Milk Kefir SCOBY
- SCOBY only with digital instructions
is backordered and will ship as soon as it is back in stock.
Delivery
We dispatch on Mondays and Tuesdays with Australia Post. Ferments travel by Express Post, chilled in an insulated box with an ice pack. Live cultures (SCOBYs) also go via Express in double-sealed pouches. Books and pantry items that don't require a speedy delivery can go by Parcel Post. Shipping is priced by weight at checkout.
FAQs
What is Milk Kefir?
Milk kefir is a delicious, probiotic-rich fermented milk drink with a tangy, slightly effervescent taste. It's made by fermenting fresh milk with kefir grains — a living culture of beneficial bacteria and yeasts — and is one of the most diverse probiotic foods you can find.
How do I drink it — and what can I make with it?
On its own, straight from the fridge, is a great place to start. But milk kefir is also brilliant in smoothies, salad dressings, overnight oats, baking, and so much more. For inspiration, visit our milk kefir recipe collection here
How much should I drink?
If you're new to fermented foods, start with 100–150ml a day and let your gut adjust. After a week or two most people move up to 200–300ml daily. Listen to your body — it'll tell you what it needs.
Is it suitable for toddlers and elderly people?
Yes! For toddlers over 12 months, start with 1–2 teaspoons and build up gradually to around 50–100ml a day. For older people it's a wonderful choice — easier to digest than regular milk, rich in calcium and protein, and full of gut-supporting cultures. As always, check with a healthcare professional if you have any concerns.
What about lactose intolerance?
Because the kefir grains consume most of the lactose during fermentation — converting it into lactic acid — many people with lactose intolerance find milk kefir much easier to tolerate than regular milk. The longer it ferments, the more lactose is broken down. If you're sensitive, start small and see how you go.
Milk Kefir Grains: Where So Many of Us Start
Milk kefir is the ferment our customers reach for first. Creamy, tangy, a little bit fizzy - and alive.
These live grains will culture batch after batch of fresh kefir right on your kitchen bench. One small jar of grains can make litres of kefir every week, for years to come.
Why our customers love milk kefir: It's the most versatile culture you can keep. Beyond the traditional drink, you can:
Blend it into smoothies
Freeze it into icy poles the kids actually want
Strain it into labneh for spreads and dips
Flavour it with syrups and fruit
Capture the whey to make sparkling wild sodas
(Our milk kefir won delicious. magazine's "Best New Product" award - which embarrassed us a little since it's thousands of years old, but we were proud they recognised the quality of what we make.)
What you're getting: Live milk kefir grains in a small glass jar with starter liquid, ready to begin fermenting immediately. Full instructions included.
New to milk kefir? Pair your grains with our online course for step-by-step video guidance, or join our subscription club to receive fresh, ready-made kefir delivered regularly while your grains get established.
Head over to our Recipe page - more specifically HERE to see what you're getting into, how to prepare for your SCOBY and the ins and outs of fermenting with Milk Kefir. x
Customer Reviews
Overall rating: 4.7 / 5 from 21 reviews.
These little grains have been fabulous. Also highly recommend the online course to l learn how to utilise your kefir and look after your grains, I learnt so much!
So happy with my kefir grains. They were a little slow to ferment initially after postage (probably because I put them in the fridge for a day before use) but second batch in they are doing very well and producing nice kefir! They are also growing very quickly! This is my first experience with fermenting and The Fermentary has made it so easy =). Thank you!
Store owner replied:
Oh that’s amazing! So good to hear that our instructions and guidance were helpful. We do have an online milk kefir class you can access here on the website and monthly in person workshops too for when you’re ready to level-up! X
The scoby was delivered to me so quickly. I got straight into it and have made beautiful Kefir for a few weeks now. I’m drinking it morning and night. I love it. It’s growing nicely after each batch and I’ll be able to share some with family soon.
The milk kefir scoby has been easy to incorporate into our routine. My partner and I have some every night before bed and I've noticed an improvement in my gut already.
It is good for me the true test will be when i hare it with my boss he got me started on kefir
He give me some had it going for 18 months
Now his had died he can’t get from where he got it
Every kefir he has tried since no good
Giving him a bit tomorrow morning see how it goes
Store owner replied:
Great to hear. It’s our favourite here too. X
Such a beautiful product, I have been making milk keffir every day now and am really enjoying the way it has changed my palate.
I love the taste, and have experimented making Charmalade flavoured keffir, cardamom and maple, coffee and coconut sugar, and crushed freeze dried strawberries and vanilla. So good.
Interestingly I am finding I am not so inclined to desperately seek sugar at 2pm, and instead look for a small glass of keffir. It is awesome. Thanks so much for selling scobys so full of life!
Store owner replied:
YAY!! That’s what I find too. When you add sour, and all of that bacteria, your body stops craving sweet. Amazing how it works. I love how you have been playing around with flavours.
Disappointed with the amount of milk grains I received considering how costly it was to purchase them. My grain were slimy and smelt off. I've been trying to revive them ever since I got them. Overall not satisfied and feeling ripped off.
Store owner replied:
Oh this is upsetting to read! Have you been brewing with the grains since? We send enough to get you started and get them growing yourself. The ‘off’ smell would be just the smell of a milk kefir grain that has been sitting still for a few days… and the slime is something we covet here. It’s called Kefiran and we hope that everyone’s grains have some of that. I’m going to check to see if there’s been other correspondence to us about this from you - and how it may have been dealt with as this isn’t the ideal place to get things fixed up if they need attention.
My Milk Kefir Scoby is producing wonderful Kefir. You can rely on the quality of The Fermentary's products.
Store owner replied:
Thanks for your note x love hearing from our customers. Hope your milk kefir is still going strong.
So happy with the Milk Kefir Scoby from The Fermentary. It was beautifully packaged, and started fermenting well on the second fermentation. I am concerned that I have had it in too high temperature room over the last heat wave (have now moved it to air-conditioned room). Will possibly buy a replacement Scoby when the weather cools down, just to be sure it is fermenting properly after being exposed to heat. Thank you for a great product.
Store owner replied:
Hello- thanks for your note. You know, it won’t need replacing, all going well. It can go faster and slower and reaaaally slow down due to the temperature, but unless it gets cooked - it should be healthy enough and recreate itself enough to ensure a steady population for you. X Sharon
I’ve been having milk kefir on and off for years but this is the first time I’ve bought from here and the kefir arrived safe and sound, loved the packing, the little small glass jar! And the advice given along side of it ☺️ I drink it as is, or I add some magnesium powder so I get both of best worlds.
Store owner replied:
Thanks for sharing your experience, Sioban! So pleased to have you fermenting with us. Reach out with any questions along the way.
I think the Milk Kefir SCOBY quantity was too small. Otherwise as expected.
Thanks for the start of a new ferment to add to the collection. This one got off to a slow start but I think that’s because I put it in the fridge for half a day before I started using it and it’s been getting colder in Melbourne. On to the third batch now and put it in the yoghurt maker at a consistent 30deg C for 24hrs and its maturing nicely now. I have traditionally had acne problems with dairy so wasn’t sure how this would go, but using the cold pressed unpasteurised milk from Coles seems to be being tolerated and small improvement in skin and gut issues already. Crossing fingers for more great results!
