Who knew there were so many types of yogurt starters?! From Greek to Bulgarian to Vegan, the reality is that there are many varieties of yogurt starter cultures to choose from.
All of them contain probiotic bacteria, and all of them will culture various milks, with the proper care. So how do you know which one to choose for your batch of homemade yogurt?
While yogurt starter cultures can vary in taste and consistency, the one you select ultimately depends on your personal preferences. We've outlined the main characteristics of each yogurt starter below to help you decide which one will work best for you!
WHAT IS A YOGURT STARTER?
A yogurt starter is a carefully balanced blend of bacteria that consume lactose. This blend of bacteria converts the lactose in milk to lactic acid, giving yogurt that classic, deliciously tangy taste.
Lactic acid production lowers the pH of the milk, which allows yogurt to be stored longer and changes the protein structure, giving yogurt its texture. Each yogurt starter has a unique blend of bacteria, which produces different flavors and thicknesses.
TASTE
As mentioned above, the characteristic tangy taste of yogurt is due to the acidification of the milk during fermentation. The flavor of yogurt can range from mildly sour to quite astringent and varies with the culture used and the length of culturing time. A longer fermentation time usually yields a tarter-flavored yogurt.
CONSISTENCY AND TEXTURE
Homemade yogurt's thickness and texture can range greatly. The yogurt culture used, the culturing temperature and time, and the type of milk used all contribute to the consistency and texture of yogurt.
Yogurt may be thin enough to drink or thick enough to hold its shape on a plate. For a very thick, Greek-style yogurt, draining whey is necessary. Yogurt can also be ropy, creamy, or gelatinous. These variations are due mostly to the type of bacteria in the culture, which you can learn more about in our comparison chart below.
PERPETUATION: DIRECT-SET VS. HEIRLOOM CULTURES
Direct-Set = Single-Use Cultures
Direct-set or single-use cultures are added to a batch of milk to produce a single batch of yogurt. With some care, a direct-set starter may be re-cultured two or three times by using some of the yogurt as starter for a new batch. Eventually, however, a new powdered starter must be used. Non-dairy milks generally cannot be re-cultured.
Heirloom = Reusable Cultures
Reusable or Heirloom cultures can be propagated indefinitely. With each batch, some of the yogurt is saved to add to a new batch of milk to make more yogurt. Reusable cultures should be propagated at least once every seven days to maintain the vigor of the bacteria.
CULTURING TEMPERATURE OF YOGURT STARTERS
Thermophilic Cultures = Heat Loving
Thermophilic means heat-loving. This type of culture is added to heated milk and cultured from 5 to 12 hours. Thermophilic cultures typically produce yogurt that is thicker than yogurt from a mesophilic culture. Thermophilic cultures require a consistent heat source to culture properly. A yogurt maker is most typically used for this, but there are ways to culture without a yogurt maker (one way is to use a crockpot!)
Mesophilic Cultures = Medium Loving
Mesophilic means medium-loving, indicating that a mesophilic culture will propagate best at room temperature (around 70° to 77°F).With a mesophilic culture, there is no need to preheat the milk. The culture is simply added to cold milk and cultured at room temperature, usually between 12 and 18 hours. Mesophilic cultures typically produce yogurt that is thinner than yogurt from a thermophilic culture.
TYPES OF YOGURT STARTER CULTURES
The following chart contains the yogurt cultures sold by Cultures for Health. The different combinations of bacteria produce the specific characteristics of each yogurt culture.
Starter Culture |
Flavor & Consistency |
Perpetuation & Culturing Temperature |
Bacteria |
Traditional Flavor Yogurt Starter Culture
|
Tart flavor
Thickest consistency |
Direct-set (Single-Use)
Thermophilic (Yogurt maker required) |
Contains: Bifidobacterium lactis, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus bulgaricus (also known as Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus), Streptococcus thermophilus |
Shop traditional yogurt starter cultures
Mild Flavor Yogurt Starter Culture
|
Mild flavor
Thickest consistency |
Direct-set (Single-Use)
Thermophilic (Yogurt maker required) |
Contains: Bifidobacterium lactis, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus bulgaricus (also known as Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus), Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. lactis, Streptococcus thermophilus |
Shop yogurt starter cultures with a mild flavor
Kosher Traditional Flavor Yogurt Culture
|
Tart flavor
Thickest consistency |
Direct-set (Single-Use)
Thermophilic (Yogurt maker required) |
Contains: Bifidobacterium lactis, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus bulgaricus (also known as Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus), Streptococcus thermophilus |
Kosher Mild Flavor Yogurt Culture
|
Mild flavor
Thickest consistency |
Direct-set (Single-Use)
Thermophilic (Yogurt maker required) |
Contains: Bifidobacterium lactis, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus bulgaricus (also known as Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus), Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. lactis, Streptococcus thermophilus |
Vegan Yogurt Culture
|
Takes on the flavor of the milk cultured
Thin, will require added thickeners |
Direct-set (Single-Use)
Thermophilic (Yogurt maker required) |
Contains: Bifidobacterium bifidum, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus casei, Lactobacillus bulgaricus (also known as Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus), Lactobacillus rhamnosus, Streptococcus thermophilus |
Greek Yogurt Starter Culture
|
Slightly tangy flavor
Thicker consistency |
Heirloom (Re-usable)
Thermophilic (Yogurt maker required) |
Contains: Live active cultures |
Bulgarian Yogurt Starter Culture
|
Mild flavor
Thicker consistency |
Heirloom (Re-usable)
Thermophilic (Yogurt maker required) |
Contains: Live active cultures |
Shop Bulgarian yogurt starter culture
Heirloom Yogurt Starter Cultures
|
Our heirloom yogurt starter culture allows you to try four Scandanavian cultures: Villi, Filmjolk, Matsoni, and Piima. Each of these heirloom cultures is re-usable, mesophilic, and contains live active cultures. See the table below for individual flavor and consistency. |
| Scandinavian Culture | Flavor | Consistency |
|
VIILI YOGURT CULTURE |
Mild flavor |
Thin and smooth |
|
FILMJÖLK YOGURT CULTURE |
Mild, slightly cheesy flavor |
Thin and smooth |
|
MATSONI YOGURT CULTURE |
Somewhat tart |
Thick and custard-like |
|
PIIMÄ YOGURT CULTURE |
Fairly mild flavor |
Thick and jelly-like |
WHAT'S NEXT?
Once you've decided on a yogurt starter culture, check out How to Make Homemade Yogurt to learn more about the homemade yogurt process. Be sure you have all the supplies you'll need and read up on the types of milk that work best with your starter culture. If you do need a yogurt maker or other yogurt equipment, those are available too!
Click here to check out our whole yogurt cultures collection now!
Looking for an all-in-one way to make non-dairy yogurt? Click here to check out the Vegan Yogurt Starter Kit. It includes both starter cultures and a thickening agent to make thicker homemade yogurt. If you need troubleshooting help or have more questions, take a look at our Yogurt Starter FAQs.
