You won’t believe all the steps it took to finally get a solid answer on the question of how much alcohol is really in kefir soda pop.
First, to make sure we’re all on the same page:
- Did you see this post? How and Why to make kefir soda pop – it’s simple and full of healthy probiotics!
- And you’ll need to know where to get kefir grains. (Remember there might be a funky delay when you click into that page.)
- Lastly, are you wondering what in the world are kefir grains? Wikipedia: “Kefir grains are a combination of bacteria and yeasts in a matrix of proteins, lipids, and sugars. This symbiotic matrix forms grains that resemble cauliflower.” That clears it up nicely, eh? It goes on to say, “Today, kefir is becoming increasingly popular due to new research into its health benefits. Many different bacteria and yeasts are found in the kefir grains, which are a complex and highly variable community of micro-organisms.”
So why does it matter, anyway?
This past summer I took some of my bottled kefir soda when we were meeting my family (siblings, nieces & nephews) at Mom’s pool. Our kids love our homemade pop and I couldn’t wait for the family to try it, hoping I could get them, by some miracle, to start making and drinking this instead of pop. (Regular soda pop is full of the heart-killer sugar, high fructose corn syrup, as well as other mystery chemicals to add fizz, preservatives, etc. Scary stuff! Note: artificially sweetened soda pops are just as bad! Read more: Are you addicted to liquid candy?)
They weren’t impressed.
First they couldn’t believe I was making homemade pop in the first place. Then they couldn’t get over the alcoholic smell, and joked about what Aunt Kelly was doing to all the nieces & nephews, we had some good laughs over that! It does have a little fermented taste and smell (because, HELLO!, it’s fermented!), but not a lot in my opinion. Next, they thought it was a little bland. Keep in mind that most of them drink Mountain Dew or other sodas regularly, so a drink that’s not overpoweringly sweet is going to taste more bland to them. As I said, my kids loved it! (But they don’t even get juice regularly, let alone pop, so they thought it was a big treat – don’t let the secret out that it’s actually good for them…)
Many have speculated about the alcohol content in kefir soda pop, but I wanted to know for sure so I could tell my family, lest they think I’m turning my kids into boozers. My step-Dad, Carl, (whom I absolutely adore, by the way), was convinced it had at least 4% alcohol, but online most sources guess it at more like 1%.
So I was going to figure this out.
I started out on my own, assuming it couldn’t be that tricky. After some internet research, I bought a hydrometer at the beer-making store, and made another trip when I realized I didn’t have the right container to float it in. Then I had the right equipment, but when I was finally ready to take my readings, I realized our cute little 4 year old had broken the hydrometer while looking it over one day. So it was back to the beer-making store for another one (thankfully they’re only $5) and I could finally get started. (See the hydrometer floating in this container?) 
I got a new batch of kefir soda going for my “before” readings, and the next day I finished a batch, bottled it and let it set like normal before I took my “after” readings. But my results weren’t clear.
Thankfully I had someone to call…
My sweetheart brother in-law, Kevin, is a chemist. Not only that, lucky for me, he also brews his own beer now and then. Kevin had no idea at the time what he was getting into when I first called him about this, but even at about 50 emails into it, he was still saying things like, “I’m having a fun time with this little chemistry experiment!”
He did some research and found a formula for me to follow, which brought me back to my days in chemistry class. 
He explained that before I could get an accurate “after” reading, I had to boil it down to get rid of the carbonation. But then I had to get it back down to the right temperature, and be sure I was measuring in the same amounts of liquid, so I was comparing apples to apples. I did all this, but my readings still weren’t clear.
So Kevin decided he would like to test this out for himself.
Now, all thanks to him, and after a lot more pooping around that I don’t want to bore you with (as if you’re not sleeping already, although I actually think this is fun!), we finally have a solid number:
Amount of alcohol in kefir soda pop, based on my recipe:
0.64% alcohol by volume
Woohooo!!! Not even close to 4% alcohol!
Kevin’s comments on the taste: “The soda itself wasn’t bad. I definitely taste the yeast, and maybe that’s what your family is tasting that makes them think of beer.”
Now for you ‘details’ people…
For those of you who are more detailed oriented like I am, I’ll share a few of the email exchanges between Kevin & I. Keep in mind I’m only sharing a few random parts that I thought might be interesting to you, so if something doesn’t jive just right, it’s my fault, not Kevin’s, and it’s also very late right now as I edit this, so cut me some slack.
Kevin:
Okay, I got home tonight and played some more. After another day, my soda was well carbonated. I’ll call it “medium” on the carbonation, not quite a can of coke, but plenty for my tastes. I took a sample, heated it in the microwave to get rid of the carbonation, then cooled and measured spec grav. I get 0.64% by volume (0.50% by weight). Not bad. I think it just took a while for the yeast to kick off. Not sure why, but that happens with beer sometimes too, so it’s not surprising.
So I did some investigating and calculating. Here’s what I have. This all assumes that little or no alcohol is formed during the initial kefir grain / sugar water fermentation phase. I’m not sure how good of an assumption this is, but my process never formed any alcohol during this phase, and from your spec. grav readings, it doesn’t sound like yours did either. So, I assume that the alcohol is only formed in the bottle, and I assume that our final fizziness is about the same as a can of coke (3 volumes of CO2 added per can, according to a couple internet sources). Then, from the chemical reaction that the yeast uses to make alcohol, I know that we get 1 CO2 for each 1 alcohol molecule. This means, that to get 3 volumes of CO2, we would get a MAXIMUM of 0.7% alcohol by volume. Sorry, does that make any sense? Basically, this says that if your Kefir soda is equal or less fizzy than a standard can of coke, then you have less than 0.7% alcohol.
Me:
Just to clarify, you’re saying that the more carbonation, the more alcohol then, right? So should I warn my readers that if they let it set on the counter longer than 18-24 hours, not only are their chances of a kitchen mess (and explosion) more likely, but also their alcohol content will also go up?
Kevin:
You are correct, more carbonation = more alcohol. I would suggest that your readers stick with your initial suggestion and not let the soda stay in the bottle on the counter more than 24 hrs. I’m afraid they might explode some bottles if they let it go for 2 days.
A final note:
When I was leaving my bottled kefir soda on the counter for 24 hours, it was fizzing out the top when I opened it and wasting a good share of the soda. I cut it back to 18 hours and this was just right. It still had a good fizz, but most of the time it didn’t go all over.
Now that we know this kefir soda pop is fine for the kids, the next thing I’m making is a nice fermented drink for Momma – I’m ready to try a shot at making wine coolers! Kevin, are you up for it?
- An oldie but a goodie…What do Christmas pictures of our home have to do with Health & Nutrition? What does any of it have to do with size 7x underwear? I connected the dots all right…yes I did.
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{ 56 comments… read them below or add one }
I have tried kefir (in all possible liquids) before and I seem to remember that the more you shake the container, the higher the alcohol content (read that somewhere).
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I don’t use kefir grains anymore because I don’t like the taste and my body doesn’t like yeasts too much.
You can get some pretty good carbonation with raw milk whey too, it’s all about how much whey you use. I fermented some tea and since it just a little bit of sweetener, it tasted more like beer than soda
I just made my first batch of kombucha, and we love it!!! My husband has been raving about how happy he is to have a substitute for soda. I have water kefir grains, and that’s next (not rehydrated yet). My not quite 2yo son only drinks raw milk and water. I gave him a sip of kombucha, and he screwed up his face and handed it back to me. A sure sign he doesn’t want any more… LOL!
Thanks for doing this experiment. Now I have real info for family visits, once I start brewing my own water kefir soda.
BTW, I have a biology and chemistry degree, and this was QUITE the experiment! Kudos to you and Kevin for hanging in there, and finding the answer!
Wait. Won’t heating the kefir reduce the alcohol? You know, like you simmer wine in a stew to leave the flavor but boil off the alcohol? No chem degree here, just curious.
I don’t drink (not a law of mine, just too cheap to buy it) so I was concerned when the first couple times I drank kombucha I got the same relaxed feeling in my shoulders (where I carry tension) as a few sips of wine. I never experienced anything other than a minor relaxation response, and that disappeared after the first several bottles. I’m sure glad you did this experiment! Thanks! (BTW, I’m so paranoid about explosions that I only leave the first ferment for 12 hours and the second for about 2.)
At the beginning of your post when you mentioned that the gizmo is only $5 I was thinking I’d get one and test my own brews. By the end of the post I was saying “no way!!!”.
Interesting about the carbonation. Mine isn’t very fizzy, certainly not fizzing over the top. I thought that was something I wanted to improve on, but maybe not if it means more alcohol.
Thanks for doing the experiment, and thanks to Kevin, too. I have a helpful brother-in-law named Kevin, too.
I think your experiement is very exciting!! I enjoyed reading it & also knowing the results!
I get that same feeling in the shoulders with kombucha sometimes. Does anyone know what the alcohol content of kombucha is compared with the kefir soda? (Not that you should do another experiment, Kelly!! I haven’t tried the kefir soda yet, but I figure if you’ve had both it would be easy to tell which one had more alcohol??)
Thanks for following through with this experiment. I think this stuff is fun, too!
Great experiment, Kelly! Sounds like something crazy that I would try.
So I guess the “ripe banana” theory of how much alcolhol is in kefir is correct, then. Thanks for doing all this! I have given kefir freely to my children and have wondered, but haven’t worried about it. I’ve had a couple of people question it, too, and tease me about making “the recipe.” We’re like you…no cokes for so long that anything fizzy is a treat. I’m always a little surprised when someone tries it and doesn’t like it. But I was also pleasantly surprised when we had some family for pizza the other night and they brought cokes and my children and husband chose pineapple kefir over Dr. Pepper! Yea!!
Kelly – I’m not familiar with Keifer soda – is it the same as Kombucha? I didn’t know there were yeasts in Keifer, I have only made the “regular keifer” – you know, that thick yogurt drink?
Kelly ~ Very interesting~ I am so glad to know this! Regarding Kombucha, I get the same feeling as Cellulite Analyst and LocalNourishment – but I read somewhere that it is not the alcohol content (which is also supposed to be very low in K-tea) causing this but rather the blood pressure lowering effect. I don’t know if this is true -but I already have low blood pressure and after drinking K-tea, I have to lay down because my limbs feel so heavy and I can hardly move.
Not so much with WK. Fun, fun! (I enjoyed reading all the details.)
Alright, I must have slept wrong last night because I woke up this morning with sore shoulders, so I am going to go hit the kombucha and see if I get that shoulder relaxation you ladies are talking about.
Love the info, Kelly. I have a friend visiting next week who has a degree in chemistry, so maybe we’ll have to see if we can replicate this experiment with home brew kombucha. It’d be a great homeschool lesson for the boys.
Peggy, we heated it, but not to boiling, this way none of the alcohol was lost. Good question, though!
Shauna, it’s better tasting than Kombucha! Did you see my post comparing the two? http://kellythekitchenkop.com/2009/09/5-reasons-why-homemade-kefir-soda-pop-is-better-than-kombucha-tea.html
Laurie, in case you do the experiment, I think I forgot to mention that the formula Kevin used is done measuring specific gravity.
I just heard something that is bothering me! My sister in law told me that the non-alcoholic beer they drink is 0.5% and they have to be carded when they buy it!!!
Nancy, what’s the “ripe banana theory” you mentioned?
Kelly, I’m so glad you did this instead of me…I wouldn’t have the patience to do all that!
When you talk about leaving kefir soda on the counter no longer than 24 hours, do you mean a second fermentation? Because mine is still way too sweet at 24 hours, I usually let it go 2 days. I don’t always do a second fermentation.
Thanks for an interesting read!
Yeah, I was gonna say — even non-alcoholic beer is 0.50%! That’s not bad at all… Thanks for going to all the effort to find out!
I’m making my first batch right now. Thanks for posting the results!
Very interesting, Kelly! I’d always wondered about that and few folks have asked me – I just said that I didn’t think it’d be more alcoholic than an over-ripe banana. Now THAT’s a project for Kevin!
Fascinating stuff! (Of course was never good at chemistry, but I always love to know the results;-) Right now I’m participating in The Nourishing Gourmet’s “No Sugar Challenge’ http://www.thenourishinggourmet.com/2009/09/the-sugar-free-challenge.html
and my big ‘indulgence’ is Kombucha. I know I could do even better by making it on my own – and now you’ve given me even more reason…thank you, Kelly!
Interesting stuff – I really liked apple juice kefir, and felt it had enough alcohol to give me a relaxed feeling. So I always diluted it a bit when I gave it to my kids. Nice to know for sure I don’t really need to do that.
I have to disagree on the taste issue though, I really prefer kombucha after a second ferment with fruit – the kefir grains with their yeasty taste sometimes get too beer-y for me.
Jeanmarie, yes, I was talking about the 2nd ferment. Thanks for clarifying.
Sher, you know, I never did try a 2nd ferment with kombucha…I would try it, but now that the kids like the kefir soda, I’m afraid to mess it up; also, I think the kefir soda is much less hassle than kombucha.
So, I hope you guys will tell me more about this ripe banana thing, because now that I know they card you for 0.5% NA beer, I’m second guessing all this and wondering if it IS actually OK for my kids to drink it!!! I always thought less than 1% was basically nothing, but I don’t know what to think now.
Kelly
Although less than a percent isn’t bad for me, it makes me wonder about my 4-year-old and especially my little one-year-old, who loves the stuff! Am I giving her something I shouldn’t?? I don’t cap it in bottles but just leave the bottle on the counter for 24 hours after the 2-day fermentation. Maybe I should just skip that step entirely…
Kelly, I really wouldn’t worry about something that’s less than 1% alcohol. While it’s true that over-consumption of alcohol is bad for the health, and it’s not something you’d want to give your children in any appreciable quantity, remember that many cultures (in Europe for instance) give kids watered-down alcohol as part of family meals or celebrations and they learn to drink in moderation and as part of a meal. The Puritanical approach in the U.S. (all or nothing!) doesn’t seem effective at preventing substance abuse. And certainly, the miniscule amount of alcohol in kefir sodas is really not going to give your kids a propensity towards alcoholism. There’s probably as much alcohol in ripe fruit. Julia Ross, Joan Matthews-Larsen and others think alcoholism is linked to hypoglycemia and sugar consumption, compounded by lack of protein and good fats in the diet. I think there’s also a genetic link. I am quite confident your kids are very well nourished and wouldn’t take to alcohol even if it was presented to them! I hope those kids know how lucky they are to have you as a mother!
Where do they card you for 0.5% nonalcoholic beer??! Ridiculous.
Jeanmarie,
You’re so sweet, but it’s not that I’m worried about them becoming alcoholics or anything, it’s just that I’m second guessing if it’s “OK”, ya know? Although, as I think about it more, mine only sat bottled on the counter for 18 hours, and may not even be AS fizzy as a Coke, so it could be much less than 0.64%. It’s not like they have it every day, anyway, usually a couple times a week at most, and once every week or two more likely, depending on what’s going on here.
It’s Michigan who cards for NA beer, so dumb.
Kelly
Since Cheeseslave doesn’t seem to be hosting the blog carnival today, thought I would still post the link to my Wednesday article here!
http://hartkeisonline.com/2009/10/07/david-gumperts-new-book-the-raw-milk-revolution-coming-soon/
Kimberly
Good research! Do you know if it’s similar for milk kefir? Some people in my family looked up kefir in the dictionary (to find out if it was real or something I made up) and they told me the definition was something like ‘fermented milk beverage’. Got some raised eyebrows, hahahaha.
Thanks for doing all that hard work for us! Great results, and a great resource.
Alyss
Sorry Kyle, I don’t know! I always think of “regular” kefir as drinkable yogurt.
Kyle, people tend to freak out when they hear the word “fermented”, especially combined with another word that they don’t typically associate with fermentation (vegetables, milk, tea, beans, fish, meat).
Kefir is fermented milk, but it’s no more unusual than yogurt, cheese, buttermilk, cream cheese, clabber, sour cream, cr
Thanks
that’s true
Last week Kevin said I could share his comments in an email to me, and I’m just now getting to it:
Hi Kel:
The post looks good. You get lots of responses from your readers!
I don’t know what level of alcohol is “Safe” for kids. Maybe a physician could answer this? I do know that most of the home-made sodas out there tend to end up around 0.5% alcohol from the carbonation/fermentation process. I’ve always wondered why some places will card you for non-alcoholic beer. I think it may just be because the label says “Beer” and everyone knows you need to be 21 to buy beer.
A couple of comments on your readers responses, if you don’t mind:
The lady who worried that we were getting rid of alcohol by heating the soda before the last spec grav reading. This is a good point and I think you answered it well (see, you are a chemist). I was actually only heating it to force out much of the carbonation. It never reached boiling and was warm for only a short time. I didn’t mention that I was also shaking it, which helps remove carbonation, but can make a bit of a mess if you’re not careful.
One reader commented that she left the kefir out on the counter for a couple of days (not bottled) because this removed some of the sweetness. This definitely works, but the sugar you are removing is being converted to alcohol by the yeast (you should see some bubbling during this process). So her final alcohol content may be higher than what you and I got.
Thanks,
Kevin
Great experiment- I thank you for sharing!
I am definitely a water kefir addict- just reading this has made my mouth water!
As for the “shoulder relaxaton” phenomena, I’ve heard many different possible explanations- the most recent being something about the calming effects that kombucha and kefir have on the nervous system… whatever the reason, I’ll take it!
Thanks again for sharing! : )
Hi thanks for the great info!
As for a great fermented drink for momma, something i am going to try is grape “champagne.” Apparently if you use 1 lemon per 500mL or half quart grape juice water kefir mixture, it should taste similar to champagne!
Lauren, oooohhh, be sure to come back and tell us how that comes out!
I’m the one who leaves the kefir to ferment on the counter for 72 hours. It definately does smell and taste more like alcohol but I never get that buzz like I do with beer, even when I drink it all day. I give it to my 4 year old with no problems.
So after reading this post and your post on how to actually make kefir soda, sign me up for some kefir soda-making fun! I tried GT’s kombucha for the first time the other day, and was surprised to find that my husband liked it too–he said that it would make a good ‘poker game drink’ as he doesn’t drink. Also, I have been carded in Michigan for trying to order a non-alcoholic beer back in college. Funny thing is, I’m from Ohio, and when the waiter asked to see my ID (I was 19 at the time), I didn’t think anything of it, as you have to be 18 in Ohio to order NA beer. Imagine my surprise (and slight embarassement) when he laughed and said that I wasn’t old enough.
Perhaps I should start selling kombucha tea where I work as a massage therapist, after reading that it has relaxed people’s shoulders–less work for me!
Although, I wonder if I would then need a liquor license?… har har.
Former partier here, drinking 72-hours-on-the-counter WK… buzza buzza buzz!!! This is definitely an alcohol head buzz rather than a blood pressure dip. I’m actually wondering whether i’ll be legal to drive my kid to VBS in 5 minutes as planned!! LOL
That’s good to hear that the alcohol content was that low. I’m always a little scared to give kombucha to my young nieces and nephews because each batch can vary. But I think as long as you do it right and not let it set, the balance between the bacteria and yeast can keep the alcohol in check.
Wow thats some experiment lol. My customers often ask me about alcohol content so i now use a hydrometer and check ours regulary. Our personal water kefir is 1.3% after 2 days of second fermentation. I haven’t tested the milk kefir or kombucha yet. Not looking forward to pouring the thick kefir into the hydrometer samlpe tube (will take some washing afterwards! lol)
Rachel, I’m glad I’m not the only weirdo!
No you’re definitely not alone
Definitely not alone! I was just about to buy a hydrometer myself from amazon.com when I was doing more research and came upon your page! Thanks for the info!
I loved chemistry my classes, I got in the 95th percentile on my organic chemistry ACS final comprehensive national exam! You’re fortunate to have a chemist in your family! Big thanks to him for the help!
I don’t know anything about using a hydrometer, though, (and I don’t know anything about alcoholic beverages, either!) so I’m glad I didn’t just buy the hydrometer I saw on amazon.com, now realizing you also need the special container. I haven’t started making kefir yet, I just bought a reverse osmosis water filter and so as soon as I get it in the mail and start getting better quality water then I’ll start making water kefir. But I’m also really concerned about all the sugar as well, as I had cut out all sugar from my diet, other than what comes naturally in fruits. I was looking for something that might “absorb” the sugar. For example, a long time ago I had read of a neat little trick if you have accidentally added too much salt in a stew or soup, etc., you can add some apples (or was it a raw potato?) for a few hours and the apples would “absorb” the excess salt; although now I wonder if the sweetness of the apples was just countering the salty taste perception. I don’t know, I read it a long time ago in some magazine, and just remember them using the word absorb, and haven’t really thought much about it until now wanting to find something magical to take away the sugar in the kefir. Of course, I could do without the alcohol as well. I guess I’ll just have to dilute it down more, but not with juice, that’s just more sugar! I’ll have to water it down. And leaving it uncovered during the 2nd fermentation for no longer than 18 hrs, if I do a 2nd fermentation at all.
Your website has been of help. I want to peruse through more of it and learn as much as I can. I also read a little about your popcorn recipes and that was fun because I was already popping organic corn on the stove top for a long time (it works great for me with just a regular stainless steel pot) and was already thinking of using coconut oil. I tried it and it was alright! It certainly comes out much fluffier.
Can’t wait to get my RO water filter in the mail, and the kefir grains I already ordered and to start growing some microorganism buddies!
I’m still trying to figure out the best way to remineralize RO water, though. Any thoughts? I read the mineral assay/analysis on the product ConcenTrace and it contains more fluoride than my city tap water, plus arsenic, barium, aluminum, and other things I’m trying to filter out!! But that’s the most popular mineral drops people are using. I wonder if most people know what is in it.
Dr. Mercola recommends Himalayan salt for remineralization of purified water, but then I just came across this website http://naturalhealthnews.blogspot.com/2008/01/salt-may-be-health-scam.html that says Himalayan salt is also loaded with fluoride!! (And I currently use Celtic and Himalayan salts at home). I don’t know what to make of that. I was thinking of contacting the “manufacturer” directly and requesting a mineral assay so I can see for myself. I know there’s a difference between sodium fluoride and calcium fluoride from what I’ve read so far, but given how contaminated our oceans/lakes are (which is where the product ConcenTrace comes from in Utah, and I’m sure there’s some degree of pollution in Pakistan where the Himalayan salt comes from) how does one really know it’s the naturally occurring fluoride? And some experts say all fluoride is toxic to the body at any level and is not an essential nutrient? Anyway, sorry to get off on a tangent, and thanks again for all the great info. Keep it up. There’s much to research and much to learn!
Oh oops, I just snooped around your other categories and just found your drinking water category.
This is the water filter I just bought: http://www.pure-earth.com/pro.html It’s a countertop reverse osmosis system that uses KDF/GAC carbon pre and post filters. Dr. Mercola recommends pure coconut shell carbon and if possible for it to be acid washed coconut shell, and after doing lots of research and contacting manufacturers I discovered this was the only countertop/portable RO system with all the right specs. So I’m so excited!!! Still working on the remineralization part, though…
Julia,
Remember that the longer it ferments, the less sugar that’s left…more alcohol though!
For minerals we just use sea salt liberally, also there are minerals in our raw milk and other real foods.
Kelly
Thank you so much for this! I’ve been hesitant to give my water kefir to the kids because it tastes so much like wine to me and just started researching how I can test it. I’ll just trust your little experiment.
This is so wrong. Why would you assume that there was no alcohol during the first fermentation? You need to measure you SG before any fermentation starts then again after fermentation is complete or once you have fermented for as long as you are shooting for.
We DID do before and after readings, I said that right in the post.
If the sugar converts to alcohol while feeding the grains, and the concerns are either not wanting too much alcohol, or not wanting too much sugar remaining (my concern since diabetic), it seems to me the solution is to reduce the sugar added in the first place, leaving enough to feed the culture, bring about the ferment, but minimizing the alcohol created and the unconsumed sugar remaining at the end of the process. Am I missing something?
That makes sense, but I think the problem is that without enough sugar to convert to alcohol, very little fermentation will take place at all, since that process IS the fermentation… Know what I mean?
Alcohol boils at 79C and water boils at 100C. If the soda is below 100C but above 79C it will not boil but alcohol will evaporate…
Hi, I realize I’m asking this question two years after this post, but I’m wondering if this experiment would give any clue as to the amount of calories in water kefir? I track my daily caloric consumption and I’ve looked all around the web trying to find the caloric content. I’ve found some speculation, but nothing definitive.
Hey Jules,
I have no idea about the amount of calories in water kefir (sorry), but I’m curious why you track your daily calories? I’m sure there are some good reasons for doing it, but when it comes to weight loss, it can cause you to skimp on healthy fats which have higher calories, even though they are burned for energy and boost your metabolism so it comes out in the wash. That isn’t something that is easily tracked when counting calories. Just something to think about, and you may be counting calories for an entirely different reason anyway.
Kelly
In an effort to improve my health, I log all my food intake, exercise and sleep into a comprehensive website which also allows notes on how I feel, etc. Weight loss is one of the health goals, but the logging of foods and corresponding calories is usually about monitoring my metabolism, getting enough calories before 4 pm each day (or I overeat at night) and making sure my calories burned is overall more than my intake (encouraging exercise).
If your brother-in-law could make a guess based on his experiment, that would be really helpful to me. I’ve noticed many other people on the web curious to know the same thing. Unfortunately, some people have made up answers that are clearly not accurate.
Hi Jules,
I’m sorry, but my BIL would have no idea. He’s not a food scientist, he’s a chemist. I’m sorry!
One idea… Maybe check and see what the calories are in a NA beer, it would probably be similar to that. That’s just a WILD guess, though.
Kelly
I am happy i found this site. Just a little while ago i phones a friend with a hydrometer to come check mine. Im doing mine differently tho.
I had a serious abundance of grains and juice. I steam juce allot of berries in the summer. Anyway i have a gallon jar half full of water kefir grains, and half gallon of elderberry juice. 2 cups of sugar and the beast lives. Looks like the stuff is boiling in the jar. (lid not tight). This stuff is more like a deer red wine, and boya it has some serious KICK to it. I have a bottle of the stuff i strained the grains out of and placed in the fridge over nite. Its still fizzing, but. Ot a rolling boil type of fizz. But the alcohol smell and taste are wooo weee strong. Working on that wine cooler thing as well. Lol… So.. equal amounts of grains and juice make for a strong drink. Interesrting to see what the % turns out to be.
Tiffany,
You have a gallon jar HALF FULL of kefir grains? That’s a LOT of kefir grains, must be that’s why it’s so strong? Can’t wait to hear what your % is!
Kelly
You said that one container contained .63% alcohol. How much would you say that is per container, say 8-12oz. ? Thanks
Hi Elaine,
We didn’t say that there’s 0.63% alcohol in the container, we said that there’s 0.64% by volume/0.50% by weight. I think that’s two different things, but it’s been a while and I’m fuzzy on all this.
You might want to go back and read the details from Kevin in the post, he explains it better.
Kelly
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