Traditional Technique of Making Airag\nThe occasion of fermenting a mare’s milk is celebrated with a feast that is held within three days of tethering foals. The ceremony is held to summon prosperity, to encourage horse herds to multiply, to wish for an abundance of airag (fermented mare’s milk) and other dairy products, and to bless newborn animals. During the ceremony, the proceedings (tethering foals, milking mares, holding a milk libation ritual, reciting milk libation and anointment, and sharing the ceremonial mutton and mare milking feast) are carried out alternately.

Among nomadic Mongols, there are abundant customs associated with airag (fermented mare’s milk) and it is made in the cowhide vessel - bag or wooden keg for airag, by stirring it with Bülüür. The traditional home brewed milk-vodka (airag, khoormog and other beverages) is made by distillation of milk of different animals. The basic traditional technique of making mare’s airag consists of milking mares and cooling freshly milked milk, and repeatedly churning milk in a khokhuur with starter left inside to assist its fermentation. The liquid must be churned 2000 to 4000 and more times to make good fermented blend of airag. In the historic facts, it is stated that Mongols are people who enjoy the mare milk. Airag is consumed as an honored beverage during special occasions such as weddings, feasts and ceremonies, customs of worshipping the mountains and waters, or as an everyday consumption.\n

Kymyz, a traditional Kyrgyz beverage, is made of fermented mare’s milk. It was first prepared and used by the nomadic tribes of Central Asia and Mongolia. The earliest found traces of kymyz are from Neolithic period (some 5,500 years ago). Found in the valley of Suusamyr other relics were goatskin leather bags with traces of mare’s milk, indicating the presence of kymyz.\n\nKymyz preparation was kept secret by nomads for centuries. The mare’s milk is stored in animal skins called chanach that were firstly cleaned and smoked over a fire with pine or other coniferous branches to give the drink its unique smell and taste.