Goat Milk Kefir

The wonders of kefir are many. The word kefir, when literally translated from its original language, means “good feeling”. This is in reference to the wonderful feeling one receives from drinking this age-old cultured dairy product.

While most of our western society prefers cow milk, goat milk is quite commonly consumed in other cultures. Many who have had a hard time digesting cow’s milk are now finding that the lower levels of casein in goat milk make it easier to digest.

Making goat kefir, which we will get to in a minute, can make it even more digestible since the kefir cultures eat up the lactose present and provide extra enzymes for digestibility.

Why Some Choose Goat’s Milk Over Cow’s Milk

So why would one choose goat milk over cow milk when deciding which type of kefir to make? Here are a few reasons:

• Goat milk contains less casein than cow’s milk, which can make it easier to digest for some people.
• Goat milk is naturally homogenized, meaning the cream will not separate during the kefiring process.
• Goat milk’s proteins break up into smaller particles than cow’s milk when introduced to your stomach acid. This is another reason it can be easier to digest.
• Goat milk may be more accessible. While it is sometimes difficult to find goat milk, it may be easier for someone to keep a home milking goat than a cow, due to the substantial size difference.

Is There a Difference In Procedure?

You may be wondering if making goat kefir is any different in practice than making cow kefir.

Kefir Grains. Because kefir grains depend a lot upon the environment, goat kefir and cow kefir are made exactly the same way. What may differ is the kefiring time and the consistency of the end result. Play with the amount of time you allow the kefir to ferment to find the tartness and consistency you prefer.

Powdered Kefir Culture. If you read the instructions in the Body Ecology powdered kefir culture you will see that to make your first batch you would use 1 quart of cow’s milk while you would use 1 pint of goat’s milk. The good news is that this is only for the initial starting of the culture. Consecutive batches can be made just like the cow’s milk version. There is no full explanation why, but one can assume that in testing the cultures the company has found it to work this way.

How to Make Goat Kefir

As stated above, the procedure is almost identical to making cow kefir.

Using Kefir Grains

Place your kefir grains in a quart jar. Cover with milk, stir with a wooden utensil, and place a loosely-fitting lid on top. Allow to culture in a warm place (65 - 80 degrees) for 12-24 hours, or until desired thickness and flavor are achieved.

Strain milk through a plastic strainer and retrieve kefir grains. Refrigerate kefir and use kefir grains to make a new batch of kefir.

Using Direct-Set Culture

Place culture into amount of milk specified in the instructions. Stir with a wooden spoon and culture in a warm place (65-80 degrees) for 12-24 hours, or until desired thickness and flavor are achieved.

Reserve amount necessary for your next batch and enjoy your kefir.

So, if you are a lover of goat milk and would like to make kefir then by all means use goat milk. The procedure is the same, the flavor will be as good as your milk is, and you can enjoy dairy kefir even if you aren’t able to handle cow’s milk.

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