🍶 Shubat

Shubat is a fermented drink made from camel milk, traditional in Kazakh culture and said to originate in Central Asia. Traditionally, a small quantity of previously soured milk is added to fresh raw camel milk, and the mixture ferments for 1–2 days at ambient temperature in a container made of skin or wood. Lactic acid bacteria and yeasts take part in the fermentation.

Shubat contains a little alcohol: studies report 0.6–2.8% ethanol in samples, and one study measured a pH of 3.8–4.1. Kazakh consumers prefer a strongly acidic product. Depending on the region, shubat is viscous and dense or a liquid with gas and foam. It is drunk through the day, mainly after meals. Kept at 5–10 °C, the finished drink lasts 5–6 days.

Shubat or koumiss? Both are fermented milk drinks of the steppe, but the milk differs: koumiss is made from raw mare's milk, shubat from raw camel milk. In shubat, a little previously soured milk is added to fresh camel milk, and the mixture ferments for 1–2 days at ambient temperature in a skin or wooden container, with lactic acid bacteria and yeasts at work. The result is sour and slightly alcoholic, with 0.6–2.8% ethanol in studied samples, and depending on the region it is thick and viscous or a liquid with gas and foam. Shubat is traditionally drunk through the day, mainly after meals.

Look for “shubat” (also spelled shubat or chubat) with “camel milk” on the pack, and the dates: the finished drink lasts only 5–6 days at 5–10 °C, so it is sold chilled. A fizzy or foamy kind and a thick, viscous kind both exist, depending on the region, and the drink contains a little alcohol. You will find it in Central Asian food shops, in specialist shops selling camel milk products and online; do not expect it in ordinary supermarkets.

A similar drink made from raw mare’s milk is koumiss; shubat is made from camel milk.