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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
For Kvass production on grain or fruit substrates
SafKvas™ C-73 on grain or fruits substrate produces a balanced organoleptic profile with typical aroma compounds that gives nice character to the beverage. The dried yeast can be pitched directly into the fermentation vessel.
How to make KVAC? ›
In the traditional method, either dried rye bread or a combination of rye flour and rye malt is used. The dried rye bread is extracted with hot water and incubated for 12 hours at room temperature, after which bread yeast and sugar are added to the extract and fermented for 12 hours at 20 °C (293 K; 68 °F).
How long does it take for kvass to ferment? ›
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? ›
You can easily recognise commercial kvass by looking at the best-before date, which can extend to 12-36 months at room temperature.
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.
Is kvass sold in America? ›
Available exclusively at Whole Foods Market stores in the New York metro area, Kvass is fermented with high quality rye and barley and flavored with natural sugar for a clean, sweet finish. Kvass's complex taste and authentic flavors will entice those looking for a refreshing, robust and unexpectedly crisp malt taste.
What is kvass in English? ›
a Russian beer made from fermenting rye or barley and having a dark color and sour taste.
How much sugar is in kvass? ›
Comparing Commercial Kvass to Traditional Kvass: What You Need to Know
| Contains probiotics | Sugar per 100 mL |
|---|
| Genuine kvass | ✓ | 3-4g |
| Commercial kvass | X | 8-12g |
Jan 23, 2024
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.
Strain and refrigerate: When it tastes strong enough for your liking, strain out the beets and transfer the kvass to the refrigerator. You may drink it right away, but it's often best after a few days. As a fermented beverage, this kvass will last for quite some time, at least a month or longer.
Is kvass illegal? ›
“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.
How do you know if 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.
Is homemade kvass safe? ›
Traditionally, the water for kvass was first boiled and then the hot water would be poured over hard stale bread. Boiling water kills pathogenic bacteria that could sicken people, making kvass a safer drink than water.
Can you drink expired KVAS? ›
Each bottle of Brussels Kvas has a 'best before' date on the label. After this date, the kvass is still good (if it has been kept cool). However, as the drink is alive, the taste of fermentation may be accentuated. We recommend that you consume your kvass before this date in order to guarantee a Brussels Kvass taste.
What kind of yeast is in kvass? ›
bread kvass – Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Leuconostoc mesentericus spp.
What is the best yeast for fermenting sugar? ›
Most often, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, also known as baker's yeast, is used [1]. During alcoholic fermentation, yeast converts sugars into carbon dioxide (CO2) and ethanol [1], with a preference for glucose consumption over fructose and maltose.
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.
