submitted by Reader Daniel in Oregon
about Russian Kvaas
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Supposedly, in olden days, the peasants would gather up pieces of dry bread scraps (perhaps made from rye or wheat), and put them into a large water (no doubt, boiled hot water), basin/container/pot of some sort, with some added sugar (perhaps? honey?), and ...perhaps?, some yeast (?), and then let it all ferment until, it got to the alcoholic strength that they desired.
The bread scraps, of course, did have yeast in them.
However, this can also be made, also, with any fruit, especially dry raisins, etc... and/or lemon juice/peels, with added yeast, (bakers yeast), ..these days.
The resulting refreshing drink (especially good for the hot summers) is bubbly and only slightly alcoholic (if only left for 4-5 days or so). If left for over two weeks, it can get very strong!
Thus, Russian 'kvaas' is somewhere between a beer and ...what?.....?
In my parish down in LA, a Russian man used to make this at his home, and sell if from his car trunk, in the church parking lot, every Sunday, bottled ..in strong used-champaign glass bottles. The reason that it must be bottled (if one bottles it, which will help it stay good for a long time), in strong bottles with a heavy stopper, is that with all of the fermentation pressure, the weaker type bottles (such as from normal table wines), can quickly burst, just as Champaign does. He made two types: 'Bread Kvaas', or 'Fruit Kvaas', if I remember.
I have made it here, utilizing the huge crops of apples that used to be in the abandoned next door orchard. I first cut up the raw apples, cooked them in huge pots, and then added the yeast and some sugar. Thus, my type was, Apple-Kvaas....DELICIOUS!... cheap to make, and healthy! It is easy to make, it is natural, and it has no chemical additives.
How I made my Apple-Kvaas, etc.
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First of all, it is NOT 'Apple-Jack', as that comes when you take fresh squeezed apple juice,
unpasteurized, and then just let it get 'harder' and harder., (on it;s own), as it turns into hard-liqueur.
My Apple-Kvaas: (really a weak version of ...slightly alcoholic...'beer')-
1) I cut up and cooked for some time, a large pot or two, of fresh, RIPE apples (the apples themselves had a sugar content in them).
2) was in the hot time of the late summer, and I then
3) added some packets of dry yeast powder (how many I don't remember), but just one or two per big pot
4) plus some cups of sugar (how many I don't remember)
5) then I covered the pots to keep out flies, and just set them
on the kitchen counter....for about 5-8 days (remember, it was the warm summer temps)
6).Then I poured the liquid off from the pots, and put the liquid into the refrigerator,
(back into the pots that I had it in originally...but with all solid apple pieces, strained out).
7) By refrigerating this fermenting process, it SLOWS the fermentation, and thus
nearly stops the production of any further alcohol, BUT the effervescent/bubbly action remains.
*Thus, how long one allows the liquid to sit out in room temp, ...it is that which determines the end alcoholic content.
*The best kvaas, is only 'brewed' for a week...or less. But, if left to ferment longer, I am sure it can become quite strong. I did not want that.
Chilled, it is a refreshing summer time drink., it keeps a slightly yeasty and sweetish taste, when made from fruit.
And in my case, it was a way of utilizing otherwise wasted excess apples. With myself, I never tried to bottle it. I just enjoyed drinking it, until it was gone., and it barely had a noticible alcohol content, IF one cuts short the fermentation time.
ANY fresh/ripe fruit can be used. Once one gets hooked on it, there is nothing like it. It can also be made with a boiled sliced lemon, ( the whole lemon, with the tasty rind too), in the water, with yeast and sugar... that is tasty too.
Just add a few dry raisins, and... when they come to the top, IT IS READY!...to drink. I never used honey, but I would think that that would also work.
I have drunk the bread version too, and it is good, but I never made that style.
Of course, this can be made in any season, as long as there is heat in the kitchen, to enable the fermentation.
Cooking the liquid, before the fermentation, would seem to be necessary, for a number of reasons.
To achieve the weakest brew, watch when the few dry raisins pop to the surface, which happens in about 3 days or so, then it is 'ready', but letting it go for a few more days, gives it more effervescence and taste. Also, one can refrigerate the brew, the day or so, after you mix in the dry yeast and sugar, as that... slows down the fermentation, but actually does not stop it.
