[theretohere]

I just got kefir grains in the mail and have had them sitting in milk on my counter for 36 hours. I had DH drink some and he said it tasted like sour milk. Did something go wrong, or it this how it is supposed to taste?
Help!

 

[TheRobinsons]

I find that mine tastes like tangy milk mixed with soda water!

I drink it as a smoothie with banana and a whole lot of extra nutritional bits added in. It also makes fantastic pancakes etc etc.

I don't drink mine plain.

 

[samihenter]

you probably did good, because it sounds like sour milk.
my experience
if you ferment it 24 hours it sounds like sour milk.
if you ferment it 48 hours it sounds like sour yogurt which i like more.

 

[theretohere]

OK, really silly question then- how do you know when it's worked vs. the milk just spoiling from being out?

:

 

[samihenter]

very philosophical question!
if your kefir looks like the pictures at
http://users.chariot.net.au/~dna/kefir-faq.html
it probably worked.
or tastes like the one that are sold at the market.
there is not one true way of doing kefir, you may do it according to your taste.

 

[TheRobinsons]

If your milk is raw, it won't really go off. It will just sour and separate into curds and whey.

My DH forgot to bring the milk in from milking one morning and I found it sitting out in the garage later that afternoon. So I just left it sit on the kitchen counter for 4 days until it was completely separated, and turned the curds into cheesecake, and used the whey to make baby formula. It was a real challenge to not see it as "off" but as a nutritious food!

Anyway - I think 24 - 36 hours is enough for kefir. Mine only thickens to a runny yoghurt consistency. I think the one you made sounds perfect.

 

[deditus]

I always say that kefir tastes the way baby puke smells - yum!

 

[dogmom327]

If you've just received them in the mail, keep in mind it can take a few batches before they work properly with your milk (they need time to adjust to your particular milk). You will know the milk has kefired when it thickens (the pictures referred to by the PP are great for this too).

While the kefir grains are adjusting, keep them in relatively small amounts of milk (just a cup is fine) until they reliably kefir within 24-48 hours. This simply reduces the amount of waste. Until they adjust though, you need to be changing the milk out every 48 hours and giving them fresh milk to work on.

 

[theretohere]

Thanks everyone- I gave it another day and it tasted right. I guess I just needed more patience!