Follow the instructions for the culture you actually have. If you need a strictly dairy-free product, check how the culture was produced before you assume it is.

Return the grains to dairy milk for a batch every few coconut batches. User suggestions range from a dairy batch every few batches to one in every three or four. This advice comes from anecdotal sources rather than controlled testing.

Use the first batch in cooking or smoothies, then put the grains into fresh coconut milk. If it still hasn't thickened after 24 hours, strain, refresh the grains in dairy milk, and try again.

Activate them in dairy milk until they are making consistent batches. One supplier recommends at least three weeks before moving to coconut milk.

Check the maker's instructions. Many suggest saving about ¼ cup of finished kefir to start the next batch once or twice, then starting again with a fresh sachet.

Choose a full-fat coconut milk with the shortest ingredient list you can find. If a batch won't ferment, switch brands before changing anything else.

Don't use coconuts with mould on the shell or brown or black spots. Stir while heating to prevent scorching, and cool the milk to roughly room temperature ( less than 28°C) before adding the culture.

Follow your culture's instructions. One powder starter recipe uses about 1 teaspoon of sugar per 1–1.5 litres. If your grains are struggling, a small amount of sugar is a reasonable thing to test, changing one variable at a time.

Start tasting and checking at about 12 hours, then every few hours. Strain once it reaches the consistency and tang you like.

Keep the jar out of direct sun. Let milk from the fridge warm up before adding the culture. In winter, choose a warmer spot such as near (not on) an appliance.

Use one with an adjustable lower range (about 25°C), or skip it and use a stable room-temperature spot instead.

Use full-fat milk and chill the finished kefir for several hours, since coconut fat firms when cold. Some recipes blend in about a teaspoon of chia seeds per cup, or a small pinch (about ¼ teaspoon per cup) of guar gum, after fermenting.

Shake or stir to recombine before drinking. Next time, strain a little earlier.

Lift it off, or let the jar sit at room temperature for a short while and stir it back in.

Keep the lid loose so gas can escape. If you chill it in a tightly sealed bottle, open it carefully, since pressure can build.

Use a glass jar and a non-metal spoon for stirring. Sterilise jars and utensils with boiling water first, as other bacteria can outcompete a young culture.

If you try it, remove the grains first and keep the time short. If you want a milder result, skip it and refrigerate straight away.

If you see mould or smell something rotten, discard the batch and the grains in it, wash everything thoroughly, and restart with clean equipment and a trusted culture.

Refrigerate promptly once it tastes right, and check the smell and appearance before drinking an older batch. Treat shorter as safer, especially with homemade coconut milk.

Pick a simple pattern and write the start date and milk type on each jar so you always know where the grains are in the cycle. If you need to avoid dairy entirely, a water kefir or powder-starter approach may suit you better.

Put the grains in fresh dairy milk and refrigerate them for a short break. For longer breaks, one extension guide describes rinsing the grains, drying them on parchment for 3–5 days, and storing them in an airtight bag in the fridge.

Keep the spares in dairy milk as a backup culture, share them with someone starting out, or compost them.