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The original koumiss is the Russian, made from mare’s milk, while that produced in this country and other parts of Europe is usually, probably always, made from cow’s milk. For this reason there is a difference in the preparation which may or may not be of consequence. It has been asserted that the ferment used in Russia differs from ordinary yeast, but this has not been established.

In an article on this subject, contributed by D. H. Davies to the Pharmaceutical Journal and Transactions, it is pointed out that mare’s milk contains less casein and fatty matter than cow’s milk, and he states that it is “therefore far more easy of digestion.” He thinks that cow’s milk yields a better preparation when diluted with water to reduce the percentage of casein, etc. He proposes the following formula:

Fresh milk	12 ounces
Water	4 ounces
Brown sugar	150 grains
Compressed yeast	24 grains
Milk sugar	3 drachms

Dissolve the milk sugar in the water, add to the milk, rub the yeast and brown sugar down in a mortar with a little of the mixture, then strain into the other portion.

Strong bottles are very essential, champagne bottles being frequently used, and the corks should fit tightly; in fact, it is almost necessary to use a bottling machine for the purpose, and once the cork is properly fixed it should be wired down. Many failures have resulted because the corks did not fit properly, the result being that the carbon dioxide escaped as formed and left a worthless preparation. It is further necessary to keep the preparation at a moderate temperature, and to be sure that the article is properly finished the operator should gently shake the bottles each day for about 10 minutes to prevent the clotting of the casein. It is well to take the precaution of rolling a cloth around the bottle during the shaking process, as the amount of gas generated is great, and should the bottle be weak it might explode.

Kogelman says that if 1 volume of buttermilk be mixed with 1 or 2 volumes of sweet milk, in a short time lively fermentation sets in, and in about 3 days the work is completed. This, according to the author, produces a wine-scented fluid, rich in alcohol, carbon dioxide, lactic acid, and casein, which, according to all investigations yet made, is identical with koumiss. The following practical hints are given for the production of a good article: The sweet milk used should not be entirely freed from cream; the bottles should be of strong glass; the fermenting milk must be industriously shaken by the operator at least 3 times a day, and then the cork put in firmly, so that the fluid will become well charged with carbon-dioxide gas; the bottles must be daily opened and at least twice each day brought nearly to a horizontal position, in order to allow the carbon dioxide to escape and air to enter; otherwise fermentation rapidly ceases. If a drink is desired strong in carbonic acid, the bottles, toward the end of fermentation, should be placed with the necks down. In order to ferment a fresh quantity of milk, simply add ¹/₃ of its volume of either actively fermenting or freshly fermented milk. The temperature should be from 50° to 60° F., about 60° being the most favorable. {117}

Here are some miscellaneous formulas:

I.—Fill a quart champagne bottle up to the neck with pure milk; add 2 ta­ble­spoon­fuls of white sugar, after dissolving the same in a little water over a hot fire; add also a quarter of a 2-cent cake of compressed yeast. Then tie the cork in the bottle securely, and shake the mixture well; place it in a room of the temperature of 50° to 95° F. for 6 hours, and finally in the ice box over night. Handle wrapped in a towel as protection if the bottle should burst. Be sure that the milk is pure, that the bottle is sound, that the yeast is fresh, to open the mixture in the morning with great care, on account of its effervescent properties; and be sure not to drink it at all if there is any curdle or thickening part resembling cheese, as this indicates that the fermentation has been prolonged beyond the proper time.

II.—Dilute the milk with ¹/₆ part of hot water, and while still tepid add ¹/₈ of very sour (but otherwise good) buttermilk. Put it into a wide jug, cover with a clean cloth, and let stand in a warmish place (about 75° F.) for 24 hours; stir up well, and leave for another 24 hours. Then beat thoroughly together, and pour from jug to jug till perfectly smooth and creamy. It is now “still” koumiss, and may be drunk at once. To make it sparkling, which is generally preferred, put it into champagne or soda-water bottles; do not quite fill them, secure the corks well, and lay them in a cool cellar. It will then keep for 6 or 8 weeks, though it becomes increasingly acid. To mature some for drinking quickly, it is as well to keep a bottle or two to start with in some warmer place, and from time to time shake vigorously. With this treatment it should, in about 3 days, become sufficiently effervescent to spurt freely through a champagne tap, which must be used for drawing it off as required. Later on, when very frothy and acid it is more pleasant to drink if a little sweetened water (or milk and water) is first put into the glass. Shake the bottle, and hold it inverted well into the tumbler before turning the tap. Having made one lot of koumiss as above you can use some of that instead of buttermilk as a ferment for a second lot, and so on 5 or 6 times in succession; after which it will be found advisable to begin again as at first. Mare’s milk is the best for koumiss; then ass’s milk. Cow’s milk may be made more like them by adding a little sugar of milk (or even loaf sugar) with the hot water before fermenting. But perhaps the chief drawback to cow’s milk is that the cream separates permanently, whereas that of mare’s milk will remix. Hence use partially skimmed milk; for if there is much cream it only forms little lumps of butter, which are apt to clog the tap, or are left behind in the bottle.