SOS General Store

Preserving

To dry kefir grains, rinse and drain as for wet. Then place them on 2 layers of clean cheesecloth and air dry them at room temperature for 36-48 hours. If the room doesn’t have good circulation, use a fan, but don’t direct it right at the grains; you’ll have them all over the room! When dry, place the grains in an envelope or wrap them in aluminum foil. Kept in a cool, dry place, dried grains will remain active for 12 to 18 months.

Reactivation

If left dry and kept in room temperature you can reactivate them slowly.  Soak them in water for 4-8 hours and transfer to another container along with approx. one cup of milk.  Let them settle and feed on it first for about a day.  Transfer the grains and add a bigger batch of milk.  Slowly increasing it day after day until it can culture a quart and so on.  Slowly but surely, you will get it back to it’s happy healthy self.  Also, if you don’t have milk, use sugar water to store the grains in while you are keeping them in the refrigerator, like if you are going on vacation.  (Sugar is needed to feed the grains).  They can last 2 or 3 weeks like this.