Rejuvelac is a probiotic, gut enhancing fermented beverage that can also be used as a culture to make flavorful tangy vegan cheese. Rejuvelac is very simple to make.
Ingredients/Equipment
- ½ cup whole grain wheat berries*
- 1 ½ cups water, for soaking
- 3 cups filtered water, that will become rejuvelac
- fine mesh sieve
- glass bowl (to soak the grain in)
- 1 liter/quart jar (for the fermenting process)
- cheese cloth with rubber band to cover jar or a mesh lid
Step One – Soak
Put the grain in a bowl, add water and let soak for a minimum of 8 hours or as long as 12 hours. In the photo below, we have two grains soaking. We have wheat on the left and rye on the right.
Step Two – Sprouting
Using a sieve, drain the soaking water from the grain then place the sieve over a bowl. For good air circulation, leave the sieve uncovered. (see tips below)
After 4 to 5 hours, check on the seeds to observe the moisture. Do this by lifting up the sieve and giving the seeds a gentle shake. Look to see if the seeds are still moist. If they are still fairly moist, leave them for another hour or two, otherwise give them a rinse under running tap water. Usually the seeds need to be rinsed 3 times a day. Morning, noon and night.
The sprouts are ready when the tails are ¼ to ½ – inch long (6-12mm). This can be as soon as 36 hours or it can take as long as 3 to 4 days. Do NOT grow long tails as the sprouts will be bitter.
Step Three – Making the Rejuvelac
Transfer sprouts to a jar and add the filtered water. Cover jar with about 4 layers of cheesecloth and secure it with a rubber band or cover with a mesh lid. This is important as the Rejuvelac needs to breathe while keeping potential contaminants out. Leave at room temperature and out of sunlight for at least 24 hours. For fuller flavor let sit for as long as 3 days. The water will turn cloudy and bubbles will start to form.
Strain the rejuvelac and put it into another jar. Rejuvelac has a pleasant smell and lemony flavor. Cover and keep in refrigerator up to 3 to 4 weeks.
The leftover sprouts will make a second batch of rejuvelac. Simply add another 3 cups of water to the sprouts and ferment for only half the time.
Notes
- Wheat or rye berries are very common for making rejuvelac. Can also use brown rice, millet, or quinoa. Each grain has it’s own unique flavor profile.
- Grains must be in their whole form and should be organic. If cracked or broken they will not sprout.
- To prevent contamination, your equipment must be clean.
- For recipes to make vegan cheese, with using rejuvelac as a culture, check out Artisan Vegan Cheese by Miyoko Shinner.
Tips
- The key to sprouting is to have good air circulation around the grains. It’s important for the seeds to stay moist. They can’t dry out nor can they be water logged. The types of seeds used and room temperature will also be a factor on how quickly the moisture evaporates and how fast the seeds will sprout.
- When straining, water will puddle to the bottom of the sieve. To prevent the seeds at the bottom of the sieve from getting water logged, I blot the sieve on a clean absorbent tea towel as a safty measure, then place the sieve back over the bowl.
- If you know you won’t be able to check on the sprouts for more than 5-6 hours, I cover them with a clean tea towel or loosely cover the sieve with a plastic wrap. This will slow down the moisture from evaporating and the seeds from drying out.