Alcohol in Kefir: That’s How High the Percentage Is

Alcohol and kefir is a combination that many consumers probably never even think of. After all, kefir stands for a conscious and healthy diet. But still, the kefir can actually have a certain alcohol content.

Alcohol in kefir – that’s how high the percentage is

When alcohol is produced in kefir depends on various factors. The same applies to the level of alcohol in kefir. The alcohol content of kefir can be between 0.5 and 2 percent by volume.

• With a maximum alcohol content of 2 percent by volume, kefir is hardly a hard drink. Nevertheless, the enjoyment of the milk product can be at least tricky for various groups of people.
• These include, for example, people with an alcohol allergy, children, dry alcoholics, pregnant women and people who take medication.
• If you buy the milk drink in the supermarket, you are almost always on the safe side. With us you will mainly find the so-called “mild kefir” in the refrigerated section. Industrially produced kefir usually contains no alcohol – in contrast to traditional kefir.

This is how alcohol is formed in kefir

The alcohol in traditional kefir comes from the kefir grains that are used to prepare the drink. In contrast to domestic production, no kefir grains are usually used in industrial production. For this reason, the “mild kefir” consists of no or only a marginal amount of alcohol.

• The kefir grains mainly consist of various lactic acid bacteria and yeasts. The alcohol content of kefir depends on the temperature during kefir production.
• The colder it is when kefir is made, the higher the alcohol content of the drink. This is because the yeast comes to the fore at lower temperatures. The yeast fermentation results in a correspondingly higher alcohol content in the finished kefir.
• If, on the other hand, it is warm during kefir production, the lactic acid fermentation comes to the fore. The alcohol content of the homemade kefir is accordingly negligible.