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You’re gonna appreciate this; a simple, authentic bread kvas that doesn’t need a concentrate! My hubby’s cousin, Angelina, shared this recipe with us. We’ve made it with rye bread and with black bread and both were so refreshing! New favorite for sure – thanks Angelina!
This kvass lasts up to a week in the fridge (probably longer, but it might start tasting kinda strong). You’ll notice it loses sweetness daily as it stands. I think it’s best after a full day in the fridge.
Bread Kvas is uber popular in Russia and Ukraine. You might compare it to a sweet, non-alcoholic beer. From my research, kvass only has up to 1% alcohol content (still probably not recommended for pregos). The longer it sits in the fridge, the more slightly “alcoholic” it gets, but it’s still considered non-alcoholic.
So if you drink it in the first day or 2, there is probably no alcohol in there yet. From what my readers have said, it’s best to store kvas in plastic soda bottles since they are designed to hold pressurized drinks. I like to release the pressure from my bottles 1-2 times a day because an over-inflated bottle just makes me nervous.
Ingredients for Bread Kvas:
2.5 gallons or 10 qtof water
1 lb or 9 slices of classic black, dark or rye bread
1 handful of raisins
1.8 lb (4 cups) of sugar
1.5 Tbsp of active dry yeast
3 large plastic soda bottles
How to Make Russian Bread Kvas: (best if prepared in the evening)
DAY 1:
1. Fill giant stock pot with 2.5 gallons of water (or divide it into two large pots) and bring to a boil.
2. While waiting, toast the bread slices twice on the darkest toaster setting. Yes. Seriously. Darker bread makes darker kvass. Toast bread either outside or in your garage or your house will get smokey. We learned the hard way :). It should look like the photo below.
3.When water starts to boil, remove the pot from heat.Add a handful of raisins and toasted bread to the pot, cover with the lid and let it stay overnight or at least 8 hours.
DAY 2:
4. Carefully remove toasted bread and discard it.
5. In a medium bowl, mix together 4 cups of sugar and 1.5 Tbsp of yeast, add them to kvas mixture and stir.
6. Cover with plastic wrap or lid and leave the mixture on the counter for another 6 hours, stirring every couple hours.
7. Discard floating raisins by scooping them up witha large spoon. Using strainer or cheese cloth, pour kvass into bottles, loosely cover with lid and refrigerate overnight. The following day once the bottles are completely chilled, you can tighten the lid.
P.S. According to my readers, it’s best to store kvas in plastic soda bottles since they are designed to hold pressurized drinks.
DAY 3: enjoy
DAY 4: enjoy
DAY 5: …..did it really last that long?
How do you make your kvass?
Easy Bread Kvas Recipe
Author: Natasha of NatashasKitchen.com
Prep Time: 14 hours hrs
Total Time: 14 hours hrs
Ingredients
Servings: 20 -24
- 2.5 gallons or 10 qt of water
- 1 lb or 9 slices of classic black, dark or rye bread
- 1 handful of raisins
- 1.8 lb 4 cups of sugar
- 1.5 tablespoons of active dry yeast
- 3 large plastic soda bottles
Instructions
DAY 1: (best if prepared in the evening)
Fill giant stock pot with 2.5 gallons of water (or divide it into two large pots) and bring to a boil.
While waiting, toast the bread slices twice on the darkest toaster setting. Darker bread makes darker kvass. Toast bread either outside or in your garage or your house will get smokey.
When water starts to boil, remove the pot from heat. Add a handful of raisins and toasted bread to the pot, cover with the lid and let it stay overnight or at least 8 hours.
DAY 2:
Carefully remove toasted bread and discard it.
In a medium bowl, mix together 4 cups of sugar and 1.5 Tbsp of yeast, add them to kvas mixture and stir.
Cover with plastic wrap or lid and leave the mixture on the counter for another 6 hours, stirring every couple hours.
Discard floating raisins by scooping them up with a large spoon. Using strainer or cheese cloth, pour kvass into bottles, loosely cover with lid and refrigerate overnight. The following day once the bottles are completely chilled, you can tighten the lid.
Notes
P.S. According to my readers, it's best to store kvas in plastic soda bottles since they are designed to hold pressurized drinks.
- Full Nutrition Label
- Nutrition Disclosure
Course: Beverage
Cuisine: Russian, Ukrainian
Keyword: Easy Bread Kvas, Russian kvass
Skill Level: Easy
Cost to Make: $
Natasha Kravchuk
Welcome to my kitchen! I am Natasha, the blogger behind Natasha's Kitchen (since 2009). My husband and I run this blog together and share only our best, family approved and tested recipes with YOU. Thanks for stopping by! We are so happy you're here.
Read more posts by Natasha
FAQs
Which type of yeast should you use for kvass?
- Sourdough starter is a good option as it contains both lactobacillus bacteria and yeast. ...
- Wild yeast (yeast water) is a good alternative, and it's made soaking dried or fresh fruit in water for a few days.
Depending on the temperature, after 2 or 3 days you should have a nice fermentation going. The drink is now ready to enjoy.
Does kvass expire? ›
Initially, it was filled in large containers from which the kvass was sold on streets, but now, the vast majority of industrially produced kvass is filled and sold in 1–3-litre plastic bottles and has a shelf life of 4–6 weeks.
Is it healthy to drink kvass? ›
Kvass is considered a “functional food” because it offers a wide range of probiotics and nutrients, including vitamin B12, selenium and manganese. If made with beets, it also contains a good dose of antioxidants, natural nitrates, vitamins A and C, and potassium.
What yeast makes the highest alcohol content? ›
One of the highest, if not the highest, alcohol tolerance yeast on the market today is called turbo yeast. It is a special type of yeast that yields ABV levels up to 25% in a very short time.
What is the fastest yeast for alcohol? ›
Still Spirits Turbo Express
Express is the fastest Turbo on the planet, fermenting out 6kg of sugar in less than 24 hours and producing very good distillate quality. It is important that water start temperature is correct and only 6kg of sugar is used to get maximum speed.
How do you know when kvass is ready? ›
And as every chef knows, the best way to test something is to taste it. Kvass can take anywhere between 2-7 days before it's fermented to perfection, so try tasting a little after the second day. What you're looking for is that perfect balance of sweet and sour, with a hint of carbonation.
How much alcohol is in homemade kvass? ›
Kvass is a mildly alcoholic fermented drink (0.5-2.5%) traditionally made using stale rye bread, yeast, sugar, and dried fruits for flavouring; it has a sweet/sour taste.
How often should you drink kvass? ›
HOW MUCH DO I DRINK? We recommend starting small with 1 dose per day and building to a maintenance dose of 2 shots per day. As our BEET KVASS is a living, nutritionally dense probiotic liquid tonic, a little goes a long way. Only a small amount daily is required to promote an overall feeling of improved health.
How do I know if my fermentation has gone bad? ›
Sour Aroma
Opening the fermentation vessel after a few days may release a sour, vinegary aroma. While the aroma may be strong at first, it should be pleasant. If, on the other hand, your sauerkraut smells like spoiled or rotten food, discard it, clean the container thoroughly, and try again another day.
The shelf-life of kvass is around 4-8 weeks from the moment you receive your order. Always remember that Quas can only be stored in the fridge. This is a relatively short shelf-life compared to other soft drinks or non-alcoholic beers.
What is kvass in English? ›
Kvass is a fermented beverage made from black or regular rye bread.
Is kvass legal in America? ›
“Is Kvass considered alcoholic under US law?” Kvass can have as much as 1 percent ABV. Each state has its own laws so that might count is one state but not in another state. The most common rule in US states is 1 percent ABV and down don't count as alcoholic beverages.
Does kvass have B12? ›
Kvass does have some health benefits as it contains manganese, vitamin B12, iron, copper, and magnesium with also a good amount of fiber. Depending if you add any fruits or vegetables such as beets in the kvass, there could be even more antioxidants.
Is kombucha the same as kvass? ›
While both are fermented and contain a healthy dose of probiotics, the kombucha relies on the SCOBY to ferment and kvass uses lacto-fermentation by relying solely on the natural sugars present in the beets.
What kind of yeast is in kvass? ›
bread kvass – Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Leuconostoc mesentericus spp.
What yeast is best for fermentation? ›
Fermentation processes to produce wines, beers and ciders are traditionally carried out with Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains, the most common and commercially available yeast.
What is the best yeast to restart fermentation? ›
The best wine yeast to use in a starter to restart a stuck fermentation is Champagne type yeast. This type of wine yeast is better at fermenting in diverse conditions than most others.
What type of yeast ferments the fastest? ›
Save Time By Fermenting with Kveik Yeast
Really fast. As Garshol says, brewers using kveik yeasts have cut their fermentation time in half — from two weeks down to one — and he reports watching a dried and dormant strain start visibly fermenting within 30 minutes.
