1 TBSP Milk Kefir Grains and eBook "Milk Kefir Unleashed by Thomas Egbert" - Fresh Live Active Probiotic Starter Cultures - Fusion Teas

I love store-bought blueberry kefir, but it’s expensive, and I wanted to make my own. These kefir grains came in a small plastic container sealed in a plastic bag. They revived quickly, and as a newbie kefir maker, I was pleased with their vigor and with Fusion Tea’s e-book explaining the process, along with the recommended videos. Making kefir has been a trial-and-error process, so prepare to experiment! I live up north, it’s fall and we keep the house between 66-68 degrees F, not ideal for kefir-making. Here’s what I experienced:- First batch: I didn’t have whole milk, so I used 2% and let the grains ferment for about 40 hours. I never did get any whey pockets, but I got some curds. I threw this batch out.- Second batch, using whole milk: Looking for a way to create warmth, I put the oven on “warm” for a few minutes, then turned it off and put the kefir in the oven. Fermented for about 36 hours. Strained. Grains are growing! Still no whey pockets, but more curds. The taste was pretty sour, and I ended up dumping it.- Third batch: Whole milk in the warmed oven. In about 24 hours - whey! Suddenly, a lot of it! When I strained, I found that the kefir grains had also grown quite a bit. I made some of the third batch into a smoothie with bananas, frozen strawberries and blueberries. Taste-wise, it was OK. It continued to separate in the refrigerator.- Fourth batch: Grew very slowly for the first 20 hours. In the morning, I warmed up the oven for a few minutes and within an hour thick curds formed. I kept a close eye on this batch and pulled it when I saw whey pockets. I strained it and found I had nearly two tablespoons of kefir grains (see photo). I took one tbsp of the grains for the next batch and stored the rest in the fridge, in milk, as backup. In a smoothie, taste was pretty good.- Fifth batch: Experimented with keeping oven temp in the right range. Instant-read thermometer helped. Turned oven on “warm” setting for 1 minute every so often. This was the creamiest result yet.Bottom line: Prepare to experiment. Spend time with Fusion Tea's eBook. Homegrown kefir is not as bland as its commercial counterpart, but blending with fruit will get you close to the same taste. Batches will vary. Health-wise, from everything I have read, it's worth the effort. If you like making your own sourdough bread, you will enjoy making kefir.

I have never made kefir before in my life. I found these kefir grains when I Googled "What are the best kefir grains to buy?" (I love Google!😍) They were #3 on the top 10 list I found. There was a negligible difference between these and the top 2. I liked that they were so highly rated, very reasonably priced, guaranteed, and that I would receive 1 tablespoon instead of 1 teaspoon. They had a 9.5 rating. Excellent! I was also pleased to see that the Amazon customer reviews were excellent. I took a chance even though I have reservations when it comes to trusting reviews. I am so glad I chose these grains!I am thrilled with them! They came just as described. Faster than I expected. I regret not buying them sooner. I sent a message after I received them asking a non urgent question. I received a response within minutes.As for the grains themselves. They are so easy to use. I was concerned it would be a lot of work, or a pain to keep up with. I was wrong! I actually find it very relaxing.I was paying at least $35.00 per week for store bought Kefir. Now I pay $5.00 for a gallon of whole milk. That is all it takes! The last 3 batches I swapped 1/4 of the milk with half and half. So creamy! (Even better!) The quality and nutritional value of homemade kefir is so much better, there is no comparison. I believed I was benefiting from store bought, (and I was) but the benefits of homemade are incomparable. Trust me!After less than 2 weeks, my grains have way more than quadrupled. I started out with 1 tablespoon. (I measured.😉) They are multiplying so fast I have already started sharing. I am making several batches at one time. At first I thought the apparent growth was actually curds sticking to the grains. So for the third batch I put them in my strainer and ran cold milk (never water) over them 2 to 3 times and the results were very exciting. (I obviously need to get out more.🤩) The cold milk rinsed away the coating of curds, but the volume of grains was the same. By batch #3 they had already nearly doubled. Every batch shows consistent growth. Even more now that I am on my 10th batch. I literally have 3/4 cup.My first batch I let sit for about 48 hours as suggested to revive them. The grains arrived so healthy that I think that was too long. The batch was fairly tart and smelled pretty yeasty. The instructions don't recommend drinking the first batch or two. (I drank it anyway, because it was delicious.😋 Nothing bad happened!🤫) Now I am letting them sit between 12-18 hours depending on when I see the beginning of separation of curds and whey. I found the best place to set them is on the top of my fridge. When I strain them I use a plastic fine mesh strainer and a silicone basting brush to encourage them to strain and work off the accumulation of curds. I have had amazing results!The directions that came in the package with the grains are so simple and well written. The link that I received by email was literally everything I could possibly need to know. I printed out a copy and hung it on my fridge. I know that if I have any issues or questions, I can send 1 text and have answers within a few minutes. This company is reliable and really seems to care that my kefir making experience is the best.Before making my own, my kids refused to even try kefir. They were convinced that it was no more than spoiled milk. (They are such a joy.🥴) Now they each have their own bottle with their name on it. I refill them every day. I really feel like I can already see the health benefits they are experiencing. They tried it plain and fell in love. When I grind up and add fresh or frozen fruit to it they act like I have handed them a bowl of ice cream. It astonishes me.😲 (They seem to be of the opinion that if something is called healthy they might as well be eating dirt.😛 Again, what a joy!🥴)My husband was recently (about 4 months ago) diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. We were terrified to say the least. (Now, health care is a very personal and individual decision that everyone has to make for themselves with their doctors assistance. I am NOT making recommendations when it comes to any serious health conditions!) That being said, his blood glucose was over 400 and his A1C was 14. He decided to try to get it under control without medication. He has made drastic changes in diet and has started exercising. He managed to get his blood glucose down to the 130 range. (This could just be hope talking, but after drinking this homemade kefir for the past 2 weeks, his daily blood glucose is between 110-115 and improving.) It's exciting and encouraging.I highly recommend these particular kefir grains. I couldn't be happier! (With my kefir making experience, that is!😁)If you're on the fence, jump off, the fence belongs to the devil!😂Stay healthy and safe!