Anybody else drink Kefir? I'm starting my journey down the fermented foods trail. Store bought is fine.....but

[mitch96]

I wanted to try my hand at it.. I'm a half assed vegetarian/vegan so I started with plant milk yogurt to build up my gut microbiome. I came out really good but it was time consuming and needed attention. I read about how Kefir has more probiotics than yogurt or kombucha so I gave that a try. I tried milk kefir from the store and to me it tasted pretty good and it is "healthy". Water kefir is easier to make. It came out pretty good. With added flavor it was like a probiotic soda.. Maybe down the road I'll make milk kefir but first things first.
m

[multigraincracker]

1. I eat a lot of sauerkraut. Use to make it but now

I get it at the store in the cooler only. Fresh Fermented only. The more I eat, the more I like it. Lots of probiotics.

[mitch96]

2. I'm fortunate that a small store sells Kimchi, Sauerkraut and kombucha at my local weekend green market

The stuff is really Really REALLY. good. Nice people too. A young (30ish) couple run the store.
Lots of local brick and mortar heath food stores carry their products. I'm a lucky guy...
burp.
m

[multigraincracker]

5. This week I tried some goat milk yogurt.

A little more expensive, but tasted great.

[hlthe2b]

3. I've made my own yogurt for 12 years now. I like kefir but I don't want to have to purchase cultures...

and I can pretty much do with my yogurt what I'd like to do with kefir (smoothies, Indian Mango Lassi in the summertime, regular or Greek yogurt with any manner of fruit and healthy "toppings" ).

I freeze my own cultures but refurbish them with Mountain High plain yogurt every now and then.

I have saved a ton of money making it myself and given my dogs have always gotten some too every day, I've had virtually zero GI issues with them. Big believer here on the power of all kind of cultured foods, but yogurt is just so easy for me (and I've made it every way possible from low tech to high).

But, I have thought of making (milk) kefir but I guess I'm a creature of habit...

[mitch96]

6. The milk Keifer grains are only about $15 and if you take care of them it's a one time purchase. The mulitply

Put about a tablespoon of the grains in a 1 liter/4qt jar with milk. Put it on your counter. No cooking or machines..Wait a few days and it get's a bit bubbly and tart. Strain out the keifer grains and start a new batch. About once a week you should "prime" the grains in fresh milk.
Dat's it!. Put the keifer in a jar, store in the fridge and your set.. For me.. too simple.. Simple works for me.
Lots if info on the interwebs on how to make it..
m

[Think. Again.]

4. I do yogurt, kimchi, kraut, and kombucha, haven't tried kefir....

Is there a reason fermented foods seem to all start with "K"?

[Easterncedar]

7. I make it all the time. It's so delicious and very easy!

I don’t fuss with it much. I make a batch with purchased starter powder in 2 quarts of scalded milk and then after it has matured, I keep out about a half a cup of the fermented kefir for starting the next batch. I don’t rinse and save the grains, as I did at first. After many generations the quality may change, and then I start a fresh batch.

[mitch96]

8. I read it varies with the season...Quick ferment in the summer with the heat and long ferment in the cold

might change the taste and effervescence.
Do you see positive benefits from keifer? I'm looking at fermented foods for its probiotic benefits..
I recently had an infected tooth removed (yeah, I got stupid and did not take care of it sooner) and the dentist put me on antibiotics.. This stuff is like a shot gun and kills ALL the bugs, not just the bad ones.
I want to keep the good bugs in my gut happy..
m

[Easterncedar]

9. It gives me a sense of wellbeing and energy

I put the jars on a heat duct in winter.