01 Apr Introducing Babelas Bok Kaas!
BREAKING NEWS!!
We’ve discovered that goats fed on wine produce a cheese that may prevent a hangover!
It’s not something we expected to say out loud, but here we are.
Over the past year, we’ve been working with a small group of researchers studying how the body processes alcohol, with particular focus on the hepatic enzyme pathways involving alcohol dehydrogenase and acetaldehyde dehydrogenase. These enzymes catalyse the conversion of ethanol into acetaldehyde, and then into acetic acid, which is ultimately eliminated from the body.
All fairly well understood.
What is less understood is how certain bioactive dairy proteins, particularly those found in sheep’s and goat’s milk, may interact with these pathways. Early-stage work suggested that specific casein-derived peptides could play a role in modulating enzymatic efficiency and reducing the oxidative stress associated with acetaldehyde accumulation.
In simpler terms… goat’s milk cheese make hangovers less severe.
Naturally, we took this a step further.
Rather than adding anything to the cheese afterwards, we started at the source. We built a gravity-fed pipeline that runs directly from our cellar tanks, beneath the road, into the paddocks and pens. We’ve selected specific tanks of Shiraz and Sauvignon Blanc in the name of science and for the goat’s drinking pleasure.
From there, the goats help themselves.
There is no strict control. Access is, for all intents and purposes,
ad lib.
They’ve taken to it rather enthusiastically.
The result is what we’re calling Babelas Bok Kaas. A functional goat’s cheese designed to work alongside the body’s natural alcohol-processing systems. In our tastings, the difference the next morning has been remarkable with the hangover you’d expect completely eliminated! Particularly when the cheese is enjoyed with Fairview wines.
Of course, there have been one or two practical challenges.
A small number of goats have, on occasion, failed to make the morning milking on time. Others have been known to lie down halfway through the process. One or two simply fall asleep where they stand.
But spirits are high.
They are, without exception, extremely jolly animals. There has been a marked increase in late-night activity, including what can only be described as enthusiastic group singing, often continuing into the early hours.
We see this as a positive.
This approach has also given us two distinct styles.
The Shiraz-fed goats produce a deeper, more richly coloured cheese. Thanks to the higher levels of resveratrol, it seems to help the body better manage the by-products of alcohol metabolism, leading to a far more civilised morning after.
The Sauvignon Blanc-fed goats, using fruit from Darling, produce a lighter, brighter cheese. Here, the naturally fresh acidity and aromatic compounds appear to help the body keep pace as the evening unfolds and will into the morning.
In simple terms, everything just runs a little smoother!
Interestingly, both cheeses perform best when paired with Fairview wines. We have tried a few alternatives, but with far less convincing results.
Naturally, this has opened up a new area for us: functional goat’s cheese.
We’ve begun experimenting with a creatine-enriched cheese for recovery and a nootropic version aimed at focus and mental clarity.
And then, inevitably, things escalated.
We are currently trialling a tobacco-fed cheese, where goats are introduced to carefully selected tobacco leaves to produce a naturally nicotine-influenced milk. Nicotine is known to interact with receptors in the brain linked to focus, alertness, and cognitive sharpness.
The idea is simple.
All the stimulation, none of the cigarettes.
Or vapes. Or tobacco pouches.
Just nicotine rich cheese.
There are, admittedly, still one or two regulatory conversations to be had.
In the meantime, Babelas Bok Kaas feels like a very good
place to start.
It seems the goats have been holding out on us!
Watch this space!
Charles Back
SHOP BABELAS BOK KAAS – Click here
