do you rinse your kefir grains when you make a new batch?

I've made milk kefir for many years and I've both rinsed the grains between batches and not rinsed.

My first instructions said nothing about rinsing, so I didn't. They even suggested adding a little of the previous batch to the new to kickstart it.

Later I read to rinse the grains to avoid off flavors. So I started rinsing between batches.

My experience is that when I rinse the grains, the new batch of kefir is flat. When I don't rinse, the new batch is effervescent. I really prefer it like that.

I know kefir grains contain both yeast and bacteria. I'm assuming the bubbling is due to its yeast. I'm wondering if rinsing the kefir grains also somehow rinses off the yeast. But that's just a speculative guess.

What's your experience? Do you rinse or not-rinse your kefir grains before making a new batch? Does it seem to make a difference in batches? Which do you prefer?

Interesting test, Leigh. The flat versus fizzy difference is pretty telling. Do you rinse with water, or with a bit of fresh milk instead?

Robbie, I experimented for awhile with rinsing the grains with water, but thought that un-rinsed worked/tasted better. I never thought about rinsing them with milk - it's an idea to try.

I used to rinse with water and found the same thing. Now I just store the grains in 1/2 cup of fresh milk if I am not going right to a next batch, so I guess I would call that a milk rinse.

Thanks Leigh, sounds like unrinsed still wins for you. Robert's trick of storing them in a little fresh milk sounds like that middle try.