Kombucha has been the popular healthy beverage for years now, packed full of probiotics (the good sort of bacteria) for digestive health. Likewise, kefir, a sort of drinkable yogurt, is also full of live cultures for digestion and PH balance in the stomach. Both contribute to greater physical health in general. But there is a new product on the horizon for those who want the benefit of probiotics while getting a buzz: kefir beer.
 

Kefir beer is made by adding “kefir grains”—clumps of yeast and bacteria—to the beer malt. The result is a beer with the same sort of active ingredients as kefir or kombucha. In an experiment in Brazil, researchers induced inflammation in the paws of 48 rats. Different groups of the rats were then administered beer, kefir beer, kefir, water, or an anti-inflammatory drug. A significant decrease in inflammation was found with kefir, beer, and kefir beer, but especially in the latter. Other studies corroborated the findings, such as one that found kefir beer significantly reducing stomach ulcers in rats.

The research has not yet moved to human trials, but it’s a definite possibility that we’ll be seeing kefir beer on the shelves sometime in the near future. While it may, indeed, have health benefits, it’s currently unclear what the flavor will be like. 

Photo via Flickr user Edsel L