It all starts with the day’s first milk at 5:00 AM. One of us will milk the cows; the other is responsible for making the yogurt.
Through a series of filters, the milk arrives in the yogurt vat within 30 minutes after leaving the cow. We are not kidding when we say we use fresh milk! The milk gets pasteurized, then cooled back down.
Making yogurt involves the introduction of specific purified cultures into the milk, under very carefully controlled temperature and environmental conditions. The yogurt cultures include Streptococcus salivarius ssp thermophilus and Lactobacillus bulgaricus (official name Lactobacillus delbrueckii ssp. bulgaricus). These cultures are responsible for converting the milk into yogurt.
To these basic yogurt cultures we add the 3 probiotics (more info on probiotics) Lactobacillus Acidophilus, Lactobacillus Casei, and Bifidobacterium. The actual strains of these species that we use in our starter have been extensively researched and studied for their health benefits for many years.
The cultures multiply at an amazing rate and convert the natural milk sugars (lactose) into lactic acid. The result is a lower pH (i.e.: increased acidity). This increased acidity causes the milk proteins to tangle into a solid mass (coagulate) and also prevents the growth of other, potentially pathogenic, bacteria. This process takes roughly 5 hours, the pH tells us when the process is complete.
At this point we add a few all-natural ingredients like real fruit concentrates, strawberry or orange, and inulin (a chicory root extract) which supplies the dietary fiber. For coloring we use items like red beet juice concentrate and turmeric yellow, another root extract.
The final step includes breaking down the coagulum to make it Yogurt Drink, sending it on to the bottling and capping machine, and then quickly into the cooler. Many bottles make it to the store shelves the very next day, available to you.
Oh yeah, I almost forgot, the day ends with a couple hours of clean up... like having to do the dishes after that great meal.