You have made plain water kefir and want to flavour it? This article will give many ideas for concocting delicious homemade water kefir second ferment flavours!
Water kefir is made from water kefir grains added to sugar water, with dried fruit (usually a fig) and citrus juice. In 24 to 48 hours, the sugar water turns into a fizzy soft drink full of good microorganisms!
So why bother with flavouring water kefir? Plain kefir tastes great and is full of benefits. The fig and lemon juice alone give it a flavour that’s generally very popular, and many people consume it as is.
However, it’s very easy to go beyond this basic taste and give it all sorts of flavours depending on inspiration and the availability of ingredients. This guide will show you how to flavour water kefir!
Go straight to the section that interests you:
- When to flavour water kefir?
- Flavouring with fruit juice
- Flavouring with fruit
- Flavouring with syrup
- Flavouring with teas or herbal teas
- Flavouring with herbs and spices
- Flavouring with natural extracts and essential oils
- Water kefir flavour ideas
- Get started!
When to Flavour Water Kefir?
Before learning how to flavour water kefir, you should know when to do so. It’s best to flavour your water kefir just after separating the grains from the beverage, i.e. before the second fermentation (F2).
The ingredients used to add flavour can contaminate and weaken the grains.
The only ingredients that can come into contact with the grains are dried fruit (rinsed, without additives) and citrus fruit (without the peel or as juice).
However, once the grains have been removed, homemade kefir can be flavoured in all sorts of ways!
To keep it fizzy, don’t add more than 20% of the ingredients. For 1 litre of kefir, add no more than 200 ml of fruit, juice or other ingredients.
Also, beware of excessive gas production during this second bottle fermentation. If you add a sugar source (juice, fruit, syrup), the yeast could create a lot of pressure in the bottle, with the risk of explosion! That’s why it’s always best to use pressure resistant bottles, and to be careful when opening them.
Flavouring Water Kefir With Fruit Juice
To intensify the flavour of your kefir, fruit juice is ideal! Add between 60 and 200 ml (⅓ and ¾ cup) of your favourite juice per litre of kefir.
Caution! Fruit juices contain sugars that yeast love. The pressure can rise quickly. Keep an eye on your bottles by testing the pressure often.
Our favourite juices for flavouring 1 bottle (750 ml) of kefir:
- 125 ml (½ cup) grapefruit juice
- 125 ml (½ cup) coconut water
- 45 ml (3 tbsp.) lime juice
- 125 ml (½ cup) orange juice
- 125 ml (½ cup) cranberry juice
You can also opt to ferment fruit juice by putting your water kefir grains directly into it! This works very well for apple juice, but it can also be done with the following juices:
- Grape
- Strawberry
- Pear
- Kiwi
- Tomato (like in our Virgin Bloody Mary!)
- Pomegranate, etc.
However, remember to keep some grains aside, in case your grains come out weakened or in poor shape from this type of feed.
Flavouring Water Kefir With Fruit
You can flavour your kefir with your favourite fruit. Fruit can be fresh, frozen, dried, whole, pureed, etc. For maximum flavour, choose ripe fruit and remove any damaged parts.
The smaller the pieces of fruit, the greater the surface area in contact with the kefir, and the quicker the flavour will spread. Cut or crush your fruit for best results, and so it doesn’t get stuck in the neck of the bottle when you’re ready to serve…
Bear in mind that fruit skin contains yeast. If you do a second fermentation, be careful of the bottle pressure, which can increase considerably.
Our favourite fruits to flavour 1 bottle (750 ml) of kefir:
- 5-10 crushed cherries
- 4-5 strawberries and a few small pieces of cucumber
- 1 prickly pear
- ½ peach in pieces
- A small handful of crushed blueberries
Flavouring Water Kefir With Syrup
Syrup is perfect for flavouring water kefirs on short notice! These flavour concentrates should be added in small quantities.
You can use commercial syrup, homemade shrub or even raw syrup.
Add the syrup (or shrub) to the bottle or directly to your glass, as you like!
Our favourite syrups for flavouring 1 bottle (750 ml) of kefir:
- 15-30ml (1-2 tbsp.) grenadine syrup
- 15-30ml (1-2 tbsp.) elderberry syrup
- 15-30ml (1-2 tbsp.) raw strawberry syrup
- 15-30ml (1-2 tbsp.) blueberry shrub
- 15-30ml (1-2 tbsp.) cherry shrub
Flavouring Water Kefir With Tea or Herbal Tea
Herbal teas and flavoured teas are perfect for adding flavour to water kefir.
To flavour your kefir, add between 10 to 20% of your favourite tea or herbal tea. For example, for 1 L of kefir, add between 100 ml and 200 ml of infusion.
As your tea or herbal tea in kefir will be diluted, we recommend making it 2 to 4 times more concentrated than normal to get the full flavour. Allow it to cool to room temperature before adding it.
Our favourite teas or herbal teas to flavour 1 bottle (750 ml) of kefir:
- 125 ml (½ cup) mint tea
- 125 ml (½ cup) chamomile and lavender infusion
- 125 ml (½ cup) of your favourite tea or herbal tea!
To allow the effervescence in your kefir to develop properly, feel free to add ½ tbsp. of sugar, maple syrup, or molasses when flavouring.
Flavouring Water Kefir With Spices and Plants
Nature is full of flavour! Flavour your kefir with your favourite flowers, plants and spices.
The simplest technique for this type of ingredient is cold maceration (infusion). Immerse your ingredients into the kefir and allow to rest for 24 hours in a cool place, then filter and bottle.
This technique is ideal for flowers (lilac, lavender, butterfly pea flower) and ground or finely chopped spices (cinnamon, clove, ginger powder, etc.).
Another technique used is decoction, which involves placing the ingredients in a saucepan covered with water, bringing to the boil and then simmering, covered, for around 20 minutes. It is used mainly for woody, tough ingredients whose flavours are harder to extract, such as root beer and chaga.
👉 To find out more, read our article on Flavouring Fermented Beverages With Wild Plants from Canada.
Our favourite flowers and spices for flavouring 1 bottle (750 ml) of kefir:
- 1 tsp. chai spices
- ½ tsp. powdered ginger and turmeric or 1 tbsp. fresh chopped ginger and turmeric.
- 30 ml (2 tbsp.) root beer mix in 250 ml (1 cup) water (see Root Beer Water Kefir Recipe).
- 4 g (2 tbsp.) chaga in 250 ml (1 cup) water as a decoction
- 2 g dried butterfly pea flowers
- 2 g dried lavender flowers
- 4 g fresh lilac flowers
Flavouring Water Kefir With Natural Extracts and Hydrosols
A very simple way to flavour your water kefir is to add natural extracts.
A little vanilla or sweet clover extract can turn kefir into a dessert beverage! As these are highly concentrated ingredients, use them sparingly: no more than ¾ tsp. per 750 ml bottle.
Hydrosols can be a good option for flavouring homemade kefir, adding pleasant, fresh floral, or fruity flavours.
Our favourite natural extracts and hydrosols for flavouring 1 bottle (750 ml) of kefir (adjust to your liking):
- A few drops (½ tsp.) vanilla extract
- A few drops (½ tsp.) of orange blossom extract
- A few drops (¼ tsp.) of rose hydrosol
- A few drops (¼ tsp.) of orange blossom hydrosol
Essential oils, on the other hand, are not ideal for flavouring kefir. They are not soluble in kefir and, if ingested, can have undesirable effects on both the kefir microorganisms and your body.
If you still wish to use them, only use essential oils that are compatible with food consumption and whose effects you are aware of when used internally.
Flavouring Water Kefir by Combining Ingredients
Don’t stop at just one type of ingredient! Feel free to explore surprising combinations.
Here are some of our favourite water kefir recipe ideas:
- Grapefruit juice and butterfly pea flower
- Root beer and vanilla (or sweet clover)
- Apple juice and cinnamon
- Lime and mint
- Coconut water and pineapple
- Pears and star anise
- Prickly pear and fresh coriander
- Coconut milk and vanilla
- Ginger, turmeric and orange juice
Water kefir is a very easy beverage to personalize and lends itself well to experimentation. Open the fridge and you’re sure to find all sorts of ideas for how to flavour water kefir!
Get the Tools!
We recommend the following products for flavouring your water kefir.
Thanks for all the great information!