Taste the Rainbow
£25.95 5 × 240ml
- One bottle of each of our five flavours
- A flavour guide to find your favourite
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Kefir without the dairy
Dairy-free kefir
Love kefir but not the dairy? Water kefir is the dairy-free kefir: made with water, not milk, so it’s vegan and contains no lactose. Ours is organic, lightly sparkling and hand-brewed in small batches in Devon.
The short answer
Yes, kefir can be dairy-free. Water kefir is made by fermenting water and sugar with water kefir grains instead of milk, so it’s naturally dairy-free, lactose-free and vegan. It’s lighter than milk kefir: lightly sparkling and fruity rather than thick and creamy.
What is dairy-free kefir?
Most people know kefir as the tangy fermented milk sold in supermarket fridges. But there’s a second kefir that has never been near a cow: water kefir, also called tibicos. It’s made with water kefir grains, a living culture of bacteria and yeasts that looks like small translucent crystals. The grains ferment sweetened water for a day or two, and the result is a tangy, lightly sparkling drink with live kefir cultures.
You’ll also see kefir-style drinks made from coconut or oat milk. Water kefir is different again: there’s no milk of any kind, just water, sugar, fruit and the culture.
Switching from milk kefir?
| Milk kefir | Water kefir | |
|---|---|---|
| Made with | Milk and milk kefir grains | Water, sugar, fruit and water kefir grains |
| Dairy and lactose | Contains both | Neither |
| Vegan | No | Yes |
| Texture | Thick and creamy | Light and lightly sparkling |
| Taste | Sour, like natural yoghurt | Gently tart, lightly sweet and fruity |
| Best for | Breakfast, smoothies | Chilled over ice, with meals, overnight oats, mocktails |
The biggest change is texture: water kefir is a drink to pour over ice, not a drinking yoghurt. If you love kefir’s tang but want something lighter and dairy-free, it’s a lovely swap. For the full comparison, read milk kefir vs water kefir.
How to use water kefir instead of milk kefir
- Overnight oats: soak oats overnight in water kefir instead of milk kefir, then top with fruit and seeds. You’ll get a lighter, fruitier result.
- Smoothies: blend it with frozen fruit for a dairy-free smoothie with a gentle fizz.
- With meals: a chilled glass of water kefir is a lovely alternative to a fizzy soft drink.
- Mocktails: try our kefir mojito or the Butterfly Kiss.
Our dairy-free kefir
PiQi is organic water kefir, hand-brewed in small batches in Devon. We ferment triple-filtered water with organic sugar and organic figs, then add organic fruit, juices or herbs for a second ferment, and bottle it raw, never pasteurised. It’s certified organic and certified vegan, and natural fermentation leaves it at under 0.5% ABV.
- Original Fig: pure and honeyed, with a crisp fruity finish
- Ginger & Lemon: warming ginger with bright citrus
- Raspberry: sweet, tangy and beautifully pink
- Matcha & Mint: an uplifting, aromatic herbal fusion (contains caffeine from the matcha)
- Blue Spirulina & Lemon: vibrant and refreshing, with delicate citrus
Not sure where to start? Taste the Rainbow brings you one bottle of each, with UK delivery included.
Delivery included
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Raw and never pasteurisedIs kefir dairy-free?
It depends which kefir. Milk kefir is made from cow’s, goat’s or sheep’s milk, so it contains dairy. Water kefir is made from water, sugar and fruit with water kefir grains, so it’s completely dairy-free.
Is water kefir lactose-free?
Yes. Water kefir is made without milk, so it contains no lactose. If you have an allergy or a medical condition, always check the label, and ask your GP if you’re unsure.
Is water kefir vegan?
Yes. Water kefir contains no animal ingredients, and PiQi is certified vegan as well as certified organic.
Does water kefir taste like milk kefir?
Not really. Both have kefir’s gentle tang, but water kefir is light and lightly sparkling, flavoured with fruit or herbs, while milk kefir is thick, creamy and sour, like a drinking yoghurt.
Is water kefir as good as milk kefir?
They’re different drinks, made with different cultures, so it’s not a like-for-like swap. Most kefir research so far has looked at milk kefir, and studies of water kefir in people are still to come. We don’t make health claims, but you can read what the research says about water kefir.
Does it contain caffeine?
Only our Matcha & Mint, which contains caffeine from the matcha. Original Fig, Ginger & Lemon, Raspberry and Blue Spirulina & Lemon are caffeine-free.
Can I make dairy-free kefir at home?
Yes. All you need is live water kefir grains, sugar, water and a jar. Follow our guide to making water kefir at home, or get everything in one box with our fermentation kit.