Learn how to create delicious probiotic soda at home with this grape soda water kefir recipe.

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If you ordered live kefir grains (not dehydrated) they should arrive ready for use. *See recipe notes for how to rehydrate dehydrated water kefir. Wash and dry two 1/2 gallon jars with screw on lids (or four quart jars with lids).

Add 1/2 cup of organic brown sugar to each 1/2 gallon jar then fill the jars almost to the top with filtered water. Leave about three inches at the top. Screw the lids on and shake until the sugar dissolves.
If you are using turbinado or a larger granule sugar like sugar in the raw you may need to dissolve the sugar in boiling water.
Dissolve 1 cup of brown sugar in 2 cups of boiling water. Set aside the saucepan and let it cool completely before adding the water kefir grains. Pour 1 cup of the sugar water into each jar and then fill with filtered water like usual.

Add 1/2 cup of water kefir grains to each jar. Some of the grains will sink down to the bottom and some may float around. This is all normal.
* If you boiled your sugar water, be sure your water isn't still hot because water kefir grains can die in high temperatures.*
Cover the jars with tea towels or coffee filters and secure with a rubber band. Place the jars in a warm spot like your kitchen counter and ferment for about 48 hours.

Every third or fourth brewing, add a slice of lemon to the first ferment. This helps to balance PH and prevent Kahm yeast growth.

After 48 hours, check your water kefir to make sure it has fermented enough. If the water kefir bubbles slightly, has a bit of film on top and tastes slighty tangy/sour and not overly sweet, it is ready.

Strain the water kefir using a large bowl and a metal sieve. Make sure you've caught all the water kefir grains in the sieve and set the grains aside.

Gather your flip top bottles and a funnel.
Pour 1/4th cup of organic grape juice into each bottle. Insert a funnel into the mouth of each bottle and pour in water kefir, leaving a few inches of space at the top.
NOTE: Water kefir becomes very fizzy during the second fermentation. Leaving an inch or two of space in the bottle helps to prevent the bottle exploding everywhere when you try to open.
After all the flip top bottles are filled, you may have a little extra water kefir liquid. Set this aside to store your grains.

Let the water kefir sit out on the kitchen counter again for another 12-24 hours.
NOTE: It is important to "burp" your bottles about every 6-12 hours. If you don't, the pressure from the carbon dioxide will make the soda squirt straight out when you try to open it at the end of your ferment.

Around the 24 hour mark of the second ferment, burp your bottles. If you barely hear a pop, your water kefir is likely not very carbonated yet. This is a good indication you need to reseal the bottles and let them sit for another 12-24 hours. If your bottle pops loudly and you have to slowly apply pressure to the lid to prevent overflow, your soda is carbonated enough to complete the second ferment.

At the end of the second fermentation, burp all the bottles (over the sink to avoid a mess) so that the pressure doesn't continue to build in the bottles.
Place the bottles in the fridge for up to 1 month. For best results, keep refrigerated and enjoy kefir within the first two weeks.

If you bought dehydrated kefir grains you will need to re-hydrate them before brewing water kefir.

- Dissolve 1/4 cup of brown sugar or an organic cane sugar in the water. Let the water cool to room temperature.

- Pour sugar water and water kefir grains into a glass jar. Cover with a tea towel and secure with rubber band.

- Place in a warm spot like your kitchen countertop for 3-4 days. You will know the grains are rehydrated because they should have swelled to about 4x the original size.

- Strain kefir grains out of water and discard the water. Start making water kefir with your rehydrated grains!

Keep in mind that as with all ferments, heat will speed up the fermentation process while the cold will slow it. During the summer you may only need to let the first ferment sit for 24 hours, but during the fall it may need the full 48!
Every third or fourth brewing it doesn’t hurt to add a slice of lemon if you have one. Ferments like water kefir can sometimes grow Kahm yeast which is a harmless but funky tasting problem.
If you aren’t sure your water kefir has brewed long enough simply taste it. Does it still taste like super sweet sugar water? Cover it up and give it some more time. If it tastes tangy and mildly sweet, you are golden! You want the water kefir to be tangy and slightly sour but still have a hint of sweetness.
If you don’t have flip-top bottles you can also use a glass canning jar with a screw on lid to create the pressure.
It is very important to “burp” your bottles about every 12 hours. If you don’t, the pressure from the carbon dioxide will make the soda squirt straight out when you try to open it at the end of your ferment.
Store water kefir grains in a quart or half-gallon jar with 1/4-1/2 cup of your last brew for the water kefir grains to consume in the refrigerator. Next, add about 1/4th cup of brown sugar. Fill the jar to the top with water and stir until sugar is dissolved. Place a screw top lid on the jar and store in the refrigerator for 2-3 weeks.