Fermenting Through the Seasons: How Weather Affects Your Cultures (and What to Do About It)
May 9 | Written By Sabrina Huizar
Fermentation is moody. Not in a bad way—just… responsive. That batch of yogurt that set perfectly in April? It might separate in August. Your kefir grains that bubble like soda water in the summer? Come winter, they might sulk and go quiet.
That’s because ferments don’t follow recipes as much as they follow the weather. They thrive (or flounder) depending on temperature, humidity, and even how drafty your kitchen is. If you’ve ever found yourself wondering, “Why did this work last month but not now?”—you’re not alone. You’re just fermenting through the seasons.
Let’s break it down.
Summer: Fermentation on Fast Forward
What you’ll notice:
Yogurt gets lumpy or grainy
Kefir over-ferments in half the time
Starters go wild (and maybe smell like vinegar)
Everything gets… tangy. Fast.
What to do about it:
Use less starter. Less fuel = slower ferment.
Check frequently—don’t wait for the full 24 hours.
Move jars to cooler spots (a pantry, a cabinet, even a small water bath).
Keep lids slightly looser to avoid pressure buildup.
Pro tip: In the hottest months, I ferment yogurt at night or early morning—it gives me more control before the heat kicks in.
Fall: The Fermenter’s Sweet Spot
What you’ll notice:
Cultures behave better.
Ferments are more predictable.
Flavors mellow out.
You start craving warm bread and cozy smells (OK, maybe that’s just me).
What to do about it:
Try new cultures or longer ferments—you’ve got stability on your side.
Start planning ahead for the cooler months.
Reevaluate your routine—fall is a great time to dial in your habits.
Winter: The Big Slow Down
What you’ll notice:
Yogurt won’t set
Kefir grains go sluggish
Sourdough takes forever to rise
Some cultures may stall completely
What to do about it:
Use more starter—extra bacteria gives the batch a head start.
Create a warm microclimate: cooler + towel + warm water bottle = magic
Use your oven light, dehydrator, or Instant Pot for gentle warmth
Be patient (and yes, sometimes very patient)
Spring: Waking Up the Microbes
What you’ll notice:
Cultures perk up again
You might see more bubbles, separation, or stronger smells
Ferments finish faster than expected
Sourdough gets some of its mojo back
What to do about it:
Start reducing starter amounts again
Keep a closer eye on timing—things are speeding up
If a culture has been dormant, do a few back-to-back batches to revive it
A Final Thought
Fermenting through the seasons takes a little flexibility—but it’s also part of the fun. Your kitchen becomes a living lab, and every batch teaches you something new. The goal isn’t perfection—it’s learning to read the room (literally), adjust, and enjoy the process.
So whether your kefir is bouncing off the walls or your yogurt needs a blanket, just know: your microbes are paying attention to the seasons. And now you are too.
Stay tuned—and stay cultured.
—Sabrina
Our Ancient Einkorn Sourdough Starter is truly something special. It has a creamy personality with soft vanilla notes and a gentle milk-like sourness that makes every loaf feel rich and comforting. The flavor is delicate but layered, giving you complexity without overpowering tang.
This starter is also incredibly enthusiastic when it comes to rising bread. It is lively, responsive, and more than ready to lift your loaves beautifully. Of all the ancient grains, einkorn comes closest to behaving like modern wheat, which makes it a wonderful choice if you want something heritage-inspired but still approachable to bake with.
Visually, it resembles common wheat more than other ancient grains thanks to its naturally light colored flour. The result is a loaf that feels both rustic and refined, with a tender crumb and a warm golden glow. If you love ancient grains but want reliability and elegance in your baking, this einkorn starter delivers.
Expect:
• Creamy flavor with soft vanilla notes
• Gentle, milk-like sourness
• Lively fermentation and strong rise
• Beautifully balanced flavor without sharp tang
• Tender crumb and warm golden color
• Ancient grain character with approachable baking performance
Elegant, reliable, and full of quiet complexity, this einkorn starter brings ancient grain baking into the modern kitchen with ease.
Our Dahi Thermophilic Yogurt Culture produces the traditional yogurt enjoyed throughout the Indian subcontinent for generations. Known simply as dahi, this beloved cultured milk is a daily staple in many households and is valued for its comforting flavor, creamy body, and versatility in the kitchen.
When cultured, dahi develops a rich, smooth texture with a gentle tang that is milder and more rounded than many Western-style yogurts. Traditionally made with cow’s milk, it sets into a soft, creamy yogurt that can be enjoyed plain or used in a wide variety of dishes.
Dahi plays an important role in both sweet and savory cooking. It’s perfect for enjoying alongside meals, mixing into rice dishes, blending into smoothies or lassi drinks, and using in marinades, curries, and sauces where its creamy texture and mild tang add balance and depth.
Simple, traditional, and deeply comforting, this culture brings the timeless flavor of homemade dahi right into your kitchen.
Expect:
• Smooth, creamy traditional yogurt
• Mild, pleasant tang
• Soft, spoonable texture
• Reliable thermophilic fermentation
• Traditionally made with cow’s milk
• Perfect for eating plain, marinades, and cooking
Creamy, gentle, and wonderfully versatile, this culture produces the classic homemade dahi that has nourished families for generations.
Our Milk Kefir Grains have been carefully sourced from cultures all around the world and blended together to create one of the most diverse and resilient kefir cultures available. The result is a lively, dependable culture that produces rich, tangy kefir full of character.
Milk kefir grains are living colonies of beneficial bacteria and yeasts that work together to ferment milk into a probiotic-rich drink known as kefir. Despite their name, they are not actual grains like wheat or rice. Instead, they resemble soft, jelly-like curds or small cauliflower florets. Milk kefir originates back centuries to the Caucasus Mountains, where kefir has long been cherished as a nourishing fermented milk drink. Traditionally passed down from generation to generation, kefir grains were often considered a treasured household culture.
As the grains ferment the milk, they feed on its natural sugars and transform it into a creamy, lightly tangy beverage with a gentle natural effervescence. The finished kefir is refreshing, complex, and wonderfully nourishing.
With regular care, milk kefir grains can be used indefinitely and will naturally grow and multiply over time, allowing you to continually produce fresh kefir at home. This makes them a favorite among both new fermenters and experienced cultured food enthusiasts.
Simple, traditional, and incredibly rewarding, milk kefir grains make it easy to enjoy fresh homemade kefir while supporting a healthy, balanced gut.
Expect:
• Tangy, creamy probiotic kefir
• Naturally complex flavor with gentle effervescence
• Living grains that grow and multiply over time
• Highly resilient and adaptable culture
• Continuous kefir production with proper care
• Perfect for drinking, smoothies, and cultured recipes
Lively, nourishing, and endlessly reusable, these milk kefir grains produce authentic homemade kefir that quickly becomes a staple in any fermentation kitchen.