Photo Credit- shoot_nik
When the average person thinks of popular fermented beverages, Kombucha and Kefir probably come to mind the fastest. However, if you are a fan of the fermented your mind probably goes further to Ginger Bugs and Tepache. But, there are hundreds of different types of fermented beverages throughout the world, some widely distributed, while others are regional or cultural.
Did you know there is a gut friendly fermented beverage made from bread? No! Well meet Kvass! Kvass is a traditional fermented beverage of Slavic origins, commonly made from rye bread. The burnt rye bread contributes to the color of the finished drink, and it is sometimes flavored with strawberries, raisons or herbs. This drink is easy to make at home and is touted as being more popular than Coca Cola in Russia, where it is the national soft drink. From personal experience, I can tell you that it is very simple to make. You just need rye bread, yeast, water, sugar, and raisins. A batch can be ready in as little as two days. Because of its short fermentation time and low abv, it is marketed as a non-alcoholic beverage. I did further research on You-Tube, watching several people make a traditional rendition of this delicious bread beer. The book, The Art of Fermentation by Sandor Katz, is also another great resource to learn more about Kvass and other fermented beverages. There are infinite cocktail applications for your finished Kvass, including the one below!
