How to make kvass at home

Well, what kind of Russian people do not like kvass? This drink always comes in handy at any table. And in the summer, in the midst of unbearable heat, kvass becomes the only salvation from thirst. Kvass is not only good for health, it also perfectly restores strength, invigorates and nourishes the body with energy.

What is kvass

Kvass is a traditional drink of the Slavs, which is made from flour and barley (or wheat) malt. The production of kvass is based on fermentation, which gives the drink such a unique taste and aroma. Usually kvass is made from dry rye bread. Depending on the recipe of the area in which kvass is prepared, honey, various aromatic herbs, berries and fruits can be added to the drink.

Interestingly, Slavic recipes often used kvass as the basis for cold dishes.Today, the most famous such dish is okroshka on kvass. In ancient times, the fermentation process of kvass was brought to such an extent that the drink was alcoholic, high-grade. Hence the expression "sour", that is, "drink."

Today, according to GOST, the share of alcohol in kvass should not exceed 2%. And in Europe, a special commission on alcoholic beverages equated kvass with low-alcohol beer. Kvass is divided into bread, berry, honey, fruit, milk, honey and okroshechny.

The benefits of kvass

Besides the fact that kvass has a pleasant, sweet-sour taste, it has a very beneficial effect on the work of the whole organism. Kvass improves the cardiovascular system, speeds up the metabolism. This drink contains special acids, thanks to which kvass can perfectly quench thirst. In kvass, a sufficient amount of carbon dioxide, which is absorbed into the walls of the stomach, increases the appetite and improves digestion. Therefore, kvass is recommended to drink to those who suffer from poor appetite, as well as during the recovery period after illness.

Kvass is filled with vitamins B1 and E, sugars, microelements, amino acids, enzymes. Regular consumption of homemade kvass will help improve immunity, improve digestion, raise the overall tone of the body. In the drink there are beneficial dairy bacteria that affect the digestive system in the same way as kefir, ryazhenka, yogurt, and yogurt. Kvass is often prescribed for use by people suffering from dysbiosis.

Kvass is a sufficiently nutritious product and it is not recommended to abuse it while losing weight. After all, it was kvass during the war that saved many residents of blockaded cities from starvation and starvation. As with any other drink, kvass has contraindications. Kvass can not drink to people suffering from cirrhosis of the liver, hypertension and gastritis.

To date, on the shelves of the store you can find "kvass drink", which taste a bit like real kvass. It is made from soda, sweeteners and flavorings. Such a drink has nothing to do with real kvass, and therefore does not bear any benefit in itself. Yes, and to taste it is not at all what we drank in childhood. To get natural, tasty and healthy kvass, you need to cook it yourself.

Classic kvass on yeast bread

To make this kvass, we need 5 liters of pure water, 5 grams of dry yeast, a glass of sugar and a pound of rye bread. Please note that the bread should be simple, without additives in the form of cumin or other seasonings.

1. Boil the water and let it cool. Then pour it into a container, where kvass will be cooked. It is best to choose glass bottles and jars, plastic containers or enamel pots.
2. While the water cools, the bread must be dried in the oven. Slice the rye loaf and sprinkle the bread on the baking sheet. Dry thoroughly. If you want to get a rich color of kvass with a slight bitterness, the bread should be dried to a dark state. If you prefer sweet and light kvass - crackers should be dried only slightly.
3. Mix the crackers with water, cover the container with gauze and leave for two days. Do not cover the jar with a tight lid. The carbon dioxide released during fermentation can simply break the container.
4. If you want to get kvass in an accelerated mode, then crackers with water must be boiled for 20 minutes, then removed from the heat and cover with gauze. So the fermentation process will be much faster.
5. After a specified time, the kvass mass must be filtered. Thoroughly press the crackers. Transfer the strained liquid back to the fermentation tank.
6. Add to the kvass two-thirds of a cup of sugar and yeast diluted with a small amount of warm water. Mix thoroughly and leave for a day.
7. After that, pour the kvass into bottles, adding to each of them the remnants of sugar prepared for kvass. At the last stage, sugar is added to form carbon dioxide, because many of us love kvass because of its pleasant bubbles.
8. When kvass is bottled, they must be tightly closed so that the gas does not go out. Then put the containers in the fridge to stop the fermentation process. When the drink has cooled, you can drink it.

Such kvass should be stored in the basement or in the refrigerator. It will not only quench your thirst after a hard working day, but will also help restore energy and strength.

Classic brew without the use of yeast

How many people - so many tastes. Some people like kvass made with yeast, while others prefer to use fruits and berries as a starter. In our recipe we will add raisins to kvass.It not only allows kvass to ferment well, but also gives it a subtle, elusive taste and aroma.

To make this kvass, we need the same amount of ingredients, only sugar needs to be taken a little more than a glass, about 300 g. Instead of yeast, we take a handful of raisins, about 50 g.

1. Dry the rusks in the same way as in the previous recipe. It is very important not to overdry the crackers, otherwise the drink will turn out bitter.
2. In boiled water, add the crackers and sugar. Stir the mass thoroughly and pour it into the fermentation tank. Please note that the capacity should not be full, leave approximately 10% of the empty space.
3. Then add raisins to the composition and mix the future kvass again. Cover the container with a piece of clean gauze and leave at room temperature.
4. After a day or two, you will see that fermentation has begun in the tank - bubbles will appear and a sour smell, crackers will begin to move. If this does not happen, then the raisins were of poor quality. Therefore, approach the choice of raisins for kvass with special responsibility - it depends on all the taste and texture of the drink.
5. After 48 hours kvass should be ready.It is filtered, a small amount of sugar is added to it and bottled. For beauty and taste, you can add a few berries of raisins to each bottle. Let it be the "highlight" of your drink.
6. When the tightly closed bottles cool down (after about 3-4 hours), the brew will be ready for use.
7. You can store it in the refrigerator for up to three days. But the drink turns out so delicious that it will not last even three days - believe me!

Kvass recipes are very many, each of them is tasty and unusual. Even in one region in Russia, in one yard, 5 housewives made kvass, and each had its own different recipe. Let us tell you about some more kvass recipes that can be prepared at home.

Kvass recipes

Beetroot Kvass. This is a very useful, tasty and easy to prepare drink. A kilogram of fresh beets must be grated or chopped in a meat grinder. Put grated beets, a piece of rye bread, half a cup of sugar and a pinch of salt in a three-liter jar. Fill the ingredients with water and put in a warm place (the temperature should not be above room temperature).Do not forget that kvass is not covered tightly with a lid - only with gauze. A day later, the brew will begin to ferment. And after two will be fully prepared. It must be bottled and stored in the refrigerator. Regular consumption of such kvass has a great effect on the body - blood vessels are strengthened, the heart works better, constipation disappears.

Birch kvass. This is a natural and healthy product. Birch sap is necessary to take fresh - immediately after harvest. Boil it over low heat to evaporate excess water. Then wait until the liquid has cooled. Add yeast to warm liquid and ferment for a couple of days. It is very important to choose the temperature of the liquid when you pour the yeast into it. If the liquid is hot, the yeast will simply brew, and in an insufficiently cold liquid the yeast will not act. The optimum temperature for fermentation is 30-35 degrees.

Apple kvass. For this recipe you will need sour apples. 5-6 sour green apples, grate and pour three liters of water. Boil this stew for half an hour and let it cool. In a warm mass, add a teaspoon of yeast and some sugar.Put the jar on the windowsill and cover the neck with gauze. This kvass wanders a little longer than two days, about 3-4 days, but its taste is distinguished by a delicate apple shade.

Honey kvass. In Russia, honey kvass was considered a festive drink, which was prepared before the great celebrations and significant feasts. Boil 4 liters of clean water and cool it. Then add a tablespoon of dry yeast, the same amount of rye flour, a large handful of raisins, a glass of honey and lemon, cut into small pieces. Stir the entire composition thoroughly and set as usual. After a day, you need to pour another liter of water into the container and finally ferment the kvass. You can determine the readiness of the drink by zest - when they all completely float to the surface, this means that the brew can be bottled.

Berry kvass. This recipe for kvass was relevant in the spring, when berries ripened in the forests - tasty, juicy, wholesome. To prepare a drink, you can take any kind of strawberry, raspberry, strawberry, blueberry. Mix the berries should be thoroughly crushed to a pulp and pour three liters of boiling water.After one day, the prepared mixture should be drained and add a little yeast. Sugar is not necessary to add - berries and so give a fairly sweet taste. For piquancy and sourness, you can add a little lemon juice to kvass. Kvass is infused for about 2-3 days, after which it can be bottled, cooled and enjoyed.

In order to avoid the formation of mold on the surface of the container during the preparation of kvass, you need to take absolutely clean dishes for fermentation. Boil water thoroughly and use only pure ingredients. And then you can enjoy and please your family with such a useful and tasty drink.

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