FERMENTED MILKS 407 



as starter. The normal product is obtained after several lots 

 have been fermented from the same starter. 



If the starter is lost, kumiss can be made in this manner: 

 Beer yeast, wheat flour, honey, and milk are mixed, and this mix- 

 ture allowed to ferment. The fermenting mass is placed in a bag 

 and this is hung in boiled milk, which is then stirred frequently 

 during the fermentation period. 



The natives are said to be able to start kumiss with ferment- 

 ing or decaying matter, decomposed eggs, a piece of meat or ten- 

 don, blood, glue, and similar material. Even old copper covered 

 with verdigris is said to be used for a starter. 



From kumiss the Kalmucks distil a brandy-like alcoholic 

 beverage known as "araka," "rack," "racky," or "ojran," which 

 contains 7 to 8 per cent, of alcohol. 



Mare's milk is particularly suitable for making kumiss because 

 it has a low protein and high sugar content, and alcoholic fermen- 

 tation is thereby favored. Richmond in his Dairy Chemistry 

 gives the following analysis of mare's milk : 



COMPOSITION OF MARE'S MILK 



Water. Fat. Sugar. Protein. Ash. 



Percent 90.06 1.09 6.65 1.89 0.31 



Yeasts and streptococci are the chief agents, the former to 

 carry on the alcoholic fermentation, and the latter to form a mild 

 acidity. A beverage similar to kumiss is made in Switzerland 

 from skimmed milk by addition of yeast and cane-sugar. 



Kumiss has the highest alcohol content of the known kinds of 

 fermented milks. The following analyses are given in Richmond's 

 Dairy Chemistry: 



COMPOSITION OF KUMISS (VIETH) 



One day old. Eight days' old. Twenty-two days' 



Per cent. Per cent. old. Per cent. 



Water 91.43 92.12 92.07 



Alcohol... 2.67 2.93 2.98 



Lactic acid 0.77 1.08 1.27 



Sugar 1.63 0.60 0.23 



Casein... 0.77 0.85 0.83 



Albumin 0.25 0.27 0.24 



Proteoses 0.98 0.76 0.77 



Fat... 1.16 1.12 1.30 



Ash 0.35 0.35 0.35 



The analyses show that the milk-sugar is largely broken down 

 into alcohol and lactic acid, while carbon dioxid and probably 

 some other by-products are also present. In addition to casein 

 and albumin some proteoses appear, indicating a slight proteo- 

 lysis. 



In this country under the name of kumiss or milk champagne 

 a beverage is offered for sale which is made from cow's milk, is 

 highly effervescent, and has a considerable alcohol content. 



