Dish · russian

Kvass

Kvass is a low-alcohol drink made by fermenting rye bread with water, sugar, and yeast for a day or two, tasting tart and faintly sour like a mild, bready soda.

Where it comes from

It began as a way to use bread that had gone stale rather than throw it out, fermenting it briefly enough to stay mild and refreshing rather than turning fully into alcohol.

What cooks argue about

The variable that changes the result most is fermentation time: a shorter ferment keeps it sweet and low in alcohol, a longer one pushes it toward something sourer and stronger, closer to a light beer.

Versions

Nobody has published a kvass here yet. When somebody cooks one from a video and publishes it, their version appears in this list, with a link back to the original.

What goes in it

Each one opens everything else made with it.

Cook this next

Russian kitchen