Smelly Kefir?

[mumm]

I'm new to kefir and my first batch tastes fine (I think!) but smells like a cross between a poorly managed compost pile and a well used public latrine.    Is this normal?  I got the grains on freecycle from a woman who seemed perfectly lovely and normal.  My very limited kefir knowledge comes from the sweetened drinks sold in store.  Any advice?

Thanks!

[doulawoman]

you might get mroe responses in the TF forum. but chek out Dom's kefir-in site (google it) I have kefir grains and as far as I know they should smell somewhere between sourish yougurt and bread dough rising depending on temp and season. It sounds like they mave have become contaminated. Can you ask the lady you got them from?