SoulFOOD Tutorial: How To Make Water Kefir At Home

This guide shows you how to brew your own water kefir using our dehydrated water kefir grains.

Why drink water kefir – the benefits

Water kefir is one of the simplest and most effective ways to support digestive and overall health. It is a naturally fermented, probiotic-rich drink that everyone can make at home – no special equipment, no elaborate process, just sugar water and time. Here’s why it’s worth including in your daily rhythm:

– Excellent source of natural probiotics – supports digestion, gut flora, and immune resilience

– 100 percent dairy-free – ideal for those who are vegan, lactose-intolerant, or avoiding milk

– Sugar-free – although it begins as sugar water, the sugar is consumed by the grains, not by you

– Easy to make – just water, sugar, and kefir grains – no fancy tools or complicated steps

– Versatile – can be flavoured with herbs, fruit, spices, or roots during second fermentation

– Gentle on the system – unlike kombucha, it is not acidic or caffeinated

– Affordable – one small purchase of grains can keep producing batch after batch for years

– A living culture – not just a product, but a relationship to nourish and tend to

– Strengthens everyday wellbeing – by supporting gut health, which is at the core of vitality

Everyone should be drinking water kefir – because good gut health is foundational (and key to mental health!). This is a quiet way to care for the body, gently, rhythmically, and with living nourishment.

What you'll need

This recipe makes about 1 litre – 1 US quart – of water kefir:

2 tablespoons (about 30 grams or 1 oz) of rehydrated water kefir grains

2 to 3 tablespoons (25 to 40 grams or 0.9 to 1.4 oz) of organic raw cane sugar or demerara sugar

4 unsulphured organic dried apricots

1 slice of unwaxed organic lemon

1 litre (1000 ml or 4¼ cups) of clean, non-chlorinated still water

1.0 to 1.5 litre (1 to 1.5 quart) glass jar

Plastic or wooden spoon – no metal

Plastic strainer

Cloth or loose-fitting lid

Important – Do not use metal to stir, strain, or store kefir – it can harm the grains.

If you’re using dehydrated grains – see our separate rehydration guide before your first batch.

Making the sugar water

1. Stir the sugar into 250 ml (1 cup) of hot water until fully dissolved.

2. Add enough cold water to bring the total volume up to 1 litre (4¼ cups).

3. Let this cool to room temperature before proceeding.

First fermentation (F1)

1. Place the kefir grains into your clean glass jar.

2. Pour in the cooled sugar water.

3. Add the dried apricots and lemon slice.

4. Cover with a breathable cloth or a loose-fitting lid.

5. Let ferment for 2 to 3 days at room temperature – 20 to 28°C – 68 to 82°F – out of direct sunlight.

In warmer climates – like here the Alps in summer – kefir may be ready in 24 hours. The longer it ferments, the less sweet and more tangy the drink will become. Strain and drink – or prepare for second fermentation

1. Once your kefir has reached a flavour you like, strain the liquid through a plastic strainer into a jug.

2. Discard and compost the lemon. You may eat or compost the apricots.

3. Keep the grains – they can be reused immediately or stored in the fridge with fresh sugar water for up to one week.

Second fermentation (F2 – optional, for flavour and fizz)

For those who enjoy a bit of fizz and creativity, second fermentation allows you to flavour the kefir and introduce natural carbonation.

How to do it –

1. Pour the strained kefir into swing-top glass bottles or similar.

2. Add your chosen flavourings. Some favourites –

– Berries – raspberries, blackberries, strawberries

– Sliced stone fruits – peach, pear, nectarine

– Fresh ginger slices

– Herbs – mint, fennel, elderflower (fresh or dried), anise hyssop

– Clary sage bracts

3. Fill bottles to 2 cm (¾ inch) from the top. Seal tightly.

4. Let ferment at room temperature for 12 to 24 hours.

Burp the bottles during this time – especially in warm kitchens – to release built-up gas and prevent explosions. After fermenting, move the bottles to the fridge to slow fermentation and preserve the fizz. Consume within a week for best flavour.

Feeding and caring for your kefir grains

Kefir grains are living beings – and like all living things, they benefit from regular nourishment and care.

Seasonal feeds (a few times a year) –

Once or twice a year, you may give your kefir grains a special feed to keep them thriving:

– 1 teaspoon (7 grams or ¼ oz) of molasses

– or a small piece (about 2 x 2 cm or 1 inch square) of dried seaweed such as kelp (also known as kombu)

Add the molasses or seaweed to your kefir hotel – the jar in the fridge where you store extra grains between batches – and let it sit overnight. If using seaweed – simply remove it the next day. If using molasses – rinse the grains in cold water after 12 to 24 hours. Otherwise, they may begin to disintegrate. Feeding isn't needed if you’re brewing continuously – regular interaction keeps them healthy.

Storage between batches

If you're not making kefir every day –

Keep grains in a jar of fresh sugar water in the fridge for up to 1 week.

Rinse gently with cold water before the next use.

For longer rests – such as over winter –

Air dry the grains on parchment or baking paper – never in a dehydrator or oven.

Store the dried grains in a glass jar in the fridge.

You may also freeze fresh grains – though drying offers more long-term stability.

This is how we prepare and store the grains we offer in our shop – gently, seasonally, and without shortcuts.

A note on rhythm

In our household, I brew a large batch of water kefir once a week – usually on Sundays. I use an 8-litre wide-necked glass demijohn during the warm months – May to October – when fermentation only takes 24 to 36 hours. After straining, I store the bottles in the fridge for the week ahead. The grains are rinsed and returned to a fresh batch. I repeat this weekly until the weather cools – at which point I dry and store the grains for winter rest.

Final thoughts

Water kefir is more than a healthy beverage – it’s a quiet daily ritual that connects you to rhythm, to care, and to living culture. As I flavour my 2F with fresh ingredients growing around me, I see this as a water ritual of connection with the land and medicine gifted by each of these plants too. When tended with respect, your grains can last for years, passing from season to season like an old friend.

This here is fast becoming my favourite 2F flavour combination ~ freshly gathered anise hyssop, lemon balm, horsemint, and ginger from the garden.