What is Kefir?

Goat's Milk Kefir photo credit Redwood Hill Farm & Creamery

You’ve seen it in the grocery store, but do you know what it is? We talked to Seair Lorentz, brand manager at Redwood Hill Farm and Creamery to learn about the history of kefir, how it’s made, and how it relates to cheese.

"kefir grains" by a.barys is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0

What are the origins of kefir? 

Kefir is originally from the Caucasus Mountains and comes from the Turkish world keyif, which means "feeling good." It’s history is actually very fascinating. This is perhaps more detail than you need but since it’s such a rich story, I thought I’d share it in full: 

It all began 2000 years ago on the slopes of the Caucasus Mountains. The people of this region noticed an “overall sense of health and well-being” after consuming milk that had been stored—and consequently fermented—in skin bags. A legend grew that the clusters of bacteria in this special milk, known as “kefir grains,” were a gift from the Prophet Muhammad. For almost two centuries these magical microbes were closely guarded and not shared with outsiders.

In fact, kefir was only brought out of seclusion and into the modern market when an elaborate Russian-backed plot—involving colonial exploitation, espionage, and kidnapping—resulted in the first commercial kefir production in 1908.

 In the beginning of the 20th century, stories of the magic power of kefir and kefir grains reached the ears of the Russian Physician’s Society. Eager to unveil the secret of the healing drink, the Soviets turned to Nikolay Balandov, a dairy maker in Moscow. After procuring kefir grains from the Caucasus, Balandov was to produce kefir on a large, industrial-scale for the Russian people.

Balandov embarked on this mission, but instead of traveling himself, Balandov sent his beautiful employee, Irina Sakharova, to a Caucasian prince named Bek-Mirza Barcharov. She was to charm and enchant the prince and then persuade him to give her some of his kefir grains. Charm him she did, but the plan failed; the prince did not give her the grains. When Sakharova decided to leave, Barcharov kidnapped her from her carriage in an attempt to make her his wife.

A tumultuous rescue by Balandov ensued and the prince was brought to trial in Moscow for attempted forced marriage. To amend, the prince offered Sakharova wealth and gold, but she rejected. What she demanded were the sacred kefir grains, which were granted to her – a whole ten pounds of them.

And so, Balandov succeeded in making his kefir, and in September of 1908, the first bottles were offered for sale. To this day, kefir is a staple of Russian diet. It is also widely consumed in the Middle East, large parts of Europe, and Central Asia.

What can you tell us about kefir's consumption in the US? Who drinks it, how do they use it, how popular is it? 

Kefir entered the US consciousness in the 1970s as part of the health food craze of that era. Redwood Hill Farm was at the frontlines of this market, introducing the country’s first Goat Milk Kefir in 1970. Today kefir is roughly a $115.8M business in the US. Many people drink kefir as part of their daily or weekly diet; it’s considered a valuable source of probiotics and nutrition lauded for its contribution to gut health. Kefir is nutrient-dense, with plenty of protein, B vitamins, potassium, and calcium. Often consumed at breakfast time on its own, in smoothies, or with fruit and granola, kefir is also a versatile ingredient great in baked goods, such as pancakes or muffins, and is also the perfect base for a cool tangy sauce on grilled meat or veggies (just add a little acid and spices and voila!)

 How is kefir similar to and different from cheese? 

Cheese, yogurt, and kefir are all made by adding a starter culture to milk. The differences lie in the type of cultures, or bacteria used to prompt fermentation and the degree of heat applied during the process. These different levers produce the different acidities, flavors, and textures of the final product. The final products of yogurt and kefir are most similar to each other both boasting acidic, mild-flavors, and a more liquid-like texture. The difference between yogurt and kefir is in the type of bacteria used to prompt fermentation. Yogurt and kefir are both made with cultures (bacteria) but kefir has different strains (mostly mesophi bacterias) and more of them (11 strains in our kefir). This bacteria likes lower temperatures than typical yogurt cultures and so the product is fermented at a lower temperature and has more and a greater diversity of probiotics.  

"Making Raw Milk Kefir" by Chiot's Run is licensed underCC BY-NC 2.0

Can commercially produced kefir be used to make cheese? 

Kefir can be used to make a cheese, similar to labneh.  Check out Preserved in Oakland for their instructions. 

What are the advantages to making kefir with goat milk?

Goat milk kefir offers additional health benefits to cow dairy or non-dairy kefir products. Milk-based kefirs are truly functional foods, providing the benefits of fermentation, probiotics, and all the wholesome nutrition of milk: plenty of protein, B vitamins, potassium, and calcium. Goat’s milk enhances this nutritional value in several significant ways: Goat milk contains 18% more calcium, 43% more potassium, 40% more magnesium, and 104% more Vitamin A than whole cow’s milk. 

 In addition, many feel that Redwood Hill Farm’s Goat Milk Kefir is simply the most delicious dairy kefir on the market. It’s an extremely clean label—just goat milk and cultures—and has an incredibly delicate, milky yet slightly tangy flavor. It’s been a top-selling product in the kefir market for many years. 

What led to the decision for Redwood Hill to focus on yogurt and kefir rather than cheese? 

The company's roots began with fluid goat milk but it quickly turned to yogurt and kefir. In 1994, founder Jennifer Bice introduced French crottin-style goat cheeses to the US market and was integral in the establishment of the Californian artisan cheese movement (alongside Peggy Smith and Sue Connolly of Cowgirl Creamery and Mary Keen of Cypress Grove). However as Jennifer neared retirement and the fact that there are significant production costs associated with cheese making, the company decided to solely focus on the kefir and yogurt business. 

 Where does Redwood Hill Farm and Creamery source its milk?

Redwood Hill Farm and Creamery sources its milk from 7 Certified-Humane goat dairies, including the original Redwood Hill Farm.