- Welcome, Guest! (Log In)
- View Cart
- Contact Us
- 1-800-962-1959
Details
Make yogurt with our Viili yogurt starter. Viili contains live active bacteria and cultures at room temperature (70-78°F). Culture Viili yogurt right on the counter: no yogurt maker required! One packet of Viili can be used to make unlimited amounts of homemade yogurt as it can be serial cultured by reserving a small amount from the current batch to inoculate the next batch. With care, this Viili yogurt culture can be used to make homemade yogurt indefinitely. No more having to continually buy yogurt starter: save money making yogurt at home!
- Mild taste
- Moderately thick yogurt
- Cultures at 70-78°F, no yogurt maker required
- Reusable culture; with care a little from each batch can be used to make the next batch
Viili Yogurt Starter: Originating in Finland, Viili is a thicker yogurt that thrives on cream. It is also known as Viila and is similar to other yogurts such as Pitkapiima, Viilipiima, langil, taette, tatmjolk, langmjolk and skyr. Perfect for use in parfaits or in place of sour cream in recipes. Of all our room-temperature (mesophilic) yogurt cultures, Viili has the thickest consistency (viscous, almost jelly-like) and the mildest taste, making it our most popular yogurt culture particularly among customers switching their family off commercial yogurt. Please note, this is a non-ropey variety of Viili. Our Viili yogurt does not have a ropey texture but rather a more gelatinous, jelly-like texture.
How to Make Viili Yogurt: As a mesophilic culture, this Viili yogurt cultures at room temperature. To make a batch of homemade yogurt, the Viili starter is simply added to milk, stirred, and then allowed to culture on the counter before being placed in the refrigerator. A small amount of the current batch of homemade yogurt is then used to make the next batch and so on.
Customers wishing to use raw milk to make homemade yogurt will need to take additional steps to ensure a pure starter is maintained. Additional instructions concerning the use of raw milk will accompany each order of Viili.
Instructions for making Viili yogurt can be found here and will be included with your order.
Using alternative milks to make Viili: Viili starter may be used with alternative milks (soy, coconut, etc.) but is unlikely to reculture beyond the first few generations. Therefore we strongly recommend keeping a backup dairy-based culture on hand when using alternative milks. Viili yogurt can be made with goat milk although the resulting yogurt may be significantly less thick than yogurt made with whole cow milk. We do not recommend using UHT (aka ultra-pasteurized) milk when working with any yogurt culture as the lack of living bacteria in UHT milk makes it difficult for the yogurt cultures to perpetuate properly.
Ingredients: Organic milk, lactic bacteria (Lactococcus lactis subsp. cremoris, Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis biovar. diacetylactis, Leuconostoc mesenteroides subsp. cremoris).
Produced or packaged in a facility that also manufactures products made with wheat, dairy, soy, eggs, nuts, and fish.
Due to recent changes in manufacturing processes, the weight of the item that appears in the photo will differ from the actual weight of the item received.
Viili Shipping Information: Viili yogurt starter is shipped in a barrier-sealed packet as a freeze-dried yogurt culture in a dairy carrier. Please keep it in a cool dry place until you are ready to make your first batch of homemade yogurt. We ship enough yogurt culture to make two batches of yogurt to use as a mother culture for making larger batches of homemade yogurt. We recommend that you reserve the second packet in the fridge or freezer to use as a backup.
Questions on Viili Yogurt Starter
Sort by
- From kara at 4/12/12 8:50 AM
- Hi-
I didn't have much luck with this. I'm using raw milk and followed the instructions. My first batch never got thick but did get sour (I've been using it as a runny sour cream). I left it out for about 4 days. I thought it was because my house was too cold.
With the second batch, I placed it in a insulated cooler with some warm water. I watched the temp closely and kept it at 70. It neither got thick or sour.
With both versions, after I heater the milk, I let it get to room temp before adding the culture.
Can I salvage either of these to try another batch?
Thanks- - Thin yogurt is a common issue with raw milk and a lot of people resolve the problem by using a thickening agent. This article has information about different thickeners: http://www.culturesforhealth.com/thickening-flavoring-homemade-yogurt
Your process looks great and you get an "A" for testing the temp! Inconsistent temps can cause a lot of problems and it's nice to be able to rule that one out. Keep in mind that 70° is on the low end you might want to bump that temp up a few degrees,
It is also very important that you use the most fresh raw milk possible, it should be less than 48 hours out of the cow :) and chilled immediately. Go ahead and try another batch and contact us at customersupport@culturesforhealth.com if you have any questions or problems. - Do you find this question helpful? Yes No
- Hi-
- From Ellie at 4/25/12 6:25 AM
- Hello,
I used to live in Finland and have a brother living there now. He sent me over a dried Viili culture from a normal batch he bought in the supermarket. He used the recommended method to dry it and I reconstituted it as recommended also. The viili was perfect, just the right consistency and left nice long threads. The flavour was also quite normal. I use pasteurized full fat organic milk and always made it is a glass jar which I sterilized in between making, with boiling water and only used a plastic spoon for serving it.
I made the yoghurt almost every day, so the culture stayed nice and fresh. After a few weeks it began to deteriorate and it then separated. There was no way I could recover it. I was afraid that I had cultured it for too long or in too warm a temperature.
I had given a bit to a friend who had decided she didn't like it much, but that culture was still good as it had been made less than two weeks before, so I recuperated it and restarted the process. The batch was, once again, perfect. Then I even took some and prepared it as dried to keep aside in case the same thing happened again.
And it did happen again. After a few weeks the yoghurt deteriorated in the same way. The temperature had been regular as I sat the jar on a UPS which is slightly warm only on the surface.
Is this result because it came from a store bought food viili rather than a starter, do you think? I am not keen to have this shipped up to Canada (if they even allow it) only to find the same thing happening.
What are your thoughts on this problem?
Ellie - It sounds like your brother purchased a yogurt that had been made with a "direct set" starter which will begin to weaken after a few batches. An heirloom culture can be reused and with good care you can keep the culture going indefinitely. With an heirloom culture, it is important that you make a new batch of yogurt every 5-7 days to keep the good bacteria viable.
- Do you find this question helpful? Yes No
- Hello,
- From Laura at 4/27/12 3:47 PM
- From Miriam at 5/8/12 8:46 PM
- I'm interested in making villi yogurt with skim milk. I've bought skim milk skyr in the grocery store under the brand name Siggi's and it was very good. Can I make villi yogurt with skim milk using your starter? Thanks.
- We have a lot of customers making Viili with skim milk. If you find you would prefer a little thicker consistency, please see the following article for suggestions for a thickening agent: http://www.culturesforhealth.com/thickening-flavoring-homemade-yogurt
- Do you find this question helpful? Yes No
- From Jess at 5/15/12 1:38 PM
- This is concerning storage of the villi after making a quart batch. After you have made a batch of villi yogurt on the video it says to take a scoop out. I understand that part, from there is it stored in the refrigerator? Are you able to freeze the starter if you are going on vacation? Thank you for your time.
- Yes, the yogurt should be stored in the refrigerator once it's done culturing, both the mother culture and the yogurt to be consumed.
A small amount of yogurt or buttermilk can be frozen for up to a few weeks. Because the bacteria will degrade over time, we recommend freezing 3-4 times the amount you will require to make a new batch and limiting freezing to no more than a few weeks. - Do you find this question helpful? Yes No
- From maggie at 7/23/12 6:09 PM
- Ok the Villi starter instructions for pasteurized milk state that you use a portion of the "mother" batch for your next fermentation. Do I keep the "mother" batch, eat it, toss it, use it to start another batch? What do I do with it? Thanks!
- The mother culture can be used to culture another batch or can be consumed. Just be sure to save enough from each batch you culture to make another batch. A new batch should be cultured every 7 days.
- Do you find this question helpful? Yes No
- From Sarah at 8/2/12 8:21 AM
- I started my culture in reduced fat milk last night to make the activation batch. It's been 15 hours but looks like milk still. The temperature is around 76 or 77. When I was stirring it up, some of the starter was getting stuck on the sides of the glass jar and wooden spoon. I didn't try to remove that with my finger for fear of compromising the culture. Should I just keep waiting? Or does it sound like I didn't mix it properly?
- It can take up to 24 hours to activate the culture, keep checking every hour or so and if you have any problems, please send an e-mail to customersupport@culturesforhealth.com and we would be happy to assist you.
- Do you find this question helpful? Yes No
- From grant at 9/5/12 6:06 AM
- could you tell me which bacteria create viili's gelatinous texture?
- ·Lactococcus lactis subsp. cremoris
·Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis biovar. diacetylactis
·Leuconostoc mesenteroides subsp. cremoris
A chart on this page details the characteristics of each yogurt starter, including flavor, texture, bacteria. So many choices! http://www.culturesforhealth.com/choosing-a-yogurt-starter-culture - Do you find this question helpful? Yes No
- From Jennifer at 9/6/12 10:00 AM
- Can viili yogurt be used to make frozen yogurt? I saw you recommend the matsoni culture for this but I actually want more of a mild taste than a strong one and viili seems like it might be a good candidate. I don't like to have to deal with direct-set.
- Absolutely! Viili would make a lovely mild frozen yogurt.
- Do you find this question helpful? Yes No
- Can viili yogurt be used to make frozen yogurt? I saw you recommend the matsoni culture for this but I actually want more of a mild taste than a strong one and viili seems like it might be a good candidate. I don't like to have to deal with direct-set.
- From Psmokey at 9/7/12 3:03 PM
Ask Your Own Question
Back to the product pageCustomer Reviews
- Oh my viilli! Review by Lance
-
I just got my viili starter a few days ago and I couldn't be happier. I am using whole organic milk and It cultures really quickly and the consistency is very nice. Thanks so much for providing such a great product. (Posted on January 23, 2013)Quality Price Value
- Wonderful, tasty yogurt - perfect for breakfast cereal Review by Sherie
-
I have been making this yogurt for a two years now. It is easy to make, tasty, and perfect for using as a milk replacement on breakfast cereal. It is thinner than other yogurts because of the milk I use, but I like that! (Posted on January 19, 2013)Price Value Quality
- WOW! So creamy. So simple. Review by Charlene
-
It had been years since I'd made yogurt. Now that I have a reliable source of Jersey Raw Milk,I wanted to start again. Found your site via Wise Choice Market. I carefully read all descriptions and your very clear instructions (esp. for raw milk). I chose the Viili because of the high cream in Jersey milk & it sounded very easy. BEST YOGURT I've eaten in 68 years. Thick, creamy, mild enough to not even need any sweetener. I live in south Tx. Wintertime house temperature runs from 69 to 77 degrees. First time, I let it set for 36 hours. I meant to check at 24 hrs, but holiday company came. It had set nice & thick but with whey separated on top. Tasted great though. I used the Cultures for Health cheese bag and had Labnah & wonderful whey. TIP: turn the bag wrong side out, it makes for much easier cleanup. I used the whey to marinate garlic cloves and to soak seeds and nuts. 2nd batch processed perfectly in 16 hrs. 3rd batch I made pints for Christmas presents to rave reviews. I have recommended this to several people. (Posted on January 12, 2013)Quality Price Value
- Good yogurt Review by Alice
-
This yogurt is very easy to make. It is thinner then store-bought yogurt, but I am going to try straining it to make it a thicker consistency. On the plus side, it is one that is easy to drink. This is only my second batch, so perhaps time will change the consistency to a thicker one. Customer service if fantastic!! I had problems with my first batch and they quickly remedied the situation. What a great company! (Posted on January 10, 2013)Price Value Quality
- Excellent taste, easiest to make Review by Shirley
-
Viili has a delightful flavor. I just mix it up and put it on the counter. In the winter when my house is cool to cold (50s at night), I put it in a ice chest with a jar of hot water (not to hot) and close it up. I heat my raw milk to 80 degrees first to give it a jump start. It makes perfect every time summer or winter. Wow! If you miss this, you have really missed an easy beneficial treat. (Posted on January 10, 2013)Value Quality Price
- yippee! Review by Kristen
-
I ordered some of this after reading Sandor Katz's section on yogurt in "Art of Fermentation." I have goats and have been making yogurt for nearly a decade with direct-set cultures (EXPENSIVE) from Dairy Connection. This culture tastes absolutely fantastic, way better than the old stuff, and makes a much thicker yogurt. I'm astonished. I had no idea these yogurt cultures existed. This is the yummiest yogurt I've eaten! (Posted on November 25, 2012)Price Value Quality
- Excellent Review by Shirley
-
Easiest to make of any. Superb mild taste. Truly noble! (Posted on November 8, 2012)Value Quality Price
- Tasty yogurt! Review by Kris M
-
I bought Villi and Filmjolk. I started the filmjolk and made it a number of times, but it was too sour (and runny). The one thing I liked about filmjolk is that if you strain it, it's an excellent sour cream replacement.Value Quality Price
On the other hand, Villi is perfect! Just tart enough, but quite tasty plain. I make 3 cups at a time and find that it is best when cultured for 12 hours. Then I strain it to get the thick custardy texture I prefer. LOVE this stuff!
Both varieties are very easy to just mix it up and leave it on the counter to culture. (Posted on July 25, 2012)
- Wonderful Viili Review by Lynn the Finn
-
I grew up eating Viili and had not had a bowl for many years. I found this website and wanted to give the product a try. I am very pleased. This culture was easy to use and made very tasty Viili the first time and since. I leave it on my kitchen counter and it's ready the next day. Just like I remember. Thanks for the great product. (Posted on May 9, 2012)Quality Price Value
- Excellent Yogurt!! Review by Mike M.
-
Easy to make. Tastes great! Thanks so much for a great product. Look forward to trying other things from you! (Posted on February 18, 2012)Quality Price Value
- Excellent yogurt! Review by Natasha Y.
-
It was hard to decide which starter to buy, after much thinking I bought Vilii starter and don't regret it. The yogurt is super delicious and it is sweet enough without any sweeteners. Love it! Highly recommend! (Posted on February 16, 2012)Price Value Quality
- diane@speedkin.com Review by Diane
-
Love, love, love this stuff! I can't stand fussy thing, like "regular" yogurt. Viili, however, is so easy. It took a couple of days to fully wake up but now it's going like gangbusters. And, no, it's not thick like storebought yogurt but it has an amazing taste. We drink it out of a cup and my kids ask for it every day.Quality Price Value
I'd like to try a ropey version of viili as well one day, should you ever decide to stock it. (Posted on December 28, 2011)
- amy.goodman7@gmail.com Review by Amy
-
I grew up with Finnish villia, and loved the stretchy consistency. When I have traveled to Finland, villia is sold everywhere alongside yogurt. It also has that wonderful elasticity too. This product does not have any of that texture. I hoped subsequent batches would eventually approach the texture I hoped for. The taste was OK but not quite as mild as I would have liked. (Posted on December 21, 2011)Quality Value Price
- took a while Review by vic
-
I started this culture and had a very hard time finding an area in my housethat was warm enough. It finallyset-I opened the oven (whichwas not on) ready to throw it out and start over, but this morning it was set! So far so good! It WILL take the 48 hours to set up if your home is cold. Find the warm spot BEFORE you begin! (Posted on October 19, 2011)Price Value Quality
- Awesome!!! Review by yogurtmama
-
I have to say I was slightly worried about making yogurt, it is hard to keep a steady temperature in my house, and especially hard to find a place free of drafts. The customer service was awesome too. My first villi starter didn't take hold at all, it curdled both times I tried it. Customer service was very helpful, and ended up sending me a replacement, they figured that my starter simply didn't activate. When I got my new starter I was a little worried about using it, so I followed the directions on the website for making a second start if your first curdles (basically cut all measurements in half.) I set it in my closet, which keeps a temperature of about 70-72 degrees, and I let it sit undisturbed for about 20 hours before I checked it. When I looked in, it had obviously set, and I left it for a couple of more hours. I just moved it to the fridge to cool, and it looks PERFECT, exactly what you would expect the villi to look like, thick and gorgeous! From my numerous tries at the yogurt, I have come to two conclusions. 1) The yogurt should be left COMPLETELY undisturbed for at least 20 hours, don't move it at all! 2) It seems to culture best when the room is on the cooler side of the scale, not the warmer. I am really excited, and think that CFH is an amazing site. Thank you!!! (Posted on August 28, 2011)Price Value Quality
- runny sour cream Review by Danielle
-
I was used to making yogurt the traditional way, but thought this would be an easier way (not having to heat it and let it cool, etc). However, the consistency was very runny, adn I did not care for the taste. It tasted exactly like sour cream, which is fine if you want to use it as a replacement for sour cream, but that's not what I wanted it for. It did culture very quickly as it is summertime, but the results were less than satisfactory. I will be going back to making yogurt the traditional way. I don't have much use for runny yogurt, as I can use kefir for smoothies, etc. (Posted on August 14, 2011)Price Value Quality
- Very Runny Review by First Time Trying
-
I like the flavor and its also very easy to make but like other customers Im having trouble with the thickness. I cant seem to get anything but very runny yogurt. Ive added cream and even used whole milk but I cant get it to thicken. (Posted on August 8, 2011)Quality Price Value
- Great Tasting but Still Runny Review by Theresa
-
The first batch of yogurt I made is still quite runny. It is solid in the jar, however, once I spoon it in another container, it turns into liquid. I have a second batch I made but haven't checked that one yet. Otherwise, it has a very nice taste. (Posted on July 21, 2011)Price Value Quality
- easier than expected Review by Tung Le
-
Product arrived withinthree days. No need yogurt maker, just pure yogurt mother and milk. I put it in living away from kefir so they don't cross contaminate as in instruction. Here in So Cal I let it sit more than ten hoursit become cheese, so I just do it before bed time and finish next morning. It came out perfect. (Posted on July 13, 2011)Price Value Quality
- good, but unexpected Review by cbehrens
-
I bought this culture because I did not want to invest in a yogurt maker. Using whole, vat-pasteurized milk, I made a decent yogurt but it was much thinner than I expected. I plan on simply straining some whey off because the flavor is still good. Also, I bought an indoor thermometer because the temp in my house fluctuates significantly through the day. (Posted on May 11, 2011)Value Quality Price
Attention!
Starter cultures, rennet for cheese making and cultured vegetables, juices and condiments are sensitive to excessive heat. Once your order has shipped, an e-mail with tracking information will be sent to you. We encourage you to use the tracking information to anticipate the arrival of your items so they can be removed from the mail box and stored in the refrigerator promptly.