Kumis vs shubat: what's the difference
These are two nomadic fermented milk drinks of Central Asia. Kumis is made from mare's milk and shubat from camel's milk; they differ in fat content, texture and how long they keep.
| 🍶 Kumis | 🍶 Shubat | |
|---|---|---|
| Raw material | Mare's milk | Camel's milk |
| How it's made | Lactic and alcoholic fermentation by Lactobacillus bulgaricus, Lactobacillus acidophilus and yeasts | Fresh milk with a starter is left for about a day in a wooden tub; it isn't shaken but is stirred well before serving |
| Alcohol | Usually 0.5–2.5%, strong kumis up to 4.5% | Not stated in the source |
| Taste and texture | Frothy, fizzy, sweet-and-sour | Thicker than kumis, white |
| Fat content | Lower than shubat | Up to 8% |
| Shelf life | A fresh fermented product | Turns sour within a day; keeps longer only at no more than +5 °C, so it is hardly ever exported |
| Origin | Kazakhs, Kyrgyz, Mongols, Bashkirs, Tatars and other steppe peoples; Herodotus wrote about mare's milk among the Scythians | Kazakhs and Uzbeks; in Turkmenistan a similar drink is called chal |
Which to choose
Kumis is for those who want a light, frothy, refreshing drink. Shubat is more filling and thicker; it's best drunk where it's made, as it sours quickly.
Sources
Themes
🥛Types of milkFrom cow to reindeer: composition, benefits, value🧀Cheeses of the worldParmesan, feta, bryndza, sulguni and more🥣Fermented milk productsKefir, yogurt, kumis, matsoni, skyr🌍Dairy traditionsRegions, peoples and their dairy products🐄Dairy animalsWhich animals are milked and how their milk differs🚚The journey of milkFrom pasture to shop — step by step❤️Milk and healthCalcium, lactose, allergy, benefits and risks👷JobsWho works with milk🗺️Map of traditionsWorld regions, peoples and their products on a map⚖️ComparisonsKefir or yogurt, sour cream or cream, and more🍳RecipesCottage cheese, yogurt, ghee, paneer, butter — at home📜History of milkFrom domestication to Tetra Pak🫒OlivesVarieties, oil, table olives, regions and traditions