I'm kind of kicking myself about this one. I'd noticed kefir in my local Shop-Rite supermarket several times over the past 6 months or more, but I ignored it, thinking I'd already had and posted about it years ago. I was confusing it with skyr, the Icelandic dairy product I discussed in my December 7, 2016 post. Anyway, a couple of weeks ago I realized my mistake and rectified it by buying a couple. Both were from the Lifeway company, out of Illinois in the U.S.--their strawberry and blueberry flavored kinds.
Kefir is an ancient beverage. It's thought to have been invented over 2000 years ago, in the Caucasus Mountain/Russia/Eastern Europe area. It involves putting a bacteria/yeast combination called kefir grains in milk, and then letting this concoction ferment. The word kefir is thought to be a Georgian or Caucasus word, but others claim it's possibly from a Turkish word for foam ("kopur") or a Kurdish word for foam or bubbles ("kaf"). Traditionally, kefir was aged in a goatskin bag, hung by the door to the house. People coming or going would knock into the bag, either accidentally or intentionally, thereby keeping the developing kefir properly mixed. Kefir has expanded its reach fairly recently. In the past 20 years or so it's moved to Japan, the rest of Europe, the U.S., and much of Central and South America (where they refer it as bulgaros ("the Bulgarian drink."). Because it is fermented, kefir is sometimes alcoholic. However, it is usually pretty weak, being about 1-2% alcohol, or about one quarter to a half of a typical Light beer, for example. The manufacturing process also breaks down most of the lactose in the milk, meaning those that are lactose intolerant can usually tolerate kefir. Also, kefir can be made from a variety of substances. Cow, sheep, or goat's milk is the most common, but basically any milk will suffice. Or plant based substitutes that vegans enjoy, such as rice milk, soy milk, coconut milk, etc. It can even be made using fruit juice or water--essentially you can drop kefir grains in just about any liquid and age it, and it will probably turn out okay. Kefir is also sometimes used as a milk substitute for cooking, such as replacing buttermilk, or for making sourdough bread. It's even an ingredient in traditional Lithuanian borscht (see my post on July 4th, 2020, for more info on that food).
The maker of the kefir I tried, Lifeway Foods, Inc. was started in 1986 by an Ukrainian immigrant couple, Michael and Ludmila Smolyansky. They make many kinds of kefir, including some with more or less milk fat, and other flavors such as mango, coconut, pomegranate and acai, mixed berry, campfire s'mores, and Russian style. They also make farmer's cheese, and the product I had confused kefir with, skyr. Because it's a dairy product kefir is a good source of protein, calcium, and Vitamin D. And the bacteria that actually create kefir cause the consumer to get good gut bacteria, aiding digestion. Lifeway proudly touts its products as being free of GMOs and hormones, and gluten. The official company website notes that kefir is apparently kosher in general, but not for Passover. (I guess Passover edibles have stricter guidelines for kosher-ness?) Additionally, I noted that the company seems to be politically progressive--a recent post on its blog is pro Black Lives Matter, and they're contributing to many like-minded charities and causes.
Lifeway original kefir, strawberry flavor: This was made with cultured whole milk (cow's I guess), and had a 3.25% milk fat content. I intentionally picked the smallest bottle, only 8 ounces (236 mL), in case I didn't like it. It looked like pinkish white, thick milk. Detectable strawberry-ish odor. Overall it tasted like a slightly sour lassi, the Indian yogurt drink. The texture was very thick and creamy. Pretty good. I thought it would be sweeter, with a stronger strawberry sweetness, but not bad. More tangy than say, a fruit smoothie. A solid milk-like drink.
Lifeway original kefir, blueberry flavor: Same size bottle, same milk fat percentage, and also made from cow's milk, evidently. This one had a purple-white color, and had the same thick texture as the previous. Some berry odor once again, too. Pretty similar to the other kind, only with blueberries instead of strawberries. Tangy, sour-ish, and decent. I might buy either of these again, or try alternate flavors. They weren't excellent, but good. Although I doubt they would taste good over cereal--I think they'd be too sour and thick.
So, in conclusion, I can see why folks appreciate these. Especially lactose intolerant folks, looking for a milk-like drink that won't make most of them sick or uncomfortable.
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