Thanks to its special composition, homemade kvass perfectly quenches thirst, increases performance and gives the body energy. The drink improves the digestion process and increases appetite. The drink helps to better digest meat and fatty foods, and also restores the balance of salts and fluids in the body.
Homemade kvass contains many vitamins and beneficial microelements. The drink contains most B vitamins. During the fermentation process, organic acids are formed, so the drink has a particularly beneficial effect on the body of patients with gastritis with reduced gastric secretion. Kvass is also rich in vitamin C. In Rus', the drink was famous as an excellent cure for scurvy and exhaustion of the body.
The fermentation process promotes the production of lactic acid and a number of other equally important acids. Once in the intestines, kvass acts like kefir or yogurt, neutralizing harmful microflora and supporting beneficial ones. It turns out that kvass is a great way to get rid of dysbiosis and intestinal disorders.
Some ancient sources claim that homemade kvass has a beneficial effect on male potency. For this, a special kvass recipe was used. This drink was given to men on their wedding day in order to produce healthy offspring. Unfortunately, the recipe for the drink has not survived to this day, but any homemade kvass (provided that it is prepared correctly) already provides the body with vitamins, minerals, trace elements and additional energy.
Recent research by scientists has proven that kvass contains a high calcium content, which means the drink can strengthen bones and tooth enamel. The yeast included in the composition improves hair growth and helps eliminate acne and boils. Kvass also helps in the treatment of atherosclerosis and purulent bronchitis.
Calorie content of kvass
The calorie content of kvass depends on its nutritional value, namely, on the content of proteins, fats and carbohydrates. Kvass is considered a low-calorie drink; it can be included in various weight loss programs and diets. 100 g of regular bread kvass contains only about 27 kcal. Kvass contains about 0.2 g of protein (about 1 kcal), 0 g of fat and 5.2 g of carbohydrates (about 21 kcal). The absence of fat in the drink has a very beneficial effect on the process of parting with extra pounds. The low calorie content of kvass makes the drink indispensable for weight loss. Low calorie content allows you to lose weight when drinking the drink for 14 days. After this course, not only will the extra pounds be lost, but digestion will also be normalized. The drink should be taken twice a day - in the morning and in the evening. The effect will be even better if you drink beet kvass instead of bread kvass. The calorie content of beet kvass is approximately the same, but the benefits from such a drink are much greater. You can drink beet kvass in any quantity. A beetroot drink reduces appetite and promotes the breakdown of fats. According to nutritionists, calories from kvass cannot harm your figure. You can have full fasting days with beet kvass.
Sourdough for kvass
A good starter is a guarantee of the success of delicious homemade kvass. Without preliminary preparation of this base, preparing a drink is impossible. This sourdough recipe uses yeast, sugar, water and bread.
Required ingredients:
- Black bread - half a liter jar;
- 60-70 g sugar;
- 15-20 g dry baker's yeast;
- Water.
Cooking method:
Cut the black bread into cubes and dry it on a baking sheet in the oven (or in a frying pan). Boil water in a kettle. Place the dried crackers in a liter jar and fill with boiling water. The crackers will swell during the infusion process, so you need to calculate the amount of water so that you get a creamy slurry. It’s better to pour less water at first so that you can add more later. If there is too much water, you can add more crackers. Add sugar and mix thoroughly until it is completely dissolved. Cover the jar with clean gauze and leave to cool. When the water reaches a temperature of about 35 degrees, you can add yeast. Yeast is placed only in warm water. Mix everything thoroughly and leave the starter to ferment. Cover the jar with a napkin, not a plastic lid, since carbon dioxide is formed during the fermentation process. The finished starter is enough for 10 liters of homemade black bread kvass.
Sourdough starter for kvass made from hops
Preparing a hop starter for homemade kvass is very simple. Hop cones can be bought at any pharmacy.
Required ingredients:
- Hops - 3 tbsp. l.;
- Water - 0.5 l;
- Sugar or honey - 1 tbsp. l.;
- Flour - according to consistency.
Cooking method:
Pour 3 tablespoons of hops with half a liter of boiling water. Place the pan on low heat and simmer for about 15 minutes. After which we filter the hop decoction and cool to 38-40 degrees. Add a tablespoon of sugar or honey and mix thoroughly. Then add flour so that you get a creamy mass. Cover the container with a napkin and put it away for 1-1.5 days. The finished starter can be stored in the refrigerator.
The best kvass recipes at home:
Recipe 1: Bread kvass
Homemade kvass made from bread is very healthy; the drink is especially beneficial before meals. Making homemade kvass is not difficult if you follow a special recipe. Below is one of the most popular options for making homemade bread kvass.
Required ingredients:
For sourdough:
- 2 cups boiled water at room temperature;
- Rye bread - 1 piece;
- Granulated sugar - 1 tsp.
For the kvass itself:
- Sugar - 1 tbsp. l.;
- 2 pieces of rye bread;
- 0.5 liters of starter;
- One and a half liters of boiled water.
Cooking method:
For the starter: place a piece of bread, sugar and a glass of boiled water in a half-liter jar. The bread must be sliced. Cover the jar with a cloth and leave to infuse. Fermentation will occur for 24-48 hours.
Preparing kvass: When the starter is ready, you can start preparing kvass. A cloudy and sharp-tasting liquid indicates the readiness of the starter. Take a 2 liter jar and pour out the starter. Add 2 crushed pieces of rye bread and a spoonful of sugar. Add cold boiled water to the brim. Close the jar with a lid and leave to infuse for 1 day. You can also put dried crackers in a jar. In this case, kvass should be infused for a longer time. After a day or two, pour the kvass into another container (about 2/3 of the liquid), and pour the remaining starter into a new one. Don't forget to add 2 slices of bread. Cover the jar with a lid and insist again.
Recipe 2: Bread kvass from Borodinsky bread
This recipe uses Borodino bread. The recipe also includes yeast and raisins.
Required ingredients:
- Borodino bread - 2 pieces;
- Water - 3 liters;
- 1 tsp. flour;
- Yeast - 15 g;
- Raisins - 1 handful.
Cooking method:
Cut the bread into pieces and dry it in the oven. Pour boiling water and leave for 3 hours. We dilute the yeast with flour and add it to the bread. Leave the mixture for one day. We strain, bottle, and add 1-2 raisins into each bottle. Keep the kvass warm for 3 hours, then put it in the refrigerator for 4 hours. Homemade kvass “Borodinsky” is ready.
Recipe 3: Bread kvass with horseradish
This homemade kvass turns out to be very vigorous and rich. A drink is prepared from crackers, water, honey, horseradish and raisins.
Required ingredients:
- Water - 4 liters;
- Rye crackers - 800 g;
- Yeast - 20 g;
- Honey - 100 g;
- Grated horseradish - 100 g;
- Raisins - 50 g.
Cooking method:
Place the crackers in a jar and pour boiling water over them. Let it sit for 3-4 hours. After this we filter. Spread the yeast and leave to ferment for 5-6 hours. Add honey and grated horseradish. Mix everything thoroughly and pour into bottles. Add raisins to each bottle. Let it set for 2 hours. Vigorous homemade kvass is ready.
Recipe 4: Rye kvass
Homemade kvass made from rye flour perfectly quenches thirst and is suitable for making okroshka.
Required ingredients:
- A kilogram of rye flour;
- Water - 10 liters.
Cooking method:
Mix the flour into a batter without salt. To do this, take a kilogram of rye flour per 1 liter of water. Stir until smooth. Cover the container with the dough with gauze and wrap it with cloth several times. Keep in a warm place for 2-3 days. Dilute the fermented dough with boiled water and leave at room temperature. Strain through cheesecloth. As you use kvass, you can add boiled water to it, adding the appropriate amount of rye flour.
Recipe 5: Sourdough rye kvass
This homemade kvass is made from rye flour using sourdough. The starter from the bottom of the bucket, after drinking the kvass, will do. The drink can be made without sourdough if you use rye flour, water and instant yeast.
Required ingredients:
- Rye flour;
- 0.5 liters of starter;
- Water;
- A glass of sugar.
Cooking method:
Take 2 handfuls of flour and 1 glass of sugar and put them in a bucket. Dilute with warm water until the lumps dissolve. Then pour boiling water to the brim, stirring continuously. Leave to cool to the temperature of fresh milk. Then add the starter. We wrap the bucket and leave it for a couple of days. After the fermentation process, the contents can be poured into smaller containers and stored in the refrigerator. Pour the leaven remaining at the bottom of the bucket into a jar. The starter can also be stored in the freezer. You can make kvass from the new starter by first defrosting it and mixing it with sugar and flour.
Recipe 6: Kvass from rye flour with yeast
Kvass made from rye flour is one of the most common ways to make everyone’s favorite drink. This kvass is prepared with yeast; the recipe also uses sugar and water.
Required ingredients:
- Half a glass of sugar;
- Half a kilo of rye flour;
- Water - 8 liters;
- Fresh yeast - 15 g.
Cooking method:
We dilute the yeast in warm water and leave for some time until it increases in volume.
Mix rye flour with boiling water and knead the dough to the consistency of thick sour cream. Let the dough cool to 35 degrees. Then add more warm boiled water and sugar. Add the risen yeast. Mix everything and leave to ferment for one day. Afterwards, strain and put in the refrigerator for 2 days.
Recipe 7: Kvass without yeast
A very simple homemade kvass recipe that uses only bread, water and sugar. It’s very tasty to cook okroshka with this kvass.
Required ingredients:
- 300 g of rye or wheat bread (or 50 to 50);
- Warm water - one and a half liters;
- 1 tbsp. l. Sahara.
Cooking method:
Crumble the bread into a one and a half liter jar. Add sugar and fill the jars with warm water up to the shoulders. Cover the vessel with a glass lid or saucer. Leave to ferment in a warm place. After 2-3 days, the kvass can be used. Drain the kvass and add a little more sugar and bread to the mixture and refill it.
Recipe 8: Kvass without yeast with wheat and honey
This homemade kvass turns out to be very rich, tasty and healthy. The drink contains a lot of useful substances, enzymes and bifidobacteria. The drink can be served at a holiday table instead of soda. Some time after consuming kvass, the digestive system improves significantly.
Required ingredients:
- Wheat - 3 cups;
- Boiled water - 4 liters;
- Kvass wort - 8 tablespoons;
- Sugar or honey - one and a half glasses.
Cooking method:
Wash the wheat and fill it with cold water for 10 minutes. Then drain the water and rinse again. Cover the bowl with a wheat towel and leave to germinate for 24-48 hours. The time and speed of germination will depend on the temperature in the room and on the grains themselves. If wheat germinates for a long time, it must be periodically washed and the water renewed so that the grains do not sour. The readiness of wheat is indicated by the appearance of small sprouts on the grains (about 2-3 mm). Grind the sprouted wheat grains in a meat grinder. Pour warm water into a five-liter jar (not completely). Place rolled wheat in a jar. Pour in sugar and add kvass wort. Mix everything thoroughly and add water (if there is room left). Cover the jar with a napkin and leave it for two days near the radiator or in a basin of hot water. Homemade kvass will be ready when a cap of bubbles forms on the surface, and the drink tastes carbonated.
Recipe 9: Russian kvass
An old recipe for homemade Russian kvass. The drink is prepared from crackers, barley malt, rye flour, stale rye bread and molasses.
Required ingredients:
- A kilogram of crushed rye malt;
- Crushed barley malt - 300 g;
- Rye flour - 600 g;
- Rye crackers - 130 g;
- Stale rye bread - 80 g;
- Molasses - 1 kilogram;
- Mint - 30 g.
Cooking method:
Mix malt and flour with three liters of hot water. Knead the mixture into a dough, mix thoroughly until all lumps are separated. Cover the bowl with the dough with a cloth and leave for one hour. Then we transfer the dough into a fireproof cast iron bowl, cover with a lid and put in the oven to evaporate. Mix the reduced dough, scrape off the sides of the dish and add boiling water. After a day, transfer the dough to a large vat, where the kvass will infuse. Pour in 16 liters of hot water, add crackers and bread. Mix everything thoroughly and leave to infuse and lighten for 10 hours. When the grounds have settled, pour the fermented wort into a clean, steamed barrel. Pour 15 liters of hot water into the remaining grounds. After 3 hours, pour the wort into a barrel, mix with mint infusion and leave to ferment for 1 day. The barrel is then put into the glacier. When fermentation becomes less strong, add molasses (1 kilogram per 30 liters of kvass). We seal the barrel. In 3-4 days the kvass will be ready. This kvass can be stored for several months in a cold place.
Recipe 10: Kvass from wort
Homemade kvass from wort is very easy to prepare. The drink perfectly quenches thirst in the heat and gives the body energy. The drink is prepared using kvass wort. You can purchase the ingredient at a bakery or grocery store. The wort should be thick and almost black. You won't be able to make kvass from liquid wort.
Required ingredients:
- 1 tsp. raisins;
- Half a teaspoon of dry yeast;
- 150 g sugar;
- 2 tbsp. l. kvass wort;
- Three liters of water.
Cooking method:
Dissolve the wort and sugar in half a liter of water. Pour into a three-liter jar and add the remaining water. Then add the yeast, mix, cover with a lid and leave for 48 hours. You need to taste kvass periodically. When the drink reaches the desired state, you can bottle it and add 1-2 zests to each. The bottles are capped and left until carbonated. When the bottles become hard, they can be stored in the refrigerator. After a day, homemade kvass from the wort can be consumed.
Recipe 11: Beet kvass
Beet kvass is a real healing balm. The drink is especially useful for hypertensive patients. Beet kvass cleanses the body of waste and toxins.
Required ingredients:
- 1 large beet;
- Boiled, cooled water - 2 liters;
- 4 tbsp. l. Sahara;
- 1 stale crust of bread.
Cooking method:
Wash the beets, peel them and grate them on a coarse grater. Place the beets in a glass jar, add bread crust and sugar. Fill everything with boiled water. Cover the jar with gauze and leave the contents to ferment for 3 days. Then we filter the kvass, bottle it and seal it tightly. We put the drink in the refrigerator.
Recipe 12: Kvass from birch sap
Kvass made from birch sap is a very tasty and healthy drink that nature itself gives. This kvass has a beneficial effect on the body and has many beneficial properties.
Required ingredients:
- Sugar - 400 g;
- Birch sap - 10 liters;
- Raisins - 50 pieces.
Cooking method:
To prepare the drink, it is better to use glass or enamel containers. Birch sap is carefully filtered through several layers of gauze. Then raisins and sugar are added to the juice and left to ferment for 3-4 days. Ready homemade kvass from birch sap is filtered again and bottled. The bottles are corked and stored in a dark, cool place. You can store kvass for a long time (until autumn).
Recipe 13: Bolotov's kvass from celandine
Bolotov's kvass from celandine has a number of miraculous properties. It cleanses the body of papillomas, tumors and condylomas. You need to take the drink for at least a month. This kvass is useful for patients with cholecystitis, pancreatitis, gastritis and heart diseases. Properly prepared kvass has the aroma of fresh apples. The taste is pleasant, with a slight bitterness.
Required ingredients:
- 3 liters of spring or well water;
- 1 tsp. sour cream (no more than 15% fat content);
- A glass of sugar;
- Half a glass of pure celandine herb (dry or fresh).
Cooking method:
We boil water and cool it. Dissolve sour cream and sugar in water, stir until completely dissolved. Pour the solution into a three-liter jar. We tie the celandine grass into a clean gauze bag and sink it to the bottom of the jar using a weight. We wrap the neck of the jar with gauze in three layers. Every day the contents of the jar must be mixed and mold removed from the surface. On the fifth day, a precipitate should appear. Pour the kvass into another jar and discard the sediment. Add water to the previous level. on day 14, the kvass will begin to foam a little. That's how it should be. On day 14, the kvass will be ready. Pour out a liter of kvass for consumption. Enough drink for 3 days. You can store it on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator. Add the same amount of water to the jar instead of poured kvass. After 3 days the drink will be ready. You can pour and top up kvass 4 times. After this, you need to use new grass. Taking kvass from celandine: start taking kvass with 1 tbsp. l. three times a day (half an hour before meals). If there are no unpleasant sensations, the dose is increased to half a glass per dose. The course lasts 2 weeks, after which kvass is taken for another month, once a day, to consolidate the effect.
Is kvass ok for pregnant women?
Kvass can be classified as a low-alcohol drink, so pregnant women are always faced with the acute question of its safety. The opinions of doctors here are strongly divided. Some believe that pregnant women should absolutely not drink kvass, but most experts believe that small amounts of the drink are not capable of harming the expectant mother and baby. A little kvass is even beneficial, as it contains many vitamins, microelements and other useful substances. In addition, kvass perfectly quenches thirst and has a pleasant, refreshing taste. Undoubtedly, it is better to give preference to kvass rather than carbonated drinks containing a large amount of dyes and preservatives.
However, kvass is different from kvass. It is extremely undesirable for pregnant women to drink store-bought kvass. We are talking not only about store-bought kvass, in which the fermentation process is achieved chemically (which means it contains many unnatural components), but also about a draft drink too. The quality of barrel kvass is often questioned. In addition, during its production, hygienic and sanitary standards are often violated. The greatest danger is represented by kvass, which is sold in small barrels on the market. Pumps and taps are rarely washed; these items are usually stored in dirty, dusty drawers and boxes where harmful microorganisms actively multiply. There are always a few drops of kvass left in the tap, and what could be better than such a medium for the growth of bacteria? With each glass of such kvass, the risk of these bacteria entering your body increases significantly. It is especially dangerous to buy kvass in bottles provided by sellers - little is known about the storage conditions of the container. If you really want a cold, refreshing drink, it is better to buy it at a stationary point, and not at the market or along a dusty road. Such places often sell expired or spoiled drinks.
The characteristic taste of a drink unsuitable for consumption is pronounced sour, giving off bitterness. An ideal option for pregnant women (and for any other person) is homemade, fresh kvass prepared with your own hands.
Before summer has even given us its warmth, we are already reaching for different drinks. For me, there is nothing better than kvass, it is tasty and perfectly quenches thirst, especially if it is real homemade kvass. And if you are interested in the question - how to make kvass at home, then you are at the right time, in the right place.
I decided to offer you a selection of interesting recipes for this delicious drink, choose the one that you like.
This is not always a quick process, but in any case, making homemade kvass is not difficult - there are a minimum of ingredients and low labor costs. And then the kvass is made on its own, without our intervention, we just have to wait for the tasty result.
Kvass was made in ancient times and is still made today. And it gained such popularity not only as a drink that quenches thirst, but also as a drink that is beneficial for our body. In Rus', everyone drank kvass, both poor people and rich people, they believed that it added strength and energy, and was good for digestion.
But for it to be truly useful, you need to know the intricacies of making kvass at home.
Secrets of making homemade kvass
- If you make bread kvass, it is important to know that the bread must be natural (flour, yeast, water). Newfangled additives that are added so that, for example, it can be stored longer, can ruin the fermentation process.
- As a rule, crackers are made from bread, and kvass is made from them. The color of the resulting drink will depend on the degree of browning of the crackers. But in an effort to get a dark, rich color, remember that burnt crackers will give not only color, but also bitterness.
- If you make kvass with yeast, check it for freshness.
- To ferment kvass, use glass or metal containers (enameled without chips, stainless steel). Ready kvass can be poured into plastic bottles.
- Raisins are also an important ingredient in preparing an invigorating drink; they enhance fermentation and make it vigorous. The main thing is that you do not need to wash the raisins before storing them, as you will wash off the so-called wild yeast that is present on the surface of the berries.
- Sugar in kvass releases carbon dioxide and makes the drink carbonated. But here, too, there is no need to overdo it. After all, one of the advantages of kvass is its low calorie content; sugar, accordingly, increases this calorie content. Therefore, everything should be in moderation if we want to benefit from the drink, and it’s unlikely to quench our thirst with very sweet kvass.
- If we want to get kvass and not mash, then the fermentation process must be stopped in time. Therefore, the fermentation period should not be more than 4 days, the starter must be removed, and the strained kvass must be placed in the refrigerator.
- It is recommended to store finished kvass in the refrigerator for no more than 7 days.
- Although why store it, that’s not why we made it. Drink this wonderful homemade drink, it will not only quench your thirst, but will also benefit your body. But first you still need to do it.
Kvass without yeast at home
Kvass without yeast, also called double-fermentation kvass, is one of the most correct recipes, the one that our grandmothers and great-grandmothers prepared. In it, fermented milk fermentation predominates over alcoholic fermentation; accordingly, a balance of nutrients and vitamins is maintained, which makes it useful for our body.
Ingredients:
- rye bread crackers
- sugar
How to make yeast-free kvass:
It is important to know that if you don’t really like the taste of the first kvass, this does not mean that the recipe is bad, this is normal. The real taste appears during subsequent fermentations and the older the kvass, the tastier it is.
Watch the video for another recipe for kvass without yeast; it is made without leaven and therefore the process is a little faster.
Bread kvass with yeast
This recipe is very popular in home cooking - the yeast accelerates the ripening of the drink and the kvass turns out very tasty. If anyone is bothered by the smell of yeast, then it will only be felt in young kvass. Yes, and we will use yeast only once, then we will add sourdough and the smell of yeast will go away.
Ingredients:
- crackers from various breads - 300 gr
- sugar - 5 tbsp. l.
- yeast - 10 g fresh or 1 tsp. dry
- raisins - 1 tbsp. l.
How to make homemade kvass with yeast:
We leave half of the swollen crackers as a starter and make the next kvass using it; there is no need to make yeast starter, but otherwise we prepare it the same way.
Homemade kvass from wort
Kvass from store-bought kvass wort is a simpler option for preparing a delicious summer drink. To make kvass that tastes good, you need to buy a good concentrate, for example, prepared according to GOST 28538-90. If there is no such marking, pay attention to the composition of the wort so that it is natural without unnecessary additives. It’s good when the wort contains different types of malt, for example barley and rye, then the kvass has a richer taste.
Ingredients:
- water - 4 liters
- kvass wort - 160 gr.
- sugar - 235 gr.
- dry yeast - 10 gr.
- raisins - 10 gr.
How to make kvass yourself from store-bought wort:
Flour kvass - a real Russian recipe
Flour kvass is a real Russian drink, it is also called rustic. This recipe is also popular for its ease of preparation and also because this drink perfectly quenches thirst, is excellent as small kvass, and is superior in health to all types of kvass.
Ingredients:
- rye flour (preferably coarsely ground);
- Wheat flour;
- water;
- sugar;
- dry yeast or raisins
- mint (optional)
Method for preparing flour kvass:
- Here you also need leaven, it is called grounds - take 150 ml. warm water, add 1 tbsp. l. sugar, stir until it is completely dissolved and add rye flour until sour cream becomes thick, add 5 - 6 raisins. The grounds should stand for a day at room temperature. The presence of bubbles on the surface and a sour smell indicates the readiness of the starter. The raisins must be removed from the finished starter.
- Let's start preparing kvass. It can only be made from rye flour, but wheat flour makes the drink more delicate and pleasant to the taste. For 5 liters of water we need 0.5 kg of flour. Mix rye with wheat in a 2:1 ratio, where two parts are rye and one part is wheat.
- Pour the flour into a container and gradually pour in water (40 - 50 0), you should get a homogeneous mass without lumps, similar in consistency to sour cream. Bring the remaining water to a boil and pour it over the flour mixture, mix everything thoroughly, add sugar to taste and, if desired, a small bunch of mint.
- As soon as the base for flour kvass has cooled to 40 0, add the starter and mix thoroughly. Cover the container, you can wrap it in a blanket and leave it for 4 days. The appearance of foam, bubbles and the smell of freshly baked bread indicates that the kvass is ready. It must be strained through 4 layers of gauze, bottled and refrigerated. Adjust the taste with sugar.
If you replace sugar with honey, then such kvass will be healthier and tastier.
The grounds that have settled to the bottom will serve as leaven. But she needs to be revived. After decanting the kvass, add a little flour, sugar, warm water and leave for a couple of days. In the refrigerator, kvass grounds made from rye flour retain their qualities for quite a long time.
These were recipes for bread kvass, but there are many other interesting recipes, for example. I have already talked about its beneficial properties, as well as the method of preparation; we really like this kvass.
If you have the opportunity to collect birch sap, you can prepare kvass based on it.
How to make birch kvass - video recipe
This is where I will probably finish the conversation about how to make kvass at home, choose the recipe you like and enjoy the tasty and healthy drink.
As it turned out, there are a lot of recipes for kvass; they make such a drink from berries, chicory, ginger, rice, cleansing beet kvass, healthy kvass from celandine. So the topic is inexhaustible and maybe we will return to it with new experiments.
Elena Kasatova. See you by the fireplace.
Hello friends!
Spring has just begun to recede, but I already want summer. Warm days would soon come, and with them long evenings, greenery everywhere. I already want trips to nature, okroshka and foamy, cold, effervescent kvass...
Judging by the weather, the weekend at the dacha is postponed, but nothing will stop us from preparing a delicious foamy drink. After all, this is our original Russian dish, which is already more than 1000 years old! And let Coca-Cola lovers argue with me which is tastier - Russian kvass or their highly carbonated drinks. As you know, there is no arguing about tastes, but the benefits are much greater in the former.
Still would! Our sour product invigorates, cheers, quenches thirst and gives strength. And how many varieties? There are beet, fruit, berry, honey, malt, bread. It’s the latter that we’ll talk about today.
It is the most common and easy to prepare. A traditional set of products is required, and this is usually clean water, rye bread, sugar, yeast. The only thing is that the process itself takes several days. This can be from two to five days. But this won’t stop us from making the most delicious kvass in the world?
Making kvass with fresh yeast at home
Let's consider a simple option for making a homemade drink. It makes your nose tingle and foam, and that’s why we love our dear Russian kvass so much!
I will say that it takes a little more than 2 days to prepare it. But then you will get 6 liters of tasty and excellent liquid. Want more? Take twice as many ingredients. After all, as you know: there is no such thing as too much kvass!
We will need:
- Boiled water - 6 liters;
- A loaf of Borodinsky black bread;
- Wheat flour - 1 cup;
- Sugar - 0.5 cups + 4 dessert spoons;
- Fresh yeast - 100 gr.;
- Raisins - 2 dessert spoons.
Preparation:
1. Cut the loaf of Borodinsky into slices. Take a baking sheet and place it on it. We need to dry them until they become crackers and even have a burnt crust.
2. Place the baking sheet in the oven. When one side of the slices is browned, turn them over to the other side to dry.
3. Dip the crackers into warm water. And for such a quantity it is better to take either a large saucepan, or you can use a clean plastic bucket.
4. The water should be thirty degrees, neither colder nor hotter. Let them get wet, and we will prepare the yeast starter.
5. Break 100 grams of pressed yeast into a saucepan. Fill them with half a glass of granulated sugar.
6. Pour in about 1 glass of warm water. Stir a little with a spoon.
7. Add wheat flour. Mix with a spoon and set aside for about 30-40 minutes.
8. Put the dough in a warm place without drafts and then it will work even faster for you. During this time the mass is activated, the yeast leaps.
9. That's how everything foams! Pour the dough into a container with breadcrumbs.
10. Add a little more warm water. Shake everything well with a large spoon and put it in a warm place to ferment for about ten hours. Don’t forget to cover the top with gauze so that the mixture can breathe and not a single speck gets inside.
11. Then squeeze out the crackers and throw them away.
By the way, they can be used to fertilize your garden, if you have one.
12. We put away another bucket for a day under the gauze. Now you can strain and pour into three-liter jars.
13. Place 1 dessert spoon of raisins in each jar. Dilute 4 tablespoons of sugar in a glass and pour half into each container.
14. Close the jars with lids and leave to ferment for another 10 hours at room temperature.
That's it, you can drink our kvass. Just put it in the refrigerator to cool first.
Those who like it sweeter can add honey or sugar to taste. And we move on to the next interesting recipe for a tasty drink in the heat.
How to make a bread drink in a 3 liter jar?
The version for a three-liter jar is especially popular. Probably, mostly because of the convenience and the presence of such utensils in all homes. Well, this is my personal opinion.
I agree that this is really convenient when kvass is fermenting in a jar. But then it can be strained and poured into a bottle or decanter. I also recommend this recipe because it is long-lasting. You can make a product, and then cook it again using the resulting starter. Moreover, the subsequent drink turns out even tastier and richer.
We will need:
- Boiled water - 3-3.5 liters;
- Ground rye crackers - 100 gr.;
- Sugar - 200 gr.;
- Fresh yeast - 10 gr.
Preparation:
1. In a 300 ml mug, scald some rye bread crumbs. Mix everything well and set aside so that they swell.
2. To wake up our fresh yeast, fill it with a little warm water and add a tablespoon of sugar. Shake the mixture and leave it aside.
3. Take a clean 3-liter jar and dump the swollen rusk crumbs into it. Add warm water to the mug to remove any crumbs from the sides of the mug. And we also pour all this into a jar.
4. Sprinkle sugar on top and add the yeast foamy mass.
Fans of unsweetened drinks can add 2 times less sugar instead of 200 grams.
5. Fill everything with warm water almost to the very neck of the jar.
6. Cover the neck of the jar with a plastic lid, but do not close it. Because our kvass must ferment with access to air.
7. Set the jar aside in a dark and warm place for 2 days. Prepare a decanter with gauze and strain the kvass.
8. It is convenient to use a lid with holes. It will prevent the breadcrumbs from merging, and gauze will even better stop the unnecessary mixture.
This results in double filtration)
Cool the liquid and use it as directed. I mean, we drink with pleasure!
Finally, I’ll say that we fill the remaining starter with warm water again, add sugar to taste and some steamed crackers. Again, we’re going out for two days to “go for a walk.”
Video about how to prepare a dish without yeast
Would you like a drink with yeast, friends? Then here’s a great recipe for you without them. In the recipe we use malt and rye flour, sugar plus raisins. Let's also add coriander and cumin. Well, it turns out delicious!
I suggest watching the entire recipe and process in a good video.
Preparing delicious kvass for okroshka
It's no secret that the most delicious okroshka is made with homemade kvass. The drink is richer, without preservatives and dyes, and goes well with vegetables and meat. Oh, and I already wanted some little bits. But let's get the drink ready first! After all, it takes several days to prepare it.
We will need:
- Boiled water - 6 liters;
- Loaf of rye bread;
- Sugar - 24 tbsp. spoons;
- Dry yeast - 0.5 teaspoon.
Preparation:
1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees.
2. Cut the rye flour bread into cubes and place in the oven to dry and toast.
For a richer taste, it will even be good if the crackers burn a little.
3. Divide the crackers into 2 parts. From one we will prepare sourdough, and the second we will put aside for kvass.
4. So, we take out a liter jar and fill it halfway with crackers. Boil water and fill it halfway with boiling water. Add sugar and stir. Cool everything to room temperature and add 0.5 teaspoon of dry yeast.
5. Cover the starter with gauze and put it in a dark and warm secluded place for 3 days.
6. After 3 days, distribute the remaining crackers into 2 three-liter jars. Fill them halfway with boiling water. Pour 4 tablespoons of sugar into each container.
7. Cool the mixture in jars. Add equal amounts of starter to each vessel and stir. Cover with lids and remove for 2 days to allow the kvass to ferment and circulate.
8. After the allotted time, filter the drink through cheesecloth. We throw out the entire bread mass and pour the liquid back into the jars.
9. In two glasses, dilute 7 tablespoons of sugar with water and add to the jars. Leave at room temperature for 1 day.
10.After which we put it in the refrigerator for a day.
Now, after such manipulations, the delicious nectar is ready! Prepare okroshka with soul and pleasure!
And I tell you bye-bye!
There are whole legends about the beneficial properties of kvass. Real kvass and metabolism in the human body inhibit pathogenic microflora. This drink increases performance, it is used to prevent vitamin deficiency, since kvass contains many microelements (magnesium, calcium, lactic acid and phosphorus), vitamins (groups B, E), and amino acids.
Kvass for the treatment of the nervous system, cardiovascular diseases, hypertension, as well as for improving mood due to the presence of amino acids, calcium, magnesium and B vitamins in the drink. Bread kvass for eye diseases, improves and strengthens teeth, is often used in diets to reduce weight, helps secretion of gastric juice. Kvass with the addition of beets has a choleretic effect, it restores liver cells and is used for arrhythmia.
Recipe for making real kvass
To make real homemade kvass, you will need the following ingredients:
- loaf (500-700 grams);
- a handful of raisins;
- 60 grams of yeast;
- a glass of granulated sugar;
- 8 liters of purified water.
The yeast must be fresh, and the bread for the wort must be rye. It is recommended to store kvass in a cool place. The finished drink should be consumed within two to three days; if stored for a long time, it loses its taste and becomes sour.
Cut Borodino rye bread into slices, place on a baking sheet or frying pan and place in a heated oven to dry. The darker the crackers turn out, the darker the kvass. Be careful not to burn the bread, otherwise the drink will taste bitter. Take a large enamel pan and pour 8 liters of pre-purified water into it, put it on the fire, and boil. Place a glass of granulated sugar and fried crackers into the water and cool. As a result, the water should be slightly warm.
Scoop the cooled water from the pan into a bowl and dissolve the yeast in it. Then pour back into the pan, stirring with a wooden spoon to distribute the yeast evenly. Tie the top of the pan with gauze or cloth and put it in a dark place for two days to ferment.
After the time has passed, strain the kvass through several layers of gauze; if desired, you can add a little more granulated sugar. Pour the sweetened and strained drink into three-liter jars, throw a small handful of raisins into each. Cover the jars with saucers and place in the refrigerator for a day.
The utensils for preparing kvass must be enamel or glass; an aluminum pan oxidizes, so you cannot cook wort in it.
A sediment should form at the bottom of the jar. Carefully pour the kvass through a strainer into clean jars, trying not to stir up the sediment. Place the raisins back into the kvass. Real
Russian kvass saved a lot of people.
Folk saying
It's hot... We're thirsty... We don't want regular water, but sweet lemonades make us sick, and they don't help with thirst, but we just want to drink even more... Shouldn't we drink kvass?
It is very easy to prepare kvass at home; you can see this for yourself by trying to prepare kvass according to our recipes. Moreover, wort for kvass can be bought at any grocery store.
Kvass at home can be different: on kvass wort, on rye bread, honey, fruit, berry... You can simply drink it in the heat, without fear for your figure and without thinking about the consequences, and it is also used to prepare okroshka, which is so beloved by many in the summer.
The fastest and easiest way to prepare kvass is with ready-made wort. It usually consists of sugar, rye malt, yeast and ground crackers. It is desirable that the kvass concentrate contains no preservatives.
Homemade kvass from dry sourdough
Ingredients:
3 liters of water,
125 g dry kvass,
100 g sugar,
20 g raisins,
6 g dry yeast.
Preparation:
Boil water in a saucepan. Pour one and a half liters of hot kvass into dry kvass, close tightly and leave to steep for 3 hours. Then strain. Pour the remaining water into the infusion. In a small amount of warm water in a separate bowl, dilute the yeast, pour it into the kvass, add sugar, add raisins, cover the pan with gauze and place in a cool place for fermentation. After three days, strain the kvass again and bottle it. Store in the cold for no more than three days.
from dry sourdough and dry malt
To make kvass tasty, like in childhood, you can buy a bag of dry malt for dry kvass and prepare it like this: pour 3-4 tbsp into a three-liter jar. l. dry kvass and 2 tbsp. l. dry malt, ½ tbsp. sugar, half a pack of dry yeast and pour it all with a glass of warm water. Leave in a warm place for fermentation, and when the mass rises a little, add warm water. For better fermentation, add a crust of rye bread and a handful of raisins. When the kvass is ready, strain it, do not throw away the grounds. It can be used to prepare the next portion of the drink. Store the finished kvass in the refrigerator.
Kvass from concentrate (basic recipe)
Ingredients:
3 liters of boiled water,
2 tbsp. kvass concentrate,
150 g sugar,
½ tsp. dry yeast (or pressed, they work faster),
1-2 tsp. raisins (black).
Preparation:
Pour the kvass concentrate into a 3-liter jar, add sugar and 500 ml of water and stir thoroughly. Add the yeast, cover with a napkin and leave to ferment in a warm place for a couple of days. Taste the kvass, and when you are completely satisfied with it, pour it into plastic bottles, put 5-6 raisins in each, screw on the lids and leave again in a warm place to continue fermentation. When the bottles become hard, which indicates that the kvass is well carbonated, put them in the refrigerator. Open with caution!
You can diversify the basic recipe by adding various products to improve the taste and aroma of kvass: mint leaves, currants, berry and fruit juice, grated horseradish (the kvass turns out spicy, invigorating!) - everything is limited only by your gastronomic preferences.
Homebreadkvassby leaps and bounds
Ingredients:
2.5 liters of water,
250 g rye bread,
150 g sugar,
10 g fresh yeast,
a handful of raisins.
Preparation:
Dry the bread, cut into small cubes, in the oven on a baking sheet until golden brown. Boil water and cool to room temperature. Pour crackers into the prepared jar, fill them with water, cover the neck of the jar with gauze and place in a dark place to ferment for two days. Strain the finished wort through cheesecloth, squeeze out the crackers. Dissolve the yeast in a small amount of water. Then pour the filtered wort into a jar, add yeast, 100 g of sugar and stir. Loosely cover the jar with a lid and leave for 16 hours in a dark place at room temperature. Pour the finished kvass into bottles, add a little remaining sugar and raisins to each, close the bottles tightly and again leave them in a dark place at room temperature for fermentation and carbonation. Then put the kvass in the refrigerator for 3-4 hours and then consume it within three days.
Bread kvass without yeast
Ingredients:
3 liters of water,
250 g rye bread,
50 g sugar,
a handful of raisins.
Preparation:
As in the previous recipe, dry the diced bread in the oven. Moreover, the darker your crackers turn out, the more saturated dark color your kvass will turn out. Dissolve sugar in boiling water and cool. Place the crackers in an enamel or glass container prepared for fermentation, add raisins and fill everything with water with sugar dissolved in it. Infuse the kvass for 3-4 days, then strain, bottle and store in a cool place. Open bottles of ready-made kvass carefully, trying not to shake them.
By the way, you can use the remaining soaked crackers, in other words, the starter, several more times, replacing half with fresh crackers and adding sugar or honey.
And here is another option for making homemade kvass, used by our housewives for many years - with the addition of mint and blackcurrant leaves, very aromatic and refreshing.
Kvass "Babushkin"
Ingredients:
2.5 liters of water,
200 g rye crackers,
100 g sugar,
30 g raisins,
20 g yeast,
10 g mint,
8 black currant leaves.
Preparation:
Dissolve the yeast in a glass of warm water. Pour boiling water over rye crackers and leave for 3 hours. Strain the wort obtained in this way through several layers of gauze, add sugar, yeast, mint and blackcurrant leaves. Leave for 10-12 hours, covered with a clean napkin. When your wort has fermented, strain it, bottle it, putting a few raisins in each bottle, seal it and put it in a cool place. In just three days you can enjoy delicious kvass.
The following several recipes contain yeast starter, which can be prepared as follows.
Yeast starter
Ingredients (per 1 liter jar):
black bread, cut into small cubes and dried in the oven,
60 g sugar,
15 g dry yeast,
water.
Preparation:
Place the crackers in a jar, fill it halfway, and pour boiling water over the contents. The crackers will swell, which means the amount of water needs to be calculated so that you get a thick paste. Pour less water at first, then add more if necessary. Don’t despair if the starter is too runny, just add more breadcrumbs. Add sugar, stir until completely dissolved, then cover the jar with a clean napkin and let it cool to a temperature of 37-40°C. Add the yeast to the jar, mix well and leave the starter to ferment. Important fact: cover the jar with a napkin, not a plastic lid, as carbon dioxide is produced during the fermentation process. This starter is enough for you to make 10 liters of kvass.
Kvass rusks with horseradish root and honey
Ingredients:
2 liters of water,
300 g rye crackers,
50 g honey,
40 g horseradish root,
30 g sugar,
10 g yeast.
Preparation:
Pour hot water over the crackers and leave for 2 hours. Then rub them through a sieve, add yeast and sugar to the infusion and put them in a warm place for 10 hours. Add honey and chopped horseradish root to the finished kvass, leave for 2 hours, then strain and treat yourself to your health!
By the way, instead of crackers, you can use wheat bran or various types of flour to make kvass. Try it!
Kvass made from oatmeal
Ingredients:
3 liters of water,
750 g oat flour mixed with bran,
40 ml yeast starter.
Preparation:
Pour 2 liters of hot water into the flour mixed with bran and place in a warm place for 12 hours, then, as usual, strain and add the yeast starter and the rest of the water. Keep the infusion for 24 hours. Store the finished kvass in a cool place for no more than three days, although it will probably go away much sooner.
Homemade kvass made from wheat bran
Ingredients:
3 liters of water,
800 g wheat bran,
300 ml lemon juice,
70 g sugar,
25 g dry yeast.
Preparation:
Pour boiling water over the bran and keep on low heat for an hour. Then strain the broth, cool it and add yeast and sugar. Infuse in a warm place for 10-12 hours, then pour lemon juice into the infusion and stir.
Kvass made from rye flour with burnt sugar
Ingredients:
3 liters of water,
100 g rye flour,
35 g wheat flour,
100 g sugar,
15 g yeast,
15 g burnt sugar.
Preparation:
Pour rye flour with 50-70 ml of hot water and stir quickly until a homogeneous mass is formed, without lumps. In a separate bowl, boil the rest of the water, cool it a little and add the brewed flour into it. Dissolve the yeast in warm water, add wheat flour and stir. When the yeast begins to ferment, pour it into the rye infusion and add sugar. Leave it like this for 1 day, then add burnt sugar to the drink.
It’s easy to prepare the sugar: just burn the sugar in a dry frying pan until it melts and a dark color and caramel smell appear. The blacker the burnt sugar, the richer the color of your kvass. To prevent the burnt sugar from turning into coal candy, carefully pour hot water into the melted burnt sugar, literally drop by drop, to form a thick syrup. It can be poured into a bottle and stored in the refrigerator.
Red kvass
Ingredients:
3 liters of water,
250 g sugar,
3 tbsp. l. instant chicory,
a bunch of mint,
½ pack of dry yeast,
1 tsp. Sahara,
2 tbsp. l. water,
lemon acid.
Preparation:
Pour water into a deep container, add sugar, chicory and mint. Boil and leave to cool. Add sugar and water to the yeast, stir and leave to cool. When the liquid with chicory has cooled to a temperature of 37-39°C, pour in the yeast mixture, stir and leave for 3 hours at room temperature. Some people like kvass with a mild taste, while others like it with a pronounced sharp taste, so after 2 hours, taste the drink. Maybe two hours will be enough for you. Add citric acid to the already aged drink to taste and refrigerate.
Apple-coffee kvass
Ingredients:
3 liters of warm boiled water,
1 liter clarified apple juice,
200 g sugar,
1 tsp. dry yeast,
2 tsp. instant coffee.
Preparation:
In a large saucepan, combine sugar and coffee, add yeast and stir. Then pour in warm water and juice. Wait until all the ingredients have dissolved and, loosely covering the pan with a lid, leave the mixture to ferment for 12 hours. When the appointed time is up, strain the kvass, bottle it and refrigerate.
Kvass "Invigorating"
Ingredients:
3 liters of warm boiled water,
200 g sugar,
35 g pressed yeast,
1 tbsp. l. chicory,
1 lemon with zest.
Preparation:
Grind the lemon or pass it through a meat grinder, wrap it in gauze, tie it and place it in a pan or bucket of water. Add yeast and sugar there and stir. While stirring, squeeze the bag of lemon several times and remove. When the ingredients have dispersed in the liquid, pour the resulting solution into bottles, screw on the caps tightly and leave in a warm place, for example, in the sun, for 2 hours. You can check if the drink is ready by pressing on the walls of the plastic bottles. The bottle is hard and it is no longer possible to press on the walls - which means the drink is ready. Remember that if you leave the drink in the sun, you will no longer get kvass, but mash. Place the bottles of finished kvass in the refrigerator, and take a sample the next day.
White kvass from whey
Ingredients:
1 liter of whey,
2 tbsp. l. Sahara,
10 g dry yeast,
orange peels and raisins - to taste.
Preparation:
The whey that remains after making homemade cottage cheese is a valuable nutritious dietary product. White kvass with whey is one of the ways to turn a healthy product into a tasty one. Mix the yeast with sugar, pour in the whey and place in a warm place for 12 hours. Then pour the drink into bottles, after throwing a few orange peels and some washed and dried raisins into the bottom of each bottle. Close the bottles tightly and leave for 2 days for the drink to fully mature.
Many may be alarmed by the cloudiness of kvass, but for a homemade natural product this is a normal phenomenon. Sediment, by the way, is also an indicator of the natural origin of kvass.
Bon appetit and new culinary discoveries!
Larisa Shuftaykina