We enjoy water kefir all year round as a fermented beverage full of healthy probiotics. Even our dog, Pearl, looks forward to her daily allotment each morning. It helps all of us maintain gut health. It’s our most consistent ferment.
While kombucha is more popular and well known, I find water kefir to be easier to ferment and a lot tastier! To learn more about this easy ferment and how to make it, check out my post, How to Ferment Water Kefir.
During the summer months though I especially look forward to making flavored bottles of water kefir in a second fermentation step.
This offers a bubbly refreshing fruity alternative to sodas, juices, or other sugar filled beverages that are tempting as thirst quenchers. I love experimenting with different flavor options!
Why Drink Water Kefir?
- It’s a probiotic rich drink full of valuable enzymes, B vitamins, and minerals.
- Water kefir is a great dairy free alternative to milk kefir while offering the same benefits.
- Drinking it regularly helps maintain a healthy balance of good bacteria in your digestive tract.
- It aids the immune system by optimizing gut health.
- With proper care you can use the same set of grains indefinitely to continuously ferment.
How to Make Carbonated and Flavored Water Kefir
What You Will Need:
- a clean sealed container for fermenting in like swing top bottles, clean soda or water bottles, or even a jar
- finished water kefir
- flavoring of your choice
- a small funnel
Notes and Tips for Flavored Water Kefir:
I use 16 oz swing top bottles for my second ferment. Some people prefer 32 oz bottles. I know others who use plastic bottles for their second ferment to completely avoid the possibility of exploding glass. That’s a great option if you’re absent minded about burping your ferments.
To flavor or carbonate water kefir you need finished water kefir or water kefir that has gone through the first fermentation process.
Flavorings can be anything from fresh fruit to juice to dried fruit or herbs and spices. For a 16 oz bottle I recommend adding 1/4 cup of juice, 1/8 cup of sliced fresh fruit, and just dash or a few leaves of spices or herbs. If you’re using a strong juice like lemon or lime start with only 1/8 cup of juice.
If you only wish to flavor your water kefir, you could move the bottles to the fridge immediately.
To carbonate the water kefir in addition to flavoring, leave the bottles out for 24 to 72 hours to undergo a second ferment. Remember to burp the bottles once a day! Pressure can build up quickly and lead to exploding bottles that are both dangerous and messy.
I’ve also taken to burping the bottles outside after having to clean watermelon off the ceiling once due to an unexpected pressure change. That sort of pressure has never occurred again but once was enough.
Flavored Water Kefir Directions:
1. Add your flavoring of choice to the bottom of your bottle or container.
2. Use the little funnel to pour the finished water kefir in. Leave at least 1 inch of head space of the top of the bottle.
3. To carbonate and flavor, allow 24 to 72 hrs for a second ferment. Burp the bottles once a day!
4. When the bottles have carbonation, move them to the fridge until you’re ready to enjoy. The cold stops the fermentation process and make the beverage even more refreshing.
10 Flavored Water Kefir Recipes to Try
All recipes are to make one 16 oz bottle of flavored water kefir and require adding just under 16 oz of finished water kefir.
1. Strawberry Pineapple
- 1 medium strawberry sliced
- 1 pineapple ring sliced or 3-4 chunks
- 1/8 cup pineapple juice
2. Pineapple Mint
- 1 pineapple ring sliced or 3-4 chunks
- 1/8 cup pineapple juice
- 5 – 6 mint leaves (chopped or muddled will give even more flavor)
3. Strawberry Watermelon with Lemon
- 1 medium strawberry sliced
- 1 watermelon chunk sliced (about 1/8 cup)
- 1/8 cup lemon juice
4. Blackberry
- 4 – 5 blackberries muddled up
Note: This is one that we definitely strain right before drinking to avoid annoying seeds. If you like mint, a few leaves are a refreshing addition to the blackberry
5. Mango Ginger
- 1 mango slice cut up or muddled (about 1/8 cup)
- 1/2 inch to 1 inch piece of ginger minced depending on how strong you like your ginger
6. Ginger Beer
- 1/2 inch to 1 inch piece of ginger minced
- 1/8 cup lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon sugar
7. Strawberry Lemonade
- 1 medium to large strawberry sliced
- 1/8 cup lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon sugar
8. Lemon Lime
- a tbsp lemon juice
- a tbsp lime juice
- 1 teaspoon sugar
9. Mojito
- 1/8 cup lime juice
- 6 to 8 mint leaves chopped or muddled
- 1 teaspoon sugar
10. Watermelon with Lemon Cucumber
- 1 watermelon chunk sliced (about 1/8 cup)
- half of a lemon cucumber sliced (about 1/8 cup)
Have you tried water kefir before? What are your favorite fruit flavor combinations for summer drinks?
FAQs
All you have to do is put some water kefir grains in sugar water, add some dried fruit and a slice of citrus fruit, and then wait 48 hours. The sugar water turns into an effervescent soda full of good microorganisms!
What fruit is good for water kefir? ›
fresh berries (strawberries, huckleberries, blackberries, blueberries, etc.) Pineapple, apples, pears, or Frozen fruit, or fruit juice will work too. Water- Tap water or well water is generally best when making water kefir- or use “still” mineral water.
What is the ratio of sugar to water for water kefir? ›
Use Proper Ratios of Sugar, Water, and Kefir Grains
We recommend using ¼ cup sugar per quart of water when making water kefir. Only 3-4 tablespoons water kefir grains are required to culture 1-2 quarts of sugar water. As the grains grow and multiply, remove excess grains to keep the ratio balanced.
How do you make kefir water fizzy? ›
Add 1/4 cup of grape juice to each bottle. You could also use another type of fruit juice, add fresh fruit or dried fruit. A juice with natural sugars is a great way to add flavor and add sugar to ferment and create carbon dioxide (aka make it bubbly).
How much water kefir can you drink per day? ›
If you experience any adverse side effects after drinking kefir, consider reducing your intake or discontinuing consumption. Drinking 1–3 cups (237–710 mL) of kefir daily can be a great way to boost your intake of probiotics.
What is the best way to flavor homemade kefir? ›
Stir, shake, or blend any of the below ingredients with your already fermented milk kefir:
- honey or agave.
- fruit purees.
- fresh pressed juices.
- fresh or frozen berries.
- chopped fruit (mangoes, stone fruits, pears)
- fresh ground spices (vanilla, cinnamon, ginger, turmeric)
- Or try our Golden Milk Kefir Recipe!
Add a small handful of raisins to your next culturing batch, ensuring the raisins are free of oil and sulfur. Your grains will feast upon the natural sugar. Fun fact, if you eat the raisins after the culturing time, they won't be sweet anymore. Bonus: because of the extra fruit sugar, extra carbonation should develop.
Is water kefir a laxative? ›
So even though kefir may act as a mild laxative, it did not cause diarrhea or softer stools for people who have normal bowel movements.
How do you make water kefir taste better? ›
You can add your first-stage strained liquid to fruit juice. Add ¼-½ cup (depending on how you like it) per 1 quart of water kefir. You can add around 2tsp of extracts like vanilla or maple for a sweet flavor. Try crushed berries and other fresh or dried fruits at about ½ cup per quart.
Can you add too much sugar to water kefir? ›
Use small amounts only in combination with cane sugar. Too rich for water kefir and can damage water kefir grains. Use small amounts only in combination with cane sugar. Raw honey has its own bacteria that can compete with water kefir grains; some honey is contaminated with high fructose corn syrup.
Too much sugar and the yeasts will either become slimy and overrun the bacteria or fall completely asleep and do nothing.
Can I use tap water for kefir? ›
If using tap water, we do recommend filtering the water to remove as many additives, chemicals and contaminants as possible. If filtering is not possible, aerating or boiling the water for 20 minutes may help remove at least the chlorine.
Which sugar is best for water kefir? ›
It is best to use cane sugar. Cane sugar is easily broken down by the culture. We only use organic golden granulated cane sugar with our water kefir. However, you do not have to use organic sugar if you do not want too, as refined white sugar also works well.
How do you know if water kefir is working? ›
Always test aroma and flavour to make sure the water kefir grains are working properly. The finished water kefir should smell pleasant and maybe a bit sour, and it will be less sweet than the sugar water or juice you started with.
Should I add salt to water kefir? ›
Add ONE of the following to strengthen the mixture: a pinch of baking soda, a pinch of sea salt, ½ tsp unsulphured blackstrap molasses for each quart of water, 1 eggshell (if no allergies), or mineral drops if using a low mineral water and sugar.
Can you make flavored kefir? ›
You can either freeze fresh fruit that you have frozen yourself (a good way to use up slightly soft banana's) or buy the ready frozen fruit. Again use the pulse setting on the blender to avoid too much heat. Another easy way make a fruit flavoured Milk kefir is simply to add some fruit smoothy to your kefir.
Can you use tea to flavor water kefir? ›
With that said, tea is not only black and caffeinated but it can also composed of herbs and spices and those are AMAZING to add to water kefir recipes! Now you can add black tea into your second ferment no problem. Herb teas on the other hand, contain chamomile, peppermint, berries, fruits etc.
Can I add ginger to water kefir? ›
Ginger, on the other hand, provides a strong flavour, a little spiciness, and a nice warm feeling in the mouth. Turmeric and ginger are added to water kefir, also known as fruit kefir, to create a fizzy and tasty probiotic-rich beverage. Perfect when you need a little energy boost!
