Kefir? What can you tell me about it?

LoupGarouTFTs

I have a friend who wants to trade me kefir grains for goat milk. What can you tell me about its taste? Texture? Benefits? Even if I don't like it, I have some dogs that she says can benefit from it, so I'm willing to give it a try.

Sumiblue

It's a great probiotic. We have been fermenting our own for 5 yrs now. On its own it is sour tasting. If it is second fermented with lemon peel ( Google it) it is more palatable & pleasant tasting. We make daily smoothies with it. Use ripe banana, frozen fruit & vanilla protein powder & no added sweeteners.

Sumiblue

Texture wise, it can be thin or thick depending on how long it's fermented. Smooth, though.

LoupGarouTFTs

So flavoring can be added during the second fermenting? How much lemon peel would I use? Can I use vanilla? If so, how much (pure extract) would I use?

Edited to add: great info, though--thank you both!

Sumiblue

Second fermenting is taking the already strained & fermented kefir and adding some lemon or orange peel to the jar & letting it sit on the counter for a bit.I have also added banana (fruit, not peel). It ferments further & mellows the flavor. The flavor of the fruit is very slight, though. Making kefir is a little work with fermenting & straining but I've trained my husband to do it now. Only takes a few minutes to take care of. I only flavor the kefir as I use it for smoothies. I like to keep a big jar of it plain & unadulterated in the fridge. If you add fruit or any sugar it will continue to ferment & will separate into whey & curds. Kept plain it can sit in the fridge for a few days. We go through a lot of it so it doesn't sit around long. I recommend going to Dom's Kefir In-site online. All questions can be answered there. I think a lot of people who start making kefir are disappointed that it doesn't taste like the store bought stuff, which is basically a smoothie. Personally, I don't like store bought. It has a lot of sweeteners & stabilizers in it. It just taste like liquid fruity yogurt to me.

Sumiblue

I only add 2 longish lemon peels (organic) to a quart of fermented kefir. I don't add vanilla because I put vanilla whey protein powder in my smoothies. Maybe someone else uses extract. It has alcohol and the kefir has a small amt of alcohol, too (it's fermented). Not sure what the result would be. There is a kefir Facebook group that is good.

LoupGarouTFTs

Thank you so much, Sumiblue--I'll check out the site! I've never had it, so I can't be disappointed by a comparison. Really, it was suggested by a friend who uses it for her dogs and consumes a little herself, too. It intrigues me, so here I go.

Sumiblue

The best store bought kefir I have had and that tastes most like home fermented kefir smoothie is Nancy's, if you can find it. It is fizzy and not overly sweet. I've only found it in health food stores.