Growth of water kefir grains in different seasons

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Water Kefir brewing in different seasons

The growth of water kefir grains depends mainly on seasonal variations. As we know, all living organisms get affected by seasonal, climatic, and environmental conditions. Kefir grains are no exception. The subtle seasonal variations affect the growth of kefir grains largely. Let us consider the example of a tree. With the changing seasons, we find the tree to grow, bear fruits and flowers, change colors and then finally discard the old leaves. Similarly, we find kefir to undergo several climatic and seasonal changes.

During the summer season, kefir ferments rapidly. The warm temperature facilitates the rapid growth of kefir. In striking contrast, during the fall and spring, the development of kefir grains is very inconsistent. The inconsistency in the evolution of water kefir grains is also noticed in extremes of temperature, such as a sweltering hot afternoon or a cold night. Although the development of kefir grains slows down in winter, they can still ferment at frigid temperatures.

water kefir grains

Water kefir grains

It is noticed that during the summer season, kefir is sour and zesty. On the other hand, during the winter season, kefir is mild. Due to the various strains of probiotic microorganisms present in water, kefir can be fermented at different temperatures. The multiple strains perform differently at different temperatures. This is the reason why kefir has a different taste in different seasons.

Water kefir grains keep changing their shape and taste. Therefore, it is a little challenging to work with water kefir grains. You have to wait for the water kefir to show average growth patiently. Sometimes, the development of water kefir grains lags for a few weeks, then the growth becomes routine, and after that, it suddenly shows 100-400 % growth.

Water kefir grains grow better during the winter season when mixed with more uncomplicated sugars such as white sugar with molasses. During the summer season, water kefir grains prefer slower digesting sugars for proper growth. You may find some difficulty in handling water kefir grains during the winter season. If you can find a warm spot in winter, then keep the kefir grains there. However, it would help if you did not expose the kefir grains to sunlight as the UV rays can kill the bacteria.

seasonal-kefir-growth

Under proper and suitable conditions, kefir grains can grow from 5% to 400% within 24 to 48 hours. In the winter, the growth is around 5%, whereas, during summer, the growth is about 400%. During moderate temperature, growth is between 5% to 400%. It is observed that the smaller kefir grains reproduce faster than the large kefir grains.

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