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Beverages ferment

Water kefir

IntermediateAlso: tibicos

Translucent grains ferment sugar water into a light, fizzy drink.

Temperature
20–25 °C
Time
24–72 hours (+ optional 12–48 hours second ferment)

Timeline

Water kefir timeline

  1. Stage 1: Mixstart · about 18 min

    Hands-on

  2. Stage 2: First fermentfrom 18 min · about 48 h

    Fermenting / waiting — 20–25 °C

  3. Stage 3: Second ferment (sealed)from 2 days · about 24 h

    Fermenting / waiting — Burp daily

  4. Stage 4: Refrigeratefrom 3 days · keeps about 7 days

    Cold storage — About a week

Ingredients

  • Water kefir grains
  • Sugar water (about 50–80 g sugar per litre)
  • Optional: a little dried fruit or lemon

Equipment

  • Glass jar
  • Cloth cover
  • Plastic or stainless sieve
  • Pressure-safe bottles

Steps

  1. Dissolve sugar in water; cool to room temperature.
  2. Add grains (about 3–4 tbsp per litre); cover with a cloth.
  3. Ferment 24–72 hours at 20–25 °C until less sweet.
  4. Strain grains into fresh sugar water.
  5. Optional second ferment in sealed bottles with fruit, 12–48 hours — burp daily — then refrigerate.

Is it working?

  • Less sweet, slightly tart
  • Fizzy
  • Grains plump and multiplying

Smell & texture: Light, fruity, slightly yeasty.

Signs tell you it's fermenting, not that it's safe: never rely on smell or appearance alone.

Safety, mould and discard rules

Mould or yeast?

Water kefir should not grow anything on the surface. Any fuzz, spots or coloured patches (pink, orange, green, black) mean contamination: discard the whole batch — don't scrape it off.

Storage

Refrigerate bottles; open carefully.

Shelf life: About a week in the fridge; carbonation keeps building.

The science: what's happening

Water kefir grains (a dextran matrix of bacteria and yeasts) ferment sugar into lactic and acetic acids, CO₂ and a little alcohol.

Organisms

  • Lactic acid bacteria (Lacticaseibacillus, Liquorilactobacillus and others)
  • Yeasts (Saccharomyces and others)
  • Acetic acid bacteria

Troubleshooting

Grains not growing
Use a mineral-rich sugar (some unrefined) and don't use honey-only.

A dish (not a ferment) gone wrong? Try Recipe Rescue.

Learn more

Sources

Guidance changes: check the source for current wording. Original text; figures quoted from the sources where stated.