When I first heard the word “rejuvelac,” I had no idea what that was. I’ve never heard of it until I started making my own vegan cheese. To make vegan cheese, you’ll need a starter culture. I could use store-bought probiotics but I wanted to make cheese with a homemade starter culture.
Basically, you sprout grains and make cultured water with the sprouted grains. You can use different types of grains. I like the mild flavor of the most basic rejuvelac ingredient of wheat berry so that’s what I usually use.
After trying a couple of different methods to make rejuvelac, this method works for me and where I live (San Francisco, California). The duration of the process varies depending on the room temperature. I found it gets done faster when it’s warm. It’s almost always cool in San Francisco so it takes a while. The whole process takes about 10 days here but it may not take you this long if you live in somewhere warm.
I’m constantly making rejuvelac so I have it ready when I want to make some cultured food. I use it to make vegan cheese with nuts and vegan yogurt with coconuts and/or nuts.
It’s very easy to make but takes time so plan ahead! Let’s begin.
- Soak wheat berries in water for one day. This is how wheat berries look like before soaking.
2. Drain water and rinse well. Cover the jar with a mesh screen or something similar. I’m using a screen lid from Sprout People. Keep the jar side way and wait until they spout for one and half to two days. Pour some water and drain to moist wheat berries at least a couple of times a day.
The next two picture was taken after soaking in water for a day. No sprouting action was going on yet.
The next two pictures were taken after one day. It’s getting there but not ready yet.
3. When you see tails, pour 2 cups of water in the jar. Loosely cover the lid with a piece of paper towel or plastic wrap.
You can see tails now.
Now you can pour water and wait the magic action taking place!
4. Taste rejuvelc every day. When it tastes tangy like yogurt (a couple of days for me), pour the water into another jar. This is the first batch of rejuvelac. Store rejuvelac in the refrigerator.
When it’s ready, the water gets cloudy. You can smell cheese-like fermented smell.
Also, it gets bubbly.
5. Pour new 2 cups of water and repeat the process. It takes a couple of days for me to make each batch. After you have the fourth batch, discard wheat berries.
Note: This whole process will be done at the room temperature. Store rejuvelac in the refrigerator once it’s made.
The cheese-like fermented smell gets stronger as you make more batches. I usually use the last batch (the fourth batch) for vegan cheese. For the rejuvelac that I don’t use to make cultured food, I just drink it straight or use it in a smoothie. It contains natural probiotics and good for you!
I’ll post a vegan cheese recipe using rejuvelac next. Stay tuned!
- ¼ cup wheat berries
- Water
- Soak wheat berries in water for one day
- Drain water and rinse well. Cover the lid with a mesh screen or something similar. Keep the jar side way and wait until they spout for one and half to two days. Pour water and drain water to moist wheat berries at least a couple of times a day.
- When you see the tali, pour 2 cups of water in the jar. Loosely cover the lid with a piece of paper towel or plastic wrap.
- Taste rejuvelc every day. When it tastes tangy like yogurt (a couple of days for me), pour the water into another jar. This is the first batch. Store rejuvelac in the refrigerator.
- Pour new 2 cups of water and repeat the process. It takes a couple of days for me to make each batch. After you have the fourth batch, discard wheat berries.
- Note: This whole process will be done at the room temperature. Store rejuvelac once it's made in the refrigerator.
Renae says
Hi there.Ah,I’m so glad you’re back! I was wondering if there is anyway this can be made without wheat berries? I’m gluten free.Thank you 🙂
admin says
Hi! Sorry for my late reply. I was traveling for a while. You can make rejuvelac with other grain like quinoa. 🙂