Fizzy Blueberry Ginger Water Kefir

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3 min read
Summary

Effervescent, bubbly, and teeming with live probiotic cultures, Fizzy Blueberry Ginger Water Kefir is a refreshing cultured beverage that is a great way to diversify your microbiome and support digestion and gut health. It's also a fun and healthy way to get creative with your own probiotic drinks by playing around with various flavor combinations (see ideas in the Chef’s Notes). Plus, you can enjoy your Fizzy Blueberry Ginger Water Kefir on its own as a refreshing beverage or as a base for smoothies and other culinary creations!

Yields2 ServingsPrep Time10 minsTotal Time10 mins

Ingredients

First Fermentation
 2 ¾ cups room temperature water (spring or filtered; see Chef’s Notes for details)
 ¼ cup muscovado sugar (or turbinado cane sugar; see Chef’s Notes)
 1 pinch baking soda (see other mineral source options in Chef’s Notes)
 ¼ cup water kefir grains
Second Fermentation
 ½ cup organic blueberries (fresh or frozen, mashed well; see Chef’s Notes)
 2 tbsp pressed ginger juice (or freshly peeled and finely grated ginger)

Directions

1

Prepare your water: In a 32 oz jar mix the sugar, water, and mineral source and stir until fully dissolved. If using filtered water see Chef’s Notes for instructions.

2

In another 32 oz jar add the kefir grains (and any juices that the grains are packed in). Then, fill the jar to just below the rim with your water-sugar-mineral solution. Stir gently with a nonmetal spoon (exposing kefir grains to metal can damage the culture).

3

Cover the jar with a coffee filter, cheesecloth, or paper towel, and use a rubber band to seal it. Put the jar in a warm place (between 78 and 82° F). Make sure that the jar is in a place that gets light, but not direct sunlight. For example, you can place your kefir jar in a north-facing window or a well-lit countertop in an open kitchen. It is important that the grains get plenty of light and warmth, but no direct sunlight. Direct sunlight will harm your kefir grains and potentially cause them to die.

4

Allow the kefir to ferment for 48 hours. You may want to gently stir after 24 hours (with a nonmetal spoon, but this isn’t required).

5

After 48 hours, strain your kefir grains out. Use a nonmetal mesh strainer, and pour the water kefir into a glass or plastic container. Save the grains to use again later. Nothing gets discarded.

6

Prepare the water kefir for the second fermentation. Using 2 glass swing-top bottles, divide the mashed blueberries and pressed ginger juice and add to the bottom of the bottles. Using a nonmetal funnel slowly pour the fermented water kefir into the bottles and fill to where the body of the bottle meets the neck. Seal tightly and place in a warm place (ideally the same spot you did the first fermentation) to ferment for another 24–48 hours. During this time the water kefir is going to become carbonated and saturated with berry flavor. Alternatively, you can do the second fermentation in a 32 oz mason jar with a plastic lid. Seal tightly, but not too tight. You want to avoid a pressure explosion when you go to open the jar after the second fermentation is complete.

7

Periodically check the second fermentation; you should see bubbles forming around the fruit pieces. The bubbling may be more vigorous in the first 24 hours but will settle down after the first 24 hours. If using swing-top bottles, gently tilt the mixture back and forth once a day to ensure the fruit remains submerged. If using a mason jar, carefully open and press the fruit down with a nonmetal spoon.

8

Once the second fermentation period is complete, place the kefir water in the refrigerator to chill. Since the water is teeming with live probiotic cultures at this point, it will continue to ferment. However, the cool temperatures slow the fermentation process, so keep it refrigerated.

9

When ready to enjoy, carefully open the water kefir container (see Chef’s Notes for tips) and divide between two large serving glasses or four small ones if you are sharing with friends!

10

The total fermentation time for this recipe is 48–96 hours.

Chef’s Notes

Substitutions
Substitute spring water with pure coconut water.

Substitute blueberries and ginger with your favorite flavorings of choice. Delicious pairings include strawberries and mint, raspberries and kiwifruit, passion fruit and mango, or pineapple and lime. You can get as creative as you’d like here!

If you use grated ginger instead of pressed ginger juice, reduce the measurement to 1 to 2 teaspoons, depending on how much ginger flavor you enjoy.

Sugar Substitutes
Since kefir is a living culture, it does require specific nutrients and minerals to stay healthy. The best sugars to use that are least refined of all the processed sugars are brown sugar (most refined), turbinado cane sugar (mildly refined), and muscovado sugar (least refined). You can also give rapadura or sucanat sugar a try.

Coconut sugar, maple syrup, agave, monk fruit, and stevia are not suitable sugar sources for your water kefir grains.

If using muscovado sugar, do not use molasses as your mineral source. The combination of minerals from both molasses and muscovado sugar may be too rich for the kefir grains and they will not perform properly.

Filtered Water
Depending on the quality of your water filter, there still may be unwanted toxins or chemicals present that could harm your kefir grains. I suggest boiling your water before making your sugar solution. Bring the water to a boil, remove from the heat, and pour into your mason jar. Allow it to cool completely before adding the sugar and the mineral source to the water.

Materials You Will Need
- 2 (32 oz) mason jars

- 1 wooden or silicone spoon

- 1 coffee filter, cheesecloth, or sturdy paper towel

- 1 rubber band

- 1 nonmetal mesh strainer

- 1 plastic or silicone funnel

- 2 glass swing-top bottles or a 32 oz mason jar with a plastic lid.

- 1 batch of water kefir grains. The best place to purchase water kefir grains is online. A few brands that I like are Happy Gut Pro, Poseymom, and Cultures for Health, all of which are easily accessible on Amazon.

Mineral Sources
Note: It’s best to rotate your mineral supply every few batches for healthier grains over time.

- 1 tablespoon of molasses

- 1 pinch of baking soda

- 1 pinch of sea salt

- 2–3 unsulfured raisins

- 1 squirt of trace minerals

Troubleshooting the Fermentation Process
Depending on where you purchase your kefir grains, the grains may go into a hibernation cycle during the transportation process. As a result, your first batch or two may not perform as well as you’d expect. It may take a few batches for the grains to reactivate and completely ferment the water. You’ll know the grains are not completely active if the water, after 48 hours, is still sugary sweet, syrupy, and not fermented. Simply change the water and start a new batch. Discard the unfermented water.

During the first fermentation, do not leave the grains in the solution for longer than 48 hours. It is important to change the water regularly to keep the culture healthy and prevent the solution from turning to vinegar.

How to Keep Your Water Kefir Going
To keep the grains alive, repeat the process above. Over time, the grains will begin to double in size. For every ¼ cup of kefir grains you have, you will need ¼ cup of sugar and roughly one quart of water. As your kefir grains grow, measure how much you have to gauge how much sugar and water you will need. Pretty soon, you will be making double or triple the amount this recipe yields.

Additional Notes
If you used frozen fruit during the second fermentation, make sure the fruit is completely defrosted and at room temperature before adding it to your kefir water. Frozen fruit creates less of a reaction compared to fresh fruit during the second fermentation. You may notice less bubbling, but it will still produce refreshing carbonated water.

If using swing-top bottles, remember that the contents are under pressure. Gently press on the side of the cap to release the pressure before unlocking the cap. You will know the bottle is safe to open when the pressure release sound has slowed down or stopped.

If you do not want a fizzy water kefir you can skip the second fermentation step. This is when the carbonation begins to form.

Storage
Store your ginger water kefir in the second fermentation container for up to 2 months in the refrigerator.

Short-term storage for the kefir grains: Place them in a smaller jar and add 1 tablespoon of your preferred sugar source and 1 cup of water. Keep them in the back of the refrigerator. If you do not plan on making a new batch right away, you will need to freshen up the sugar and mineral solution every 3–4 weeks.

Long-term storage for the kefir grains: You can put the extra grains in a glass jar (or plastic container) with just enough sugar and mineral solution to cover the grains, then freeze them. They can last for about 6 months. Keep in mind that it may take a few batches to revive them after they’ve been frozen. Or you can dehydrate the kefir grains at a low temperature and then store them for up to 1 year.

Nutrition Facts

2 servings

Serving size

1 Serving


Amount per serving
Calories16
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 0.25g1%
Saturated Fat 0.05g1%
Trans Fat 0g
Cholesterol 0mg
Sodium 46mg2%
Total Carbohydrate 4g2%
Dietary Fiber 0.95g4%
Total Sugars 3g
Includes 0g Added Sugars0%
Protein 0.25g

Calcium 10mg1%
Iron 0.25mg2%
Potassium 80mg2%
Vitamin D 0mcg0%

* The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

Ingredients

First Fermentation
 2 ¾ cups room temperature water (spring or filtered; see Chef’s Notes for details)
 ¼ cup muscovado sugar (or turbinado cane sugar; see Chef’s Notes)
 1 pinch baking soda (see other mineral source options in Chef’s Notes)
 ¼ cup water kefir grains
Second Fermentation
 ½ cup organic blueberries (fresh or frozen, mashed well; see Chef’s Notes)
 2 tbsp pressed ginger juice (or freshly peeled and finely grated ginger)

Directions

1

Prepare your water: In a 32 oz jar mix the sugar, water, and mineral source and stir until fully dissolved. If using filtered water see Chef’s Notes for instructions.

2

In another 32 oz jar add the kefir grains (and any juices that the grains are packed in). Then, fill the jar to just below the rim with your water-sugar-mineral solution. Stir gently with a nonmetal spoon (exposing kefir grains to metal can damage the culture).

3

Cover the jar with a coffee filter, cheesecloth, or paper towel, and use a rubber band to seal it. Put the jar in a warm place (between 78 and 82° F). Make sure that the jar is in a place that gets light, but not direct sunlight. For example, you can place your kefir jar in a north-facing window or a well-lit countertop in an open kitchen. It is important that the grains get plenty of light and warmth, but no direct sunlight. Direct sunlight will harm your kefir grains and potentially cause them to die.

4

Allow the kefir to ferment for 48 hours. You may want to gently stir after 24 hours (with a nonmetal spoon, but this isn’t required).

5

After 48 hours, strain your kefir grains out. Use a nonmetal mesh strainer, and pour the water kefir into a glass or plastic container. Save the grains to use again later. Nothing gets discarded.

6

Prepare the water kefir for the second fermentation. Using 2 glass swing-top bottles, divide the mashed blueberries and pressed ginger juice and add to the bottom of the bottles. Using a nonmetal funnel slowly pour the fermented water kefir into the bottles and fill to where the body of the bottle meets the neck. Seal tightly and place in a warm place (ideally the same spot you did the first fermentation) to ferment for another 24–48 hours. During this time the water kefir is going to become carbonated and saturated with berry flavor. Alternatively, you can do the second fermentation in a 32 oz mason jar with a plastic lid. Seal tightly, but not too tight. You want to avoid a pressure explosion when you go to open the jar after the second fermentation is complete.

7

Periodically check the second fermentation; you should see bubbles forming around the fruit pieces. The bubbling may be more vigorous in the first 24 hours but will settle down after the first 24 hours. If using swing-top bottles, gently tilt the mixture back and forth once a day to ensure the fruit remains submerged. If using a mason jar, carefully open and press the fruit down with a nonmetal spoon.

8

Once the second fermentation period is complete, place the kefir water in the refrigerator to chill. Since the water is teeming with live probiotic cultures at this point, it will continue to ferment. However, the cool temperatures slow the fermentation process, so keep it refrigerated.

9

When ready to enjoy, carefully open the water kefir container (see Chef’s Notes for tips) and divide between two large serving glasses or four small ones if you are sharing with friends!

10

The total fermentation time for this recipe is 48–96 hours.

Notes

Fizzy Blueberry Ginger Water Kefir
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