Generally most people desire to keep their milk kefir bacteria rich instead of yeasty. The yeast is responsible for theeffervescent and multi-dimensional qualities, so its definitely important, but too much and its becomes less appealing.
Yeasty kefir will ferment fast, fizzy and thin.
Milk kefir has a tendency to slowly shift towards the yeast if its not under ideal conditions. But there are ways to help shift the balance in favor of the bacteria.
1. Use Raw Milk
Raw milk is filled with good bacteria (and enzymes) and that means its very hard for the yeast to take over no matter what you do. I've never seen raw milk kefir go the yeasty route. It's the most fool proof way to keep it bacteria rich, slow and usually thick. Granted that in many states and countries, it is very different to locate a good quality raw milk. Raw milk kefir is best, but pasteurized milk kefir is still a very healthy alternative. So if you go the pasteurized route there are still ways to keep it as bacteria rich as possible by following the rest of the list.
2. Ferment Colder
Try consistently fermenting the kefir at 65-70 degrees. The slightly cooler temperatures favor a slower more bacteria rich ferment.
Avoid temperatures below 65 if possible as it can sometimes cause an improper ferment.
Also avoid temperature fluctuations. Fluctuations stress out the kefir and when the grains get stressed, the yeast tends to take over as the yeast is faster and more opportunistic than the bacteria.
3. Use more milk
Over-fermentation can stress out the grains and any stress can lead to yeasty grains. Using more milk will help naturally balance the grains. The yeast tends to be faster and more opportunistic, so if there's not enough milk, it can steal the needed nutrients and sugars and not leave much for the bacteria to thrive on. With plenty of milk, there should be enough for both the bacteria and yeast.
4. Ferment longer than 24 hours
Grains can adapt to longer schedules and this will ultimately help the bacteria. If you do consistent 48-72 hour batches, It will adapt to this new schedule and will ferment slower, more bacteria rich and many times thicker. Longer ferments naturally help the bacteria as it tends to be slower than the yeast and it takes time for the bacteria to catch up to the yeast. If you are continually doing short ferments, the yeast can sometimes continually have the upper hand.
5. Bury the grains in yogurt technique
Simply bury the grains in a jar of plain yogurt for a few days in the fridge. The idea behind this technique is that yogurt is rich in bacteria with little to no yeast and that environment will help shift the balance from yeasty to bacteria rich. I've heard mixed results from this technique. Sometimes it works great, but may not be aggressive enough if the grains are really yeasty.
6. Occasional long ferment technique
This technique tends to help to some degree and can be done multiple times for better results. Basically the idea is to do the occasional 2-3 day ferment and it will naturally over-ferment, but in that environment the bacteria has a chance to catch up to the yeast and the yeast tends to calm down a bit. When you go back to the regular 24 hour schedule, it tends to be slower and more bacteria rich. I've seen grains that refused to grow because of the yeasty environment, start growing again after doing this technique. You can do this technique a couple times,but its best not to continually over-fermentthem as that will stress them out.
7. Fridge Ferment
Ferment exclusively in your fridge to help calm the yeast and keep it bacteria rich. It takes about a week but can vary with different fridge temperatures. Most people notice that its gets thicker too. Sometimes if the grains are really yeasty, it can stay that way even in the fridge. One aggressive trick is to give the grains a really good rinse and then ferment in the fridge.
8. Aggressive rinsing and resting
This technique should only be done as a last resort. The aggressive rinsing and resting will rinse away beneficial surface bacteria and yeast that the grains will have to rebuild which can take several batches. Basically you simply rinse the grains really well in unchlorinated water and leave them in in fresh unchlorinated water for 2-3 days. A less aggressive form on this technique is to let them rest in milk for 2-3 days.
FAQs
Is that normal? A. Kefir will often smell like fresh yeast. If your kefir smells like spoiled yeast (rotten), that can be a sign of either contamination or that the yeast and bacteria which comprise the kefir grains are out of balance.
How do I know if my kefir is too yeasty? ›
Is that normal? A. Kefir will often smell like fresh yeast. If your kefir smells like spoiled yeast (rotten), that can be a sign of either contamination or that the yeast and bacteria which comprise the kefir grains are out of balance.
How do you remove yeast from water kefir? ›
Hygiene: If your water kefir has kahm yeast, it is important to clean up your fermentation vessel carefully with dish soap and rinse your water kefir crystals with lukewarm water.
How do you make kefir bacteria? ›
Making kefir is pretty simple: obtain grains, drop them in milk, and let it sit at room temperature for 12-24 hours. After this incubation is complete, the grains can be transferred to fresh milk to make the next batch or grains can be covered in a little milk for storage in the fridge.
What happens if you add too much milk to kefir grains? ›
If you use too much milk, the milk can go off before the kefir grains have a chance to ferment it though, so be sure to understand how much it can do, and gradually increase from there. To get lots of kefir quickly with just a few grains simply keep adding milk without straining.
How to make kefir less yeasty? ›
But there are ways to help shift the balance in favor of the bacteria.
- Use Raw Milk. ...
- Ferment Colder. ...
- Use more milk. ...
- Ferment longer than 24 hours. ...
- Bury the grains in yogurt technique. ...
- Occasional long ferment technique. ...
- Fridge Ferment. ...
- Aggressive rinsing and resting.
THE FERMENTATION PROCESS: Once activated, place your grains into 250ml of milk per 5g of milk kefir grains and cover your jar. If possible, try to stir your milk kefir mixture every 6 hours, at the very minimum, every 12 hours. You are looking for the consistency of the milk to change.
What does over fermented kefir look like? ›
If you see clear yellowish liquid and curds, it is over-fermented and has passed the thickening stage. It is now separating into whey and curds. Again, this is not bad - it's just a little more sour and may be less appealing.
How much baking soda to add to water kefir? ›
The ratio of grains to water should be one tablespoon of grains to one cup of water. If adding molasses, you will need 1/2 teaspoon per batch. If using baking soda, use 1/4 teaspoon per batch. If you use too much of the soda, the batch will taste like salt, and it can kill off some of your grains.
Why does my water kefir taste like yeast? ›
Yeast can develop when kefir grains are left in their water too long or when the fermentation temperature is too high. They can also come from the fruit used, which is why it is important to rinse them before use. Remedy: Gently rinse the grains and put them in new sugar water, like when you activate your grains.
According to 2021 research, kefir, whether as a whole or its individual components, can fight against certain harmful bacteria. Indeed, this study compared how well two types of Salmonella bacteria grew in regular milk versus kefir milk, and found that the bacteria's numbers reduced much faster in the kefir milk.
Does homemade kefir have more probiotics? ›
Homemade milk kefir is teeming with probiotics while store-bought may contain around 7-12 bacterial strains. Most store-bought kefir does not contain yeast and for good reason.
What happens if you drink kefir every day? ›
Improves bone health and reduces the risk of osteoporosis
One study found that people with osteoporosis who drank kefir milk daily showed improvements in their bone mineral density. Kefir is also rich in other bone-building nutrients, including vitamin D, phosphorus, magnesium, and vitamin K.
How to tell if homemade kefir is bad? ›
You should also notice that the kefir smells a little sour/vinegary and possibly cheesy/yeasty. The milk will have thickened and it will no longer look like milk.
Is 2 cups of kefir a day too much? ›
You can end up drinking too much kefir. Therefore, you shouldn't go too overboard with your intake. Instead, stick to around a cup or less per day. Drinking too much can end up causing potential side effects to ramp up.
When should you throw out kefir grains? ›
Kefir grains keep a LONG time, like wine. It may even smell just like wine (or pickles). Many times you can revive neglected or forgotten grains stored in the back of the fridge. We have known people who have successfully revived grains that have been stored in the fridge for 2-3 years!
What are the symptoms of bad kefir? ›
For most people, fermented foods like kefir are considered safe. But when you first take probiotics, you may experience digestive issues like increased gas, bloating, or diarrhea. These usually settle down after a few days as your body adjusts.
Can kefir be too fermented? ›
Usually overfermentation happens when we leave the culture to ferment longer than recommended. For milk kefir that means more than 24 hours and for water 48 hours. With kombucha things are a bit more complicated, since there are very different approaches on how long it should ferment, depending on the individual taste.
How do you know if kefir is contaminated? ›
How do you know if its contaminated? It's very difficult to have truly contaminated kefir due to the very nature of the billions of cultures in contains. If however it is contaminated, it will be an off color and/or off smell and you will be able to recognize this.
