Kvas: Liquid Bread
Za Zdaróvje
Nourishing beer is sometimes called “liquid bread.” Kvass, a brew that’s been in Alaska for centuries, is traditionally made with stale bread. It was used as an anti-scorbutic by Russia...
Beet kvass is a traditional fermented beverage from Eastern Europe. In Russian, the word “kvass” can refer to any sour fermented beverage. Basic kvass is made from bread, but it can also be made with fruits and vegetables, and it’s often made with beets. The Lactobacillus bacteria that naturally occurs in fruits and vegetables ferments to create a probiotic drink. The flavor of beet kvass is distinctive: slightly salty, sour, sweet, earthy, and rich.
Beets grow well in Alaska in a variety of shapes, colors, and sizes. I usually save golden, white, and striped Chioggia beets for roasting and stews where I don’t want everything to turn purple. I like to use small or odd-shaped red beets to make kvass. I enjoy the pink color of the juice, but beets of any size and color will work for this recipe.
When I make beet kvass, I fill a 1½-liter glass jar with chopped beets, add a bit of salt, and maybe some whey as a starter culture, cover with water and let it sit. After a few days, the fermentation has begun and the drink has a light effervescence and a bright pink color. I drink a small glass a day as a tonic and continuously brew the kvass by adding more water to replace what I drink, along with a pinch of salt every few days. Kvass can also be used in cooking, as a base for cold soups, in cocktails, and in salad dressings. Heating it loses the probiotic health benefits but keeps the flavor.
Ingredients
SERVINGS: Makes about 1 quart of kvass
- 3−6 beets, any type, tops removed
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon whey or kraut juice (optional)
- About 4 cups spring, filtered, or distilled water (chlorinated water may hinder fermentation)
Preparation
Additional flavorings
Try adding a few slices of ginger, a slice of lemon, or several sprigs of mint or rosemary for extra flavor.
PREPARATION
Gather your beets. Remove the tops (which you can compost or cook into a stir fry). Scrub the outside of the beets to remove dirt, but keep the skin on. Chop the beets into approximately ½-inch chunks and place in a clean glass container (I use a 1½-liter jar). Sprinkle in the salt. Fill the jar with water. Leave about 1 inch of headspace.
If you are adding extra flavoring or an extra starter like kraut juice or whey, do so now. The starter is optional, but can speed up the fermentation process with some extra Lactobacillus bacteria. Seal the jar, or use a fermentation lid.
Let the jar sit for 3 days to several weeks to ferment, depending on the temperature of your kitchen and your taste. Check on it daily to taste, stir, and relieve any gas that naturally builds up during fermentation. Skim off any scum or mold that forms on the surface.
You can continuously brew beet kvass, or when you get it to a taste that you like, you can strain out the beets, bottle the drink, and keep it in the fridge. It will build up more bubbles over time so use it within a few weeks. You can brew a second weaker batch using the beets from the first batch.
Editors’ note: Don’t waste those beets! You’ve made pickled beets while you made kvass; if you don’t make a second batch, you can eat the beets or add them to beet hummus or other recipes.
Related Stories & Recipes
