Kefir Starter Culture - Pack of 12 Freeze Dried Sachets for Milk Kefir

The Kefir Starter Cultures (Pack of 12 Freeze-Dried Sachets) are an excellent choice for making homemade milk kefir. The results are consistently impressive, with a taste and texture that are perfectly balanced. I used these cultures with a 24-hour setting in an Instant Pot, followed by a 10-hour rest in the fridge before bottling. The kefir turned out creamy, tangy, and smooth—exactly as it should be. The process is straightforward, and the sachets make it easy to prepare small, fresh batches. Having switched to this brand after my previous one became unavailable, I’m pleased to say this is just as good, if not better. The quality and reliability of the cultures ensure I’ll be repurchasing these in the future.

Very good starter. I fermented it overnight and got kefir in the morning. Someone wrote that the starter does not work, so I doubted it, but still chose this company, since their product does not contain maltodextrin! 1) In order to get good kefir/yogurt, you must follow the instructions from the manufacturer! The starter begins to ferment only in a warm environment. If you don’t have a yogurt maker, then, do not cover the jar on top, but wrap it around! Use thick towel, preferably a blanket (I used flannel), the slower the milk cools, the better the kefir will turn out! 2) It is very important to use natural milk, preferably organic. If bacteria or antibiotics are added to the milk, the milk will not ferment. Buy milk from another companies and see which one works better? 3) It is important to pour boiling water over the jars to disinfect them. I used 2 one-liter jars, and added one sachet of starter to each, as you can see, fermented, so I can say with confidence that there are no problems with the starter! The taste is very good without sourness, it's tender, dense, with a creamy texture. I highly recommend this product. I used Yeo Valley Organic Milk, next time I will buy from another manufacture. I like to experiment )) PS: I usually don’t write reviews, but this time I wrote it because of a negative comment so that buyers would not doubt the quality of the product!

For my first foray into kefir making I bought both this (by Natural Probiotic Selection) and Milk Kefir Starter Cultures (by The Kefir Company). There are some clear differences between the culturing of the two and the consistency of the resulting kefir. The instructions with this product, given on the pack and the sachets, and also in documents accessed via an email sent to the buyer, are a little contradictory with each other, and make it sound rather more complicated than necessary. I did not boil the milk as instructed (surely this is only necessary if you were to use unpasturised milk, I reasoned). I did microwave the milk a little to warm it up to room temperature before mixing the powder. I did this with both products, using around a litre of organic milk with each in parfait jars, and left in a place where the temperature varied between 20-30 degrees. The TKC product was ready more quickly, in a bit more than 36 but certainly less than 48 hours, whereas this NPS product needed the full 48. The TKC product was more grainy and watery (though you can stir it to homogenise it a little, but this isn't overly successful) and the NPS is rather more uniform but sticky and gloopy. Reculturing in both cases requires saving around 3 tbsp of the product and adding up to a litre of milk again. This time the NPS product recultured far faster - the instructions speak of as little as 3-6 hours but that would probably be at the top of the temperature range, but for me it was around 9 or 10 hours, but a few more hours for the TKC - I didn't warm the milk after taking it out the fridge and temperatures this time probably didn't get above the low to mid twenties. For reculturing you really need to check on it every few hours to see how it is going. The NPS seemed even thicker this time round, and the TKC still a bit grainy and watery, but less so. In summary, both of these products are easy to make, but take different times and make different consistencies of kefir. If I were to choose one of the two products, I would certainly choose this NPS one because of the quicker reculturing time and the thick, uniform consistency, and also because you get 12 sachets for the price of 3 of the TKC one. I will probably keep buying both though for variation in the probiotics they contain.

Followed the instructions given. Placed the jar on a seed heating mat and got creamy thick Kefir in 12 hours.

Pleasantly surprised at how easy it was to make kefir. First time I have made it - I used organic coconut milk: 2 cans, just under a litre, to one sachet of probiotic, put it in an ordinary Tupperware container (I know glass is best but had nothing the right size!), covered with a muslin cloth and elastic band and then left in warmish place in the kitchen. Less than 24 hours later, a really nice kefir, slightly tart taste, less sweet and cloying than straight coconut milk. Thinner than yoghurt, more of a drink. Good base for smoothies and so healthy! Very good website at 'Cultures for Health' from which you can download free e-books about kefir/yoghurt making, kombucha, vegetables etc. Lots of ideas about how to use the kefir such as cheese making and baking. These particular sachets are direct set starter culture, a fine powder. You can re-use by keeping a quarter cup of your first kefir and adding to a second batch but it seems you can only do this a few times. These are good for trying first to see if you like kefir and maybe for people who don't want to keep a batch of kefir on the go indefinitely. However, if you want to use kefir a lot you might prefer kefir grains, a living culture, which can be maintained theoretically forever by keeping it in milk. The grains (not literally grains, just have the appearance of) also have a wider range of probiotics and yeasts than direct set so are probably more beneficial.

Delivery was fast and information on how to use the kefir was automatically emailed to me. I started my kefir off but wasn't sure if it was correct so I wrote and got a very prompt personal reply explaining that all was fine and I have been making my own kefir milk with ease. I'm not keen on the texture but I mix mine with jelly and it makes it very acceptable as a dessert for the whole family. The flavour of the dried mix is very mild. This does not create 'grains', you use a bit of your current culture to start the next one. The benefit of having dried mix means if you've had enough of making your own kefir milk you can stop and restart another culture, using the next sachet when you feel like starting again. I understand the culture can be stored in the fridge for a short period to give yourself a short break from kefir, I have also tried freezing a small amount but not thawed it to see if that works. Dried mix seems to make a milder version of kefir, which is good for beginners. Regular kefir makers would probably be better buying fresh grains.

This product is not for making Kefir (as stated in the product description) but yogurt. They are not real Kefir grains. Totally disappointed! Zero stars

Amazing stuff. I heard 'kefir' mentioned in a BBC Radio 4 programme a few days ago. Apparently research has been done into all the 'probiotic' yoghurt and drinks that are available - and kefir was the only thing found to have any actual health benefit. Went to Amazon and found this supplier. Looked good at the price as a starter for a learner. Ordered it in that afternoon and it arrived the very next afternoon by post through the letterbox via Amazon Prime. Nipped out (despite the drizzle) to buy two litres of organic, pasteurized, homogenized whole milk. 'Steamed' about one and a half litres of the milk in the microwave in a sterilized microwaveable container for ten minutes or so, as suggested by a previous reviewer. Cooled it down to tepid in a cold water bath for a couple of hours. Sterilized a glass coffee jug I never use (being an old home brewer I know that cleanliness and sterilization is the key - plenty of hot water and a Camden tablet or powder if available - then a thorough rinse). There didn't seem to be all that much in the sachet I opened so I put it all in the jug and 'forcefully' poured on the tepid milk so that I didn't have to use another utensil to stir it. I covered the lid of the jug with a kitchen towel held on with a rubber band and popped it in the boiler cupboard/airing cupboard as advised by another reviewer. The very next morning I had a jugful of tangy yoghurt type milk kefir! I left it for a few hours longer then mixed it in another container with some tinned fruit cocktail (without the juice). I didn't wash the jug I'd used to ferment the kefir, I steamed some more milk, let it cool, poured it into the jug, swilled it around a bit and put it back in the airing cupboard. And, yes, the next morning another jug of milk kefir! I think that I'll have to put some of it in a small container and freeze it to use as a starter when thawed out for another batch when I need it. If I carry on with the fermenting cycle I think I'll soon be knee deep in kefir! As to health benefits I have a dollop of it with milk and cereal in the morning - and I already seem to feel 'smoother'. Highly recommended. I think I'll have a go with the actual 'grains' later on, and then Kombucha next I think!

Muy buen producto. Resulta algo caro pero no lo es porque de cada sobre, una ve hecho el kéfir, con un par de cucharas haces nuevo y dura muchísimo el pack.

Ottimi fermenti per ottenere un buon kefir cremoso e per niente acido. Ovviamente non è simile al kefir ottenuto direttamente dai grani, però il prodotto che si ottiene è molto interessante dal punto di vista del sapore. Per ora ho utilizzato due bustine su tre ed ho sempre ottenuto un buon risultato. Ho provato anche ad usare il fondo di una produzione, circa 150 gr, per ottenere un'altro litro di kefir. Personalmente uso una normale yogurtiera che mantiene la temperatura costante per la durata del processo, circa 12 ore.

This is not my first time at bat. I've used my last back up of kefir grains before and have baked them and other disasters. Another chance. So, I stirred one packet into a liter of 3.25 MF milk, and put it in the oven with the light bulb on. The temp rose to about 35C. When it stiffened up a bit (about day and a half), I threw it in the fridge. I'm drinking it now. It's fresh tasting, and tart. Good, I like to put a spoonful of sugar and a drop of vanilla in. OMG good. I have started from other grains, and you can tell when it is done by the "cracks" in it. This stuff is very smooth and homogenized from the get go. Give it a tip test to see when it's thick enough for you. It's very polished and tasty. I confess, now there is a shot of vodka in it, and I'm lovin' it. NSFL: I got started on this stuff because I hoped it would help with years if chronic diarrhea. I can't see much difference. I've heard it has helped many other people with digestive problems. I know it does feel like velvet in my stomach, and when I'm lazy or in a rush, it's a great meal replacement. This is the tastiest stuff I have ever had. To the dealer: Amazon alerted me that my parcel was likely lost in the mail. I cancelled my order, got a refund, so you did not get paid. It came later. Email me, I owe you.

Diese Kefirkultur wird tatsächlich stichfest. Zwar habe ich noch nicht herausgefunden wie sich daraus eine richtige Pilzknolle entwickelt aber vielleicht entsteht das ja zufällig.

Worked great and makes amazing kefir! I used it with my raw goat milk. Getting your temperature right has a huge impact on taste and texture. You have to play around with your technique to figure out what you like. You can keep grains from your first kefir batch to keep making more and keep the other packets in your freezer in case you end up killing your kefir culture ☺️