Milk kefir is one of the easiest ferments to make at home. With a spoonful of live grains and a bottle of our raw milk, you'll have your own tangy, lightly fizzy kefir on the go in about a day.
What you'll need
- 1–2 tablespoons of live milk kefir grains
- 500 ml of raw whole milk (room temperature is ideal)
- A clean glass jar
- A non-metal spoon and a plastic or nylon sieve
- A piece of cloth or kitchen paper and an elastic band
Tip: avoid prolonged contact with reactive metals — use glass, plastic or wood where you can.
Step by step
- Combine. Put the kefir grains in the jar and pour over the milk. Leave a little headroom.
- Cover. Place the cloth over the top and secure with the band — the ferment needs to breathe, not seal.
- Ferment. Leave at room temperature (ideally 18–24°C), out of direct sunlight, for 18–36 hours. Warmer rooms ferment faster.
- Check. It's ready when slightly thickened and pleasantly tart. You may see small bubbles or a little separation — that's normal.
- Strain. Pour through the sieve into a clean bottle, gently stirring to let the kefir through and catch the grains.
- Repeat. Pop the grains into fresh milk and start the next batch. They'll keep going indefinitely.
Getting the taste right
- Too sour? Ferment for less time, or use a little more milk.
- Too mild? Give it longer, or warm the spot slightly.
- Second ferment: seal the strained kefir in a bottle for a few hours with a slice of lemon or some fruit for extra fizz and flavour.
Looking after your grains
Healthy grains grow over time — share the extras with friends. Taking a break? Put the grains in fresh milk, seal, and store in the fridge; they'll slow right down and wait for you.
No grains yet?
You can also enjoy our ready-made milk kefir — naturally fermented from our grass-fed milk and delivered fresh.
Order the raw milk for your first batch on our weekly rounds.
Taste real raw milk
We deliver living, grass-fed organic raw milk across East Sussex and UK-wide.