Kvass
A refreshing fermented drink made from bread
Equipment
- Bottles
- Cheesecloth
- Strainer
Ingredients
- 1 lb rye bread toasted but not burned
- 1½ cup sugar
- 3 Tbsp sourdough starter
- 1 packet yeast optional
- 1 tsp honey optional
- 2 oz dried fruit (raisins, currants, cherries, cranberries, etc.) optional
- 1 gallon water
Instructions
- Toast bread in the oven or toaster until browned but not burned.
- Meanwhile bring a gallon of water to boil then cool to 175°F.
- Tear or slice the bread into chunks and add to water. Stir to submerse bread chunks and let sit for 1 hour.
- Strain the liquid through a cheesecloth-lined strainer into a large vessel. Reserve the bread.
- Bring a half gallon of water to boil and let it cool to 175°F. Add the bread to this second batch of water and let sit for 90 minutes.
- Strain the liquid through a cheesecloth-lined strainer into the vessel containing the first batch of liquid. Squeeze as much liquid out of the bread as possible without getting bread mush into the vessel of strained liquid. Discard bread.
- Bring 1 cup water to a boil, add the sugar and honey, if using. Simmer for 10 minutes, skimming if needed. Stir syrup into bread water.
- When the liquid has cooled to room temperature, remove one cup of liquid. Add to it the sourdough starter and/or yeast; stir to combine. When the yeast has softened and the starter has dissolved, pour this solution into the liquid vessel. Add dried fruit, if using.
- Cover with cheesecloth and keep at room temperature for 8-12 hours or overnight.
- After this initial fermentation time you should see lots of bubbling activity in the kvass. Pour the kvass into bottles and seal tightly. When you get to the bottom of the vessel, do not pour any sediment into your bottles. Refrigerate for 24 hours before consuming. Keeps 3-4 days in the refrigeratior.