Kvass: Lacto-Fermented Russian Drink

[DeejayDebi]

Kvass: Lacto-Fermented Russian Drink

Ingredients:

1 ½ pounds stale bread
3 Tablespoons crushed dried mint
1 lemon, juiced
¼ cup sugar or honey
¼ teaspoon sea salt
¼ cup sourdough (or 1 package yeast)
a few raisins

1. Cube the bread and let dry or toast in 300ºF oven.
2. Put bread, mint, lemon juice, and in 12 cups boiling water.
3.After 8 or more hours, strain out solids. Add remaining ingredients
4. Let ferment 2 to 3 days.
5. Transfer to quart bottles, about three-quarters full. Add a few raisings to bottle and seal. Let sit until raisins rise, then drink.
Stores in fridge for a few weeks.

[makkonen]

Wow, Debi! I tell people that I'm a big fan of fermented foods, but I've got nothing on you. What a lineup! Thanks for all these.

This one, the kvass, sounds especially fascinating to me. I've heard mention of it from kefir-makers I've talked to, as another one of those strong fermented milk drinks.

The recipe sounds a little like how you're supposed to make pruno -- prison wine -- with the stale bread and the raisins; but I have to imagine the flavor's quite a bit nicer. Is it boozy, sour, sweet? (I'm guessing it's NOT sweet.)

[DeejayDebi]

It's not really sweet. It does have alcohol but I've not measured it. Kind of somewhere bewteen a beer a wine and whiskey. Hard to describe. I didn't care for it personally but some people love it. I only made it once.

If you have any recipes to share I'm always ready to try something new!

[BobnCathy]

my grandmother used to make that for my grandfather all the time...I brew some of that up in her memory...I remember "nipping" at it...at it being kinda sourish...not overly so..but sourish...

Bob

[DeejayDebi]

I personally don't care for it but I had a russian boy I went to college with that said he love it. I guess it's what you are used to.