Ayran

Ayran is one of the oldest drinks in the Turkic world — a mixture of yoghurt, water, and salt that Central Asian Turkic nomads have been making for at least two thousand years. The drink was a practical solution to the conditions of steppe life: yoghurt was the preserved form of milk, and diluting it with water and salt created a refreshing, protein-rich, easily portable drink that kept the body hydrated and nourished on long journeys.

As Turkic peoples settled in Anatolia, ayran became the national drink of the region and eventually of Turkey. It is the traditional accompaniment to döner kebab, to köfte, to lahmacun — wherever there is grilled meat in Turkish cuisine, there is almost always ayran nearby. The salt is not optional; it is the element that makes the drink refreshing rather than merely thinned yoghurt.

Today Turkey produces and exports ayran globally, with the Yörük (nomadic) tradition kept alive in commercial brands. Our ayran is the original formula: yoghurt, water, salt, shaken until frothy. It is the only drink that genuinely refreshes alongside a spicy kebab, and it is one of the best things in the world on a hot day.