Florida Sun Kefir Dehydrated Water Kefir Grains (Crystals, Tibicos)

The shipment arrived relatively quickly (1 week or so), and it came with twice the amount of grains that other places are selling for the same price.It arrived in a bubble envelope with the grains in a sealed plastic bag, with printed out instructions on how to rehydrate the grains and make water kefir. I rehydrated them according to the instructions and by the end of the first 24 hours they were looking rehydrated, by the end of 48 hours the sugar water solution smelled like fermentation was starting.When fully rehydrated, it comes out to 8Tbs of kefir grains, or enough for 2qts of kefir brewing at one time (more than enough!).EDIT! After one fermentation (using 3T white table sugar and 1T molasses), I now have 11T kefir grains! The molasses doesn't give the best taste to it, but definitely makes healthy grains reproduce. So, if you're wondering if you'll receive healthy grains.... you will.Originally reviewed 9/2012, EDITING 4/29/14:I highly suggest when your grains are reproducing to set some aside and dehydrate them. Just put a some paper towel on a plate, spread the grains and then put paper towels on top. Leave it until they're fully dry (helped that I was in AZ, but should work anywhere) and then stick them in a sealed container and forget about them.I did that last summer. I then moved and had to compost my living grains. I just now rehydrated the back-up grains, and they're doing fine! They were just stored at room temp in a little plastic container in my spice drawer.Things to consider: Concentrace mineral drops added to filtered water makes them reproduce much better than without. Chlorine is the enemy. I used to know someone who did water testing, and *surprisingly* when we tested water passed through a Brita filter, 99% of the chlorine was gone. Don't overthink it. Filtered water's great.When rehydrating, the first few batches I use bottled artesian well water with a ph of 8 or more. It's expensive, you usually have to pick it up from whole foods or your local crunchy granola health food store, but it's worth it. Once they're established (again), boiled or filtered tap water and regular sugar is fine.EXPERIMENT with your extra grains after you have a back-up supply! Ferment kefir coffee! Throw some grains into some cran-raspberry juice. Apple kefir! Kefir beer (use malt instead of sugar)! Knock yourself out! If it's really good, share the recipe online!As I said back in Sept 2012, you WILL receive healthy grains. And I've learned that they're very, VERY forgiving. I've forgotten about them for weeks before (unfortunately). Strain out the grains, rinse, re-feed, add some mineral drops and they'll be fine.

Edit: my grains were from snowberry. I am no longer recommending a container as I now make more than fits.This is so much fun.My grains were carbonating and making kefir the first brew after rehydration. After just a few brews, they're going all out. I am also using concentrace drops. I added customer images of my kefir soda.My method:8 cups filtered water (I use a watts filter with KX MATRIKX Pb1 10-Inch Length Extruded Carbon Block Filter Cartridge, 1-Pack)20 concentrace drops1/2 cup sugar2 teaspoons unsulphured molasseskefir grains, about 1 tablespoon per 4 cups of waterThis is your first ferment, that sits at room temperature for 2 days. I use sugar and molasses because I no longer buy brown sugar, I just mix molasses with regular sugar. Filter out your grains, and repeat.Now for the soda:8 cups kefir water4 cups juice1/2 cup sugar6 Grolsh-style flip-top bottlesI just bought Grolsh beer and made the beer drinker empty them. Dissolve your sugar in the juice. Add all the kefir water. Fill your bottles, and cap. The bottle now sit for two days, then they go in the fridge. When you open them, be very careful, as it carbonates most the time like champagne, so it will shoot out like champagne, which is made worse by the fact that you'll have fruit pulp waiting to go everywhere too. I unclip the bottle, allow some pressure out, and reclip a few times. (See my customer images.)You can use pretty much any juice that doesn't have preservatives, except for citric acid, which is fine. Also, the juice can't be too acidic. I haven't tried it, but I think for example just pineapple juice would be too acid. What works great is the inexpensive Dole brand juice blends, Pina colada being my favorite, and all of those are ok, because they are mostly apple/pear rather than what the front of the label says. What works great surprisingly is the V8 Fusions, which are mostly vegetable juice. The strawberry banana is great. Plus it's fun to give people a 'vegetable' soda.

I loved and appreciated how fast the product got here and how fresh and well packaged it was!! I do wish I had received more directions with the product. I got it started just fine, but felt lost as to what to do next to get it going. I was not successful in getting onto the website (that came with it) that has the directions so I had to go elsewhere to find that info. The company owner seemed super nice and had info for me to get in touch with her, and I really appreciate that, I a have really busy schedule and it was just easier for me to look up other websites, on my own time frame, for info at the time, than to call. I can tell she really takes care and pride in her product and it shows!! I feel like it was totally worth every penny! thank you!