Ready-made dry mixture, or wort, or even kits, with which you just mix the contents of the bags with warm water and let it brew.
Real kvass requires a different approach. You could even say respect, because it takes a lot of time to tinker with the wort. First of all, you need rye, barley or wheat. You should buy not what is offered for feeding birds, but packages marked “for germination.” The grains are thoroughly washed with warm water and soaked in cool water. At the same time, it is not enough to simply leave the bowl in a bright, cool place - the water must be changed for fresh water two to three times a day. In a day or two the sprouts will hatch. As soon as this happens, the grains are placed between two layers of gauze on a tray, pallet, baking sheet - any shallow container. The top layer of fabric is regularly moistened with water, and the grains are turned. Recommended temperature is 10-18oC. Within a week, the sprouts will be as long as the grain itself. At this point, germination is stopped and the product is dried for about 20 hours at a temperature not exceeding 45-55 ° C. The finished malt is then light in color and suitable for light kvass. If you need red kvass, the malt is roasted until dark. It is then ground in a coffee grinder and used or stored.
Properly prepared and dried wort has a sweet and aromatic taste, and the roots and sprouts are easy to separate from the grains.
Turning homemade malt into wort is a much simpler task. Pour boiling water over the powder (the proportions depend on the recipe), let it brew for half an hour and add the rest of the kvass ingredients - water, sugar and yeast.
If kvass is ripened in an open container, raisins are added to make it sparkling. If it is closed, then add less sugar so that the gas does not burst the bottle or jar.The fermented liquid is allowed to ripen in a cool place.
Option for dummies
A simpler version of wort is made from crackers. For white kvass, use wheat bread, for red kvass, rye bread. The first is good in okroshka, the second is for quenching thirst. The bread cut into slices is dried in the oven (the degree of toasting will affect the color), pour boiling water over it and leave for 7-8 hours. The next steps are the same: add sugar, yeast and water, let it ferment and ripen.
It is easy to diversify the taste of such kvass if you use cabbage brine, whey or birch sap instead of water. In summer, kvass is easy to make from fruits. Then apple or other decoction is used as a wort.
I always make homemade kvass with breadcrumbs. But sometimes you really want that kvass from childhood - from big yellow barrels, dark brown, aromatic, spicy. There are still barrels, but it’s hard to call what’s poured from them kvass. I don’t even want to say what IT smells like and what IT tastes like. Brrr...
Although about six years ago I was in Sochi and they sold excellent, real, tasty kvass there.
In short, I set out to reproduce Soviet barrel kvass. And at a small Samara market, in a stall with flour and pasta, I discovered an ugly jar filled with a thick black mass. On the label: "Kvass wort, concentrate, GOST 28538-90."
I bought this jar and have been using it for two years now. Of course, I don’t give it to children, but I myself enjoy the tastes of childhood.
So if you see such a wort somewhere, be sure to buy it. And be sure to concentrate, not diluted. I also bought the diluted one, but then I had to throw it away - it didn’t turn out that way at all.
And pay attention to GOST.
COMPOUND
1/2~2/3 cup sugar, 2 tbsp concentrated kvass wort, ~6g live yeast, ~3l water
Pour sugar into a three-liter jar and add kvass wort.
Pour in about 0.5 liters of boiling water. Stir until sugar and wort dissolve.
Fill the jar with water at room temperature (boiled or filtered) up to the shoulders.
Place a block of fresh yeast (the size of two phalanges of your little finger).
Leave at room temperature for 1~4 days until optimal flavor is achieved.
Pour the finished kvass (without touching the sediment) into bottles, seal and put in the refrigerator.
Kvass recipes:
Kvass is an ancient Russian drink, which is famous for its ability to quench thirst and maintain human strength.
As the name implies, this drink must be fermented, that is, fermented, which explains its effervescence and sour, tonic taste.
In order for the fermentation process to go correctly, it is customary to add yeast, sugar or honey, black bread leaven or ready-made wort.
General principles for preparing kvass from concentrate
Making kvass does not require any special culinary talents. It is not difficult to prepare, you can even entrust it to a child. The main problem is to choose a suitable temperature regime, since you shouldn’t put kvass in the heat, but in a too cool place it will ferment for too long. However, when this problem is solved, you will be able to enjoy homemade kvass from kvass concentrate every day. Why is it better to prepare kvass from kvass wort concentrate? Because it takes about five days to prepare a drink from sourdough, but kvass from kvass concentrate can be prepared in two to three days.
In addition to these two options (wort and sourdough) kvass, which is called bread kvass because it is prepared on the basis of rye bread, grain or rye flour, there is a huge number of fruit, berry, vegetable kvass: apple, currant, pear, beet, sea buckthorn, even birch based on birch sap. There, fermentation is also ensured by yeast and, often, a piece of rye bread, but wort is usually not added to these types of kvass.
How to make kvass from wort? What ingredients are required for this?
Firstly, water. You need to take boiled water for kvass from kvass concentrate; of course, it needs to be boiled for a few seconds and only once so that the water does not become too heavy. As a last resort, you can use drinking water sold in bottles.
Secondly, you need yeast. Those who are thinking about how to make kvass from wort: with dry or pressed yeast, can be assured: both of them are quite suitable for making kvass. You just need to make sure that the compressed yeast is alive, because if stored incorrectly, it will die.
The bread, if it is required by the recipe, must be dried, even a little dry, then the kvass from the kvass wort concentrate will be tastier. Naturally, we are talking about rye bread.
Various additives, such as herbs, are often used. To improve the taste of kvass from kvass wort concentrate, mint, lemon balm, currant leaf, fireweed, horseradish and some spices are used.
It’s a good idea to put a few raisins in a container with kvass. Moreover, it is advisable to use raisins with seeds, and not quiche-mish.
So, we have determined what ingredients we will need. Now let's see how to make kvass from wort at home to the delight of everyone in the family.
Recipe 1. Kvass from kvass wort concentrate Ordinary
Kvass wort 2 large spoons with top
3 pieces of rye bread, it is advisable to even take 3 crusts, cut them off from the side and top of the loaf
Quick, dry yeast (for example, Saf-moment; you can also find on sale those that are written for making kvass, but this is not necessary) 2 partial teaspoons
Granulated sugar, not a full glass; if you like sweets, then you can have a full one
First, you need to place the pieces or crusts of bread on a baking sheet and put them in the oven at medium temperature (let’s say 150 degrees). You need to keep them there until you get crackers, you can even wait until they burn slightly (just a little), then remove the crackers from the oven and let them cool to at least a warm state.
Put the water to boil.
To prepare the simplest kvass from wort, you need to take a clean and dry glass jar or enamel can (pan) with a volume of at least 3 liters.
You must first pour approximately two and a half liters of boiled water into this container. It is better to pour hot water, because it will be easier to dissolve granulated sugar in it.
Pour sugar into the water and stir it thoroughly. Leave the sweet water to cool to a very warm temperature, then place two full, literally topped, spoons of wort into the container and mix it thoroughly, making sure that no unstirred wort remains at the bottom. After this, put the dried crusts of black bread into the jar in which the kvass is prepared.
Wait until the temperature of the homemade kvass preparation reaches approximately body temperature and add the yeast; You should never add them to a very warm or, especially, hot preparation: the yeast will die.
Stir the resulting liquid again and cover the top of the container. To do this, it is best to take clean large gauze and fold it into 5-6 layers. Cover the top of the container with multi-layer gauze and secure it with an elastic band, bandage, or tape that you have on hand. However, if you are going to prepare kvass often, then it is worth using special gauze and a rubber band for this purpose, this will greatly facilitate the process.
Place the kvass preparation in a fairly warm place, but it is still advisable that direct sunlight does not fall on it, and leave it in this position for 24-48 hours, and after a day you should try the kvass for the first time: it may already be ready. In the process of keeping it warm, the taste of kvass will constantly change, becoming more and more intoxicating, so you need to notice the moment when the taste of kvass seems ideal to you. At this point, the drink should be moved to a cool place for another two days.
After this period, the drink should be strained through 6-8 folds of gauze (for this it is better to use another piece of gauze, not the one with which the container was covered), pour into bottles, adding 3 raisins to each, put or put in the refrigerator. When the kvass has cooled down after about five hours, you can drink it.
Recipe 2. Kvass from Starorussky kvass concentrate
Wheat grains about 3 cups
Kvass wort half a glass
Black currant leaves about 20 pieces
Hops, ginger, cardamom a little each
Place the cardamom, ginger and hops in a gauze bag and place in a saucepan with water, and add currant leaves there (without the bag). Boil the spices and leaves for 5 minutes, then throw away the bag with the spices and leave the currant leaves.
Dissolve sugar in hot broth and cool to body temperature. Stir in wort and yeast.
Leave for a day in a warm place, then pour, strain, into bottles and leave for 12 hours at room temperature until the bottles become hard.
Place the kvass in the refrigerator, where it should ripen for another couple of days.
Recipe 5. Kvass from kvass wort concentrate For okroshka
Granulated sugar half a cup
Wort 3 tablespoons
Water 3 liters
Yeast (pressed) 6 g
Raisins 10 pieces
Stir the wort and granulated sugar in a jar of very warm water. When the workpiece has cooled somewhat (to a temperature no higher than 40 degrees), add yeast and stir. Put the raisins and put the kvass in a warm place.
After a day, if foam has already appeared, you need to start tasting kvass. When the taste is desired, strain the kvass into bottles and place in the refrigerator for approximately 6 hours.
Recipe 6. Kvass from kvass concentrate Very tasty
For this recipe for kvass from kvass concentrate, you need to take not ordinary rye bread, but Borodinsky; It is also undesirable to replace honey with sugar; this will change the taste of kvass.
Wort concentrate 3 tablespoons
Borodino bread 5 pieces
Honey 2/3 cup
Yeast 1 sachet
Cut the bread into pieces and dry in the oven. Then put the crackers in a container for preparing kvass, add almost hot water and stir in honey
Cool the mixture to body temperature, add and thoroughly stir the wort, and then the yeast.
Leave the preparation for fermentation in a warm place for 12-24 hours. Then strain well and pour into bottles, putting a few raisins in each. Let sit for 10 hours or less (until the bottles are hard) at room temperature, then refrigerate for another two days.
Recipe 7. How to make kvass wort at home
The wort can be prepared at home, if necessary.
Rye bread 1 kg
Water about 10 l
Break the bread into small pieces and pour hot (70 degrees) boiled water over it, let it brew for a quarter of an hour. Add boiling water to 750 ml and leave for 2 hours in a warm place.
Place the resulting mass in a clay dish, add a little water and place in the oven, heated to 180 degrees for 3 hours.
Break the resulting baked dough into pieces and pour nearly boiling water (9 liters) for a couple of hours. Carefully drain the kvass wort and use it to make kvass.
While kvass is in the refrigerator, it still does not stop fermenting, so its taste will change somewhat during storage. Children and pregnant women can be given this kvass in limited quantities and only in the first couple of days of storage: then the kvass will become too strong.
It is better to take raisins with seeds for making kvass; There is no need to soak it, just rinse with cold water.
Spices (hops, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, etc.) can be added to kvass in limited quantities, otherwise the taste of the drink will be distorted.
Kvass is a traditional Russian soft drink with a refreshing and invigorating taste. It is especially popular during the hot season. It can not only be drunk, but also used as a base for preparing various cold soups.
But it takes quite a lot of time to obtain true kvass, and using a special concentrate you can quickly get the desired drink.
Kvass from ready-made wort is concentrated and boiled malt, which just needs to be diluted with water and sometimes a little yeast added. As a result, in just a couple of days you can enjoy your favorite kvass.
But even using ready-made wort, you can prepare this non-alcoholic drink in several ways.
Classic way
The drink prepared according to this recipe is practically no different from standard kvass prepared in the traditional way. The aroma and taste are as natural as possible.
To prepare it you will need:
- raisins - 50 g;
- granulated sugar - 150 g;
- kvass wort - 90 g;
- water - 3 l;
- yeast - half a teaspoon.
Cooking process:
- You need to prepare a glass jar with a capacity of about 5 liters with a lid. which has holes. This is a must!
- Boil water and remove from heat.
- When the temperature of the liquid has cooled to 40 degrees, add wort to it and mix everything thoroughly.
- Add sugar and yeast to the solution and mix everything again.
- Leave the jar in a warm place for 10 hours. You need to check the kvass a couple of times for sweetness; if it is not enough, you can add up to 100 g of sugar.
- Place a few raisins in each bottle.
- A day after the start of preparation, pour the liquid into bottles and leave at room temperature for another couple of hours.
- Then put the containers in the refrigerator for 5 hours.
After cooling, the kvass from the finished wort is ready for use.
Reference! The amount of raisins can be varied to suit your taste. For a more piquant and refreshing taste, you can add one mint or lemon balm leaf to each bottle.
Watch the video that shows the process of preparing kvass from wort:
Simple method
It is prepared from:
- 60 g of finished wort;
- 250 ml water;
- 20 g dry yeast;
- 2 pieces of black bread, the size of your palm;
- 150 g sugar.
Reference! In this recipe, raisins are replaced with classic black bread crackers.
That is why the finished drink is as close as possible in appearance and taste to traditional bread kvass.
The cooking process occurs in several stages:
- Heat water to 70 degrees and dissolve in non-sugar. leave the syrup to cool to 40 degrees.
- At this time, cut the bread into small squares and prepare crackers from them in the oven.
- Add the wort to the cooled sweet water and mix everything.
- Add bread and yeast to the liquid and mix everything again.
- Cover the container with gauze and leave in a warm room for 24 hours.
- After this time, check the liquid for taste and sweetness. If the sample taken is satisfactory, then the kvass is bottled and placed in the refrigerator for cooling. If more sugar is added, the drink is left warm for another day.
Attention! When making breadcrumbs, it is important to dry the bread pieces completely. But at the same time you need to make sure that they do not burn, otherwise the finished drink will have a rancid taste. They must be added to the jar while warm.
A simple way to prepare kvass from wort is shown in the video:
Old Russian drink
It has a sharp taste and perfectly quenches thirst.
Prepared from the following products:
- a handful of dried hops;
- 300 g liquid honey;
- 4 liters of water;
- 20 l black currants;
- 3 cups dry wheat grains;
- 125 g wort.
Cooking process:
- The grains must be soaked in cool water for 12 hours, then the liquid must be drained and filled with clean water for another 48 hours for germination. The water should be changed several times a day.
- When the wheat sprouts, it must be passed through a meat grinder.
- Add hops and currant leaves to a saucepan with water and simmer over low heat for 7 minutes. Then remove the leaves.
- Add honey, wort and wheat gruel to warm water. Mix everything thoroughly.
- Place in a warm place for 48 hours.
- Strain the kvass through cheesecloth and bottle.
The finished drink must be cooled before use.
Ready-made wort for kvass allows you to prepare your favorite non-alcoholic drink quite quickly, and it is with its help that you can taste the kvass that was prepared in the old days.
Pros and cons of kvass concentrate
Main advantages such semi-finished product are:
- Easy to use.
- Affordable price.
- Possibility of preparing several types of drinks.
- quick receipt of the finished product.
But he also has some flaws:
- the wort may contain artificial additives, including flavor and aroma enhancers, as well as preservatives;
- When preparing the drink, lactic acid and carbon dioxide are formed, which in excess quantities can be harmful to health.
Watch a video review of kvass wort concentrate:
From this we can conclude that you can use ready-made wort to make kvass, but before purchasing you should carefully study the composition of the product you are purchasing and do not use it too often.
Real kvass with a cap of airy foam, bubbles of gas that cheerfully shoot into the nose, sweet, but with a slight sourness can be prepared only in two ways: from rye crackers and from wort. How? Let's talk about this.
Attempt at writing
If you decide to try making this drink, prepare it in small quantities to begin with. Through trial and error, after a few times you will work out your ideal one from kvass wort. Why from wort? Because it is easier to handle than with sourdough made from bread, grains and other components. Just note: really tasty kvass is made from kvass wort concentrate. It is from concentrate, and not from a diluted mixture. It lasts a long time, and the quality of the original product is high. This is the kind of kvass you want and want to drink, especially when it’s hot. So, let’s first prepare everything you need: sugar, water, concentrate, yeast. Boil 3 liters of water and leave to stand. In another container of slightly larger volume (five-liter bottle, saucepan, etc.) we put the ingredients in the quantities indicated in the recipe for kvass from kvass wort. You need to pour half a liter of warm (not hot!) water and dissolve 2 tablespoons of concentrate and sugar in it. Depending on how sweet you want the drink, sugar is added from 1/2 cup to 2/3. Stir the mixture until the ingredients are well dissolved. After this, the recipe for kvass from kvass wort instructs to add the remaining 2.5 liters of water (it should not be cold or warm - regular room temperature) and add a stick of yeast (6 g). An important condition: only fresh yeast is suitable, otherwise the drink will not turn out the way you would like.
And one more thing: many people like kvass not in its pure form, but with berry additives: raisins, prunes, etc. You can add a handful of dried fruits you have to the preparation. The recipe for kvass from kvass wort fully allows for such “liberty”. The semi-finished product should be covered and left aside for several days to ferment. You can try it in 2 days. If the taste is satisfactory, strain carefully, pour into bottles and drink, keeping the excess in the refrigerator. Or leave it for another day or two to “reach”.
Homemade wort
And now a recipe for those who are interested not only in kvass wort, but also in the recipe for the wort itself - homemade. It should be prepared at least a week before you plan to start the drink itself. To do this, take a glass of rye, wash it and soak it for a couple of days (no more) in ordinary boiled water that has been left in the room.
Repeat the procedure every day so that the rye does not disappear. When the grain germinates well, it can be processed further. The water is drained, the rye is sent to the oven and dried, then ground through a meat grinder and blender. That's it, the wort (dry starter) is ready. Collect it in a linen rag and use it as needed. What good can be made from this? Well, for example, here’s kvass: pour a liter of boiling water over half a glass of rye flour, stir and let cool. During this time, mince a lemon (with peel), a large apple (preferably sweet), 3 handfuls of raisins and a handful of other dried fruits. For better taste and aroma, you can add spicy herbs or currant or raspberry leaves. Everything is mixed and placed in a cooled flour bowl. Add more water (a liter and a half), add a tablespoon of honey and a little sugar. Cover the workpiece and let it ferment for several days. Strain, sweeten if necessary, and drink to your health! Dry the wort again and you can use it again! Happy drinking!
