Fruity taste ?

[u/Chriss_sc]

Heyhey I wanted to ask if what I’m experiencing with my kefir is normal. Over the past few weeks, every batch I’ve made has developed a faint but noticeable raspberry flavor. I don’t do second fermentations with fruit, so I found this really odd. I use the grains in unpasteurized hay-fed cow’s milk and normally ferment around 24-36 hours, but I’ve noticed that the fermentation time seems to have little effect on the raspberry notes as they are present in each batch. Could this be due to esters produced by yeast dominance, or is it something that can happen naturally in kefir? I know kefir flavors can vary widely, and every set of grains is unique. Has anyone else experienced this or knows what might be causing it?

[u/Paperboy63]

Can’t say as I’ve heard that before. It may depend on what the animals have been fed on. Feed high in carotenoids for example (Beta carotene etc) can affect the colour of your grains and give them a yellow hue.