water kefir too sweet

[Cullens_Girl]

suggestions? I'm using 1/3 cup sugar in a quart mason jar...

I've used both brown sugar and organic sugar and nothing is making it palatable to me.  I pulled it out after 2 days of fermentation and it still was too sweet... its on day 3 now and still sweet. 

I plan to flavor it with dry fruit when its out, but its just too icky sweet to me.

[Cullens_Girl]

anyone? bueller?

[dogmom327]

You can reduce the amount of sugar you are using.  I normally recommend 1/4 cup per quart which is plenty to keep the kefir grains happy and thriving but not so much that you end up with excess sugar afterward.

Hopefully that helps :)

[Cullens_Girl]

thanks! :)

[mamalex23]

you can also let the batch ferment longer. Here is what I do in winter:

I use 1/3 cup sugar per quart jar and let ferment 3 full days

then I harvest (strain each quart jar into 3 tall jelly jars, leaving some room at top

put a small amount of pure juice, still leaving a little room at top for the carbonic acid

-if sweetened add nothing else, if unsweetened add a little more sugar

let this ferment for an additional 3 days, you can go longer if if it isn't sour enough for you yet, but just watch for explosions when opening!

**you could also just do the secondary fermentation without adding the juice and get the kefir a bit more sour