DO I NEED TO RINSE KEFIR GRAINS OR FAST THEM IN WATER. WHATS BEST?
Under most circumstances kefir grains do not need to be rinsed with water [or fresh milk] between each milk change, or fasted in fresh cold water either. If you ever do rinse your grains with water, just be sure to use non chlorinated, sterile, COLD water [The water should first be boiled then cooled to room temperature]. Using fresh milk instead of water to rinse the grains should also be avoided, if the rinsing-milk is going to be discarded. The rinsing of kefir grains has came about after the mother-culture was introduced to the western world, possibly in the belief that rinsing inhibits or removes weed microorganisms from the surface of the grains [this is modern-day microbe-phobia]. Rinsing the grains has been found to upset the rhythm of the microflora found on the surface of the grains. This is because of the fashion in which the organisms are arranged over the surface of the grain. With the use of clean, fresh milk to prepare kefir, there is very little risk in culturing weed m
