There’s nothing like enjoying a refreshing bottle of homemade water kefir with local fruits. That’s something I didn’t want to give up when moving back into my van and travelling again.
I started brewing water kefir while taking a break of travelling and living in house. Now, I’ve moved my water kefir in my campervan back on my adventure as I travel Australia again.
Brewing water kefir may take a bit more time to brew in a van, but it’s still possible and definitely worth the effort.
There’s many benefits of travelling with water kefir, such as trying it with different fruits. Enjoying the probiotic benefits while travelling, which may help keep your gut strong. And, enjoying a cold, low-sugar soda alternative—almost—for free on the road, on a hot day.
In the first month of travelling there’s been lots of problem solving on the road with brewing water kefir. In this guide I’m sharing all there is to know and think about in terms of brewing water kefir while travelling in a van.
Table of Contents
Location: Find a Home for the Water Kefir
The first topic of brewing water kefir in a van is the most important, and of course has to do with location. Find a home for the water kefir, I mean a proper location in your van where it won’t move or shake too much. The jar or container of water kefir—in its first fermentation—works best if it has a location where it can be secured.
This depends on the build of the van. It may be worth it to construct a good location for the water kefir, if necessary. Otherwise, find a spot where it won’t shake too much or be at risk of tipping over. Also try to find a spot where the kefir isn’t in direct sunlight, and won’t get too cold or too hot. A similar idea to how it would be in a house, but this time just on wheels.
My water kefir jar sits beside my bed in a specially constructed nook, the same spot as where the cutlery, olive oil and utensils go. They are all strapped in with elastic, but lean on each other sometimes.
If the water kefir doesn’t have a good location, it could fall over or shake out. Both of which would mean making a big sticky mess in your van and losing water kefir grains. Follow more on the next topic about storage for a healthy and happy water kefir.
Storage: Finding the Right Jar
Properly storing water kefir is the essence of how to maintain happy grains without spills. To clarify, this is about storing the water kefir during the first fermentation. While travelling and brewing water kefir it’s so important to have a good jar which is big enough—and then some!
At home I had a smaller jar, so the water kefir was nearly to the top of the jar. When first travelling in the van, I left the lid on so it wouldn’t spill, but that didn’t work out.
Just as you would store water kefir grains in a house, leave it open, they have to breathe. If they can’t, similar to the carbonation in the second fermentation, the water kefir will bubble out. Especially so if there’s little room for movement in the jar itself.
To accomplish this you’ll need a jar which is much bigger than the water kefir. This should be about twice the size of the kefir and its liquid. For example I usually give my water kefir 1 litre of water and sugar mixture and my jar holds 2 litres. I use a cheesecloth with an elastic to cover the jar.
Even on the biggest turns and bumps the campervan has on the road, the kefir stays put. If it does shake, it doesn’t splash out of the jar. Granted, this is in a good location so the jar itself isn’t moving around either, it’s just following the van’s movements.
Click here for a tall 2 litre jar to brew water kefir while travelling in a van!
Water: What’s Best on the Road?
Van life has so many great benefits, but for certain things such as making water kefir it can be more time consuming. Finding suitable water for water kefir while travelling makes the difference of killing the grains or keeping them healthy.
When living in a house, I could boil the water for my water kefir the day before and let it sit anywhere to cool. I don’t have the same space available in my campervan, so there’s a bit more planning involved. I also don’t have an inverter strong enough for a kettle to boil water quickly.
Sort this out by being a bit more strict about planning and preparing for your water kefir. On the days of replenishing my water kefir during its first fermentation, I’ll start in the morning or afternoon by boiling water. I only have one pot big enough for the water, so I have to make sure there aren’t any other things to cook with in before the water cools.
For what type of water to choose for boiling, any water out of a tap should work. I still boil the water even if it’s safe for drinking, because there could be other chemicals in the water that may kill the kefir grains.
If, or when I don’t have the time or the right place to boil water, I will buy water from a grocery store. This isn’t the best option as its a waste of single-use plastics, but it’s okay once in a while. Preparing the water is in addition to the other ingredients in brewing water kefir. The next section is all about brewing water kefir and what’s different on the road.
To save from buying plastic water bottles, boil water and store in large jar while it cools. Then it’s ready for kefir.
Brewing: Differences on the Road
Brewing water kefir on the road has a few differences than in a house. This section discusses the second fermentation, mixing ingredients, and other tips.
The options of what can be added to water kefir during a second fermentation are almost unlimited. Travelling in a van can enormously expand the possibilities of what to add. Because as a brewer, you’re no longer trapped to the same local grocery stores for ingredients. Instead, when travelling in a van, there’s new local fruits, herbs, sweeteners and more to experiment with.
Local fruit stands can be a great way to get affordable, ripe fruit, which is perfect for water kefir. Herbs such as mint, lavender, turmeric, ginger and others are great additions or stand-alone ingredients for a water kefir brew. And for sweeteners, try local honey, molasses, agave nectar, date sugar or maple syrup as another way to mix up your kefir on the road.
Pro Tip: If you’re ever without fresh ingredients, try brewing water kefir with tea for a quick and tasty brew!
What’s different about the process of brewing water kefir on the road, is there may not be the same equipment available in a compact space. I have a small funnel, a few jars (for the second fermentation) and a compact blender. These help with safely pouring the kefir, storing extra kefir, and breaking up fruit, respectively.
My favourite tea to brew with water kefir is T2’s French Earl Grey. It’s a floral earl grey and has the best palette. I’ll brew it with a small amount of water then add that all to the kefir for the second fermentation.
Next to these pieces of equipment, think about reducing space within your van or other recreational vehicle for the water kefir. By this I mean, I don’t rely on measuring cups anymore. I solely use a scale to weigh both my water and sugar that’s added to the water kefir. This reduces dishes for the second fermentation and space in my van.
A few last things about the second fermentation, you need a fridge. Well, it could be done with ice and a cooler, but if you intend to keep the water kefir cold, it’s going to cost too much in ice than it’s worth.
And the bottles of water kefir during the second fermentation have to be kept somewhere upright. Since travelling, it’s been quite warm so I don’t have to do a 24 hour second fermentation. On occasion if the bottles fall over while driving, they will drip slowly due to the pressure build up of the carbonation. Just make sure to have them secured while driving or put them in the fridge first.
Extras: Brewing Water Kefir on the Road
There’s a few extra things to consider when brewing water kefir on the road. The most important factor is if brewing water kefir is worth the time and energy for your itinerary. It would be sad if half-way through travelling, to have the water kefir grains accidentally die from starvation, or something else.
Understanding the entirety of brewing water kefir before getting the grains is the best to avoid these mistakes. It is time consuming to brew water kefir every few days, for me it’s worth it, but it’s not for everyone.
If the water kefir brewing journey is worth the it for you, then remember to think about temperature changes while travelling. By this I literally mean the local weather and temperature. The cooler it is, the less frequent the water kefir liquid has to be changed and replenished for the first fermentation. And, in hotter temperatures, the water kefir would be changed sooner.
There’s a lot of components to brewing water kefir, especially when its travelling the world with you. The ideas in this guide are some of the top concerns for brewing water kefir in a van. Comment below with any other tips or questions you may have from brewing water kefir on the road!
For more information on van life, check out how to travel without a fridge, where to find showers and how to stay on a budget while travelling!
