WATER KEFIR Bubbly Probiotic Drink

You may have heard kombucha, what about water kefir?

Resembling kombucha, water kefir is also a probiotic drink that aids in digestive health but without concern for caffeine. This healthy yet refreshing drink is mildly sweet, tangy and fizzy, enhance your palate satisfaction with desired fruit or fruit juices.   

Preparation Time: 30 minutes
Total Fermentation Time: 2-3 days
Yield: 2-3 servings

Ingredients: 

• 2 tablespoons activated kefir grains
• 1½ tablespoons etblisse Organic Raw Cane Sugar
• ½ tablespoon etblisse Organic Whole Cane Sugar
• 400ml purified water 

Materials & Tools:

• 2 clean glass bottles
• 1 piece of clean cotton cloth/muslin cloth
• 1 string or rubber band
• 1 plastic or stainless steel strainer
• 1 wooden or stainless steel spoon

Instructions: 

First Fermentation 

1. Dissolve sugar in a bottle filled with water.
2. Stir in kefir grains to mix them slightly.
3. Cover the opening of bottle with a piece of cloth and secure with string or rubber band.
4. Let it sit at room temperature for 24 to 48 hours for fermentation to take place.
5. After that, strain the water kefir and its grains. You may reuse the grains for next batch of fermentation.
6. Strained water from first fermentation can be consumed directly, but you may also proceed with second fermentation for enhanced flavour. 

Second Fermentation 

1. Select any fresh fruits, fruits juices and even herbs as you like to be used in second fermentation.
2. Throw in cut fruit/juices/herbs into a new bottle and fill in water kefir from first fermentation until 60-70% of the bottle.
3. The ratio between water kefir and fruit/juice is 4 to 1.
4. Secure the bottle opening by closing the cap tightly and use a narrow bottle helps in producing a bubbly water kefir.
5. Second fermentation might take 12 to 24 hours, and you may directly consume or stored in refrigerator to few days.
6. Please be reminded that prolong storage will produced a less sweet water kefir and with slight alcohol content.

Friendly Reminder: 

1. Please sanitize the materials and tools involved in water kefir making to make sure that there is no contamination happened during the fermentation process.
2. Use a thick walled glass bottle to make water kefir to prevent bottle explosion due to gas building up.
3. Do let water kefir and kefir grains to come into contact with any material and tools made from reactive metal. Choose those made with plastic or stainless steel.
4. Longer fermentation time will results in a water kefir with presence or higher alcohol content. So you might reduce the fermentation time to make it suitable for children’s consumption.

相比大家对康普茶（Kombucha）并不陌生，那大家有没有听过水克菲尔（Water Kefir）呢？ 

克菲尔这个名词源自于土耳其，是一种健康又好喝的天然发酵饮品。发酵过程所产生的气泡让你喝的每一口都好像在喝汽水一样，但这可是用新鲜水果发酵而成，绝不含人造色素及香精哦！ 

还有还有，水克菲尔含有非常丰富的活性益生菌及酵母菌，可以帮助改善肠道菌群、舒缓消化不良的问题及甚至改善乳糖不耐症等。简单上手，制作简单，MCO炎炎夏日呆在家也可以享用清爽、健康又养眼的益生菌饮品！

准备时间：30分钟
总发酵时间：2-3天
成品：2-3 份

所需材料包括： 

• 两汤匙克活性菲尔菌粒（Activated Kefir grains）
• 一汤匙半etblisse 有机黄金原蔗糖
• 半汤匙etblisse 有机全蔗糖
• 400毫升过滤水 

所需器皿包括： 

• 两个干净的玻璃瓶
•  一小块透气棉布
• 一条橡胶圈/绳子
• 一个塑胶或不锈钢过滤网
• 一支木勺或不锈钢汤匙
  
  

制作方法： 

第一次发酵 

1. 干净的玻璃瓶内置入糖后再注入水，把糖轻轻搅拌至溶化。
2. 之后，倒入克菲尔菌粒在稍微搅拌让其与糖水混合均匀.
3. 选择一块大小合适的透气棉布及一条橡胶圈/绳子用于封住瓶子口（避免昆虫及杂菌进入），并将玻璃瓶置放在室温发酵24至48小时。
4. 发酵后，利用过滤网滤出克菲尔菌粒（kefir grains），即可再次使用进行下一次全新的发酵。
5. 过滤出的水克菲尔可以直接饮用，但也可加入水果、果汁或香料进行第二次发酵。 

第二次发酵 

1. 在完成第一次发酵的水克菲尔中加入自己喜爱带有甜味的水果或果汁，例如新鲜的芒果、黄梨、草莓、蓝莓、桃子、柠檬，或任何果汁。
2. 果汁和水克菲尔的比例为1对4，并只装至瓶子的6分满让其在室温情况进行第二次发酵。
3. 第二次的发酵可以密封瓶口及使用瓶颈较窄长的玻璃瓶，让水克菲尔喝起来更有气泡感。
4. 第二次发酵的时间可长达12至24小时，之后就可以放入冰箱冷藏存放2至3天。
5. 成品的存放时间越久，相对上甜度就会越低，也会产生少许的酒精。

温馨提示： 

1. 制作水克菲尔所使用的器材必需先以滚水消毒，再晾干才可使用，以避免杂菌滋生。
2. 发酵水克菲尔所使用的玻璃瓶必需厚实以防发酵过程中因过多的压力而导致的瓶子破裂。
3. 不可使用金属器具如汤匙、滤网碗等来制作水克菲尔。
4. 不可使用RO水或碱性水来制作水克菲尔。
5. 发酵时间较长的水克菲尔可能含有少量酒精，因此不适合给与小孩饮用。