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A glass of coconut water kefir sits on a counter.
Fizzy Drinks

How to Make Coconut Water Kefir

Water kefir can be secondary fermented with coconut water, to make coconut water kefir! It’s naturally high in electrolytes, enzymes, nutrients, and probiotics.

Prep: 30 minutes
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Ferment | Fizzy Drinks

How to Make Coconut Water Kefir

Water kefir can be secondary fermented with coconut water, to make coconut water kefir! It’s naturally high in electrolytes, enzymes, nutrients, and probiotics.

A glass of coconut water kefir sits on a counter.

Unleashing the Power of Coconut Water with Kefir Grains

Coconut water kefir has a delightful tropical flavor and a bounty of health benefits. This version of water kefir utilizes coconut water’s natural sweetness and mineral richness. It is delicious and packs a nutrient-dense, probiotic punch.

Why Coconut Water?

Coconut water’s natural composition includes fermentable sugars like fructan and sorbitol, making it an excellent base for water kefir. The beneficial microbes in the kefir grains—like Lactobacillus brevis, Lactobacillus casei, and Saccharomyces cerevisiae—consume these sugars during fermentation. This process reduces the FODMAP content, making it easier to digest, and increases the nutrients’ bioavailability, transforming it into a gut-friendly, probiotic-rich drink.

Simple Steps to Make Coconut Water Kefir

Here are all the ingredients you need to make your coconut water kefir at home with minimal ingredients:

Ingredients:

  • Water kefir grains
  • Water and Sugar (for primary fermentation)
  • Pure, organic coconut water

Safety Note: Always verify that your fermentation bottles are designed to handle pressure. Recycled kombucha bottles are a great choice as they are made to withstand high carbonation levels.

A glass of coconut water kefir sits on a counter.

Enjoying Your Coconut Water Kefir

The result after fermentation is a sparkling, lightly sweet, tangy beverage that is excellent for hydration and gut health. Coconut water kefir can be enjoyed independently or as a base for creative probiotic cocktails. Its high mineral content makes it particularly beneficial for replenishing electrolytes and supporting adrenal health.

Things You May Need:

Product image of water kefir starter grains with a cartoon of three bottles of water kefir

Kefir Grains

A kitchen scale top down showing the dual scale platforms and digital measurement screen

Kitchenaid Dual Platform Scale

Fine Mesh Strainer

Fine Mesh Strainer

Classic Swing Top Glass Bottles - Set of 6

Classic Swing Top Glass Bottles – Set of 6

Butter muslin product laying face up with a few bags outside of packaging

Butter Muslin

an empty Ball mason jar showing label

32 Oz Mason Jars

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A glass of coconut water kefir sits on a counter.
Fizzy Drinks

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How to Make Coconut Water Kefir

Water kefir can be secondary fermented with coconut water, which is naturally high in electrolytes, enzymes, and nutrients. When fermented, coconut water is easier to digest and contains more boiavailable vitamins and minerals.

  • Prep: 30 minutes
  • Total Time: 48 hours 30 minutes

Ingredients

  • about 3 cups fermented sugar water from primary fermentation
  • 3 cups organic coconut water

Instructions

  1. It is vital that you use carbonation-safe bottles for secondary fermentation. This recipe makes 6 cups, so I use three 16-ounce bottles. You can use fresh-pressed juice (see notes) or bottled pasteurized juice; both work great (ensure it’s 100% juice, no additives).
  2. Fill a carbonation safe bottle about 1/2 full with fermented sugar water from primary fermentation.
  3. Top off the bottle with the coconut water so there is about an inch of headspace left in the bottle.
  4. Secure the bottle lid and gently invert it a couple times to mix.
  5. Allow it to ferment at room temperature (70-80 degrees F) for about 24-48 hours.
  6. Carefully open the lid to see if it is carbonated to your liking. If it is refrigerate, if not continue to ferment for 24 more hours, carefully checking the carbonation again.
  7. Keep refrigerated.

Notes

  • If using fresh coconut water, I suggest heating it to 145° F for a few minutes and cooling it before using it. This ensures that no wild microbes get introduced into the water kefir.
  • The coconut water ratio is slightly adjustable. The best ratio for lower sugar is 3 parts fermented sugar water and 1 part coconut water. For slightly sweeter, as with this recipe, I do half fermented sugar water half coconut water.

Did you make this recipe?

Please leave a 5-star review below if you loved it! Tag @cultured.guru on Instagram

 

Nutrition information is auto-calculated and estimated as close as possible. We are not responsible for any errors. We have tested the recipe for accuracy, but your results may vary.

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Kaitlynn Fenley Author, Educator, Food Microbiologist
Kaitlynn is a food microbiologist and fermentation expert teaching people how to ferment foods and drinks at home.
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hey i’m kaitlynn, i’m a microbiologist and together with my husband jon we are cultured guru.

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  1. Tonia
    06|02|2018

    Where is the best place to get the of the water kefir grains?

    Reply
    1. Cultured Guru
      06|02|2018

      This is where our grains are from:

      https://www.culturesforhealth.com/buy-water-kefir-grains.html

      Reply
  2. Abby
    07|04|2020

    What size bale top bottles do you use for this?

    Reply
    1. Kaitlynn Fenley
      07|05|2020

      I used two 16 Ounce bottles, one for each flavor.

      Reply
  3. Naomi
    02|12|2021

    You mention leaving cheesecloth on the top, does a silicon fermentation lid work as well or is it best to use an open weave cloth?

    Reply
    1. Kaitlynn Fenley
      02|13|2021

      No, cheesecloth works best. There needs to be good airflow into the jar.

      Reply
  4. Rosie
    02|16|2021

    Do you ever burp it during the second ferment? I’m so nervous about an explosion. 🙈

    Reply
    1. Kaitlynn Fenley
      02|16|2021

      Sometimes I do, especially if I include whole fruit pieces in the second ferment. You can burp it before refrigerating. Just be careful, don’t open it all at once, and do it over the sink.

      Reply
  5. Ru
    08|15|2022

    How long does the fermented coconut water last in the fridge?

    Reply
    1. Kaitlynn Fenley
      08|15|2022

      It should last a couple of weeks. It might get fizzier the longer you store it.

      Reply
  6. Raychel
    10|26|2022

    I’m new to making water kefir and my last batch almost has a wine/alcohol flavor to it. It’s sour and not sweet at all anymore unlike my first batch. Is this normal? I’m really wanting to use this for my young kids and don’t want to be basically giving them alcohol if I have done something wrong 🤣

    Reply
    1. Kaitlynn Fenley
      10|27|2022

      If it smells like alcohol, that usually means you added a lot of sugar. more sugar = more alcohol. Did you use my recipe here? and did you use a kitchen scale to measure the ingredients?

      Reply

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