I've been wanting to try making beet kvass for ages, not that I knew what it tastes like, but I like beetroot and I like fermented beverages, so I thought it would be nice. I finally managed to get some organic beetroot to make it with, unfortunately mine don't seem to be growing very quickly, but the local organic store at the market had lots this week.
I followed the recipe in Nourishing Traditions, peeled and chopped the beets, put them in a jug with about a quarter cup of whey, some sea salt and topped it up to 2 L with rainwater. This sat on the bench for 3 days, then I strained the juice into a bottle and topped up the water again for another batch. The kvass turns a beautiful dark red after a few days, it tastes like beetroot juice with a slight sourness and fizzyness from the fermentation. Very refreshing! Now I just need to grow some beetroot.....
I also made some more ginger ale at the same time because we've been drinking so much of it (it goes pleasantly fizzy in the Grolsh bottles if you add a little extra sugar before bottling, I can hardly keep up with demand!).
Have you tried making beet kvass? Or any other fermented drinks?
That is interesting, I have never seen beets done that way. We are planning on making pickled beets and canning them in pints. That drink sound good if I have some extras.
ReplyDeletethis is on a long list of things I want to try sometime...
ReplyDeleteI recently purchased nourishing traditions and it is such a huge and information packed that i am a bit overwhelmed. Plus since we do not have a house cow I need to wait for some milk from the local dairy before I can get some whey. Is yours just left over from cheese making?
ReplyDeleteJust made my first beet kvass, too. A little too salty for my taste so I cut back to 1/2 T. Fermenting on the counter now... Just found this recipe, too:
ReplyDeleteIn a 2qt jar: use a little more beets than recipe calls for, only use a generous pinch of salt, double the whey, add a 1/2 chopped apple (first put in container and sprinkle with cinnamon, shake to coat), and fill jar with clean water. Close jar tight and leave out to ferment for 5 days. Swirl the jar daily. Put in the fridge. The longer it ferments in the fridge, the better it tastes!
This sounds delish!
I've really enjoyed the beet kvass I've tasted from various friends. I haven't made it yet since I've unfortunately had issues with eating beets. Hopefully one of these days I'll be able to give it a try!
ReplyDeleteHmmm, would love to try tasting this... it does sound good...
ReplyDeletehi everyone, yes the whey I use is from making cream cheese, but you can also use kefir whey or yoghurt whey (I wonder if you could even just add some mesophilic cheese making bacteria if you had no whey at all, worth a try...).
ReplyDeleteI would like to try a few alternative recipes, as Sally suggested, apple sounds like a nice addition, and I think people also add ginger.
So far I've managed to keep it going by just adding fresh beets every 3rd brew (and cooking the old beets to add to casserole). Good luck!