My husband grows his own kefir. Can I use that instead of yogurt as the starting bacteria?
779979
I am sorry but I do not know if you can substitute kefir for yogurt. Perhaps Aroma can answer your question. They are quite helpful.
794950
I use my milk kefir grains to make coconut milk kefir and raw milk (dairy) kefir. I would refer J. Jones to check out books from Amazon: Cultured Food for Life by Donna Schwenk, The Complete Idiot's Guide to Fermenting Foods by Wardeh Harmon, and Fermended, a Four-Season Approach to Paleo Probiotic Foods by Jill Ciciarelli -all of which can be purchased on Amazon.
654999
You can go to the sellers Facebook page for a great video that will answer your question. I use 3 cups of whole organic milk (not ULTRA pasteurized) to about 2 TBLSP of kefir grains. There are lots of great videos on youtube as well.
432715
I would ask the farm/company you got it from. If it is the same with the one I got it from you still have a few days. I just travelled with some grains from home to italy. (washed well and placed in a ziplock bag and threw it in my luggage). I am already drinking kefir, about 2 cups daily. Your kefir will travel quite well but since the quantity is super small expect about 3 weeks to grow it! Be patient and you will grow it so fast after the initial 3 that you will look for people/friends to give it to. Are you familiar with "DOM'S KEFIR"? Google and you will get an Australian site. Informative and fun to read. Once you need to thin your kefir have those people/friends read it, too
1342891
Yes, you can. When my kefir starts getting low, I sometimes transfer the kefir into a clean jar and add milk and let it "work" until it's the consistency I desire, usually more like yogurt than milk. I use the packs when we travel which is more convenient.
161265
I haven't tried it yet but I just spent 2 hours on a German forum discussing this topic. Short answer: Yes, you definitely can! Long answer: There seem to be thousands of ways how to do it; l-free milk and l-free yogurt, l-free milk and normal yogurt (the bacteria are fermenting lactose, so there won't be that much left), soy milk and soy yogurt, soy milk and l-free yogurt, l-free milk and soy yogurt, and so on... The result mostly depends on the yogurt, so either spend some time on Google to find out what people suggest or spend some time in the kitchen to figure it out. Rice milk doesn't work that well because it has a very low protein content (0.3% compared to 3.7% in soy and cow milk). People were trying to use rice milk and add extra protein but that needs some more research...
1067318
You could try Flax milk. That is the closest to real milk I have found. I tried do & almond which did not work with any brand of yogurt starter. If it works please let me know.
1363975
I would use honey raw is best but any will work. you do need a sweetener to help the starter grow good bacteria. here is my recipe for coconut yogurt. it is the best! and it firms up when it is refrigerated. I have made many batches! my kids love it. this is a double batch for the half gallon Yogourmet maker tub- I have two and the recipe is for both. so u my have to half it or what ever for however big your yogurt maker is. COCONUT YOGURT 10 cans coconut milk-Trader Joe green cans (1gallon) -OR 1 gallon of homemade coconut milk- Heat to 180 keep stirring so you don't burn it Then add while still hot - c honey -6 packs plain gelatin (KNOX) MIX WELL then Cool to room temp- (68-77) When cooled Add- 1 tsp GIPRO Put in yogurt makers for 24 hrs
1689076
I use any good PLAIN Greek Yogurt, but a good PLAIN regular yogurt will work as well -- just look to see if it has active cultures (most all of them do) and I get it at the supermarket.
1057924
You can use any plain yogurt: fat-free, full fat, 2%, greek yogurt, whatever. I would not use a flavored yogurt, but that may work. I usually use as the starter the end of the last batch of yogurt that I made. But that loses potency after a period of time, I find. When that happens, I either cut that 50/50 with a store bought yogurt or I just use 100% of the store bought as the starter. I have used the packaged starter that came with my machine. Good luck.
1625836
It depends on the yogurt starter. It turns out that they are now producing single-use yogurt starters that do not make a second batch well at all. At Cultures for Health, they call the single-use cultures "direct-set" cultures. They also make a distinction if a culture is "reusable" or not. I used to use store-bought yogurt to start if I needed a fresh start, but my favorite yogurts now don't work for making your own yogurt at home. They won't set up.
1639409
Tanya, I get a little package of plain yogurt to start mine. It works great. I make the greek yogurt. You will have to strain it to make Greek yogurt. Mine tastes better than the Fage brand. I use2 tablespoons of Fage to start mine, so I can eat the rest. But you can start it with regular yogurt. I am thinking about doing a Youtube about how to do it. I have some great tips that will make it easy to do
1504708
I have never made yogurt, so I don't know. It works very well however for kefir.
1241695
I make my own yogurt, (using 2% organic cow's milk). I scald the milk, let it cool to bath water temp.-add the starter. Then I cover, and wrap the bowl in a towel and put it in the oven with the light on, overnight. The oven light will get the temperature up to get the cultures going. Strain it in a stainless steel strainer lined with a coffee filter to make Greek style. I've been doing it this way for years. Don't need a fancy appliance-the oven light method works fine.
1524075
I have only ever used organic cane sugar, supplemented occasional with a teaspoon of unsulfured blackstrap molasses. I know you can use other sugars like coconut sugar, etc, though I've never tried. I've never tried with sugar alternatives, artificial or natural sweeteners like stevia, so I couldn't give you any advice there. Honey will eventually diminish the health of your cultures, due to it's natural antimicrobial/bacterial properties. One thing I will say, when brewing the kefir, the cultures will process the sugar that is in your mix: so even if you're adding a third cup of sugar to the grains, after 48 hours there will be less sugar in the brew. When you bottle it after the 48 hour brew cycle, then you can add whatever you want. It'd be worth experimenting with! good luck!
616909
If your grains were as tiny as mine initially; you won't see much change. Luckily, they reproduce quite rapidly. Fortunately for me, I had experience with kefir grains in the past. I knew what I was looking feeling for. I think it the first week, I cup is too much. Drop to half a cup. You will be glad to have less material to soft through. The first week is going to be irritating. Sorting the kefir babies out of the milk is time consuming. Kefir hates metals or stainless steel. Do not let them come in contact with that type of material. Always use plastic or glass. I suggest you use a dark spoon the first few days. Pour tiny bits into spoon. Feel with fingertips for tiny rubbery balls in the material. Those little bits are what you transfer to fresh milk. A plastic strainer will work in a couple of days after babies have grown larger than the holes. As their size increases they will be easier to sort. Eventually, you will have globs of them that you pull out with your fingers. They will be covered in gooey yeast strands. As they grow you can add more and more milk until you get to a daily quantity you like. Very soon you will have more kefir babies than you want. Share the excess with friends, dehydrate, or throw away. If you go on vacation or your needs are less for a few days, refrigerate. Enjoy. It's a breeze after the first week.
713193
The kefir may be too liquid and may go right through the fine screen of the insert. Yogurt usually is thicker and won't do this. If your kefir is as thick as yogurt, then it will work, but kefir usually is made for drinking and is too thin and runny.