Second Fermentation of Milk Kefir

Often people want the health benefits of drinking milk kefir but find they just can’t stomach the sour taste. You can however improve the overall taste by carrying out a second fermentation of milk kefir. Sometimes your also hear this process referred to as “double fermentation”. It’s a simple way to improve the taste of your milk kefir, while also boosting the nutritional value and bacterial content.

How to do a Second Fermentation of Milk Kefir.

A second fermentation of milk kefir is pretty straight forward to do. Once the initial fermentation has taken place and the grains removed, place your strained milk kefir into a jar that you can seal with a lid. You then add something to the milk kefir to flavour it, put the lid on to seal it, and either leave it on the side for 12-24 hours or place it in the fridge for a couple of days for a slower fermentation.

It’s as simple as that. You can use all kinds of things to flavour your milk kefir. Experiment and play with different things to find what you like best.

Remember, it’s important to seal the jar to stop contamination happening while the second fermentation of milk kefir is taking place. It’s worth noting that sealing the milk kefir in this way stops any co2 gas from being able to escape, you will often find your milk kefir can have a slight fizz to it.

What should I use for my Second Fermentation of Milk Kefir?

Generally, people use fruit for the second fermentation of milk kefir. As fruit contains sugars which essentially re-feed the kefir bacteria, this boosts the overall probiotic content. The vitamins contained within the fruit also help increase the nutritional value of the milk kefir. Plus the naturally sweet taste helps mask the sourness. Raw honey, cocoa powder and stevia are also great ways to add some sweetness if your still struggling with the sour taste.

You don’t have to use sweet things though for your second fermentation of milk kefir. If savoury flavours are more you thing, we’ve seen people use everything from tumeric to garlic in their second fermentation of milk kefir! Just avoid kissing anyone after!

A second fermentation of milk kefir is an easy way to mellow the sourness out. With an unlimited variety of flavourings to experiment with, it can also remove the boredom of drinking milk kefir daily. We really recommend you try it for yourself.