How to prepare kvass at home. Secrets of making kvass at home. How to make kvass yourself from store-bought wort

Hi all!

Friends, how are you enjoying your summer?

For some reason it decided to linger here, it’s only +10 outside, and you can’t feel the heat at all...

It’s sad, but hoping for the best, I decided to make kvass at home ☺

I collected a lot of interesting information about him and decided to write this post.

So today I’ll tell you how to make delicious kvass and share interesting recipes ☺

From this article you will learn:

Kvass at home - recipes for making it

Kvass is a Slavic sour drink, which is prepared on the basis of fermentation from flour and malt (rye, barley) or from dry rye bread, sometimes with the addition of fragrant herbs, honey, and wax; also prepared from beets, fruits, berries

How is kvass useful?

Why kvass?

Taste, benefits, availability - the main answer. Traditions also play an important role: for Russia, kvass is practically national pride.

Many centuries ago it was quite strong, but historians believe that thanks to the advent of alcohol and vodka, the Slavs’ attitude towards kvass changed; brewers stopped chasing strength, and focused on taste variations.

The proven benefits of kvass are based on the fermentation process and yeast, as well as the vitamins and minerals of the raw materials from which kvass is made.

Like kvass, it is the result of lactic acid fermentation and, accordingly, can help with various intestinal and gastric disorders, normalizes metabolism and digestion, and the resulting acids cleanse the body, removing toxins, pathogenic cells, and waste products.

Healing properties of kvass:

It also helps with enterocolitis, obesity, eating disorders, and gastritis with high acidity.
But the main thing is that if you make kvass according to the classic recipe, with yeast, then the enzymes and amino acids contained in yeast fungi destroy the microbial cells of many pathogens.
Therefore, this drink is directly indicated for any inflammatory and purulent processes, as well as for nervous atrophies, disorders of the pancreas, and diabetes.
The tonic and nutritional properties of kvass have also been proven, so it is used as a food product during hospital stays, during and after illnesses, for a general increase in tone and performance, for nervous and physical exhaustion, and intoxication.

Another interesting property was studied by a Russian scientist: almost any bacteria in kvass die, so in epidemiologically unfavorable areas, in conditions of natural disasters, this is the safest drink.

Why is it better to prepare kvass at home?

Kvass is easy to prepare both industrially and at home.

Both now and in the Soviet Union, kvass barrels were a symbol of summer, freshness, and quenching thirst, but it was the barrels that forced the drink to be considered not the most “clean” and healthy.

Without control, they stopped drying and washing them properly, and accordingly, plaque and dirt on the walls became simply dangerous.

Kvass bottled at production seems to be of higher quality, but, unfortunately, the industrial process and carbonation do not make it healthier or tastier.

That’s why many have returned to making kvass on their own; there are a huge number of options!

After all, it can be prepared from various types of flour and bread, you can use non-cereal products like beets and sea buckthorn, and add various fruits, berries, and herbs to add flavor.

Homemade kvass recipes

To get exactly your drink, experiment!

Well, I’ll share a few basic recipes for homemade kvass.

Kvass at home from sourdough starter

Preparation technology:

The easiest way to get sourdough is to mix yeast, flour (preferably rye) and sugar: for a three-liter jar of future kvass, I take three tablespoons of flour and sugar and a spoonful of yeast.
Pour warm water, mix thoroughly and wrap for half an hour.
After this, add the starter into a jar with the liquid from which you will make kvass.
In general, the concept of “sourdough” is quite arbitrary, even if you don’t prepare it specifically, everything that you mix in a container with yeast is in fact the starter and the fermentation process.
The first liquid is then, as a rule, drained, and what remains becomes the starter for the next portions.

Bread kvass - delicious recipe

Usually we are talking about kvass made from crackers.

Bread, dried in the oven until dark, needs to be filled with warm water, and after a few hours, strain and add the finished sourdough.
Stir, cover the container with gauze and leave to infuse for a day at room temperature.

A slightly different variation, without unnecessary steps:

Pour boiling water over flour or crackers (the classic version is rye), leave for several hours, strain and add sugar and yeast. There is not much yeast, I usually add one tablespoon per three liters.
Let it ferment in a warm place for about a day.
This rye kvass is especially rich in vitamin B, it is useful for people with liver problems, it perfectly stimulates the production of gastric juice, quenches thirst and enriches the diet.
It’s good to add raisins to bread kvass; they add a pleasant flavor.

For more information on how to make kvass at home, watch this video recipe

Beet kvass - a simple recipe

It has a rather specific taste and has a cleansing effect, acting on both the intestines and the liver.

Preparation technology:

Grate the beets and simmer a little until soft.
Then add water to the top and bring to a boil (I take about 500-600 grams of beets for three liters of water).
The broth should be allowed to brew and cool.
After this it is filtered
Add 100 grams of sugar, a handful of rye crackers and a teaspoon of dry yeast.
That's it, let him wander. After straining, the drink is ready.

Oat kvass - a delicious recipe

Most often I prepare this particular kvass.

In general, oats have become a permanent home in our home, because they help alleviate even chronic problems with the liver and stomach and have cleansing and enveloping properties.

Of course, we are talking about natural, unhulled grain.

In the cold season, I pour washed oats in a thermos with boiling water overnight so that I can drink a warm and very pleasant drink on an empty stomach in the morning. When it's warm, we drink kvass.

Oat kvass at home:

First you need to prepare the starter.
Pour a handful of washed grains with water in a three-liter jar (not to the top) and add 5 tablespoons of sugar.
Cover the top with gauze and wait 5 days in a warm, dark place, then pour out the liquid, fermented oat grains become the starter for the next portions.
It “works” for several months, you just need to add purified warm water and sugar or honey to taste (a few tablespoons are enough for me) and leave for a day at room temperature.
This kvass is yeast-free; its usefulness is achieved through oats and fermentation products.

Bread kvass without yeast - recipe

For various reasons, not everyone uses yeast, in which case you can simply take the recipe for yeast kvass and not add it there.

That is, pour bread or crackers with water and sugar, leave for one to three days (depending on the temperature of the house) and then drain the liquid and use the resulting starter for the next kvass.

Kvass at home without yeast

Just pay attention to the bread you take for kvass! Ideally, of course, homemade, but in any case, use one with a minimum of additives, oils and impurities.

Apple kvass - tasty and healthy

There are many recipes for apple and fruit kvass, I’ll write my favorite here☺

Technology:

Any quality ones must be peeled, including the seeds, cut and boiled a little, like for compote, add sugar to taste.
Then add two grams of dry yeast, after the drink has cooled, stir and cover with gauze. Fermentation lasts approximately 12 hours, unless your home is cold.
That’s it, the drink is ready, you need to strain it as thoroughly as possible and put it in a sealed glass container in the refrigerator.
It lasts longer than other homemade kvass, about a week.

Kvass with hops - recipe

This is a more “adult” recipe, spied on the Internet, I liked it☺

Technology:

in the form of inflorescences (about a third of a glass for 3 liters of kvass) and rye bread crackers (take half a small loaf) should be poured with boiling water and allowed to cool to room temperature.
Add warm boiled water to full volume, 100 grams of sugar, a teaspoon of yeast and leave in the room for a day.
Strain, bottle and put in the refrigerator!

A little about the contraindications of kvass

It also causes fermentation in the intestines; you should not drink it if you are allergic to certain components.

Important!!!

Once ready, it can be stored in the refrigerator for no more than a few days, since it does not contain preservatives.

Enjoy quenching your thirst☺

I will be glad to send you your proven recipes for homemade kvass!!!

Alena Yasneva was with you, bye everyone!!!

With the onset of summer and hot days, our diet changes; we want to quench our thirst with soft drinks, and one of the healthiest drinks is homemade kvass. It is not store-bought, but prepared at home, following simple rules.

When I became interested in the topic of kvass, I was extremely surprised that it turned out to be a very ancient drink. Archaeologists have found descriptions of a drink reminiscent of kvass, which date back as far as the 3rd millennium BC. e. In Rus', the first mention of kvass dates back to 989, i.e. this drink, popular among the Slavs, is more than 1000 years old. The popularity of kvass was so great that there was even a profession for a specialist in its preparation - kvassnik. Both rich and simple peasants prepared and drank kvass. And no wonder, because kvass is not only a tasty drink that quenches thirst, it is also very beneficial for our health, relieves fatigue and gives strength.

There are several types of kvass - bread, fruit, berry, beet. The most common is, of course, bread kvass. That's what we'll talk about today.

Kvass is one of the few products that are made from natural ingredients and do not contain GMOs that are hazardous to health. After all, to make kvass you need malt, which is made from barley and rye, and, fortunately for us, they have not yet been subjected to genetic modification.

Kvass is essentially one of the healthiest drinks with a pleasant bready aroma. Its effect on the body, thanks to lactic acid bacteria, is compared with kefir or yogurt. Kvass is rich in vitamins C, B, PP, E, amino acids and microelements. In kvass, due to the fermentation process, microorganisms are produced that normalize digestion, prevent the proliferation of microbes and harmful bacteria, strengthen the cardiovascular system and help reduce bad cholesterol. Homemade kvass helps strengthen the immune system, reduce fatigue, and invigorate the body. Kvass is recommended for diabetics and people with pancreatic disease. Doctors recommend drinking kvass for various eye diseases, bronchitis and even pneumonia. Kvass is an excellent source of calcium; it strengthens nails, tooth enamel and hair. And even male potency is improved by this amazing drink. And among other things, this is a low-calorie product, so you can consume it, replenish the body with all sorts of benefits, cleanse it of harmful accumulations and at the same time lose weight.

Of course, like any product, kvass has contraindications and limitations. Lactic and fruit acids can play a negative role for those who have chronic stomach diseases such as ulcers. This drink is not recommended for cancer patients, liver and bladder diseases. Well, it is not advisable for pregnant women and drivers to drink kvass because of the alcohol content in it.

It is very important to understand that if you decide to just buy a ready-made drink, it is unlikely to be natural. Read the ingredients yourself, you will find flavorings, sweeteners, and preservatives. This drink is often prepared not by fermentation, but simply by mixing various ingredients. The container for kvass is an obviously harmful plastic bottle. And the shelf life of such a drink is long. Whether or not to consume such “kvass” is up to you. Still, it is safer and healthier to prepare homemade kvass according to the recommended recipes.

Bread kvass at home - recipe for a 3 liter jar

A classic recipe for bread kvass, a taste from childhood, when we could enjoy a cold drink from a barrel. Making kvass at home is also not difficult. I am providing a step-by-step recipe with photos to give you an idea of the cooking process.

Ingredients:

rye bread - 200 gr.
water - 2.5 liters
dry yeast - 2 gr. (about 1 tsp)
sugar - 5 tbsp. l.
raisins - 1 handful

Kvass is made from rye bread. The bread can be cut into large slices, but I prefer nice slices into cubes. Place the sliced bread on a baking sheet and place in the oven. The bread should be well fried and even until it turns black.

2. Throw the fried crackers into a 3-liter jar; they should completely cover the bottom of the jar.

3. Add sugar directly to the jar.

4. Pour boiling water over the crackers, leaving a little room for the liquid to rise during fermentation.

To prevent a glass jar from bursting, place a knife blade under its bottom.

5. Dissolve dry yeast in a separate bowl with warm water, add a little sugar and let it ferment. During this time, the water in the jar will cool to room temperature, and we will pour “revived” yeast into it.

6. Close the jar of kvass with a plastic lid and leave it for a day in a warm place, preferably on a sunny windowsill. During this time, the crackers will rise to the top, and the kvass will acquire a characteristic brown color. Strain the kvass through clean gauze.

7. Throw the washed raisins into the bottom of a cleanly washed jar and pour in the prepared kvass. You can add more sugar if you wish, although I prefer not very sweet kvass. Close the jar with a lid and put it in the refrigerator.

7. But we will want this amazing drink again? For this we use old sourdough with bread. Select approximately 1 cup of starter. And we repeat the whole process again. Place fried fresh crackers at the bottom of a 3-liter jar, add starter from previous kvass or new yeast, 2 tbsp. l. sugar and pour boiling water. And so we continue this procedure every time until summer ends.

8. Enjoy a cold, tasty summer drink - homemade bread kvass.

Recipe for bread kvass without yeast at home

Not everyone likes foods or drinks with yeast. But there is always a way out - kvass can be prepared without yeast, simply by adding more raisins.

Ingredients:

rye bread - 400 gr.
water - 3 liters
sugar - 120 gr. for the first time and 2-3 tbsp. l. for each next
raisins - 30 gr.

As in the first recipe, toast the rye bread in the oven. If you want to get a darker kvass, then fry more.
Pour about 1/2 cup of sugar into the bottom of the jar and add a small amount of hot water. The water temperature should be approximately 80 degrees. Stir until the sugar is completely dissolved.

3. Pour the crackers into the jar and add the remaining water. Water should be poured up to the shoulders of the jar, leaving room for the swollen bread.

4. When the water has cooled to approximately 40 degrees, add the raisins. The fermentation process will depend on its quality.

5. Cover the jar with a clean towel and leave the kvass to steep in a warm place for 3 days. After this, strain the finished kvass using gauze.

6. Pour the kvass into glass jars, first throwing a few raisins into each. Close with airtight lids and place in the refrigerator.

7. We use the remaining starter for a new portion of kvass (you will need about 1/2 of the old starter). Fry the bread again, mix with the sourdough, add sugar (2-3 tbsp) and raisins and add water.

The second and subsequent starters will be ready faster - in 1.5 - 2 days.

Grandma's recipe for homemade kvass

Probably many grandmothers treated them to hearty, cold kvass in the summer, which increased their strength and quenched their thirst (almost subsided). This kvass is traditionally prepared using yeast. The difference in this recipe is that the yeast starter is infused for up to 2 days, and only then the kvass is prepared. How to make kvass at home from bread with yeast will be clear from this video.

Recipe for kvass from wort

This recipe will be useful for those who want not to bother with sourdough and prepare kvass quickly. To do this, purchase ready-made kvass wort for sourdough in the store and start preparing.

Ingredients:

water - 5 liters
kvass wort concentrate - 8-10 tbsp. l.
sugar - 1.5 cups
dry yeast - 1 tbsp. l.
raisins to taste

Boil water, let it cool slightly and add kvass wort concentrate to the pan.

2. Gradually add sugar and stir.

3. Add dry yeast, stir with a spoon until sugar and yeast are completely dissolved.

4. Cover the pan with a lid and place in a warm place for a day. During this time, an active fermentation process will take place.

5. After a day, pour the finished kvass into jars, adding a little raisins to each. Be sure to tightly cover the spilled kvass with lids and place it in a cold place for 4-5 hours so that the kvass becomes more vigorous.

Homemade kvass made from rye flour

Kvass made from rye flour is also called village kvass. Its color is much lighter, and in terms of health benefits for the body, rye kvass is ahead of others. The process of preparing such kvass takes a lot of time, but the result is an excellent drink that is suitable both for quenching thirst and for okroshka.

Ingredients:

water - 2.5 liters
rye flour - 7 tbsp. l.
sugar - 4 tbsp. l.
raisins to taste

First prepare the starter from rye flour. To do this, in a 3-liter jar, 5 tbsp. l. Mix rye flour with warm boiled water (200 ml) until it becomes thick sour cream. Add 2 tbsp. l. sugar (can be replaced with honey). If desired, you can add raisins. Stir well until lumps disappear. We close the jar with a lid and place it in a warm place for 3 days. The starter must ferment and the fermentation time depends on the quality of the flour, sometimes the starter is ready earlier.

The next stage is the activation of the starter. We must add 2 tbsp to the resulting starter. l. rye flour, 2 tbsp. l. sugar and add warm water to the shoulders of the jar, stir well. We close the jar with gauze and send it to a warm place (a sunny windowsill would be good) for 5 whole days.

After 5 days, strain the kvass and put it in the refrigerator.

But that's not all - the grounds that remain at the bottom will be useful for a new portion of kvass. You can use the grounds all summer, just activate it each time. To do this, each time after decanting the kvass, add new flour and sugar or honey to the grounds, add warm water and leave to steep for a couple of days. This way you will get a wonderful healthy drink for all hot days at minimal cost.

Homemade kvass from malt

Another recipe for easy preparation of kvass at home from malt. Malt is soaked and sprouted seeds of cereals - barley, rye, oats, etc. Malt starts the fermentation process and is widely used for making beer and kvass. Making malt is a labor-intensive process, so we will use ready-made rye malt, which is sold in the store.

We will need:

rye malt - 110 gr.
water - 5 liters
dry yeast - 3 tsp.
sugar - 400 gr.

Boil water in a saucepan, and immediately after boiling, add malt into it. Stir well to dissolve all lumps.

Pour a little malt solution (about 1/2 cup) into a separate glass, cool to about 35 degrees, then add yeast. Cover the glass with a towel and place in a warm place to ferment for 10-15 minutes.

Pour sugar into the remaining solution and mix well until it is completely dissolved.

Add the fermented yeast to the warm malt solution and leave to brew for about 12 hours.

Afterwards all that remains is to strain the kvass through cheesecloth, pour it into bottles and put it in the refrigerator. It is advisable for the kvass to stand in the refrigerator for another 1-2 days.

I hope that warmer days will finally arrive and we can enjoy delicious summer drinks.

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.

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.

But why store it? Drink this wonderful homemade drink, it will not only quench your thirst, but will also benefit your body.

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.

Video on how to make homemade kvass without starter

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 in terms of usefulness it is ahead of 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 is 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.

How to make birch kvass - video recipe

If you have the opportunity to collect birch sap, then you can prepare kvass based on it; see how to do this in the video.

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.

Elena Kasatova. See you by the fireplace.

Kvass is not only the most famous and beloved drink of many Slavic peoples.

In the past, it knew no class restrictions and was used with equal pleasure by both the nobility and the common people.

About the benefits of an ancient drink

Much has been written about the benefits of this drink; it is not for nothing that our ancestors respected it so much, and even today good kvass, especially home-made, is valued.

It contains lactic acids, live yeast, potassium, calcium, phosphorus, potassium and other substances needed by our body;
Vitamin C contained in kvass is important for improving performance;
This ancient drink has a beneficial effect on the digestive system and helps digest fatty foods;
The high yeast content in kvass gives it antibacterial properties;
In ancient times they were sure that it was capable of increasing male potency;
Kvass has a good effect on the nervous system, as it contains vitamin B;
This drink helps with hangovers and reduces cravings for alcohol due to its refreshing and sour taste and its low alcohol content (about 1%);
The calorie content of 100 grams of kvass is only 27 calories. This allows you to use it for weight loss.

However, in some cases it is not worth drinking this drink. For example, children and women expecting a child, as well as those with high acidity. Kidney diseases are also a contraindication for excessive consumption of kvass.

Let's look into history

The history of kvass in Rus' goes back more than a thousand years. Even the ancient Romans knew how to prepare barley and fruit drinks using the sourdough method, but only the Slavic peoples learned to make kvass from malt and rye flour.

This fact is largely due to the fact that only the Slavs cultivated rye, which was considered a weed among more southern peoples.

Two centuries ago in Russia there were more than 150 types of kvass, and even now every housewife who makes it at home has more than one unique recipe. But the basis of this drink and the technology for its preparation are the same in all cases.

What and how can you make kvass at home?

This ancient drink is very simple in composition, because its preparation can be done with only three ingredients:

Bread made from rye flour;
Water;
Sugar or honey.

The fermentation process of the drink occurs due to the yeast contained in the grain. Moreover, there are more of them in sprouted grains, so in the past, to make kvass, they used malt - previously sprouted, and then dried and roasted grains of barley or rye.

But now they make do with just rye bread. And the technological chain has not changed for hundreds of years and consists of four main stages:

Preparation of sourdough, which is obtained after fermenting malt or rye bread;
The process of fermentation of sourdough diluted with water. Sugar and rye crackers are also added to the sourdough;
Filtration;
Fermentation (standing) of the drink.

Although kvass is now made without sourdough, it is needed for a real, classic recipe.

Without it, you won’t get a good, sharp, foaming drink.

True, you only have to prepare the starter once.

In the future, you can use the one that remains after the first portion of the drink.

For yeast-free sourdough you will need:

200–300 grams of rye bread;
1 liter of water;
100 grams of sugar.

Dry the rye crackers in the oven until brown. Pour warm boiled water over them in glass, ceramic or enamel containers and add sugar.

Then cover with gauze, since carbon dioxide released during fermentation will accumulate under the lid. For the starter to be successful, the container with it must be kept warm for 2-3 days.

Its readiness can be determined by air bubbles accumulating on the surface. A whitish, cloudy film may also form on top. Don't worry, it's not mold, it's yeast, you don't need to remove it.

Another tasty kvass is made from birch sap. You can learn about this drink and how to prepare it right now! Once you make it, you will always come back to these recipes.

Find out all the secrets of choux pastry. The main thing is to follow the rules for baking choux pastries and then they will turn out airy. Try it!

Do you know what is the secret of French women’s excellent figure parameters? Onion soup is the dish that prevents them from gaining weight. We have prepared recipes and other useful information about this dietary dish in Dedicated to everyone who wants to lose weight!

Malt wort

To make kvass according to the traditional recipe, you will need a malt starter. To do this you need:

Soak and then germinate barley or wheat grains;
To make malt, for which the sprouted grain must be dried and roasted in the oven, and then crushed;
Mix malt and sugar with water - you should get a mixture similar in thickness to sour cream;
After 2-3 days in a warm place, the wort will be ready.

Wort not only makes it easier to prepare kvass, but also gives it a special aroma and taste. This drink has a darker, brown color, in contrast to the light (white) bread color.

Delicious kvass: step-by-step cooking recipes

Bread

There are many different recipes for this drink. Therefore, there is no exact recipe, verified down to the gram.

Each housewife has her own, different from others. And at home, bread kvass is often made “by eye.”

For a five-liter pan you need:

0.5 liters of starter;
200–300 grams of dried or fried rye bread;
Half a glass of granulated sugar.

Preparation:

Of course, you can drink kvass immediately after spilling. But after standing in the cold in a closed container, the drink acquires sharpness and the effect of tongue-tingling bubbles.

And the remaining starter can be filled with water again, add bread and make another portion.

In the old days, kvass prepared according to this recipe was called “white” because of its light yellow, cloudy color. It is different from the one made with malted barley and has a darker, amber-brown color.

Let's watch the video and you will clearly understand how to make bread kvass yourself:

Yeast (alcoholic)

Any kvass contains 3–4% alcohol, because it is a fermentation product. But the strength of the drink can be increased; in the old days they knew how to prepare drunken kvass, which was often stronger than beer.

The process of preparing alcoholic kvass is no different from ordinary bread kvass. But there are differences in composition.

It contains yeast. For 5 liters of water, 5 grams of dry yeast is enough;
You need more sugar - 2-3 glasses. Moreover, the strength of the drink will depend on its quantity. But here you need to not overdo it. If there is too much sugar, the water will turn into syrup and will not ferment at all.

It should be remembered that the strength of such a drink will never be higher than 11–12 degrees.

That's all! Kvass is ready!

You can take a little break and watch a video recipe for a drunken drink:

Beetroot

This is a special drink. It differs from bread bread in that it can be made without sourdough and even without bread, using only beets and water.

It's also easy to prepare:

Cut large beets, preferably dark burgundy in color, into slices;
Fill a three-liter jar with chopped beets halfway and pour boiled water into it;
You can add just a little sugar (100 grams), but this is not necessary;
Leave for 5-6 days at room temperature.

That's it, beet kvass is ready at home, you can drink a tasty and very healthy drink.

Another special feature of beet kvass is that as you consume it, you can add water to the jar until the drink completely loses its taste.

Sometimes, along with beets, a piece of dried rye bread is added to it. This speeds up the fermentation process and gives the beetroot drink a more familiar “leavened” taste.

You can watch 2 more versions of beet kvass in the video:

Oat

Like other varieties of kvass, this drink is easy to prepare.

For three liters of water you will need:

An incomplete half-liter jar of oats;
100 grams of sugar.

Boil water, cool slightly and pour the oats into a saucepan or three-liter jar, add sugar and place the container in a dark place at room temperature for 3-4 days.

The first portion should be poured out, it is tasteless, and the swollen oats should be poured again and the same amount of sugar should be added. After 4–5 days, oat kvass prepared at home can be drunk. It should be remembered that the strength and acidity of the drink depends on the fermentation time, so kvass that has stood for a week will be more sour and stronger.

For information on how to make oat kvass at home on your own, see below:

Let's sum it up

To make the taste of the drink more varied, various additives are added during preparation: mint, currant leaves, horseradish, cloves.

Bread kvass can be prepared not with plain water, but with a brew or decoction of berries and fruits. Blackcurrant kvass is especially good, as well as apple and pear kvass.

To make the drink ferment better and be sharper, you should add raisins to it.

Instead of sugar, you can put honey in kvass; this will give the drink additional taste, aroma, and healing properties.

If you can’t wait to try kvass as soon as possible, then a video has been prepared for you, which shows the process of preparing this drink, which will be ready for use in just 6 hours. Time flies by quickly!