Kefir Starter

This is a perfect kefir starter! I've been using it for years and it has never betrayed me. I add 3 packets to a gallon of milk and in 12 - 15 hours I have my fresh kefir of excellent quality, no preservatives added . Moreover, I use it to make my own cottage/farmer's cheese. It is very easy to use, it's not time consuming. Highly recommend!

My mother has constipation problems and other digestive issues and I told her I will start making her kefir from grains which I did but sometimes I need to make extra but kefir grains can only make two liters at a time and when I need 3 L I use these starters and Kiefer comes out to be a little thicker and has a slightly different taste but tastes amazing and consistency is great and my mother absolutely loves it. Just placed two more orders. By the way she started going to the bathroom regularly and stopped taking all other supplements she was taking that weren't doing much to help her. I'm super happy and highly recommend these starters. Super easy to use. No need to heat up anything like the instructions say because heating up the milk kills all the beneficial bacteria so I don't see any point in that. When I use raw milk for kefir grains, as well as whole milk for this freeze dried cultures I use milk straight out of the fridge and one packet of this starter per 1 L of milk, then I put it in a dark warm place which is my laundry room where I have my HVAC system and I put it on top of the furnace so when the heat kicks on it warms it from the bottom and the room stays between 75 and 78° F. Ideal temperature for fermentation is 75° to 85° F and within 24 hours I get beautiful, organic, full of beneficial bacteria and enzymes kefir for my mother, brother, and myself. HIGHLY HIGHLY recommend! When making these freeze dried cultures it makes the Kefir barley sour which is great for those who don't like sour products. The only downside to it is that it only comes with 3 strains of lactobacillus but when using Kefir Grains especially with Raw Milk it comes with 60 beneficial bacteria strains and it is pretty sour especially when you strain the grains and add them to the next batch and the stained kefir I leave to ferment for another 24 hours without the kefir grains which adds Increased Nutrient Content like B-Vitamins: The second fermentation process can increase the levels of certain B-vitamins, particularly B12, B2 (riboflavin), and folic acid, which are produced by the beneficial bacteria. Amino Acids: It can also enhance the availability of amino acids, making them easier for the body to absorb. More Probiotics Probiotic Variety: The second fermentation allows for the growth of different strains of probiotics, potentially increasing the diversity and number of beneficial microorganisms. Enhanced Probiotic Activity: This can lead to a higher probiotic count, which may provide greater benefits for gut health. Improved Digestibility. Reduced Lactose: Further fermentation reduces the lactose content even more, making kefir more digestible for those with lactose intolerance. Breakdown of Proteins: The additional fermentation time helps to further break down proteins, making them easier to digest. Antioxidant Activity. Increased Antioxidants: Some studies suggest that second fermentation can increase the antioxidant properties of kefir, which can help protect the body from oxidative stress. Extended Shelf Life Natural Preservation: The increased acidity from the second fermentation acts as a natural preservative, potentially extending the shelf life of the kefir when stored properly. Effervescence. Natural Carbonation: The second fermentation can produce natural carbonation, making the kefir slightly fizzy and giving it a refreshing texture. I hope this review helps 😊

Based on some of the reviews I've seen, I felt it was time to do a review on this one after having had more exposure to kefir since my initial review that I submitted when Yogourmet was packaging this a little differently. I've seen people complaining that "this isn't real kefir" because it has no grains. Well, that is certainly correct in that it has no grains, but it produces real kefir. I believe the vendor describes this as a freeze dried culture. I like to make a half gallon at a time, so based on their instructions, I use two sachets of the culture. I believe I've seen people post that they have been able to use some of what they make to start a new batch. I haven't tried that. Another company appears to have a slightly different kefir offering that is more expensive and explicitly states in their instructions that you can indeed use a cup of your previous batch to make a new one - that could bring down the price, because yes, I do consider this a bit more expensive than I'd like. In my opinion the kefir that this culture makes is good. It does good things for my digestive track, make no mistake about that. Your mileage may vary. My wife likes it also. While I prefer to be a bit more low carb, and this will have more carbs than the yogurt I make, I want the increased probiotic content. It's a trade off. Since my original posting on this kefir, I began making some of my own. After probably 10 batches, I've put my "grains" into some milk in the refrigerator to hibernate them, and I don't believe I want to continue doing it. Making kefir on our own, utilizing grains, isn't for everybody. It requires time. I don't have the time for it. Mine always tasted more sour than this product, though it wasn't sour as in "the milk has gone sour". It didn't make me sick, but taste-wise it wasn't as enjoyable as this kefir is. You're constantly having to keep an eye on it, you have to get down a routine for how long to let it ferment. I'm still working, and I just don't have time for it. That's why despite what I perceive as a slightly higher price for this culture, I believe this is the route I'm going to take for the time being. The gang on the Reddit kefir group say it may not be as probiotic rich as making my own, and I don't know if that's true or not, but knowing what this kefir did for me, I'm content with that.

This seemed to do its job for a few batches but didn't work as well after being in the fridge for a while. Dry starter might seem convenient but next time I will just try to go find some real grains.

It makes a product very close to real kefir (I used to make kefir with grains, the traditional way). For a better product if you use homogenized milk (which is in 99% of the cases what you buy at the store) add one teaspoon of calcium gluconate to the milk before fermenting it - this will make it set better. Also, yes you can reuse part of your kefir to ferment a new batch, multiple times in a row and save on using a new packet each time. I an currently at the 5th generation of ferment from one initial packet and it keeps going strong with no appreciable change in taste or texture. Leave in your fermenting vessel about 1/4 of your batch, add more milk and calcium gluconate as I mentioned above, mix and you will have a new batch the next day. Repeat.

This is one of the best Kefir starters I’ve ever used,gonna buy again.Good product.

I am on a boat in the South Caribbean and brought back a couple of packs of these starters. The recipe is simple to make, bring the milk to a near boil, let it cool to room temp, and mix in a package of the starter, pre-mixed with a tablespoon or two of the milk, stir and set aside at room temp, which is 90ºF, 32ºC. 12 to 24 hours later you have a really nice tasting, not too acidic, not to bland, drinkable kefir. Personally I like it as it comes out, I've made some with fruit flavors for a pal, who also loves it. I keep it in the fridge after the kefir is formed to stop further culture growth. Use 2% or full cream, it works great on both, the full cream/fat milk has much more of a Greek Yoghurt, as you'd expect, creamier taste and texture. Highly recommended.

While having my coffee the other morning, and being pleased with the way, my Kiefer came out, I decided to read packaging. There is maltodextrin in here. As far as I’m concerned that means this is not a natural product. Maltodextrin is a food additive that can be derived from corn and soy, which if you don’t know are two of the most pesticide sprayed, and GMO modified crops in the country. it is used to prolong shelflife, and to add a creamy texture and is sometimes used as a fat substitute in commercially produce products. I will say the Kiefer came out great. If you can get past that then, this is a great product, but for me, I’ll go back to, the kefir grains. In addition, I was looking at the probiotics that are present in this product. They are minimal may be only five or six. I knew it was too good to be true.

Amazing kefir starter. It really works.Your kefir is ready in 24 hours.

I was really nervous about trying this for the first time, but I went for it and I couldn't be happier with the results. The process was simple and relatively quick. Kefir tastes fantastic. Will be buying more when my starter runs out!

Súper decepcionante y carísimo son unos sobrecitos pequeñísimos y vienen 12 y el 900 900 casi $1000 horrible

After some challenges with the first batch due to the use of Goat milk for Kefir, and unsuccessful results, I restarted the procedure from scratch. Even though The Goat milk was pasteurized, I strictly respected the instructions, boiling the milk to the suggested temperature and cooling it down to the needed temperature. After 24 hours, the kefir wasn't ready, so I left it on the counter for 12 more hours. At the end, the results were very good. This Kefir doesn't have any grains to use for a new starter, so I reserved a portion of it as the starter for the next batch. In conclusion, I'm confident in recommending this product.

This product is beyond delicious and so easy to make. No more supermarket kefir for me. Thanks to the seller…to Amazon…Bd to yogourmet.