About a year ago, I wrote about water kefir, so I’m not going to go into a lot of detail about what it is. For background information on water kefir, why it’s awesome, and a basic how-to and recipe, please check out my post, Water, Water, Everywhere, and Lots of Drops to Drink. I did, however, want to write an updated post about my new experiences with water kefir. And by new, I mean post-Mason jar era.
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The Post Mason-Jar Era of Brewing Water Kefir
Awhile back, I invested in a couple of Fido-style jars for my ferments. Because I cannot afford to shell out the money for the Pickl-It jars at this time, this was the next best option. They are the same type of jars, except the Pickl-It jars come with an airlock and hole drilled into the lid (not something I am going to attempt to do, so I will be going airlock-free for now). So far, the ferments that I have made in my Fido jars have been awesome! Waaaaaaaaay better than my mason jar ferments ever were.
Dear Trusty Mason Jar,
I still love you and you hold a very special place in my heart and my kitchen. I will continue to use you daily, just not for my ferments.
Yours Truly,
Jessica
So, when I got the Fido jars, I decided that the first thing I wanted to do was make water kefir in them. According to the research that I discussed in my post, Fermenting Methods: We’ve Had it All Wrong, where I shared the information that KerryAnn from Cooking Traditional Foods had been putting out, one of the things we covered was that kefir, both milk and water, need to be anaerobic ferments. This was a total change from the way I had been taught (mason jar with a coffee filter). I was skeptical, but I usually am of anything that takes me out of my normal routine!
So, I made my normal sugar water mixture (1/4 cup organic cane sugar to 1 quart of filtered water) and placed the cooled liquid in my 1 liter Fido jar with my water kefir grains. I latched the lid and left it to sit on my counter at room temperature for 24 hours. I always make my water kefir in the evenings, so I had meant to burp it the next morning, but forgot. There were some rumors that if you used these Fido-style jars without the airlocks and you did not burp them, they would explode. So far, I have not experienced this and I honestly don’t think it is a commonplace occurrence.
The following evening (24 hours from the start of the kefir), I decided it was ready to be bottled for the second ferment. The first ferment smelled just like you expect water kefir to smell (slightly sweet and yeasty, but pleasant).
And then there was the fizz!
I have never had the first ferment of my water kefir get this fizzy, but this stuff was bubbling so much that when I filled up my flip-top Grolsch-style bottles for a second ferment, the bottles actually overflowed, even though I was a good inch below the mouth of the bottle. I added some fresh lemon juice and some sliced peaches. I capped the bottles and let them sit out at room temperature for another 24 hours. Then I stuck the bottles in the fridge.
The next day, after the bottles had been in the fridge overnight and were nice and cold, I cracked one of them open. It was an immediate geyser of water kefir. I grabbed a glass and salvaged as much as possible. But, let me tell you — I have never, ever had water kefir that was so fizzy and I have been using my flip-top bottles for a long time. To me, that was a good indication that the first ferment yielded very happy water kefir. Plus, the taste of the water kefir was like no other water kefir I’d ever brewed. It was mild, super fizzy, and uber refreshing, especially since Denver has been on a heat wave streak with 100+ degree weather. An ice cold glass of water kefir will satisfy your thirst and give your belly love!
So, that sealed the deal for me. From that point on, I have been brewing my water kefir in my Fido-style canning jars and have never had better tasting, super bubbly water kefir. I cannot recommend the Fido jars enough. They are totally transforming the way I ferment!
Check out this Water Kefir Flavor Guide for lots of ideas on how to flavor your water kefir!
Do you want to start making your own water kefir at home? If so, read my post “How to Make Water Kefir“. If you have questions about water kefir, check out my Water Kefir FAQs. Also, my friend Lydia over at Divine Health From The Inside Out put together a Water Kefir Troubleshooting post, that might be helpful to new brewers and experienced brewers alike!
For more information on water kefir, check out these posts:
52 Weeks of Bad A** Bacteria – Week 23 – Water Kefir Revisited
Water, Water, Everywhere, and Lots of Drops to Drink!
Water Kefir Flavor Guide – Lots of Delicious Fizzy Flavors!
So, tell me. How do you brew your water kefir? Have you tried the Fido jars? If so, what has been your experience? Leave me a comment below!
DISCLOSURE: This post contains affiliate links and/or ads. I only recommend products or services that I have personally tried and love. For these products, I am part of their affiliate program and when you make a purchase through any of these links, I earn a small commission on each sale, which allows me to cover a portion of the cost of this site. This has no effect on your sale price and is simply a cost of doing business for the company you are purchasing from. All funds received help with the continued maintenance of this website and free content. You can view it like leaving a tip. Thank you! Read our full terms and conditions here.
Delicious Obsessions was founded by Jessica Espinoza in 2010. Jessica is passionate about real food, natural living, and more. She helps people see how to eat nourishing food, without breaking the bank. Her motto is "baby steps" -- making small, lasting changes, one at a time, is the best way to ensure long-term success. This website contains "affiliate links" where appropriate, on which, I may earn a small commission or referral fee on your purchase. This has no effect on your price. The monies earned help maintain and support this website's hosting, maintenance, and the development of free content. The content shared on this site is for informational and educational purposes only. Statements/products discussed have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and are not intended to diagnose, cure, treat, or prevent any disease or illness. Please consult your own health care practitioner before making changes to your current diet or before beginning any herbal or vitamin supplement regimen or exercise program.
Wow, I am so thankful for this post! I have just ordered my first batch of water kefir grains, and I’m so nervous to get it right! It is so helpful to be able to benefit from the experience of others
Question: after your initial experience with overflowing bottles, have you adjusted your method in any way to eliminate (or minimize) that issue?
The best way to prevent the overflow is to just not fill the bottles as full. Also, I have only experienced overflow problems when I use the flip-top bottles. I typically leave about a half inch of space between the top of the liquid and the lid, but to minimize overflow, you could leave a lot more than that. Most people leave and inch to an inch and a half of space (but we like it super fizzy and are willing to waste a little to have extra fizz).
Let me get this straight. The Fido jars have a rubber seal that prevents gas from escaping, right? When you fermented water kefir in a mason jar were you using a plastic lid or a two-piece lid with the rubber sealing compound?
I’ve never heard of doing water kefir (or milk kefir) without a hard lid.
If you used a plastic lid I can see how gas could escape since those things are pretty leaky – even if tightened down hard. But if you used a two-piece lid with intact sealing compound then how does it differ from the Fido?
Hi Laurel – Yes, the Fido jars have a rubber seal. However, my friend Lea over at Nourishing Treasures, has been doing some testing on Fido jars and it appears that the jars will self-burp themselves when the pressure builds up too much. The way I was taught to brew water kefir was to use a Mason jar with a coffee filter, a tea towel, or a very loose lid over the top. I was told not to seal the jar, as the ferment needed to breath. I was taught this by several people who I considered experts at the time. But, in light of KerryAnn’s information and my experience brewing WK in the Fido jars, I’ve changed my technique. According to what I have read, the only way to get a Mason jar lid to become air-tight and therefor anaerobic, is to actually go through the canning process, which is not possible when doing live ferments.
Laurel,
You can get a tight seal with the metal lid and ring. However, it’s just the right seal with no way for the CO2 to escape.
The Fido, on the other hand, is airtight, but because of the gasket, it allows the CO2 to escape.
So you need both a tight seal and a way for the CO2 to escape. If you want to use the metal lid and ring, you need to install an airlock. You can also use the Cooking God’s Way airlock system which has a gasket between the white lid and jar. It passed my pressure test and with the airlock, allows the CO2 to escape.
Lea H @ Nourishing Treasures recently posted..Sauerkraut Survivor, Day 10: The Purge
Thanks Lea, for the clarification!
I need to get some of the fido-style jars! That sounds awesome! I’ve been using the mason jar/coffee filter method, and I do get bubbles with my 2nd ferment, but not like you describe. I’m north of you in Fort Collins, so something cool and refreshing like that sounds nice.
Hi Ginny! I love meeting new local people! Have you been affected by the fire? I pray you haven’t had to evacuate or anything. My thoughts are with all of the residents of that area and other areas where the fires are happening in CO. Last report I heard this morning, there were 12 fires happening across the state.
The Fido jars are awesome and I hope you can try them out!
Hi Ginny,
I’m in Ft Collins, too, and am lookimg for someone to barter with. Am looking for water kefir grains, and I have organic MKG and kombucha scoby for the trade.
LMK!
Thanks
I just had to recoup my grains and I am so excited to try this out. I have some of those type of bottles from Ikea that I use for storage. Thanks!!
Fantastic post! I wanted to write one just like this, but have been swamped in sauerkraut
Love it. Love Fido’s.
I like your letter to your mason jars. I feel the same way
Lea H @ Nourishing Treasures recently posted..Sauerkraut Survivor, Day 10: The Purge
Love my Mason jars. Also love my Fidos! I’m going to go get some more Fidos tonight!!! WOOO HOO!
I’m glad you posted this Jessica. I just noticed recently that people were brewing with a cloth or coffee filter, and I thought, that’s odd. Then I noticed places that actually sell water kefir grains were teaching this method, which puzzled me. So, I set out to put the word out on facebook and in a post of my own to inform people that water kefir is an ANAEROBIC ferment. I don’t know what it becomes when you ferment it aerobically – but I do know that my milk kefir fermented in a mason jar was tested and came back with evidence of mold – it wasn’t visible to me, but tested positive. So, I don’t think people should take this lightly. I’m sad to hear that in Sandor Katz new book he says that water kefir does not thrive on oxygen or need it but it also does okay with it. UGH! An entire book on fermentation, by an ‘expert’ and it’s not accurate. Nothing against Sandor, but I think we’ve been far too flippant with our ferments and it’s time to set it all straight – one post, one ferment at a time!
lydia recently posted..Fourth of July: Recipe Inspiration
For years, I have brewed my WK with just a towel or cheesecloth, because that’s what I was taught. I never suffered any ill effects, but it never got super bubbly and always tasted a little “stale”. Not in a bad way, but it just wasn’t as light and refreshing as I expected. Once I stated using the Fido jar, things dramatically improved! It is unbelievably fizzy (both the first and second ferment) and tastes super light and refreshing. I can’t get enough of it!
:)
Thanks for sharing hour experience! I just have a silly question -(but I will make this for 1st time and trying to get everything I need). My questio; can you use a plastic funnel to put it in bottles? Cause I heard you’re not suppose to use plastic?!
Thanks a lot
Not a silly question at all!
I use a plastic funnel to bottle mine. You don’t want to brew or bottle in plastic, but I really don’t see a problem using plastic for bottling purposes!
Thanks a lot Jessica
Ok I’m sorry I have one last question -(hopefully) – I’m ordering now the fido jars for brewing- do I need to use the same bottles you’re using from them also or can I use the glass bottles I have already from the store, can I reuse them or that will affect the 2nd fermentation to flavor it?!
Hi Ghada – Are you talking about the jars for the second ferment? You can do a second ferment in whatever jars you would like. The nice thing about the flip-top bottles like I use is that they are airtight and help build up more carbonation. I have done second ferments in mason jars, old kombucha bottles, etc., but the WK is never fizzy enough for my liking. I also think that the flavor stays better in the flip-top bottles, but that could just be my tastes buds. I hope this helps!
After reading your post I switched my WK to a Fido like jar (Mine are from Ikea). I was so excited that I didnt have to buy anything new right away as I use the jars to keep my beans etc in. I’ll try to remember to post an update on my results.
Thanks for the great post.
Thanks for stopping by! Ultimately, I want to get some of the Pickl-It jars, but until I can afford to invest in some, I will continue using the Fidos! I look forward to hearing how it goes!