Kefir Starter Instructions - Cultures For Health

Make fresh kefir with milk, juice, coconut milk, or coconut water. Use the full packet for your first batch, then save a little finished kefir to re-culture.

◒Temperature mattersCulture at 72-74°F for 12-18 hours. Different bases finish differently, so use the signs below rather than expecting every batch to thicken.

Before you begin

Gather what you need

The same starter can be used with dairy milk, coconut milk, juice, or coconut water.

Kefir Starter Powder pouch with jars, strainer, filter, rubber band, and culturing supplies

1 packet dehydrated kefir starter cultureUse the full packet for your first batch.

1-2 cups pasteurized whole milk, juice, coconut milk, or coconut waterAvoid ultra-pasteurized and UHT milk.

Cane sugarFor juice or coconut water: 1-2 teaspoons per cup.

1-quart glass jar or food-safe plastic container

Airtight lid OR coffee filter/tight-weave cloth + rubber band

Mesh strainerEspecially useful for juice and coconut-water batches if milk solids remain.

Choose one base and stay with it when re-culturing. Once you choose milk, juice, coconut milk, or coconut water, re-culture with that same type.

Step by step

Make your first batch

The culture window is the same; the finished signs vary depending on the ingredient.

STEP 1

Choose your base

Pour 1-2 cups milk, juice, coconut milk, or coconut water into a clean glass or plastic container. If using juice or coconut water, stir in 1-2 teaspoons cane sugar per cup until fully dissolved.

Milk being measured and poured into a clean glass jar for kefir starter

STEP 2

Add the starter

Add 1 packet kefir starter culture and stir gently until the culture is fully dissolved.

Kefir starter powder being added to milk in a glass jar

STEP 3

Cover and culture 12-18 hours

Cover with an airtight lid, or use a coffee filter/tight-weave cloth secured with a rubber band. Culture at 72-74°F for 12-18 hours.

Kefir culture covered with a cloth and rubber band on a kitchen counter

STEP 4

Check for signs it is ready

Dairy milk: thickens to about the consistency of heavy cream or thicker.
Coconut milk: develops a sour, less-sweet aroma but may not thicken.
Juice or coconut water: becomes cloudy and less sweet.

Three jars showing finished kefir made with different bases

STEP 5

Strain juice or coconut-water kefir if needed

With juice or coconut water, some milk fat solids from the starter may still float on top after fermentation. To remove them, strain the kefir through a mesh strainer into a new glass jar.

Finished kefir being poured through a mesh strainer into a clean glass jar

STEP 6

Chill, enjoy, and save starter

Place the finished kefir in the refrigerator for a few hours before enjoying. Cover with a tight lid and keep refrigerated for up to 1-2 weeks. Save 1/4 cup to re-culture.

Finished kefir stored in the refrigerator with one-quarter cup reserved for reculturing

Keep it going

Re-culture your kefir

You can re-culture your kefir several times. Start the next batch within 7 days.

1. Combine: Mix 1/4 cup prepared kefir with 1 quart of the same type of milk, juice, coconut milk, or coconut water.

2. Add sugar when needed: For juice or coconut water, add 1-2 teaspoons cane sugar per cup. For 1 quart, use 4-8 teaspoons.

3. Cover and culture: Cover with an airtight lid, or a coffee filter/tight-weave cloth secured with a rubber band. Culture at 72-74°F for 12-18 hours.

Stay with the same base: once you choose which ingredient to culture your kefir in, re-culture with that same ingredient.

Quick checks

Is this normal?

Different bases behave differently during fermentation.

My dairy kefir is thick

That is expected. Dairy milk may thicken to the consistency of heavy cream or thicker.

My coconut milk did not thicken

That can be normal. Look for a sour, less-sweet aroma rather than thickness.

My juice or coconut water is cloudy

Cloudiness and reduced sweetness are expected signs of fermentation.

There are pale solids floating on juice or coconut-water kefir

The starter powder is made in milk, so some milk solids and proteins can remain and may not fully dissolve in juice or coconut water. Strain the finished kefir through a mesh strainer into a new glass jar.

My coconut-water batch seems slow

Coconut-water fermentation may be slower. Make sure the cane sugar is fully dissolved and use the instructed 1-2 teaspoons per cup.

Was this helpful?

Make it yours