kefir grains are usually available in two forms:-

1. FRESH cultures - these must be shipped ASAP by the quickest means possible and put to immediate use for they have very short life.

2. DRY cultures which can be shipped by airmail if need be. Dry cultures have a long shelf life, because they are dormant [asleep]. They need reactivation to use.

So your wife is better off looking for dry cultures which she can put in an envelope and deposit into her handbag. Ask her to get me a few dry grains of milk kefir as well.

@kingfisher and @Mukiri

OK guys. Progress report. Some success, and a failure !!!

Mama bought a starter culture from www.buy-kefir.co.uk

I discovered that these are not grains. It is a powder extracted from live Kefir grains. It comes as 3 packets. Each of these packets lasts for 4 to 5 weeks. i.e 28 to 35 liters fer packet.

I have been using the first packet for a week now. I have used fresh Molo & KCC full cream milk. I have also used Brookside full cream Long Life UHT milk. All have worked. Tonight, I will try the Brookside Long Life Low Fat milk to see if this works. In the meantime, apart from drinking the fresh kefir, I have also made smoothies using fresh orange juice & fresh mango fruit. Yum yum.

I then asked Mama to look for grains. She managed to get some from:
www.rawandpure.co.uk

These came as live cultures and had to be used ASAP. This is where the ndrama started.

Mama was in London on a 2 week convention and staying in a hotel. After the convention, she had decided to spend another 10 days visiting friends ALL over the UK. It was therefore not practical to cart these around in taxis, trains extra.
So she abandoned these at her London hotel. SAD.

Anyhow, as per @Kingfisher's suggestion I asked her to get the dehydrated ( dormant ) grains from the same Raw and Pure guys.
She got these and they are safely with me here in Vipingo.

PROPOSED PLAN:

- Milk Grains: I will finish my first packet of the powdered stuff, and then reactivate these. This will be in about 3 to 4 weeks.

- Water Grains: I want to reactivate these next week and start using them.
- Question for @Mukiri: What water are you using for your water grains? Their site says NOT to use tap, filtered or distilled water. It says to use spring or mineral water.
As I don't want to kill these grains, can you kindly let me know what make of bottled water are you using. Thanks

- As soon as I have successfully started making water and later Milk kefir, I will have a LOT of extra grains. I will dehydrate these, pack them in zip lock plastic bags and send these to you guys - with FULL instructions on how to reactivate them.

Happy Healthy days ahead.

ku float nayo!

Hi @Mukiri,

Mama is back in Vipingo with me and with BOTH Milk & Water grains.

I think I will use mineral water from Nakumatt. I don't have time to boil /filter water.

Toast.... to good health Enjoy!

You can also use the Water grains on coconut water/madafu, so long as the next batch is water again.

Ratio of Water:Grains:Brown Sugar= 1cup:1tablespoon:1tablespoon (You can add fresh ground ginger. Water Kefir grains seem to like it). Use only brown sugar. My batches are 48hrs.

Ever heard of BEET KVASS? PINEAPPLE VINEGAR?

Hope you've been eating healthy, otherwise watch out for 'Healing' Crisis'.