How To Make Homemade Tibicos Fruit Kefir
Learn how to make homemade tibicos fruit kefir the simple way, no experience needed. Whatever you call it: Tibicos Kefir, Fruit Kefir or Water Kefir, your inner microbiome (and your parched taste buds) will thank you.
Probiotics don’t have to come out of a lab, carbonation doesn’t have to come out of canisters and homemade fermentation doesn’t have to be complicated.
Homemade tibicos fruit kefir AKA living water kefir is an ancestral, refreshing, nourishing and gut-loving probiotic drink you can easily make yourself. Thus bypassing industrial processes, undisclosed “natural flavourings” and gut microbe-destroying chemicals or pasteurisation.
Consequently with just quality filtered water, organic untreated lemon, a couple of dried figs (still organic obvs), and some tibicos kefir grains, you can brew a naturally fizzy, fruity water kefir.
- A World of Flavours – How To Make Homemade Tibicos Fruit Kefir
- Could I Just Buy Ready-Made Fruit Kefir at the Store?
- Where do I find Tibicos Fruit Kefir Grains?
- How to Make Homemade Tibicos Fruit Kefir Recipe
- Storage Tips for Homemade Tibicos Fruit Kefir
A World of Flavours – How To Make Homemade Tibicos Fruit Kefir
There are many different flavour variations to try whether that is in the first fermentation (F1) or the second (F2). Once you have mastered the basic recipe and how to make homemade tibicos fruit kefir, you can experiment to your heart’s content.
I’ve found the original, simple, organic lemon and dried figs to be the best base. Which is why I always come back to this recipe because it’s easy, effective and very tasty, even without the added extras and flavours at the second ferment.
Could I Just Buy Ready-Made Fruit Kefir at the Store?
In my opinion, buying any fermented products in the shops isn’t ideal, as you have no control over the procedures. Whether that is with regards to the quality of ingredients, the process and intention in production, the pasteurisation and often, less than optimal storage conditions.
It is hard to tell if the fermented product you are paying extra for actually contains any good bacteria after all that industrial transformation! With that being said, there are some options for small-batch, reasonably produced local kefir and it’s worth doing your research if the choice is to buy ready-made for the time being.
Furthermore, if you are hoping to bolster your body’s microbiome with wild and natural probiotics, there’s very little point in buying fermented products that have been pasteurised. The pasteurisation process of heating aims to kill all living elements thus leaving the end-product inert or with very little beneficial microbial life. Essentially, be wary of the claims of some store-bought fermented products that have also been pasteurised. I suspect that they are no more useful to our body’s ecology than the typical sugary sodas and junk food despite the claims of pasteurisation being “safer”.
With so many scandals and lies hidden on store shelves these days, it becomes hard to trust in the marketing claims of those seeking to profit from us. Which is why learning how to make your own homemade tibicos fruit kefir guarantees full production control over what you are consuming. You save money, resources in logistics and packaging, and get the satisfaction of making your own delicious beverages that are full of beneficial wild cultures and living probiotics!
Where do I find Tibicos Fruit Kefir Grains?
There are a number of places that tibicos fruit kefir grains or water kefir starter cultures can be found, either dried or fresh. The best place in my opinion is via community groups on marketplace sites such as Facebook, Craigslist, Le Bon Coin, Gumtree etc.
As far as I’m concerned, kefir grains should be locally given for free! Simply because a healthy brew of homemade tibicos fruit kefir will yield new grains every single time. Sometimes even doubling every 24-48 hours!
To charge someone for what the kefir provides freely and abundantly, and is otherwise thrown away or composted, is truly a late-stage capitalism nightmare to me. Especially as this beverage is rooted in folk culture of sharing and exchanging amongst peers.
Admittedly if the grains have been dried and posted, that is extra effort undertaken by the brewer and maybe some token of financial gesture or energy exchange is appropriate. However, to make a big profit margin from this type of thing doesn’t sit right with me.
Nonetheless, as we do actually live amongst a bizarre world where we have to pay to survive so you will find a number of people willing to sell you them. “We all have bills to pay!” As they say.
If you decide you wish to pay for them, please do favour local, small-scale businesses rather than using Amazon or any other huge corporate machine to procure your tibicos fruit kefir grains.
How to Make Homemade Tibicos Fruit Kefir
Recipe for Homemade Water Kefir with Natural Whole Fruit Flavour
Prep time: approx. 10 minutes at each step
Fermentation time: Temperature and starter grain quantity dependant; 24–72 hours
Difficulty: Easy
Equipment
- Funnel (helpful but not essential)
- Minimum 1-litre glass jar or fermenting vessel
- Piece of breathable cloth or paper ideally reusable; cotton, linen, coffee filter, muslin, etc.
- Elastic band to secure the cover on the jar and keep any bugs out
- Wooden or plastic spoon (many say to avoid metal but I think brief contact isn’t an issue)
- Plastic mesh strainer (again metal can be used if that is all you have)
- Measuring cups/spoons/digital kitchen scale
- Swing-top bottles for a fizzy second fermentation
Make sure all your equipment is thoroughly cleaned and well rinsed to avoid any soap residue that could negatively affect the fermentation.
Ingredients
NOTE: All ingredients are always organic and of the highest quality that one can source with regards to welfare of people and places.
Choosing organic is vital as any chemical or pesticide residue in standard produce is likely to impact the culture negatively.
The ratio for grains to sugar is 1:1. You can increase or decrease the quantity of grains, but do so in the same ratio as the sugar and be aware that this will likely affect the time of fermentation.
For First Fermentation (F1):
- 30g–60g (3–6 tablespoons) hydrated Tibicos fruit water kefir grains
- 30g–60g (1/4 cup) organic sugar (e.g. cane, coconut sugar, etc.)
- 1 litre (4 cups) non-chlorinated, room-temperature filtered water
- 1–2 organic lemon slices
- 1–4 organic dried figs (unsulfured)
For Second Fermentation (F2 – Whole Fruit Flavouring):
- Fruit of your choice (e.g. berries, citrus slices, etc.)
- Herbs or spices (e.g. fresh ginger, mint, basil, cinnamon stick, etc.)
- Swing-top glass bottles (ideally recycled for bonus points)
Activate Your Tibicos Fruit Kefir Grains if Dried
- Dissolve 1/4 cup sugar in 4 cups warm water (allow to cool before use).
- Add Tibicos kefir grains and allow to sit at room temperature (19-26°C / 66-78°F) for 3–5 days. Keep an eye on them.
- Once grains rehydrate, are nice and plumped up and start producing bubbles, they’re ready.
- Drain the liquid with the strainer and weigh your grains, proceed to the first step of how to make homemade tibicos fruit kefir below.
How to Make Homemade Tibicos Fruit Kefir Recipe Method
Step 1: Tibicos Fruit Kefir First Fermentation (F1)
- Drain the rehydrated grains from the soaking liquid, discard the liquid and weigh the grains.
- To a clean glass jar / fermenting vessel: add tibicos grains, lemon slices, sugar and dried fruit.
- Cover jar with a (ideally reusable) breathable cloth (cotton, muslin, etc.) or coffee filter secured with a rubber band.
- Leave to ferment at room temperature (19-26°C / 66-78°F) for 24 to 48 hours.
- Taste at 24h: it should be lightly sweet and mildly tangy.
- Longer ferment = less sugar, more tang.
Step 2: Strain and Bottle
- Strain kefir using a strainer and a funnel into a clean container, ideally a swing-top glass bottle.
- Reserve the grains for the next batch (you can reuse immediately or store in sugar water in the fridge).
Step 3: Tibicos Fruit Kefir Second Fermentation (F2 – Optional)
Note: Although the F2 is optional I would not recommend skipping it even if you don’t add any extra flavours or fruit, this is where the original flavour and the natural carbonation builds. If you want incredibly tasty, fizzy tibicos water kefir then don’t skip this step.
- Add cleaned and chopped organic fruit pieces, high-quality organic raw juice, herbs, or spices to each bottle if you wish to flavour your kefir. In my opinion, the original kefir flavour is delicious enough without any further additions but it is fun to experiment, the world is your cornucopia.
- Pour strained kefir into swing-top bottles, leaving 3cm (approx. 1 inch) headspace.
- Close tightly and leave at room temperature (19-26°C / 66-78°F) for 24–48 hours to carbonate (don’t forget to burp the bottles periodically to avoid any explosions, depending on the temperature this could be every 12-24 hours).
- Open carefully over a sink, natural carbonated pressure builds up!
- Refrigerate and enjoy chilled and strained to remove any fermented fruit or flavour additions.
Storage Tips for Homemade Tibicos Fruit Kefir
- Refrigerated after F2 to slow fermentation and preserve fizz.
- REMEMBER to burp the bottles (gently open the lid over the sink to release gas) periodically or the bottle can explode!
- After the initial consumption, consume the remainder within 1–5 days for best flavour and carbonation. The longer it is kept, the less fizzy it gets.
If you want to take a break from making your own delicious, probiotic rich fruit kefir:
- The tibicos kefir grains can be stored short-term in sugar water in the fridge or indefinitely if they are dried and stored correctly.
Homemade Heaven
If you are currently riding the DIY train straight to a life of conscious and caring craft, why not check out our other ‘How To’ recipes and homemade goodies on TheSortingHouse.
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