Raw Milk Kefir - The Savvy Saige

Strain kefir grains from the milk it arrived in (if you ordered from my Etsy Shop) and discard the milk.
Place kefir grains in a quart size mason jar and add the milk, leaving 2-3 inches of space from the top of the jar.
Cover the jar opening with a coffee filter or cloth, and secure with a rubber band.
Place on countertop and allow to culture for 12-48 hours. It is best to keep it away from other cultures or ferments you may have going.
Check daily for signs of change. When the milk has thickened and developed a sweet and/or tangy taste, you have successfully made milk kefir!
Using a fine mesh strainer and spoon, strain the milk kefir into a bowl, separating out the grains from the final product.
Jar the final milk kefir and secure with a non-breathable lid. It is best consumed cold, so place in refrigerator until desired temperature is reached. Continue to store in refrigerator until consumed.
Begin the process again with strained kefir grains.

I prefer raw cow's milk, but milk kefir grains can culture other types of animal and plant-based milk. I have never tried the recipe with store-bought milk.
The time it takes to culture your milk will depend on your grains-to-milk ratio (more grains=quicker culturing time) and the temperature of the room.
The thickness, flavor, and amount of fizziness will be impacted by how long you let it culture. The longer you let it culture, the greater intensity of all three of those markers.
The activated milk kefir grains can be used indefinitely if properly maintained, and will grow over time, producing an endless amount of grains.
When taking a break from making milk kefir, simply place your grains in fresh milk and store in the refrigerator until ready to begin again. You'll want the grains fully covered by the milk. When ready to begin again, strain the grains from the milk and repeat Steps 1-8. As long as the grains are always "fed", meaning never without milk, they will continue to live.
The amount of grains and milk pictured are a greater quantity than the recipe, because I frequently make large batches at home. The recipe quantities are good for starting out. As your grains grow, you can increase the amount of milk you culture.