Water Kefir is one of our favourite fermented drinks to make. It's super easy and only takes between 1-2 days to ferment. Its mild flavour makes it a great first ferment to introduce to your family.
Click here to read how to make Water Kefir
The best thing about it is you can flavour it any way you like. Flavouring is the best way to make your kefir fizzy. Read on below and we'll give you a run down on how to add flavour and our top 5 flavour combinations.
How to flavour
You will need one batch of finished Water Kefir or Coconut Water Kefir (first ferment). Bottle it up then choose one of the flavouring methods below:
Roughly chop, dice or grate fruit and or vegetables of choice and add to a sealed bottle - this is a great option when you're in a hurry. Leave to ferment for another 24-48 hours or until fizzy to your liking. Once fermented it's up to you if you leave the fruit in or strain off. It's perfectly fine to eat - it makes for a good breakfast topping or just eaten as is.
Fresh juice - add 1 cup of juice to every 3 cups of kefir. Leave to ferment for another 24-48 hours or until fizzy to your liking.
Blend - blend 1 cup of kefir with fruit/vegetables of choice (roughly 1 peach size piece of fruit). Pour through a fine mesh strainer or nut milk bag to get rid of the pulp then add to the rest of your kefir. Bottle, seal and leave to ferment for another 24-48 hours or until fizzy to your liking. (This is our favourite method. We don't have a juicer so it's the next best thing and it makes for a much stronger flavour compared with adding chopped fruit).
Top 5 Flavour Combinations
If you're struggling for some flavour inspiration here are our top 5 we have been loving this summer. Try them with your Water Kefir, Coconut Water Kefir or even Kombucha.
All the quantities below are to flavour 1 litre. Add the flavours and Water Kefir to a sealed glass bottle and leave on the bench to ferment for 24-48 hours or until fizzy to your liking. Refrigerate and serve cold.
*The tighter the seal on the bottle the more fizz you will get. Try flip top bottles - the ones from brew shops have the tightest seal or re-use commercial Kombucha bottles*
Lychee
- 3-4 lychees roughly chopped
Peach
1 peach
Use the blend method above for a stronger flavour or roughly chop and add to bottle for a milder flavour
Ginger and Turmeric
1 thumb size piece of ginger (roughly an inch)
1 thumb size piece of turmeric
Use the blend method above for the punchiest flavour or roughly chop or grate and add to bottle for a milder flavour
Iced Tea
- 2 teaspoons of your favourite herbal tea or 1-2 teabags - we love liquorice root and tulsi
Creaming Soda
3 prunes roughly chopped
1 vanilla bean or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract/powder
Next time you make Water Kefir try one of these flavours and let me know what you think. Summer is the perfect time to get creative and experiment with the abundance of fresh fruit on offer.