500ml Glass Jar with lid

This guide covers everything you need to know to make probiotic-rich milk kefir using milk kefir grains. With over 15 years of experience, we share proven methods to help your grains thrive so you can enjoy healthy kefir for life.

Available as:

• Downloadable PDF
• Printed booklet (A5, with shipping cost)

Please choose your preferred format below.

If purchasing our KoruKai Milk Kefir Grains or our Milk Kefir Kit this Guide is included with your purchase.

Fully booked! To go onto the waiting list please sign up below. 

This is an informative workshop for anyone interested in healthy food. No cooking skills are required. You will walk away with some easy recipes that you can implement in your own kitchen using basic equipment.

Date: Saturday, 2nd May 2026
Time: 10am-2:30pm

Location: KoruKai Herb Farm, Pigeon Bay, Banks Peninsula
1 hour from Halswell, Carpooling from Chch is usually possible.

Wholesome lunch included!

Please find Terms & Conditions as well as our cancellation policy here. When signing up for this workshop you automatically agree to the Terms & Conditions. Please make sure to read them.

This guide covers all the essentials you need to create delicious, probiotic, and naturally fizzy water kefir sodas at home. Learn how to successfully make both the first and second ferment, along with flavouring ideas, recipes, and helpful tips for creating delicious homemade kefir sodas.

Perfect for beginners and experienced fermenters alike.

Available as:

• Downloadable PDF
• Printed booklet (A5, with shipping cost)

Please choose your preferred format below.

If purchasing our KoruKai  Water Kefir Grains or our Water Kefir Kit this Guide as pdf is included with your purchase.

pH strips are a quick and easy way to check the acidification of your cheese and ferment.

In a lactic ferment and in cheese making beneficial microbes are underway to turn plant sugars and lactose into lactic acid.

This acidification can be measured and ensures your ferment or your cheese is on the right track.

For most cheeses timing of salting is really important; you want the fermentation to be just at the right acidity before you apply salt to slow it down.

Billions of live probiotics in every tablespoon.

One portion of organic milk kefir grains cultures approximately 1 cup of milk every 24 hours and can multiply to culture up to 1 litre within two weeks under good conditions. Available in hydrated or dehydrated form (please select below).

Easy to use and endlessly reusable, milk kefir grains allow you to make fresh, probiotic-rich kefir.

Shipping Information

NZ-wide shipping available to urban and rural addresses, including PO Boxes.

Fresh milk kefir grains are shipped every Monday (or Tuesday if Monday is a public holiday). Orders and payment must be received by 4pm Saturday for dispatch the following Monday.

Instant-read stainless steel dairy thermometer for kefir, yoghurt, and cheese making. No batteries required, simply place it in milk for accurate, real-time temperature readings.

Designed by KoruKai Herb Farm, drawing on over a decade of hands-on experience in cheesemaking and dairy fermentation, it reflects practical, real-world needs in a working kitchen.

13.5 cm long with clip for easy pot or jar attachment.

Stainless steel fine-mesh strainer designed for separating milk and water kefir grains from finished kefir. Durable, easy to clean, and ideal for everyday fermentation use.

10 cm diameter compact round sieve with fine wire mesh—also suitable for general kitchen straining, sifting flour, or draining small foods.

Everything you need to start making refreshing, probiotic water kefir at home. This complete kit includes dried water kefir grains, a glass fermentation jar, airlock system, strainer, kefir food, and a detailed guide with instructions and recipes.

Water kefir is the vegan cousin of milk kefir and the caffeine-free alternative to kombucha. These live cultures can be used again and again to create refreshing, naturally fizzy probiotic drinks at home.

Easy to make and endlessly versatile, water kefir is a great way to support gut health while creating delicious homemade sodas, fruit ferments, and flavoured drinks.

Fermentation jar with airlock and glass weight.

One thing that should be in just about everyone's diet are fermented or cultured foods. Not only are they packed with flavor, but they're positively brimming with probiotics.

Those little microorganisms support your immune system and help to revive and maintain gut health. Fermented foods are also rich in B vitamins, food enzymes and key antioxidants that support healthy cells.

UNAVAILABLE AT THE MOMENT. Sign up below to get an email once it is available again.

We are excited to bring our very popular fermentation workshop to your home!

Classes consist of videos, online lectures, step-by-step instructions, recipes and tips and tricks. We will also answer all your questions and help you along the way. You can join anytime and watch the content at your own pace. You get 6 months to view the contents and ask questions in the forum.

Silicone fermentation airlock for safe, reliable home fermenting. Allows gases to escape while keeping oxygen out, helping protect your pickles, vegetables, and drinks during lacto-fermentation. Reusable, durable, and dishwasher safe. Available in blue, green, purple, red/pink, and white.

Diameter: 8.3 cm

Also available with stainless steel ring (see separate listing).

After years of fermenting at KoruKai Herb Farm, we’ve used (and tested) plenty of pounders—so we know exactly what works best.

This fermentation pounder is designed to our own specifications for efficiently pounding vegetables and tightly packing them into jars or crocks, helping release juices for successful lacto-fermentation.

Made from untreated beech wood, it is strong, natural, and comfortable to use, with a well-balanced shape for everyday kitchen fermenting.

Measurements: Length 30cm | Top diameter 4cm | Bottom diameter 6.1cm | Tapered grip approx. 3.5cm

Please note: As each pounder is handmade, slight variations in size may occur, making every piece unique.

Silicone fermentation airlock with stainless steel band, designed for safe, reliable lacto-fermentation. Allows gases to escape during fermentation while preventing air from entering, helping protect your ferments from spoilage.

Ideal for pickles, vegetables, and fermented drinks.

As pressure builds, gas safely vents through the airlock without allowing oxygen back in.

Diameter airlock: 8.3 cm

Also available without ring (see separate listing).

Everything you need to start fermenting at home with confidence. This complete Fermentation Pack includes essential tools for safe, consistent lacto-fermentation—perfect for beginners and experienced fermenters alike.

Includes a fermentation pounder, fermenting weight, airlock system, 1L preserving jar with stainless steel compound lid, and a comprehensive eGuide.

Additional Fermentation Jars with airlock and weight can be purchased here.

Replacement jar with stainless steel compound lid for yoghurt maker.

Capacity: 900ml

Size: 17cm high

Mouth size: 7.6cm wide mouth

Certified organic water kefir food containing sugar, molasses and micronutrients to feed your water kefir grains optimally. This pack contains the food for water kefir grains only, you need to have your own grains or buy them from us.

This way they stay healthy and produce a better probiotic fizzy drink for you and your family.


Available in 100g, 500g and 1kg bulk pack in a home-compostable, biodegradable pouch.


Containing only certified organic ingredients so that your water kefir grains can thrive (do not come with the grains). Without any roundup or other agricultural chemical residues, which could have a negative effect on the microbes in the water kefir.