Did you know that more than 70% of our immune system originates in our gut? As bacteriosapiens with over 500 organisms living inside of and on our bodies, we need a variety of ferments to keep our gut strong and promote optimal wellness.
Many might find Kombucha a bit too tangy at first. New brewers may get impatient with the longer fermentation time. The perfect gateway into longer fermentation, a typical Water Kefir recipe requires only 1-2 days from start to finish! This makes for a much lighter tasting brew. Plus it’s loaded with healthy bacteria and yeast which delivers a nutritional boost in living form.
Passed down through the generations, this simple ferment can provide a delicious, probiotic alternative to the chemical-laden sodas, energy drinks and pasteurized juices that populate store shelves. Water kefir is dairy free, grain free and vegan friendly. This page will teach you everything you need to know about Water Kefir (Tibicos) and provide you with our super easy water kefir recipe as well as a comprehensive Q&A so that troubleshooting becomes a breeze!!
Sweet, but somewhat bland without a second ferment, flavored water kefir is reminiscent in taste and effervescence of a natural soda pop. Similar to Kombucha and dairy kefir, water kefir “grains” are a SCOBY (Symbiotic Culture of Bacteria & Yeast) that digests sugar to create beneficial probiotics.
Unlike Kombucha, the water kefir recipe does not call for tea, so there is no caffeine. This also means there are not as many powerful enzymes and acids in water kefir, but water kefir does contain a higher number of beneficial bacteria.
The water kefir grain is a mixture of bacteria and yeasts in a polysaccharide biofilm that act in symbiosis, creating a culture that is stable. Where the grains originated, for certain – like all of the fermented food starter cultures – is difficult to pinpoint.
The kefir grain is not actually a grain but, rather, a symbiotic polysaccharide containing both yeast and bacteria that ferment sucrose into a lightly sweet and bubbly brew that repopulates the gut with healthy organisms to balance the digestive and immune system.
Plus, it is super easy to flavor in a myriad of ways providing infinite variety. They can also be utilized with other substrates to create unique beverages with additional benefits. These include fruit juices and coconut water.
Like all fermented drinks or foods, water kefir has a vast array of benefits. It is full of beneficial bacteria, yeasts, enzymes, easily digested sugars, acids, vitamins and minerals. One study showed that Water Kefir contained over 450 kinds of beneficial bacteria! Water kefir sends billions of health-bestowing bacteria and yeast into your gut, helping your body with digestion, absorption of vitamins and minerals, and helping your immune system fight off unwanted bacteria, yeasts and viruses.
Though it is fermented from sugar, the enzymes in water kefir kefir grains break down sucrose into more easily digested fructose and glucose. Processed by the liver, fructose does not spike blood sugar in the same ways as sucrose. The amount of sugar remaining at the end of a water kefir ferment will depend on the ingredients used and the length of culturing time. In general, the longer you ferment a beverage with sugar, the less will remain in the final ferment. Due to the presence of yeast, water kefir also has a small percentage of alcohol though typical under .08% but up to as much as 3% depending on fermentation time and technique used.
A Grain by any other name…
Water kefir has a bunch of neat, old names such as:
Tibicos, tibi, sugar kefir grains, Japanese water crystals, California bees,
Tibetan Sea Bees, bébées, African bees, ale nuts, Australian bees,
balm of Gilead, beer seeds, beer plant, bees, ginger bees,
Japanese beer seeds and vinegar bees
What other names for Water Kefir have you heard? Drop us an email!
Click Here for a Coconut Water Kefir Recipe
The ingredients for water kefir are unbelievably simple. Water, sugar, Water Kefir Grains and time are all you need to make this tasty brew.
The following water kefir recipe is for a ratio of 2 tablespoons of grains per 4 cups of water. Scale up or down as needed.
(63 votes, average: 3.73 out of 5)
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– Yield: about 1 Quart
– Calories per 8oz Serving: about 20
– Prep Time: 5 minutes
– Cook Time: 36 hours
– Total Time: 36 hours 5 minutes
*Using a sugar with higher mineral content, such as rapadura, piloncillo or turbinado will help the grains reproduce. You can also use molasses but avoid raw honey.
**If using purified water through a filtration system, then you may also add one of the optional additions to remineralize it. To dechlorinate water, allow to sit for 24 hours or boil for 10 minutes then cool to needed temp.
The water kefir recipe will produce a slightly fizzy beverage with a pleasantly sweet taste. Once it has the flavor you prefer best, then strain the kefir through a strainer or cheesecloth to recapture the grains. If you prefer a tangier brew, do a second ferment of the water kefir in the bottle to yield a deeper flavor. After you remove the grains, add flavors for a second fermentation or drink straight. Develop your own favorite water kefir recipe based on experimentation. Repeat & enjoy!
Just like Kombucha and other fermented drinks, flavoring the basic Water Kefir recipe to invent new great taste combinations is at least half the fun of making it at home! Give these water kefir recipe flavor ideas a try – let us know which ones are your favorite!
* All recipes are intended to flavor 16oz of Water Kefir – adjust quantities accordingly
Living Water Kefir Grains are sensitive to adverse elements and are not prone to keeping as well as Kombucha SCOBYs do in a hotel. If you need to take a break from making Water Kefir, here is what to do.
1-7 days: Place the grains in a glass and cover with water. Store in the refrigerator.
7-14 days: Place the grains in a glass. Leave them dry (no liquid) with 1/8 tsp molasses. Store in the refrigerator.
14+ days: Lay kefir grains out on a cookie sheet or dehydrator sheet. Dehydrate at 98-105F until dry. Store dehydrated grains in a freezer-safe bag in the freezer or in a dry, cool location out of direct sunlight.
The longer the grains starve or sleep, the longer it may take to revive them. The revived grains will also not have the same bacteria diversity but it will regain diversity as they are woken up and used again. As such, they may need to be renutrified prior to fermenting the first batch. If you notice slow fermentation or if you have been using them with another substrate, follow these steps to reactivate the grains and make them more lively.
Note: If no fermentation is observed, add a 1/4 cup of water and 1/2 teaspoon of molasses and gently stir. Check again in 12-24 hours. If no signs of fermentation such as those listed above are exhibited after a week or so, fresh grains may be required.
Water kefir is a probiotic beverage made from sugar water to which we then add water kefir grains. Water kefir has a lightly sweet, refreshing flavor created by the fermentation of sugar by bacteria and yeast.
The traditional way to pronounce “kefir” is “kuh-FEAR” with the emphasis on the second syllable. There are two other common pronunciations we hear in the United States. We say KEE-fur because words in English don’t typically stress the last syllable for nouns. KEFF-er is an alternate pronunciation because it is common for short vowel sounds to be represented by a single vowel. “Tomato” -“tomahto” as we say!
Water kefir has a sweeter, lighter flavor than Kombucha. It hits the palate higher in the mouth than the acids in Kombucha. Adding flavors will yield a variety of results with ginger, fruit and herbs being the most popular additives. Coconut water kefir has a unique flavor profile devoid of sweetness when fermented without any additional sugar. Just like grape juice doesn’t taste the same as wine, whatever substrate we ferment will have a different flavor and mouthfeel than what it is originally made from. Here is a Coconut Water Kefir Recipe.
Milk kefir is the “original” kefir. Made from milk, it provides an enhanced nutrient profile due to the fermentation process. Water kefir is a polysaccharide that thrives on sucrose. The process of making water and milk kefir is similar and both of the cultures are known as “grains.” However, that is where their similarity ends. Each comprise a unique and different group of bacteria and yeast.
Ginger beer plant and water kefir look nearly identical but the ginger beer plant is uniquely made to ferment ginger. The grains also tend to be larger in size, perhaps due to the nutritional content of ginger and sugar versus sugar alone. Ginger bug is entirely different and can be made by macerating piece of ginger with sugar and leaving open to the air in order to attract wild yeast. The entire hunk of ginger, sugar and organisms are then used to ferment sugar water for a tasty “ginger ale.”
All fermented foods provide nutrients in a living form. At Kombucha Kamp, we recommend consuming a variety of fermented foods and drinks to provide a wide range of real nutrition for a good gut.
Tibicos is the traditional name for water kefir grains. According to some stories, they first grew on a cactus in Mexico, but the science is hard to come by.
Water kefir grains are purported to have originated in Mexico where they supposedly appeared as crystals on the paddles of a cactus plant. The grains themselves are a polysaccharide created by the bacteria and yeast which then consume the sucrose (table sugar) in the water. In exchange for the nutrients, they create healthy acids as well as a host of organisms that support the human microbiome.
There are many other names, and almost all of them refer to “bees.” Could that be a clue to their origin? Or a name that derived from the way the grains “buzz” up and down in the liquid as they ferment? Nobody is sure, but here are some of those other names: Tibicos, tibi, sugar kefir grains, Japanese water crystals, California bees, Tibetan Sea Bees, bébées, African bees, ale nuts, Australian bees, balm of Gilead, beer seeds, beer plant, bees, ginger bees, Japanese beer seeds and vinegar bees.
Water kefir grains look like large salt crystals. They are usually clear or slightly gray in coloring and have a firm texture. Using different types of sugar or juice will impact their color (molasses turns them light brown for example) though switching back to white sugar will cause them to turn clear again.
Yes. At first, they look like sand and gradually they agglomerate into larger crystals. Or, if not fed consistently, the crystals will diminish and then get sandy again. Don’t toss those little grains though as they can often be nourished into larger grains with frequent feedings and attention.
You will need 2 tablespoons of water kefir grains to ferment 1 quart of water kefir. You may scale the ratio depending on what size batch of water kefir you want to make.
Yes but it is easy to remedy. If there are too many grains in the sugar water then they may ferment the sugar solution too quickly. This can lead to funkier flavors and a deterioration of the grains. However, there is a simple solution, remove some of the grains! Give them to friends, pop them in your mouth like a probiotic pearl, or compost in the garden.
Yes. Reuse the same grains multiple times. If they were previously dehydrated, they may not reproduce but will ferment the sugar water. If they are living water kefir grains, expect them to proliferate!
Yes! Water kefir grains are very prolific provided they have the right environment to thrive. They prefer 68-78°F (20-26°C) (on the warmer side for reproducing usually), in addition to white sugar with occasional minerals added in the form of a dollop of molasses or dried fig or apricot.
Water kefir grains will grow more quickly with the ideal conditions. They are hungry and like to be fed everyday. Expect them to double within a week if fed frequently.
If the goal is to get the grains to multiply, then feed them everyday. Or if you have enough, they can be left to ferment one quart of sugar water for 2-3 days. Leave them longer and they may disintegrate or if left in the fridge they may go dormant so that you may revive them at a later date.
Yes! The organisms are microscopic, so cutting, chopping or blending doesn’t damage the cultures it simply makes the grains smaller.
Rinsing is not required for water kefir grains unless excess yeast strands are causing too much carbonation. Rinse in filtered or otherwise dechlorinated water if needed.
No. Water kefir grains love attention. The more you work with them the happier they are.
Grains can be recaptured from the floor or sink if then rinsed well. However, they proliferate quickly so unless they are literally the ONLY the grains you have, there is no reason to salvage ones that have become dirty.
Grains do not spontaneously generate from adding sugar to water. The grains are made up of numerous organisms in a complex matrix. Simply pouring probiotic capsules into sugar water will not lead to grain formation. Source a quality culture and it will provide a lifetime supply.
Water kefir is very easy to make. Simply add 2 tablespoons of water kefir grains to 1 quart of water with ¼ cup of sugar. Stir the sugar into the water to dissolve completely, then add the grains and cover with a lid or towel. After 24-48 hours, harvest the drink and then put into bottles with flavoring (if desired) to help build carbonation and a less sweet flavor.
Water kefir supplies include a jar, quart size or larger is generally best. A spoon of any material may be used to stir in the sugar. Any type of strainer will work to recapture the grains. Then it’s just having a few bottles or mason jars handy to store the finished water kefir. The tighter the lid, the more carbonation!
Organic ingredients are not required for fermentation, but if they are available we recommend them and all KKamp fresh live cultures use organic ingredients (except the wildcrafted local raw honey in our JUN cultures).
Quart, half gallon or gallon jars are easiest for fermenting water kefir especially if it has a wide mouth so it’s easy to stir the sugar and strain the grains. A plastic lid or cloth cover will both work.
To prevent breaking the grains into smaller pieces which could flow through the strainer, stir the sugar before adding them to the vessel.
The grains need to be fed frequently or else they will disintegrate. We recommend 24-48 hours for the first fermentation and then another couple of days in the bottle with flavoring (optional) for the best flavor profile.
Water kefir prefers temperatures of 68-78°F (20-26°C). Using a thermometer strip will help keep track of the temperature and sometimes they will need a heat source especially in colder months to help them ferment and proliferate.
Either a lid or cloth cover will work to ferment the water kefir. We’ve done it both ways and don’t detect a noticeable difference between the two.
Plain white sugar is the easiest for the water kefir grains to consume, plus it’s cheapest, and as a result is the most popular. Other sugars that have more minerals (brown sugar, coconut palm sugar, piloncillo, rapadura, etc) may be suitable from time to time. But if the grains start to change shape or get mushy, switch back to white sugar until they restabilize.
Yes. Water kefir does best with plain white sugar or unbleached organic sugar. Mineral rich sugars may be used sparingly as they can over-nutrify the cultures, causing them to get mushy.
Add the sugar to the jar and then stir vigorously (don’t splash!) until all of the sugar is dissolved. Sometimes a few crystals of sugar will remain at the bottom. To fully dissolve the sugar more easily, assuming a 1 quart batch, you can heat one cup of water and stir in the sugar, then cool quickly by adding the additional 3 cups of cold water. The grains can go in as soon as the water is no warmer than body temp (use a finger to test).
We use molasses occasionally as a nutrifying agent and to switch up the food supply for the grains. Blackstrap molasses has a higher mineral content and those nutrients are passed on to you in the final brew but it can also have a distinctive flavor that not everyone enjoys.
Keeping in mind that the sugar is food for the microbes rather than us, it is best to follow the recipe. However, if less sugar is desired or for a shorter fermentation time, you can cut the sugar by no more than 25%. Any less than that and the grains will degrade.
Nearly all fermentation cultures are “flexible technology” meaning they can be used with a variety of different substrates to create unique ferments. If the grains appear to disintegrate, switch back to the original recipe to rehabilitate them.
Yes, check out our sugar free coconut water kefir recipe here.
Yes but the acid in the juice may cause the grains to disintegrate. You may alternate between fruit juice and sugar water to keep the grains healthy. Or the best way to kefir juice is to brew up a batch of water kefir, strain out the grains and then add the kefir water to the juice. Give that combo a couple of days to ferment and drink it when you like the taste. Start with 25% kefir to 75% juice and play with the ratios to find what you prefer.
Yes! According to the World Health Organization, a probiotic is an organism that “confers a benefit to the host.” Water kefir is teeming with bacteria and yeast along with organic acids and nutrients in a living form.
Water kefir may contain trace amounts of alcohol, just as all fermented beverages do, but the amount is usually low, around .2% – .8% and not intoxicating. If bottled with sweet flavors and left in a warm place, both alcohol and bubbles can build, so watch your bottles carefully! To keep the amount of alcohol in the bottle to a minimum, drink the water kefir soon after flavoring or store in the refrigerator to keep cold.
Sugar is the natural food source for the bacteria and yeast in water kefir grains. The longer the grains ferment the water, the less sugar remaining. However, the grains need to be fed consistently or they will eat themselves and disintegrate. That means we may need to harvest the water kefir before it has a flavor or sugar content level we enjoy. By straining the grains and allowing it to ferment longer in the bottle, less sugar remains.
Calorie content of water kefir is determined by the amount of sugar remaining when you remove the grains. The longer the kefir ferments, the more sugar is consumed by the yeast and bacteria. This is true even in second ferment, after removing the grains and bottling. A common estimate is 20-30 calories per 8oz, but that figure may be high or low depending on your process.
No! “Grain” is a term of convenience for the water kefir polysaccharide rather than a literal description. Therefore it is naturally gluten free!
Coconut water kefir is easy to make. Simply at 2 tablespoons of kefir grains to 4 cups of coconut water. Let it ferment for 24-48 hours, then strain and enjoy! Click here for the full Coconut Water Kefir Recipe.
Water kefir grains are like people in that they do not like it if you ignore them! They thrive when they are fed consistently. However, if you need to take a break, then store them in the fridge in sugar water and change it out every 7 days to keep them fresh.
Ah the mysteries of microbes! The short answer is forever provided when it comes time to rehabilitate them they are fed every 24 hours over several cycles to bring them out of dormancy. Sometimes they can last years, other times they may not survive more than a couple of weeks. Patience, perseverance and observation will inform if they are revivable or not.
It’s easy to dehydrate water kefir grains. Simply spread them out on a dehydrator sheet, set the temp to 100°F (38°C) and the timer for 24-36 hours. If you don’t have a dehydrator, use the lowest possible oven setting with the door cracked slightly to try and maintain as close to 100°F (38°C) as possible (bacteria death starts around 108°F [42°C]). It may also be possible to air dry the grains successfully.
Water kefir grains will sometimes float when enough sugar has been eaten by the organisms. They create effervescence as a byproduct of the fermentation process which will propel some grains to float around in the vessel. Shake the vessel from time to time and you may see bubbles floating up from the grains.
The easiest test to confirm if water kefir grains are working or not is to add a couple of raisins and allow it to ferment for 3 days or so. If the raisins float, then they are working.
Water kefir grains need to be fed regularly to spur growth. Refresh the sugar water every 24 hours until growth occurs.
Ferment times may vary depending on temperature, sugar-to-grain ratio, and overall health of the grains.
GRAINS | SUGAR | WATER | TEMPERATURE | FERMENT |
2 TBSP | ¼ CUP | 4 CUPS | 76-78°F / 24-25°C | 2-3 days |
2 TBSP | ¼ CUP | 4 CUPS | 70-75°F / 21-23°C | 3-4 days |
2 TBSP | ¼ CUP | 4 CUPS | 65-70°F / 18-21°C | 4-5 days |
2 TBSP | ¼ CUP | 4 CUPS | below 65°F / 18°C | 5+ days |
Kefir grains are very hardy and usually work immediately. Keep an eye out for any of these fermentation signs:
Do not allow to ferment for more than 72 hours without proper sugar to grain ratio. Grains will starve and eat themselves.
Water kefir is one of the most approachable ferments you can make, but that doesn’t mean it’s simplistic. Like all living cultures, water kefir grains respond to their environment, ingredients, and care. Learning to brew water kefir is less about following a rigid formula and more about paying attention—watching how the grains behave, tasting as fermentation progresses, and adjusting based on your space and preferences.
Every batch teaches you something. Changes in temperature, mineral content, sugar type, or fermentation time will shape the final result, and that variability is part of what makes fermentation both practical and rewarding. Over time, you’ll develop an intuitive sense for when your water kefir is ready and how to guide it toward the flavor and carbonation level you enjoy most.
Water kefir doesn’t require perfection. It rewards consistency, curiosity, and a willingness to learn from the process. With a healthy culture, clean tools, and a bit of patience, you’re not just making a fermented beverage—you’re building fermentation literacy that carries over into every culture you work with.
As with all ferments, trust your senses, keep good notes if you like to experiment, and remember: fermentation is a partnership, not a performance.
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