How to Strain (separate kefir grains) From Thick Cultured Kefir Milk?

When cultured precisely, milk kefir has a thick yet pour-able consistency, like buttermilk or heavy cream. But it can also take on other consistencies.

Below video sent by a customer –

Some common reasons which makes the milk kefir grain separation process from thick creamy kefir difficult ?

  1. Using buffalo milk with excess of cream and butter. Once fermented the buffalo milk produces more cream or butter and gets mixed with the kefir grains. You will find very difficult to separate grains and milk. Better to use cows milk for easy separation.
  2. The cow milk which you use has excess cream or butter. You should not over ferment the milk along with the kefir grains and leave until the water separates completely. Once you see air pockets in the jar, you should remove the kefir grains immediately.
  3. On regular basis, you are not separating the cream and kefir grains completely, and taking the kefir grains along with cream and making another fresh batch. It means, you are carrying the cream and butter to next batch and adding more cream to the subsequent batches and making your work more worse.

Option 1 :

  1. Use single mesh layer strainer where kefir milk can easily flow along with cream.
  2. While using single mesh layer, don’t use spoon to separate the grains. Tap the strainer with a spoon gently on the plastic rim of the strainer without touching or pushing the grains through the mesh. You can add some fresh milk to give a rinse. This will separate the kefir grains.
  3. The kefir grains will not pass through strainer, the creamy kefir will somehow pass through the mesh and you can separate the kefir grains with little effort.

Option 2 :(Milk Bath) We recommend this method.

If you want to still use double mesh strainer and save even the small size grains. Please follow this method as follows –

  1. Pour 200 ml of fresh milk to a flat vessel which can accomodate the strainer head to go inside.
  2. The collected kefir grains along with creamy or buttery residue within the strainer mesh to be placed gently over the milk vessel.
  3. Now, gently rinse the kefir grains and cream within the milk with the help of a spoon. Be careful, the kefir grains should not come out of the strainer while giving a rinse.
  4. That rinsed milk can be reused or kept outside for few hours covered air tight, it will be fermented and form good kefir drink. You don’t waste that milk.
  1. PLEASE FOLLOW STEP BY STEP TO STRAIN KEFIR GRAINS WHEN IT IS THICK – CULTURES FOR HEALTH >> Click Here WITH VIDEO DEMO

2. ANOTHER SOURCE: STRAINING MILK KEFIR GRAINS FROM OVER-CULTURED KEFIR