Author Topic: Kefir d'uva (Read 49036 times)

natural · « **on:** July 01, 2006, 04:00:09 AM »

I am having an abundance of Kefir grains so I decided to make this Kefir d'uva....recipe found on Dom's Kefir-making in-site.

This tastes and smells really alcoholic. Does anyone know if this is truly mind altering?

I put several freshly cleaned grains in the bottom of a pint jar, then filled the pint jar 3/4 full of Jucy Juice grape juice (it just said to use 100% grape juice and I happen to have Juicy Juice grape juice).

I let it sit in a cupboard with the lid on tight and after two days this stuff tasted a little potent....I didn't drink enough of it to see if it was mind altering or not...I am loopy enough ...

Here's the funny part, when I called my friend (Jenny4wen) who I met on this site, I wasn't real clear as to what I was explaining to her about the kefir d'uva and she thought I was sneaking swigs out of my homemade vanilla

$:-\$

Anyway, does anyone really know the benefits of this type of Kefir.... will I get mind-altered from it?

thanks, Sister SAndra

jenny4wen · « **Reply #1 on:** July 02, 2006, 07:44:26 AM »

Quote from: natural on July 01, 2006, 04:00:09 AM

Here's the funny part, when I called my friend (Jenny4wen) who I met on this site, I wasn't real clear as to what I was explaining to her about the kefir d'uva and she thought I was sneaking swigs out of my homemade vanillaÂ Â Â Â $:-\$ Â

Hahahahahaha!!! Can you blame me?

ForeverGirl · « **Reply #2 on:** July 02, 2006, 05:02:13 PM »

Nope , that homemade vanilla is good stuff!

natural · « **Reply #3 on:** July 03, 2006, 04:39:36 AM »

It is funny though, how fast that vanilla evaporates even with the lid on

$:-\$ $:-\$ $:-\$ $:-\$

ForeverGirl · « **Reply #4 on:** July 17, 2006, 06:12:02 PM »

I've been making Kefir D'uva lately too. It's really GREAT. My kids LOVE it and we drink it really fast. Gabe says it's definitely more drinkable than Kombucha. I do half grape juice and half water, grains and a few mint leaves, sit for 48 hours, strain and chill.

One batch sat for 52 hours and seemed to be more punchy, which may mean it had some alcohol content. It tastes like sparkling grape juice, or maybe like a wine cooler... although, I don't think I've ever had a wine cooler??? ... Now I'm making a batch of Cranberry Kefir. And after that I want to try Tart Cherry Kefir...

It's so easy, and my kids LOVE it. I can't get my grains to multiply very quickly though... any tips?

Rebekah

Chickory Chick · « **Reply #5 on:** July 18, 2006, 01:56:34 AM »

Quote from: BeeyoutifulGirl on July 17, 2006, 06:12:02 PM

I've been making Kefir D'uva lately too. It's really GREAT. My kids LOVE it and we drink it really fast. Gabe says it's definitely more drinkable than Kombucha. I do half grape juice and half water, grains and a few mint leaves, sit for 48 hours, strain and chill.

One batch sat for 52 hours and seemed to be more punchy, which may mean it had some alcohol content. It tastes like sparkling grape juice, or maybe like a wine cooler... although, I don't think I've ever had a wine cooler??? ... Now I'm making a batch of Cranberry Kefir. And after that I want to try Tart Cherry Kefir...

It's so easy, and my kids LOVE it. I can't get my grains to multiply very quickly though... any tips?

Rebekah

Rebekah,

Do you use the regular milk grains or special water grains to make this?

Thanks,

Kay

natural · « **Reply #6 on:** July 18, 2006, 03:12:50 AM »

Quote from: BeeyoutifulGirl on July 17, 2006, 06:12:02 PM

I've been making Kefir D'uva lately too. It's really GREAT. My kids LOVE it and we drink it really fast. Gabe says it's definitely more drinkable than Kombucha. I do half grape juice and half water, grains and a few mint leaves, sit for 48 hours, strain and chill.

One batch sat for 52 hours and seemed to be more punchy, which may mean it had some alcohol content. It tastes like sparkling grape juice, or maybe like a wine cooler... although, I don't think I've ever had a wine cooler??? ... Now I'm making a batch of Cranberry Kefir. And after that I want to try Tart Cherry Kefir...

It's so easy, and my kids LOVE it. I can't get my grains to multiply very quickly though... any tips?

Rebekah

So you don't think there is too much alcohol content in the 48 hour stuff? How about nutritional value? Do you think it has much of that?

As for the cranberry, any particular type of cranberry juice? And any particular type of cherry juice??

Kay, just in case Rebekah doesn't get right back....Yes you use the milk grains which are rinsed in pure cold water then placed in a pint or quart jar 3/4 full of 100 % juice...place lid on tight and put aside for 48 hours. More infor on Dom's Kefir site.

--SAndra

ForeverGirl · « **Reply #7 on:** July 20, 2006, 11:53:47 AM »

From what I read on Dom's kefir site, there can be 2% alcohol in a serving of Kefir of any kind. That's the way I understood it, anyway.

I'm pretty sensitive to the effects of alcohol levels: I can slightly "feel" the effects of two droppers of alcohol based tincture. I can't feel any alcohol effect from kefir AT ALL. I think it's pretty low content - a really ripe banana would probably be just as strong!

The nutritional value is high because of the fermentation; Dom talks about the bacteria present. It's very good for digestion and GI tract health.

I used 100% juice cranberry raspberry blend. I used 100% grapejuice. No sugar in any of the juices. I used tart cherry juice concentrate from mi-cherries.com - King's orchard.

I used mint from the front yard.

My kefir grains turned purple!

Dairae · « **Reply #8 on:** July 20, 2006, 12:22:05 PM »

Is there any chance you know if the kefir curds "eat" the sugar, as I understand they do with the Kombucha Tea? Or would there be the regular natural sugar content?

I had a friend ask me. I started my first batch yesterday and am terribly excited to try it tomorrow.

felmleyfam · « **Reply #9 on:** July 20, 2006, 12:41:23 PM »

does the natural sugar in the cranberry kill the good bacteria? I was reading that about yogurt, not to get the sugar in it because it eats the good bacteria but what about natural sugar? thanks

natural · « **Reply #10 on:** July 20, 2006, 01:06:48 PM »

This is my unprofessional understanding of what happens with sugar in yogurt and I am sure it would be the same in Kefir.

Sugar, ANY sugar, is food for bacteria. That is one reason people crave sugar when they have a yeast infection. The sugar feeds the yeast which make it grow bigger/more-- and throw the balance between the good and bad bacteria off. I have been told that if you really wanted to get hard core in defeating the bad yeast you should stay away from even fruits.

In my opinion, if there is no extra sugar added to the crabberry juice I would not worry about it because the benefits you are getting from the good bacteria in the kefir should out-weigh the bad effects the natural sugar content give toward the bad bacteria.

The good bacteria in the kefir and yogurt are there to keep the yeast balanced in the body. If the body is nourishing the bad bacteria by eating too much sugar and processed foods, there will be more bad bacteria/yeast. But if you are replenishing the good bacteria by eating yogurt and kefir than your body will begin to balance the yeast to healthy levels.

One man attributed some alcoholism to overactive yeast in the gut..it craves the sugar alcohol gives. Selah (ponder that) $:-\$

queentea · « **Reply #11 on:** July 21, 2006, 03:20:02 AM »

I just finished my first batch of Kefir d'uva...yum. Not all the kids liked it though because it tasted "wine like" that's probably why I like it

! I am thankful for this recipe as I am not too crazy about regular Kefir as it is a bit too tangy for my taste buds, now I can get my probiotics too

. Kids love the smoothies though and they have them for breakfast twice a week. Maybe they will like some of the other types of juices (I used grape) and maybe I won't dilute with water, just use the juice straight. Has anyone done this and it turned out okay?

jenny4wen · « **Reply #12 on:** July 21, 2006, 05:02:13 AM »

I have four bottles sitting on my counter getting bubbly. . . just straight, Welch's grape juice. It is really nummy. My hubby and sweet daughter enjoy it as fast as I can make it.

Thanks for all the suggestions. It's fun to make my family happy!

healthybratt · « **Reply #13 on:** July 21, 2006, 05:33:44 AM »

I gave up on my regular kefir starter and it's been sitting in the same milk for a couple of weeks. Is it spoiled or could I rinse it and do this juice thing?

Dairae · « **Reply #14 on:** July 21, 2006, 05:47:15 AM »

Quote from: healthybratt on July 21, 2006, 05:33:44 AM

I gave up on my regular kefir starter and it's been sitting in the same milk for a couple of weeks.Â Is it spoiled or could I rinse it and do this juice thing?

My curds sat in my fridge at least 2 months in a bit of milk to cover them. They were perfectly fine.
Rena

shawnaincov · « **Reply #15 on:** July 21, 2006, 04:33:58 PM »

I used 100% juice cranberry raspberry blend. I used 100% grapejuice. No sugar in any of the juices. I used tart cherry juice concentrate from mi-cherries.com - King's orchard.

Quote

Do you mean no added sugar? All juice has natural sugar, right?

Has anyone tried using freshly juiced juice

(that is kindof a tongue twister) I was just wondering. I try to add some veggie juice in all my juice because I have 2 little ones that don't eat enough raw veggies for my liking.

Shawna

healthybratt · « **Reply #16 on:** July 21, 2006, 04:45:11 PM »

Can I use Juicy Juice? I have a lot of this lying around.

natural · « **Reply #17 on:** July 21, 2006, 05:01:39 PM »

I used Juicy Juice and it worked!

healthybratt · « **Reply #18 on:** July 21, 2006, 07:26:05 PM »

Can you just keep switching flavors with the same grains?

natural · « **Reply #19 on:** July 22, 2006, 02:32:53 AM »

OOOHHH good question, one I would like to know the answer toÂ $:-\$

BUMP

healthybratt · « **Reply #20 on:** July 26, 2006, 05:30:28 PM »

Quote from: healthybratt on July 21, 2006, 07:26:05 PM

Can you just keep switching flavors with the same grains?

bump

healthybratt · « **Reply #21 on:** July 27, 2006, 02:42:39 PM »

Quote from: healthybratt on July 26, 2006, 05:30:28 PM

Quote from: healthybratt on July 21, 2006, 07:26:05 PM
Can you just keep switching flavors with the same grains?

bump

Okay, nobody answered my first question so I'll ask it again. Can I just keep switching my grains to different juices or do I have to keep them consistently in the same kind of juice.

I also would like to know if someone could give me a better idea of how much kefir to use in how much juice. I looked up Dom's site and I didn't find any specific measurements for this particular concoction. I have about a tablespoon of kefir in the fridge. How much d'uva can I make with this?

Should I fast the kefir in water before I put them in juice? Or will the lag batches be edible/drinkable? How will I know when it's finished brewing with the lag time?

queentea · « **Reply #22 on:** July 27, 2006, 03:04:54 PM »

I've only been doing this kefir d'uva thing for a short time, but all you have to do is rinse the grains real well with cold water (about 1-2 TBS) and put them with 1-2 cups of juice. I would go with a lesser amount if you don't have 2 TBS of grains. Some people do 1/2 juice, 1/2 water, but we like the sweeter outcome with all juice. Put them together with a tight lid and wait 48 hours and strain and start all over again. This is what I have been doing, I am by no means an expert, so if I stated something wrong, please correct me y'all

I don't know about switching juices, I don't think it would be a problem, but the grains turn purple so you can't go back to milk kefir. (as far as I know) Hope that answers some of your questions.
Queenie

healthybratt · « **Reply #23 on:** July 27, 2006, 03:32:31 PM »

Quote from: queentea on July 27, 2006, 03:04:54 PM

but the grains turn purple so you can't go back to milk kefir. (as far as I know) Hope that answers some of your questions.
Queenie

What's the matter with purple milk

*snicker*

SHERRI REEL · « **Reply #24 on:** July 27, 2006, 03:40:32 PM »

I wander if carrot juice turns them orange?

Chickory Chick · « **Reply #25 on:** August 01, 2006, 06:59:40 AM »

OKay, so I finally bought some grape juice (to bad my next door neighbor go rid of her grape vine, she always told me to help myself), ANyhoo and dumped the juice in my 1/2 gallon mason jar. I added about 2-3 TBSP of grains, came back and reread and realized that was per pint! Oops, went back and added the rest of my grains.

Here is my question. Does juice "kefirize" at the same speed at milk or does it take longer! Thanks.

healthybratt · « **Reply #26 on:** August 01, 2006, 08:27:02 AM »

I drank 4oz of grape kefir last night and today I feel like I have a hangover. I feel like I got hit by a mac truck. Any thoughts?

healthyinOhio · « **Reply #27 on:** August 01, 2006, 09:14:29 AM »

Quote from: healthybratt on August 01, 2006, 08:27:02 AM

I drank 4oz of grape kefir last night and today I feel like I have a hangover. I feel like I got hit by a mac truck. Any thoughts?

Sinner!!

just kidding.

ForeverGirl · « **Reply #28 on:** August 01, 2006, 10:03:04 AM »

You know, my last two batches of Kefir d'uva definitely had higher alcohol content. An 8 oz glass of kefir "felt" like a glass of wine it's effects on me. I wish I had a way to check the alcohol content. I wonder what makes it turn more alcoholic? It also got some speckles of mold on the top, and I think I let it sit 3 days before straining to drink...

I use about 4 tablespoons of grains (hard to measure since they are broccoli-like lumps) for a 2 1/2 quart jar.

Chickory Chick · « **Reply #29 on:** August 01, 2006, 10:14:01 AM »

Quote from: BeeyoutifulGirl on August 01, 2006, 10:03:04 AM

I wonder what makes it turn more alcoholic?

Has it been hotter where your are? I know it has been hotter here the past week in PA and my kefir alway "ripens" faster when it is hotter.

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Author Topic: Kefir d'uva (Read 49036 times)

Dairae

Dairae