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Stawberry Thyme Water Kefir Recipe
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Strawberry and Thyme Water Kefir

Recipe from Fermented Probiotic Drinks at Home: Make Your Own Kombucha, Kefir, Ginger Bug, Jun, Pineapple Tepache, Honey Mead, Beet Kvass, and More © Felicity Evans, 2017. Photography © Rob Palmer, 2017. Reprinted by permission of the publisher, The Experiment.
Prep Time10 minutes
Fermentation Time96 hours
Total Time96 hours 10 minutes
Course: Drinks
Keyword: kefir
Servings: 1 quart
Author: Felicity Evans
Cost: $10

Equipment

  • 1.5 liter wide-mouth glass jar
  • Cheesecloth
  • Rubber band
  • Funnel
  • 1 liter glass battle (for secondary ferment)

Ingredients

  • 1 recipe basic water kefir see below
  • 1 handful fresh strawberries
  • 3 thyme sprigs

Basic Water Kefir

  • ¼ cup raw sugar
  • ¼ cup hot water
  • 1 quart filtered water or spring water
  • pinch sea salt
  • 1 dried fig
  • 1 dried date
  • 10 golden raisins
  • ¼ teaspoon molasses
  • ¼ cup water kefir grains

Instructions

PRIMARY FERMENTATION (BASIC WATER KEFIR)

  • Put the sugar in a 6-cup (1.5 liter) wide-mouth glass jar. Add the hot water and stir to dissolve the sugar. Add the filtered water, sea salt, dried fruit and molasses and stir well to combine.
    Adding sugar to make water kefir
  • Add the water kefir grains to the jar. Cover the jar with a piece of cheesecloth and secure with a rubber band.
    Fermenting water kefir
  • Place the jar out of direct sunlight at room temperature and leave the liquid to ferment for 1 to 3 days, depending on the temperature.

BOTTLING

  • Scoop out and discard the dried fruit from the liquid.
  • Put a funnel in the opening of a 1-quart (1 liter) glass bottle with a tight-fitting lid and put a strainer on top of the funnel. Pour the water kefir liquid into the bottle through the strainer. Set aside the water kefir grains in the strainer to reuse or rest.
  • Purée or chop the strawberries and add them to the bottle with the thyme sprigs.
    Secondary fermentation of water kefir for water kefir

SECONDARY FERMENTATION

  • Tightly seal the bottle lid and leave the bottle in a warm place to build carbonation. This could take anywhere from 12 to 72 hours, depending on the temperature. “Burp” the water kefir daily to release some pressure by opening the lid slightly and then tightening it again.

DRINK UP

  • When the water kefir is as fizzy as you like (this could range from a small spritz to a ferocious fizz), store it in the fridge to slow the fermentation process, and enjoy cold.
    Strawberry Thyme Water kefir

Notes

Feel free to choose any other fruit and herbs to flavor your kefir during the secondary ferment.
Store leftover kefir in the refrigerator and drink within 2-3 weeks.