Results from my first fermentation of buttermilk

I checked the jar of buttermilk after 12 hours to see how sour or fermented the milk got. I consumed 1 tablespoon of my buttermilk, and I noticed that the buttermilk was much more viscous than when I initially poured the contents into the jar/ However, the taste was not as sour as buttermilk should be. The smell of the product had a slight sour odor, however, the taste was not as potent. I decided to let the buttermilk sit at room temperature for another 12 hours, so that total fermentation time was 24 hours.

After the 24 hour mark, I checked the milk again, by tasting of course, and noticed a dramatic difference. The buttermilk was still as viscous (almost like a yogurt), but had a liquid-like texture as well. The odor was much more sour and I could tell that the taste of buttermilk was to my liking (not too sour but sour enough). Furthermore, I compared store-bought buttermilk and my own fermented buttermilk and discovered a marked difference.

Store-bought buttermilk is significantly less viscous and much more like water and buttermilk. The odor of store-bought buttermilk is not as potent. Perhaps the water and lack of fermentation time reduces odor since not enough fermentation occurs. However, my own fermented buttermilk contained a sour smell similar to that of the taste.

I decided I would drink a glass of my buttermilk product after letting it cool in the refrigerator overnight. To reduce viscosity, and make it more drinkable, I added 10 mL of water to about  4 tablespoons of buttermilk that was in a small cup. The water did not deplete the taste as much as I thought it would, and the same sourness could be tasted in the glass. The taste was one that I was not expecting for my first try.