Have you ever prepared a delicious water kefir in your kitchen and wondered whether your kefir grains are sick? Do you need some help with water kefir troubleshooting?
Water kefir, also known as tibicos, is a fermented beverage that can be made with just a few simple ingredients.
However, water kefir grains, which contain the colony of microorganisms responsible for fermentation, can occasionally experience problems.
It’s normal to have questions! This article on water kefir troubleshooting will help you identify what’s normal for your water kefir, and what’s a problem.
Rest assured: most of the time, the problem is caused by a slight imbalance that can easily be corrected.
Go straight to the section that interests you:
- Why Is My Water Kefir Not Fizzy?
- What Do Healthy Water Kefir Grains Look Like?
- Are My Water Kefir Grains Dead?
- Is the White Foam on My Kefir Dangerous?
- Why Does a White Film Develop on the Surface?
- What Should I Do if Mould Develops on My Kefir?
- Why Don’t My Grains Reproduce?
- Why Is My Water Kefir Slimy?
- Why Are My Kefir Grains Turning Brown?
- Why Is My Water Kefir Bitter?
- Why Do My Kefir Grains Disintegrate?
Why Is My Water Kefir Not Fizzy?
During the first fermentation in the jar, the carbon dioxide created by the yeast evaporates into the air. Most bubbles do not remain trapped in the liquid; therefore, the kefir is not fizzy, or barely.
To get more bubbles, do a second fermentation in closed bottles. This is when the fizz develops.
Solution: opt for a second fermentation in sealed, pressure resistant bottles to encourage the creation of bubbles.
750ml Swing Top Glass Bottles (Case of 12)
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Shop nowWarning: If your kefir doesn’t fizz and remains very sweet after 48 hours, the grains may have died.
What Do Healthy Water Kefir Grains Look Like?
First, to know if your water kefir grains are dead or unhealthy, it’s important to know what they look like when they’re healthy!
If your grains transform sugar water into tangy, fizzy kefir within 48 hours, all is well!
The main indicator of healthy microorganisms in kefir is active and regular fermentation. The colour, shape, size, position in the jar, and growth rate of the kefir grains are not reliable signs of their vitality.
To stay healthy, kefir grains need several elements:
- Sugar
- Nutrients and minerals (found in water, sugar, dried fruit)
- Slightly acidic environment
- Stable temperature
- Regular fermentation
A surplus or lack of any of these elements can unbalance the colony. However, kefir grains are resilient and rebalance themselves within one or two recipes.
Are My Water Kefir Grains Dead?
Kefir grains are resilient and can stay alive for years. However, if neglected (e.g. too long in the fridge), they can weaken and die.
To check whether your water kefir grains have died, repeat the fermentation process. If the grains have died, the water will remain very sweet and there will be no bubbles to indicate that fermentation is happening.
However, note that prolonged periods in the fridge can lengthen the time before fermentation restarts. So don’t rush to the conclusion that your water kefir grains are dead. Leave your grains to ferment for at least 48 to 72 hours and observe whether or not bubbles appear.
The appearance of mould on the surface is, however, a sign of dead water kefir grains.
Unfortunately, there’s nothing you can do if this happens. Get new grains and start again!
Is the White Foam on My Kefir Dangerous?
White foam can form on the surface of water kefir during fermentation. It appears especially when fermentation takes too long. The white foam may also come from the sugar used.
This is normal and harmless. You can remove it before filtering your kefir. Be careful not to confuse it with Kahm yeast or mould (see next two items).
Why Does a White Film Develop on the Surface?
Kahm yeast or biofilm are microorganisms that, in the presence of oxygen, sometimes form a white film on the surface of kefir. Yeast can develop when kefir grains are left in their water for too long or when the fermentation temperature is too high. It can also come from the citrus fruits used, which is why it’s important to rinse them before use or remove their skin.
Solution: Gently rinse the grains and put them in a new batch of sugar water, just as you do when you activate your grains. Monitor the new recipe: if the yeast quickly settles in again, the kefir culture is weakened. Therefore, it’s best to change grains.
What Should I Do if Mould Develops on My Kefir?
Mould is very rare, but it can develop when the kefir culture is dead or weakened.
You’ll always find mould on the surface of the liquid, and it looks like the mould you’d find on food left in the bottom of the fridge. Mould is white, blue, or green and has a hairy, powdery appearance.
Solution: If you find mould on your kefir, throw it all out. Don’t keep the grains, even if they haven’t come into direct contact with the mould. Disinfect all your equipment thoroughly.
Learn more about mould with our article Food Mould: Danger or Delight?
Why Don’t My Grains Reproduce?
Kefir grains have a reputation for multiplying very quickly. Perfect for giving to everyone around you! However, sometimes the grains don’t grow from one batch to the next.
If the grains continue to transform the sugar water into kefir, don’t worry, they’re still alive. There may be several reasons why the grains are not multiplying:
- Too much sugar in the solution
- pH too low
- Freezing, thawing of kefir grains
- Use of demineralized water
- Unsuitable sugar, see our guide on Which Sugar to Use for Homemade Water Kefir
- Fermentation temperature too high or too low
- Not enough nutrients
- Too many kefir grains for the amount of water and sugar.
Solution: by adjusting a few parameters and making frequent, regular recipes (every 48 hours), your grains will start to grow again.
To find out more about the best practices for making water kefir, read the Complete Guide to Making Water Kefir.
Why Is My Water Kefir Slimy?
Water kefir can become slimy for several reasons:
- Too many or too few nutrients
- Grains stressed by a change in temperature or routine
- Sugar contaminated with Leuconostoc bacteria (harmless bacteria)
In every one of these imbalanced conditions, harmless bacteria take over the fermentation process and create a kind of gel. Although not very pleasant to the palate, this substance is edible.
Solution: To restore the grains, rinse them gently and put them in a new batch of sugar water.
Why Are My Kefir Grains Turning Brown?
Water kefir grains can change colour depending on the ingredients used.
White sugar can give translucent kefir grains, while brown sugar, molasses, and minimally processed sugars give kefir grains a brown tinge.
Solution: Don’t do anything, it’s normal!
Why Is My Water Kefir Bitter?
The longer the lemon peel is in the kefir, the more bitter it will become.
Solution: Add only the lemon juice, to avoid using the parts of the lemon that transmit bitterness to the kefir, particularly the albedo (the white part of the lemon that imparts bitterness).
Why Do My Kefir Grains Disintegrate?
Sometimes the grains start to flake and disintegrate into tiny pieces until they become as small as grains of sand. They may also form a sort of opaque cloud at the bottom of the jar. This is not normal!
This can be caused by several factors:
- Use of an unsuitable sugar, not enabling the proper activity of the grains.
- The substrate used (fruit or vegetable juice, plant milk) is unsuitable and weakens the grains.
- Poorly mineralized water.
- Too much acidity in the environment at the start of fermentation.
Solution: Gently recover the grains and restart a new fermentation.
Get the Tools!
We recommend the following products for making water kefir.
Water Kefir Grains
$23.90
750ml Swing Top Glass Bottles (Case of 12)
$48.90 $58.90
Kefirko Kefir Making Kit
$49.90 - $57.00