Airag: Fermented Mare's Milk

Airag is fermented mare's milk, Mongolia's traditional summer drink: slightly sour, lightly fizzy and mildly alcoholic, usually around 2 percent alcohol or less. It is made by herding families from roughly early summer to early autumn, when mares are milked, and it is offered to every guest who visits a ger at that time of year. In 2019 UNESCO inscribed the traditional technique of making airag in a khokhuur and its associated customs on its Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

How airag is made

Making airag starts with the mares. Foals are tied to a long line (zel) near the ger during the day, which keeps their mothers close. Before each milking, a foal is allowed to suckle briefly to stimulate the flow, then the mare is milked by hand. A mare gives only a little milk at a time, so milking is repeated many times a day.

The fresh milk is poured into a khokhuur, a large bag made of cowhide, or into a wooden barrel, which already contains a starter from the previous batch. The mixture is then churned with a wooden plunger (bülüür). Families traditionally churn it many hundreds or even thousands of times a day; constant churning keeps the fermentation even and gives airag its smooth, fizzy texture. Fresh milk is added daily, so the vessel always holds airag at different stages.

Taste, alcohol and health

Airag tastes sour and sharp, with a light sparkle and a creamy body. Its alcohol content is low, typically 1 to 3 percent, though well-fermented airag can be stronger. Mongolians value it as a nourishing drink rich in vitamins and beneficial bacteria, and it has long been used in traditional health practices. For visitors whose stomachs are not used to it, however, airag can cause bloating or diarrhoea, especially combined with fatty meat. Start with a small amount.

Airag customs

A large bowl of airag is passed to guests as a gesture of welcome and refilled when it comes back. At Naadam, winning racehorses and their riders are sprinkled with airag as a blessing, and the drink is shared generously throughout the festival. Many families mark the start of the milking season with a small ceremony and offerings. Central and Khangai provinces such as Arkhangai, Övörkhangai and Bulgan are widely known for their airag.

Where to find airag

In summer, herders along the main roads out of Ulaanbaatar sell airag in reused bottles, and it appears in some city markets. Quality and hygiene vary. The best airag is usually found at herder families in the countryside, often arranged through your tour operator or ger camp. Outside the season it is hard to find.

Practical tips for travellers

• Accept the bowl with your right hand, supported by the left, and take at least a sip. Hand it back to the host rather than putting it down.
• Drink slowly at first; even a large bowl is meant to be shared.
• Airag is unpasteurised. If you are pregnant, have a weak immune system or a sensitive stomach, it is wise to skip it or taste only a little.
• Do not ride or drive after drinking several bowls; the alcohol adds up.
• Airag is the Mongolian name for the drink known as kumis in Central Asia and Russia.