Kefir Culture - Freeze Dried - Special offer: see below
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Special offer: Order 2 and get the second half price OR order 3 and get the third free!
Kefir is a traditional blend of lactobacilli and sacchromyces yeast which is very easy to grow and has a long history of health benefits - it keeps the upper gut slightly acidic, displaces unfriendly bacteria, is directly toxic to yeast and is anti-inflammatory to the gut. It is a very helpful part of treating the fermenting gut. If, however, there was a history of allergy and/or yeast allergy, then one would use Lactobacillus Rhamnosus in preference to kefir.
One sachet can last a lifetime because cultures can be grown from previous. It grows easily on many substrates including soya mik and coconut milk. Depending on the ambient temperature during the culture stage it may take 36 hours to thicken but obviously the warmer the better - a yoghurt flask is ideal. PLEASE NOTE THIS PRODUCT IS NON-REFUNDABLE. See Kefir
How to make Kefir
Composition
Lactococus lactis subsp., leuconostoc subsp., streptococcus thermophiles, lactobacillus subsp., kefir yeast, kefir grains microflora., dextrose (used as food for the organisms while they are semi- dormant state).
Storage
Sachets of kefir if they are not being used should be stored in the fridge.
Method
(Can be grown on unsweetened Soya milk, Rice milk, almond milk, hazlenut milk and Coconut milk, however, Soya milk has produced the best results) You can grow on almost anything but it does need sugar!
Purchase a 1 ½ litre glass or plastic jug. Into this pour 1 litre of Soya milk, ideally organic and non-GM, but it is essential there is no sugar or fruit juice added to this. If there is then the culture goes fizzy and rather acidic.
Sometimes it helps to gently heat the Soya milk to give the culture a helping hand- but don’t boil it. Warming the milk allows the organisms in the culture to take over and grow.
Add a sachet of kefir, stir, put a lid on the jug (not an air tight lid as the gases will pop it off) and leave at room temperature for about 18-24 hours. These are the standard instructions however, in the colder months kefir may take longer to grow, and it may take up to 48 hours. To give it a helping hand, you could put it in an airing cupboard to keep it warm, under a heated radiator on top or near to a warm rayburn or similar stove. If putting the jug onto a hot surface, place on a plate first. Another patient found wrapping a microwavable wheat pack around the jug helped it to grow.
At the end of this time the Kefir will have gone to a semi solid consistency. It will have a distinctive, sour fragrance. Wait until it tastes sharp and then the sugar will have been fermented out. Store your grown kefir in the fridge. Don’t expect it to look like commercial yoghurt which has often been thickened artificially. Chilling the kefir in the refrigerator will slow down the fermentation of the healthy bacteria and beneficial yeast. Once you get down to the last couple of inches in your jug, repeat the growing process again.
If your house is mainly electric, you may find it easier growing the kefir in a vacuum flask- most modern houses don’t maintain heat over night.
Adding additional ingredients - why not add freeze dried fruits such as peaches, kiwi, bananas, raspberries etc. Frozen or fresh fruit can be added or spices such as nutmeg, cinnamon or ginger.
If your kefir separates into curds and whey, just give it a good stir up before using.
Make kefir cheese
Grow kefir as instructed but leave a little longer at room temperature until the curds separate from the whey.
Line a strainer with cheesecloth and tip the mixture into the lined strainer. The curds or cheese will be caught and the whey will drain. Place the bowl and strainer into the refrigerator and let it drain for several more hours.
You can store your ‘cheese’ in the fridge for up to a week. Kefir cheese is great when tossed into a salad, it’s also delicious when flavoured by adding chopped onions, garlic, sea salt and/ or fresh herbs or served with raw vegetables.
Enjoy!
Customer reviews
Kefir Culture Verified Purchase
After making up a batch with coconut milk and leaving it in the airing cupboard for two days I've been drinking a small cup most days and was surprised how nice it tastes, as it didn't look too appetising. 👍
Suzanne Pitt | Tenbury Wells | April 2026
More clarity needed Verified Purchase
Sadly, my two attempts at using Dr Myhill's freeze dried kefir cultures seemed to fail miserably. I followed the instructions to the letter (i.e. ' PK, The When and How', pg. 159-160). First time, no fermentation occurred at all, despite extending the timeframe to 24 hours at 38 Celsius, and I was left with sugared coconut milk which I did not dare to drink in view of my prediabetic condition. Second time, 48 hours at 38 Celsius seemed to result in a barely noticeable hint of sharpness which was not satisfactory. The clear liquid which collected on the bottom half of my glass container tasted so sugary so that, with great regret, I discarded this, meaning I had lost half the volume of the coconut milk used in this attempt.
I would much appreciate more guidance on this, For example - should these freeze dried cultures be refrigerated after purchase, or are they better stored outside the fridge? (Tried to google this but received contradictory information). What other factors might stand in the way of fermentation? For example, I used no metal containers or implements and my yoghurt maker has a lid which fits but is not airtight. It seems to me that more information may be needed to ensure success. What else is there that I should consider?
I would very much appreciate your thoughts on the above. Please rest assured that nothing would give me grater pleasure than to be able to write a truly positive review if I can crack this one! Many thanks in advance for your help.
Angelika Christofides | London | March 2026
It works Verified Purchase
This kefir culture is my favourite. So far works perfectly well and has a great consistency and taste.
Anna Loza | London | September 2025
dried kefir Verified Purchase
easy to use and good
Jenny Barnes | malvern | June 2025
dried kefire Verified Purchase
easy to use and good
Jenny Barnes | malvern | June 2025
