Rejuvelac is a probiotic, gut enhancing fermented beverage. It can also be used as a culture to make flavorful vegan cheese. Rejuvelac is made from sprouted grains.
Ingredients/Equipment
- ½ cup wheat berries*
- 1 ½ cups water, for soaking
- 3 cups filtered water, to make the rejuvelac
- sieve
- glass bowl or jar (to soak the grain in)
- 1 jar, like a 1 liter/quart Mason jar (for the rejuvelac process)
- cheese cloth with rubber band to cover jar or a mesh lid
Step One – Soak
Put the grain in a bowl or jar, 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. 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 use 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. Rejuvelac has a pleasant smell and lemony flavor.
Strain the rejuvelac and put it into another jar. 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 berries can be substituted with other grains including rye, brown rice, millet, and 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. During the sprouting process, it’s important for the seeds to stay moist. They can’t dry out nor can they be saturated. The types of seeds used and the room temperature will also be a factor on how quickly the moisture evaporates and how fast the seeds will sprout.
- A few minutes after straining, water will puddle to the bottom of the sieve. To prevent the seeds at the bottom of the sieve from getting water logged, blot the sieve on a clean tea towel, 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, then cover them with a clean tea towel or loosely cover the sieve with a plastic wrap. This will help to stop them from drying out.