Can water kefir be made with milk kefir grains?

Written by Michael Grant in Kefir

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Now that you have started making milk kefir you probably heard about water kefir and wondered if you can make water kefir from milk kefir grains. 

Milk kefir grains are home to 30-60 microbial species which consume sugar in milk producing milk kefir.  These same cultures can consume the sugar in sweetened water to make a water kefir like drink which can be flavored and second fermented into a soda. 

Milk kefir grains and water kefir grains are both a product of yeast and lactic acid bacterial fermentation which consume simple sugar and produce alcohol, lactic acid and CO2.  It is this action which makes it possible to ferment sweetened water with milk kefir grains.

Milk kefir grains will ferment sweetened water based solutions

You can use milk kefir grains to make a water kefir like drink.  It will not taste the same as water kefir which is made with water kefir grains but it will be a tangy effervescent drink.  You can also make it into a soda just like you would make water kefir soda. 

The difference in flavor is caused by the difference between the two sets of microbial species.  Each yeast and bacterial species produce different enzymes and esters which give the kefir a different flavor. 

Of the 60 microbial species found in milk kefir only one, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, has been found in water kefir grains.  Water kefir grains have far fewer microbial species then milk kefir grains but they do have a unique set of species which are common with all water kefir grains.

Saccharomyces cerevisiae is the most common yeast found in alcoholic fermentations and is responsible for most high alcohol fermentations.  All the other species are different and as a result produce different flavors.

How to make “water kefir” with milk kefir grains

The process is simple with only a few steps added to the instructions for making milk kefir

  1. Rinse the kefir grains with filtered water
  2. Mix sugar and water together in a ratio of 1:10 until the sugar is dissolved
  3. Add the grains to the sweetened water and cover with a breathable covering
  4. Ferment for 48-72 hours
  5. Begin tasting the kefir after 48 hours.  When it is to your liking filter the grains out
  6. Use the grains to ferment a batch of milk between water kefir batches

Rinsing the grains will remove some of the milk kefir which covers the milk kefir grains.  Do not wash the grains as this will remove most of the yeast cultures which are found in highest concentrations on the outside of the grains.

The amount of sugar ultimately determines how sour the water kefir will get.  High concentrations of sugar will feed the yeast cultures which produce alcohol.  This will feed the acetic acid bacteria making the kefir taste sour.  Sugar is also used by the lactic acid bacteria to produce lactic acid which further sours the drink. 

If you are making a soda it is better to sweeten it in the second fermentation rather than adding extra sugar at the beginning.

Once you have strained out the grains you can make soda by adding a sweetened flavoring to the water and bottling it in bottles designed for pressure.  Wait a few days before trying the soda and once it is carbonated enough refrigerate it.

Converting milk kefir grains to ferment sweetened water permanently

If you want to continue making “water kefir” with your milk kefir grains you can try to acclimatize a set of milk kefir grains for sweetened water.  Because the population of the cultures in the milk kefir grains varies greatly depending on the source, location and heritage of the grains this may or may not work.

The process requires increasing the population of the refined sugar loving cultures and allowing the cultures which cannot digest this type of sugar found in the sweet water to die off.  Do this by reputedly using one set of milk kefir grains to ferment some sweetened water.  Instead of filtering off all the finished kefir leave half of it behind and ferment using the same amount of sugar added. 

After a few rounds start reducing the amount of the kefir left in the grains until you are filtering all kefir out from the grains.  If at any time the sweetened water does not sour or it begins to smell bad through it out and start again.

If you find you like making and drinking water kefir get yourself a set of water kefir grains rather than using milk kefir grains.  They are not expensive and readily available.  Making it with real water kefir grains will be easier, taste better and your water kefir grains will actually grow.

Milk kefir grains will not convert to water kefir grains

This is like placing a gerbil in a rabbit cage, feeding it rabbit food and hoping it will change into a rabbit!  It will not happen.  The same is true with kefir grains.  Water kefir grains are made up of different materials then milk kefir grains, one will not become the other.

Milk kefir grains are composed of a heteropolysaccharide called kefiran produced by Lactobacillus kefiranofaciens.  Water kefir grains are composed of a homopolysaccharide called dextran, produced by L. hilgardii (Reference).

Since water kefir grains and milk kefir grains do not have the necessary bacterium to produce the correct polysaccharide for the other it is not possible that one will become the other.  Additionally Lactobacillus needs the protein and fat found in the milk to produce its polysaccharide so when placed in a sweetened water solution the grains will not grow.

Other drinks you can make with milk kefir grains

Milk kefir grains are very versatile.  They will ferment a number of different liquids to make non-dairy kefir between milk kefir batches.  Here are a few suggestions.

Coconut kefir

Coconut milk is high in sugar, protein and fat which makes it ideal for making kefir with milk kefir grains.  The grains are happy to convert the simple sugar in the milk into lactic acid and alcohol.  It thickens a little as the proteins form soft curds and whey collects on the bottom of the jar.

Again it is not wise to continue using the same grains for making coconut kefir.  Instead alternate the grains with regular milk and coconut milk.

Almond milk kefir

Almonds are packed with protein and oil but lack easily fermentable sugars for the cultures to eat.  Once it has been made into almond milk it loses some of the protein but keeps most of the fat.

When making kefir from almond milk add a little sugar of some type to feed the yeast and lactic acid bacteria in the grains.  This will help them to acidify the milk kefir giving it a pleasant sour flavor. 

If you are using store bought almond milk make sure there are no preservatives listed on the container as the preservatives will inhibit the growth of the cultures in the grains. 

Sunflower seed kefir

To make sunflower seed kefir soak 1 cup sunflower seeds in filtered water for 12-24 hour.  Then blend them with 4 cups of water in a high powered blender.  Add a ¼ cup of some type of easily fermented sugar as sunflower seeds are low in easily fermentable sugars.

Add your kefir grains as usual and ferment for 24 hours or until it has soured.  You can use the kefir in smoothies, on cereal or just drink it.

Rice milk kefir

Rice milk kefir can be made from store bought rice milk so long as it does not have preservatives in it.  Simply add the grains and some form of fermentable sugar to feed the cultures in the grains. 

To make your own rice milk for kefir do not use white rice as it is low in protein.  Instead use brown or red rice.  Soak it for 12-24 hours and blend in a high powered blender.  Add some fermentable sugar to the milk and ferment with your grains.

It will produce a light kefir which can be used as you would any other milk kefir.

Michael Grant

Mike has been an enthusiast of fermentation for over ten years. With humble beginnings of making kombucha for himself to the intricacies of making miso, vinegar and kefir. He makes a wide variety of fermented foods and drinks for his own consumption and family and friends. Being a serial learner he began experimenting with a wide variety of fermented products and learning widely from books, online from content and scientific studies about fermentation, its health benefits, how to use fermented food products in everyday life and the various techniques used to produce them both traditionally and commercially. With a focus on producing his own fermented products in an urban environment with little access to garden space he began Urban Fermentation to help others who want to get the benefits of fermentation in their lives. He provides a wide variety of content covering fermented drinks like kombucha and water kefir, milk kefir and yogurt, vinegar production and lacto-fermentation such as pickles, sauerkraut for those who have to rely on others for food production. With an insatiable hunger to know more about fermentation from all nations and cultures he also has learned to make natto, miso and soy sauce, with more to come as the body of knowledge about fermentation is constantly expanding and becoming more popular as time passes.

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