Rye Kvass
Description
The taste is not unlike beer, except it's way healthier since it contains tons of probiotics!
Making kvass is a relatively simple process. While the fermentation part takes a few days, you’ll only need a few minutes to actually prep everything. The bacteria and yeast are the ones doing all the work in transforming some pieces of stale bread into a delicious bubbly drink!
Prep time: 20 min
Total time: 4 - 6 days
Yield: 8 servings
Special equipment: Oven; a large baking sheet; a large glass jar; a fine mesh strainer; glass bottles with lid for storage.
Ingredients
Instructions
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Preheat your oven to 400°F, or 200°C. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and arrange the bread on top. Bake for approximately 20 minutes or until deeply golden. You want the bread to develop a good amount of color.
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In the meantime, mix water and honey and warm the mixture. Be sure to keep the temperature between 70°F - 90°F or 20°C - 30°C. Anything above that could kill the cultures.
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Drop the toasted rye bread and sourdough starter into a large glass jar. Pour the warm liquid over the bread and cover it loosely.
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Allow the kvass to ferment for 4-6 days in a room temperature spot in your kitchen, away from direct sunlight.
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Test the liquid, and when it's cultured to your taste, strain through a fine-mesh sieve, discarding the bread and solids.
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Transfer the kvass into glass bottles, and store in the fridge.
Note
Additional information:
- This kvass recipe lasts up to a week in the fridge. With each day, the flavor develops and becomes richer and less sweet.
- Kvass is ever so slightly alcoholic – with 0.5 to 2.5% alcohol content. The longer it sits in the fridge, the more alcoholic it gets, but it’s still considered a very low-alcohol beverage.
- It’s also possible to flavor kvass in many different ways. Mint is traditional, but you can also use berries, a handful of raisins or caraway seeds for a distinctive taste.
- Sourdough starter is our preferred yeast to use here, but you can also use instant bread yeast with similar results.
User Reviews
The suggestion in the notes for added caraway seeds sounds incredible with the GF rye bread.