Water kefir grains may benefit from water sources with higher mineral content. Well water and spring water can be naturally high in mineral content and are ideal for making kefir.
Avoid distilled water, reverse osmosis water, and water which has been filtered through an activated carbon filter (such as a Britta or Pur) which often have extremely low or non-existent mineral levels. If any of these are your type of water you have, we suggest purchasing spring water and using it to brew your water kefir.
Mineral Supplements
When using a mineral supplement, it’s important to start by using just one supplement to avoid overloading the grains. Try adding one of the following supplements to your next batch of water kefir and see how your kefir and grains react.
- 1/8 teaspoon unrefined sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon plain baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon unsulphured blackstrap molasses
Using City Tap Water
If using city tap water, we recommend boiling the water for 20 minutes to remove chlorine, then allow it to cool to room temperature. You can also let your tap water stand for 24 hours to allow the chlorine to evaporate.
Structured, alkalized, or pH-adjusted water is not appropriate for fermenting water kefir.