So you followed the directions, used the milk, added the culture—and your first batch of yogurt came out weird. Maybe it’s runny, maybe it smells off, maybe it looks like milk pretending to be yogurt. Don’t panic. The first batch is almost always a lie. In this post, we’ll walk you through why activation batches can be unpredictable, what’s totally normal, and when (if ever) to actually worry.

Mesophilic yogurt is easy to love—no heating, no fancy equipment—but when it turns out thin or runny, it can leave you wondering what went wrong. This guide walks you through the most common causes of thin yogurt and gives you simple, countertop-tested fixes to help thicken things up (without stressing your culture).