Ask Allie!
Ask Allie is our advice column, where you can ask all your food-related questions to get digestible answers! No question is off limits!
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Hello Allie, I have activated my Thermophilic traditional style yogurt. I used fresh milk for my culture. I started with 1/2 cup with 1/2 cup starter back to back. I heat the milk to boiling and let them cool before adding the starter. Then, I incubate it for 5 hours in my yogurt maker 1st batch, 12 hours on my 2nd batch since the first one did nothing much, and 6 hours on my 3rd batch. My question is, may I know whether it is normal for the end result to taste and smell milky? It does not smell bad, but just milky smell. My yogurt is not sour at all too after 6 hours on my fourth batch, though there was some whey at the top when I tilt it. Is this the way it should taste, or how may I reduce the milky smell? Thank you for your guidance here.
— Shalyn
No, it should taste and smell like it’s been fermented. My vote is for you to use 1 teaspoon per cup of milk in the next batch and to ferment it for 12 hours. Let me know what happens, because my goal here is to attempt to get it strengthened, and often a smaller amount of culture in a longer incubation cycle will assist with that. In general, though, the more tart you want a yogurt, the longer you want to ferment it.
Were you saying that you were using a half cup of starter culture with a half cup of fresh milk? If so, stop doing that immediately. That is weakening the culture.
Thank you for your advice, I have done as you advised, 1 teaspoon to half cup milk for 12 hours. I noted it still has the milk smell, so I left it for another 4 hours and the smell was closer to fermented yogurt. I had stopped it, and started another 1 teaspoon to half cup milk to observe for another 12 hours. I hope this will help the culture better. Do let me know in case I have mistaken.
Yes, that sounds right. It should also be set, so just keep at it. Seasonal changes really do make cultures act a bit crazy, so stay the course.
I have another question. When I get a culture from you, it says to freeze until using. How long will it last if I keep it in a cool and dark place instead? How long will it last in the freezer? Looking at long term backup...
— Heidi
Cool and dark place should give you 3-6 months. Depending on the ambient temperature in that spot, it could be longer or shorter. In the freezer, industry standard says 1 year viability. In my personal experience, 3 years viability is standard. I haven’t tested beyond 3 years yet, though, so it potentially could be quite a bit longer.
My sour cream (on 4th run) is still lumpy and thin like drinkable yogurt. Any ideas what it is?
— Heidi
Heidi, would you please walk me through your process as though I’d never fermented a thing in my life and you’re teaching me how? Please include ALL the details, no matter how insignificant they may seem. Often, the devil is in those tiny details people typically won’t think to include.
Well, first don't be a complete dork and put whole milk in the sour cream cultures. Use heavy whipping cream. LOL! I just totally spaced it while making yogurt and poured whole milk in it. Hope I didn't wreck it. I have another one going right now... Thanks for the reply though!
I love this! I do wacky things without meaning to, also!
