Brewing up my first batch of Kvass today. My beer brewing buddies might not be impressed, but I am going to give it my best shot!
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 Tbsp of active dry yeast
America, Are You Tough Enough To Drink Real Russian Kvas?
While American kids stand in line for the ice cream truck on sweltering summer days, kids in Russia have historically queued up for something different: the kvas truck.
Kvas is a fermented grain drink, sort of like a barely alcoholic beer. And in the heat of the summer, it was served from a big barrel on wheels, with everyone lining up for their turn at the communal mug. It may sound like a far cry from rocket pops and ice cream sandwiches, but most Russians have fond memories.
"We didn't have sodas in the Soviet Union when we grew up — we barely had water to buy on the street. So kvas was saving our lives, actually!" remembers Eugenia Glivinski.
To create that tangy fermented flavor, kvas makers start with Russian brown bread. You soak it in water, and then add some yeast (other additions — raisins, honey, mint — vary from recipe to recipe). The whole mixture ferments for a few days, a process that creates a natural carbonation, as well as a distinctive sour flavor.
<snip>
Yoskowitz and his partners realize that savory, sour, fermented drinks may be a hard sell to American palates. But Yoskowitz points to kombucha tea, virtually unknown in American stores a few years ago, and now easily found in many markets. And they hope that with the growing interest in home brewing, pickling and probiotics — not to mention kvas' old-world Slavic charm — they can find some new fans for this old drink.
full article at
http://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt...e-you-tough-enough-to-drink-real-russian-kvas
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 Tbsp of active dry yeast
America, Are You Tough Enough To Drink Real Russian Kvas?
While American kids stand in line for the ice cream truck on sweltering summer days, kids in Russia have historically queued up for something different: the kvas truck.
Kvas is a fermented grain drink, sort of like a barely alcoholic beer. And in the heat of the summer, it was served from a big barrel on wheels, with everyone lining up for their turn at the communal mug. It may sound like a far cry from rocket pops and ice cream sandwiches, but most Russians have fond memories.
"We didn't have sodas in the Soviet Union when we grew up — we barely had water to buy on the street. So kvas was saving our lives, actually!" remembers Eugenia Glivinski.
To create that tangy fermented flavor, kvas makers start with Russian brown bread. You soak it in water, and then add some yeast (other additions — raisins, honey, mint — vary from recipe to recipe). The whole mixture ferments for a few days, a process that creates a natural carbonation, as well as a distinctive sour flavor.
<snip>
Yoskowitz and his partners realize that savory, sour, fermented drinks may be a hard sell to American palates. But Yoskowitz points to kombucha tea, virtually unknown in American stores a few years ago, and now easily found in many markets. And they hope that with the growing interest in home brewing, pickling and probiotics — not to mention kvas' old-world Slavic charm — they can find some new fans for this old drink.
full article at
http://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt...e-you-tough-enough-to-drink-real-russian-kvas
