How do I make traditional Kvas?

Comments ( 1 )

1. hec says

   If you have a special ferment (закваска – "zakvaska") then it's relatively easy and that's how we do it here. Without it you'll need rye malt, yest and raisins to make it up.

   Here are some recipes:

   Recipe 1:
   * 1 pound (1/2 k), Dry Black (Rye) Bread
   * 24 cups, Boiling Water
   * 1 1/2 lbs (3/4 k) Sugar
   * 2 ounces (56g), Fresh Compressed Yeast
   * 1/2 cup, Sultanas (yellow seedless raisins)

   Procedure:
   Put the bread into a large container and then add the boiling water. When the mixture is lukewarm squeeze the liquid from the bread very thoroughly, making sure that the bread itself does not come through because this clouds the drink.

   Add the sugar and yeast, mix, cover and leave for ten hours. Pour the drink into clean bottles, and three sultanas to each, put the corks and tie them down—then refrigerate immediately.

   Recipe 2:
   1 kg (2 pounds) of dried rye bread,
   1,2 kg (3 pounds) of sugar,
   40 g (1.5 oz) of yeast(s),
   4 g of the infusion of mint.

   Dry rye bread cut in pieces put in the oven until golden. Add it in boiled and slightly cooled (200 F or 80 C) 15-17 l (or quarts) of water. Leave for 1-2 hours in a warm place, periodically stirring. They strain the obtained must (сусло), and add water to the remained bread (10-12 l). Mix both infusions, add sugar, and yeast dissolved in a small quantity of must. You can add some mint and then leave for the fermentation in a warm place (70-75 F or 23-25 C) for 8-12 hours. After that cool kvas to 50-55 F or 10-12 C, pour into bottles, seal them and refrigerate for about 24 hours.

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