Fermented Red Beet Kvass.
Kvass originated in Russia and this delicious drink is traditionally made by fermenting stale sourdough rye bread with sugar and water.
The beet version comes from Ukraine, and it creates a wonderful cleansing, and medicinal tonic.
In German it is called the Blood of the Earth (das Blut der Erde).
Beets are very healthy vegetables, as they contain many important nutrients like protein, phosphorus, zinc, fiber, vitamin B6, magnesium, potassium, iron, copper, and manganese.
The minerals that are present in beets, are necessary for proper nerve and muscle function, and for healthy bones, liver, kidneys, and pancreas.
Sally Fallon from the Weston A. Price Foundation, in her book "Nourishing Traditions" (page 610) says this about Kvass:
“This drink is valuable for its medicinal qualities and as a digestive aid. Beets are just loaded with nutrients. One 4-ounce glass, morning and night, is an excellent blood tonic, promotes regularity, aids digestion, alkalizes the blood, cleanses the liver and is a good treatment for kidney stones and other ailments.”
Dr Mercola in one of his articles states this:
"Fermenting your beets gives you all the health-boosting benefits of raw beets — which are made even more bio-available through fermentation — plus the beneficial bacteria and enzymes that result from fermentation."
Since we love beets, and also because Kvass gives us a savory alternative to Kombucha and Water Kefir, we have decided to make it, and to offer our version of the Red Beet Kvass.
So what makes our Kvass different?
It's simple. Traditionally the starter culture for Red Beet Kvass is a starter made with fermented mixture of sourdough rye bread and sugar.
We opted for a gluten- free version, which gets its kick-start from a small amount of juice from our fermented vegetables (like our Superkraut, or Dill Pickle juice).
Those juices are loaded with Lactobacillus (friendly) bacteria. That helps stabilize the fermentation, and it introduces loads of bacteria to start the process of fermentation.
Once, we have our Kvass in production, we also use Kvass from previous batches, as the starter liquid.
We start with Organic (BIO) beets, preferably heirloom variety, like the ones pictured below:
After peeling, we slice them thin, using a food processor.
After the beets are sliced, we combine them with fresh dill, onions, and garlic.
Next, comes our filtered and revitalized water, unrefined grey sea salt, and the starter culture mentioned above.
The starter culture also helps with the faster, and safer fermentation of Kvass.
When all the ingredients are in, then we close the jars, those beets will ferment for a minimum of four to six weeks.
When our Kvass is finally ready, it looks like this:
Here's also a short clip of how lively our Kvass can be:
For retail, our Kvass goes into the 350 ml glass bottles.
And finally, with the date stamped on them, our Kvass looks like this:
Next, we "age" it for another week, or two and then, it is ready to be enjoyed!
So на здоровье (na zdarovje) or To Your Health!
Our Kvass is delicious and very refreshing. It has a nice tang, with earthy, salty notes with addition of garlic and dill. It is pleasantly sour, and not sweet, as all the sugar from the beets is gone.
Here's the close up of our Kvass label:
Ingredients: Filtered and Revitalized Water, Beets, Unrefined Salt, Dill, Onion, and Garlic
To purchase / zum Kaufen klicke bitte unten.
Disclaimer: All medical information in this post is merely information & not advise. If you need medical advice, please consult your doctor or other appropriate medical professional.