Ever wondered why your homemade kefir tastes nothing like the stuff from the store? You are not doing anything wrong. In fact, you are probably doing everything right.

Flops, flubs, and fizzing mishaps: here’s what my biggest fermentation failures taught me about patience, process, and the quiet brilliance of microbial life.

Fermentation isn’t a set-it-and-forget-it thing—it’s a living process that changes with the seasons. From summer heat to winter chills, here’s how to keep your ferments happy all year round.