1. Try less milk - no more than 1 to 2 cups for 1/4-cup of grains until they start to grow. The grains will grow faster if you do consecutive batches and not rest the grains in the refrigerator between batches. They grow slowly if you only use them once a week (or so) and rest them for a week.

2. Temperature does make a difference. The cooler the ambient temperature the longer it takes to ferment (maybe 12-24-hours at 65-degrees F for 1-2 cups of milk), but the curd is very smooth and more mild (I like winter kefir the best). If the temperature is too warm the curd gets gritty, almost like it has crystals in it, and the taste is more pungent.

3. Once you break-up (stir or shake) the curd it will remain a liquid. Kefir curd is smaller than yogurt curd so it's more "delicate", but easier to digest than yogurt because of the smaller curd structure.

4. If you want the solid curd you need to be careful plucking the grains out of the top of the fermenting container. The grains will move to the top as soon as the milk starts to sour (that's how you know it's doing its "job"), and that's where you'll find them when the kefir is done when it comes time to remove them.

5. If you want a solid curd, ferment it until the curd and whey separate (you'll have a visible layer of whey-liquid and curd, and it's easier to scoop out the curd when it's separated. You can also drain the curd at that point - like you would drain yogurt in a yogurt cheese strainer - for an even firmer curd.

6. I use liquid kefir as a substitute for buttermilk, and the solid curd as a substitute for plain yogurt, sour cream, cream cheese, and you can even get a cottage cheese-like product from it.

7. When you get extra grains, try fermenting it in coconut milk. That's oh so good! I use reconstituted powdered coconut milk or homemade coconut milk made from unsweetened coconut, but you can make I with canned coconut milk. I then slip the grains back into cow's milk until I want coconut kefir again. Coconut kefir is great topped with granola or in a pineapple/orange juice smoothie.

The best web site for kefir information is Dom's Kefir In-site and the link is below.

-Grailady

Here is a link that might be useful: Dom's Kefir In-site

I posted nearly the same question about a year ago when I started making milk kefir. I tried different types of milk, etc. and my kefir never seemed as thick as some sites describe. It still doesn't, but I'm very happy with it nevertheless. I drink a cup each morning, and I mix in some Greek yogurt to thicken it to "just right." I only use good quality organic skim milk.

Here's my kefir technique:

1. Pour milk on grains in a glass jar; cover with paper towel secured by rubberband. Let sit on counter for 48 hours.
2. Put the jar, just as it is, in refrigerator for another 24 hours.
3. Remove grains to another clean jar by using a plastic slotted spoon to fish them out--or just my hands. No need to bother with a big strainer--that just causes mess.
4. Stir the kefir vigorously to recombine curds and whey before drinking. Fill a glass with kefir and stir in a couple of tablespoons of Fage 0% yogurt. Enjoy!
I LOVE kefir and am so glad I discovered it! I can't live a day without it now. It is a permanent fixture in my diet.