We are trying to get the middle way as you suggest- but am afraid of ever causing constipation- any hint about how to know we are in the middle point?
Probably it is a case of slowly getting to know the process.

Lastly, is it mandatory to put the water in the fridge? We are just drinking it immediately after straining..


Again , thanks for anyone who takes the time to read this.

This whole website, in its dedication and sincerity has reminded me of the positive use of the internet. How so much goodness can be shared when that is our intention.

Thanks !

Kripaa

[AlexP]

Hi Kripaa,

Rinsing is not ideal as you can wash away some good surface bacteria, but the occasional rinse should be fine. So if you just can't get those strands or pieces, a light rinse should be okay.

Water kefir should NOT be thick. It should have the consistency of water. Sometimes it does get gooey and thick, but that usually indicates something is not right or the grains are simply overwhelmed.

For me water kefir helps move things along, digestive-wise. I've read somewhere that if its over-done, then it can cause constipation. I think that's more for milk kefir. I've never personally experienced that.

And you can certainly drink the water kefir fresh. There is no reason to put it in the fridge, unless you like it cold and perhaps a little more fermented.

Good luck on your kefir journey!

Alex