Haha when I read your post Clint I thought for a second I wrote it. I've been drinking kefir for several weeks now, and have a very similar process.
I put in a quart or five cups in a half gallon mason jar for a day sealed with the grains. Take the grains out after 24 hours, leave the kefir out for a secondary fermentation of 12 hours. I was even putting potato starch in mine too, but even two tablespoons makes mine taste a little gritty.
My kefir grains have multiplied to the point where I need to cut my fermentation time to 12 hours or triple the volume of milk, or give away some grains. By the time I get to it the kefir separates into whey and curds, and the kefir is sour. I like to have the curds with chilled berries, but I'm going to try some more savory recipes soon.
If you want to make cheese with it, pick up a flour sack cloth and then you just pour the kefir into a cloth lined colander, tie the cloth into a ball and suspend it to let the whey drip out. You're left with a tangy cheese with the consistency of cream cheese. You can make a hard cheese by putting the cheese under weights but I haven't done that. The whey is where whey protein comes from so you can use that instead of water for your protein shakes, though it can be pretty sour depending on how long it fermented.
I couldn't drink milk but with some adjustment I have a quart of kefir daily no problem. I did get a tiny bit of acne.
If any local vetted forum members want some grains, PM me (Los Angeles).
I put in a quart or five cups in a half gallon mason jar for a day sealed with the grains. Take the grains out after 24 hours, leave the kefir out for a secondary fermentation of 12 hours. I was even putting potato starch in mine too, but even two tablespoons makes mine taste a little gritty.
My kefir grains have multiplied to the point where I need to cut my fermentation time to 12 hours or triple the volume of milk, or give away some grains. By the time I get to it the kefir separates into whey and curds, and the kefir is sour. I like to have the curds with chilled berries, but I'm going to try some more savory recipes soon.
If you want to make cheese with it, pick up a flour sack cloth and then you just pour the kefir into a cloth lined colander, tie the cloth into a ball and suspend it to let the whey drip out. You're left with a tangy cheese with the consistency of cream cheese. You can make a hard cheese by putting the cheese under weights but I haven't done that. The whey is where whey protein comes from so you can use that instead of water for your protein shakes, though it can be pretty sour depending on how long it fermented.
I couldn't drink milk but with some adjustment I have a quart of kefir daily no problem. I did get a tiny bit of acne.
If any local vetted forum members want some grains, PM me (Los Angeles).