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

Congratulations, and welcome to the world of kefir!!! The kind of milk you use is up to you. The grains I received were from a gal who's family ran a large dairy in Eastern Kansas, so they were grains that had only been used in raw milk. Since I do home food storage (I haven't purchased liquid commercial milk from a grocery store since 1981), I use reconstituted powdered milk - and have all the years I've made kefir (over a decade). No transition period.... Occasionally I'll have some 1/2 & 1/2 or whipping cream on hand and I'll add a little of it to the milk for a richer/thicker curd. I can also get a thicker curd by using more milk powder, but I think the grains "like" the additional fat provided by the 1/2 & 1/2 and whipping cream occasionally. I also use reconstituted powdered coconut milk for coconut kefir (you can also used canned coconut milk or make your own with unsweetened coconut and water - blended and strained). Occasionally when I get extra grains I'll make a batch or two with cider or 100% grape juice - but the grains don't thrive more than a few non-milk batches. I've also made it with raw goats milk, but not very often. It's not budget-friendly. Kefir can have a cleansing effect and your body will let you know how much is "enough", or too much. We only consume 2 servings of dairy each day, and the morning kefir counts as one of them. I use it in a smoothie-type mixture every morning. I also use it as a substitute for buttermilk in cooking/baking. Drain the curd and it's my substitute for plain yogurt, cream cheese, and sour cream - as needed. Where you will notice a difference in taste is when the temperature fluctuates. I personally prefer the more mild-tasting kefir fermented in cool winter temperatures (ambient temperature in our kitchen doesn't usually get above 64-degrees F in the winter), compared to the more sour/tart kefir made when the temperature is much warmer, but I use it all year and make it about every 4-5 days. It your kefir gets "gritty", that means the temperature is too warm for fermenting. The warmer the temperature, the faster it ferments. Sometimes in as little as 9-12-hours. My favorite is coconut milk kefir, but I only make it once a month, or so. It makes a nice add-in to orange or pineapple/orange juice, or used in desserts, and great topped with granola for breakfast or a snack. -Grainlady

I don't think it's any less complicated, just another choice. I only use powdered milk and whey-based milk substitute products (since 1981) for drinking/cooking/baking and regularly make kefir with real kefir milk grains and powdered milk. The product I prefer using is Grandma's Country Cream non-fat dry milk (http://grandmascountryfoods.com/CountryCreamPowderedMilk/), which I purchase by the 25# bucket. For 25-years I made LOTS of yogurt using powdered milk products, but since making kefir, I only make yogurt a few times a year (at most) since kefir is better for you and is so much easier to make, and doesn't require special temperature controls and equipment. My "recipe": In a 1-quart jar add 2 cups of water and 4-5 tablespoons Grandma's Country Cream (add 1/8-1/4-cup half-and-half, if using it). Add lid and shake to mix. Add 1/4 to 1/3 c. milk kefir grains. Ferment to thickness desired. I've been using the same grains for somewhere around 13\-14\-years using powdered milk products. I generally make 1\-2 quarts a week since it's used in our daily breakfast smoothie, and kefir is also my substitute for buttermilk, cream cheese, sour cream, or plain yogurt. If I happen to have some half and half in the house, I'll add a little to the reconstituted powdered milk because the grains seem to get a little more active if there is some fat in the milk, at least occasionally. If I have PEAK or NIDO (whole milk powdered milk) in the house I might add some of it. What I've found beneficial is to use double\-strength milk (about twice as much powdered) so you have enough milk solids to create a nice thick curd. Otherwise you get a lot more whey than curd. When it comes to making yogurt, I'll add some unflavored gelatin to the mixture, and once again, use double\-strength powdered milk for more milk solids as an option (you can play around with the milk strength until you get the consistency you like). Other things you can add to make yogurt along with reconstituted powdered milk is canned evaporated milk. Adding powdered milk and/or gelatin is often used when using a low\-fat or fat\-free milk to increase the firmness of the texture, otherwise you will get a very soft curd. I'd also suggest a copy of "Cookin' With Powdered Milk" by Peggy Layton. Here's her recipe.... YOGURT FROM INSTANT MILK 2 c. powdered INSTANT milk 2 T. plain yogurt 3 c. lukewarm water Blend all ingredients in blender. Place in a bowl in a warm area (preferably 110\-120\-degrees F). Let stand undisturbed until set. The cooler the temperature the longer it takes to set. At 120\-degrees it can take about 4\-hours. Chill immediately. It will refrigerate for up to 4\-weeks. \[She also has a recipe using NON\-instant powdered milk if you use that.\] I purchase powdered coconut milk from Wilderness Family Naturals - http://www.wildernessfamilynaturals.com/category/coconut-products-milk-powder.php - and make coconut milk kefir with reconstituted powdered coconut milk using milk kefir grains. Really YUMMY stuff..... :-) I rest the milk kefir grains in reconstituted powdered cow's milk between uses in coconut milk. -Grainlady

I only make kefir with milk (several times a week), but I've thought about adding some kefir grains to grape juice. I understand it eventually kills the grains, but will work for a short period of time. Since your kefir grains keep growing, you should have a constant source and can sacrifice a few in the grape juice now and again. There are also kefir grains that are used in water and you can also culture soymilk - although I've never done either. If you are lactose intolerant, a long fermentation of milk with kefir grains reduces the lactose to almost nothing. Great news because you can use the kefir instead of buttermilk, and the drained curd for plain yogurt, sour cream, cream cheese, and even cottage cheese. I found my kefir grains by doing a Google search. Happened to find a source in the same state. There have been several discussions on kefir, you might do a quick search and read those threads for more information. -Grainlady