How is kumis produced?
Kumis (koumiss) is a fermented drink made from mare's milk. In the traditional method the milk is fermented with a starter of lactic acid bacteria and yeasts at about 20 C for 1 to 3 days and beaten as it ferments. It usually contains about 0.6 to 3 percent alcohol, according to a 2021 peer-reviewed review in Food Science and Nutrition.
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In this article
How is kumis made?
A 2021 review describes koumiss as a fermented milk product prepared from mare’s milk. In the traditional method the milk is fermented in wood pits or animal skins, beaten with a wooden stick and stored at room temperature (about 20 C) for 1 to 3 days. A portion of each batch is kept as the starter for the next one.
How is it made in a controlled process?
The review describes heating the milk at 90 to 92 C for 5 to 10 minutes, cooling it to 26 to 28 C and adding the starter. The bulk starter is added to the pasteurized milk at 30 percent. Fermentation runs at about 25 C for 2 hours with constant stirring. After packing it continues at 18 to 20 C for 2 to 3 hours, then the kumis is cooled to 4 to 6 C for storage.
What microbes ferment kumis?
Lactic acid bacteria, such as L. bulgaricus, L. plantarum and L. helveticus, work together with yeasts.
How much alcohol is in kumis?
The review says koumiss provides 0.6 to 3 percent alcohol along with a little carbon dioxide. It groups kumis by lactic acid content: weak about 1.0 percent alcohol, moderate about 1.8 percent and strong about 1.8 to 2.3 percent. The review notes that its figures are not fully consistent across sections, so treat them as ranges.
Is kumis always made from mare’s milk?
The review says commercial versions may use cow’s milk that is adjusted so it ferments in a similar way. Traditional kumis is made during the short milking season, generally July to October.
We found no official source in this check that gives a recipe for making kumis at home, so we do not give one.
People also ask
How much alcohol is in kumis?
A 2021 review in Food Science and Nutrition says koumiss provides 0.6 to 3 percent alcohol, with weak, moderate and strong types of about 1.0, 1.8 and 1.8 to 2.3 percent.
How long does kumis ferment?
The traditional method in the review stores the milk at about 20 C for 1 to 3 days. The controlled method described there is much shorter, with a few hours of fermentation at 18 to 25 C.
What is kumis made from?
Traditionally mare's milk, fermented with lactic acid bacteria and yeasts. Commercial versions may use cow's milk adjusted to ferment in a similar way.
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