IS IT OK TO AGITATE MILK or WATER KEFIR DURING FERMENTATION?
Yes, this practice is quite acceptable and I highly encourage it. Caucasians were said to regularly rock or knock the kefir-culturing leather bag during fermentation of milk-kefir, possibly as a religious ritual with beneficial consequences for the culture process.The leather bag was frequently moved around, especially in cooler weather in order to place the bag in a warmer location [in a sunny spot during colder sunny days or near a fireplace]. Agitation assists the fermentation by dispersing the microflora leaving the grains, in areas where milk is less inoculated with organisms that leave the surface of the grains. This also provides readily available nutrients for the microflora on the surface and within the grains. I’ve found that rocking the container frequently, increases kefir grain-growth rate, including the actual size of each grain [Please see increasing biomass FAQ 8]. Agitating the brew after the first 8 hours fermentation can improve consistency of milk-kefir. With water
