I have fond memories drinking deep pink Russian Beet Kvass Recipe that my grandfather made from beets (beetroot). The fermentation of Beet Kvass is similar to making fermented kimchi or Kombucha. The color is an amazing bright fuchsia colour changing to a deep red. While I don’t have my dedushka’s exact recipe, I have played around with several recipe variations and am happy with this one.
What’s Beet Kvass?
Russian Beet Kvass (Свекольный квас) is a Russian probiotic drink made with fermented beets, taken like a tonic, almost medicinal. An authentic Russian recipe full of nutrients and vitamins with amazing immune boosting properties.
Kvass in Russian, means to ferment. It’s been made in Russia for hundreds of years. It’s almost viewed as a soft drink, a cool refreshing drink. The most common kvass is made from rye bread – Russian Kvas from Rye Bread and is absolutely delicious. There are many flavours of Kvass, with many methods, but I’m focussing on the healthy benefits of beets and lacto-fermentation.
Is Beet Kvass healthy?
Beets are incredibly healthy. Russians believe that Beet Kvass has healing powers aiding high blood pressure, low iron anaemia, metabolic disorders, aids digestion, helps constipation, removes toxins from the liver. Some think it even helps you lose weight! It’s really believed for much more, trust me. I’m sure some of it can’t be backed by science yet, although some of the claims are now proving true. Do some research, it’s pretty remarkable. It’s even called the “elixir of youth” or “miracle drink” and full of antioxidants and nutrients.
Kvass is not plain beet juice, as the effect to your body changes in the fermentation process (think chopped cabbage vs sauerkraut, totally different). Strangely enough, they say Kvass shouldn’t be consumed it you have kidney stones, bladder disease, gout, stomach ulcers or rheumatoid arthritis, as it can aggravate those conditions. You should always consult a doctor when trying new things you read about on the internet!
It’s recommended to start drinking Russian Beet Kvass Recipe in small amounts, no more than 1/2 cup a day, until your body gets used to it and then can slowly increase your intake, otherwise you might have a ‘cleansing of your bowels’. It’s never affected me, but some say it can affect.
Is Beet Kvass salty?
It’s funny how almost every single Beet Kvass recipe written in the English language, has salt in the recipe. Alternatively, the Russian recipes are all made with sugar! The comments from the English recipes all say how horrible Kvass tastes, well no kidding, if you are making it with salt! Just because something is healthy, doesn’t mean it has to taste horrible! Stop punishing yourselves! Try a real healthy Russian Beet Kvass Recipe, made with sugar, which tastes much better! And it’s just as healthy as the salty English version of Beet Kvass.
There are many Beet Kvas recipes out here, most of them have only plain beets, but some recipes, like this one, add crusty rye bread pieces.
It’s very important to use cooled boiled water or bottled spring water, as the chlorine from tap water inhibits the fermentation process. Keep the fermentation at room temperature, warmer temperatures will speed up your time required, and if its cooler in the house, then you might need to allow a longer fermentation period.
You can drink it in a glass, but sometimes I add Sweet Beet Kvass into my smoothies for an extra boost of vitamins and probiotics, or mix it with kompot or fruit juice. Bon Appetit! Приятного аппетита!
Beet Kvass (Свекольный Квас)
Russian Beet Kvass (Свекольный квас) is a Russian probiotic drink made with fermented beets, taken like a tonic. An authentic Russian recipe full of nutrients and vitamins with amazing immune boosting properties.
Ingredients
- 3 medium sized beets peeled and roughly diced, grated or sliced
- 4 heaped tablespoons sugar
- 2 litres of spring water or cooled boiled water, don't use tap water
- Chopped crusts from a Rye bread loaf
Instructions
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Place scrubbed cut beets into a large glass bottle.
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Add sugar and spring water and mix until dissolved.
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Add the rye bread crust into the mix.
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Cover with a loose lid or with a cheesecloth and place in a cool dark area from 3-7 days. If you are putting a tight lid on, you need to burp it daily. Taste daily.
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When it is ready, skim off the top any foam and carefully strain the Kvass through a cheesecloth and keep refrigerated.
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You can use these beets for another round or two of fermentation. Just add sugar again and water with 1/4 cup of Kvass and repeat.
©PetersFoodAdventures.com
I started this website as a way to capture the recipes that I grew up with, and pass them onto the next generation. Being world travellers, there are foods from all over the world, but my passion is primarily the Russian foods I grew up with. 
I use salt to prevent growth of a bad bacteria. Is this right? I cant use sugar at all
I’ve never used salt, and don’t understand why, certainly not a traditional way for kvass but more of an American invention for some reason? It’s just lactofermented, so keep your work tools clean, used spring water or cooled boiled water, and if your happy with it in a few days then drink away. If it smells bad then don’t. Lactofermentation converts sugars naturally, no need for salt from a traditional way of making kvass, ever. If you can’t have sugar then it’s a different story. I look at these non-ethnic bloggers who just copied each other based on an incorrect recipe, which has become an American kvass norm, based on misinformation. Not sure if that helps, but safely do what works for you. 😊
Can you please be more specific on how much bread to add?
Hi Dan, Sorry I mixed up the recipe question, and thought you were asking about bread kvass. For the Beet Kvass, you can use just a single slice of rye. I use the cut off ends from a loaf of rye bread too. There isn’t a lot of rye bread in the recipe. Many recipes don’t use any rye bread in it at all. Hope that’s clearer! 😊
Updated!
Thanks! Made my first batch and it’s incredible!
So glad it worked and you love it!! 👍🏻
Correction: I mean, so many sites say salt is needed – I wrote in a way that looks like the opposite. In comment about use of honey to change and charge a failing beet kvass second attempt. Third attempt going now and just begun. No honey on hand but after reading this recipe, may add coconut sugar.
Glad to find your site only the second I have ever seen that says that salt is optional and yours has the no salt attitude about beet kvass. The other site is beetsandbones, also from someone with Russian heritage. And yours even mentions and uses a lot of sugar. Yay! I tried raw honey and eliminated salt and it worked fine, before finding this site after failing the first time using salt, trying a second time using less salt and thinking of honey on my own as a solution… as so many sites say it is needed. I have not had any problem with yeast film, Kahm yeast I learned it is called.
Hi Nancy, so glad you found it. And yes, salt is absolutely not a thing when making kvass! So glad it worked well for you!!!
What is the taste supposed to be like? More sweet or tart and yeasty? My kvas is on day 9 in a drafty corner of my kitchen
Hmmmm 9 days should be enough, depending on the temperature of your home. The warmer, the quicker it ferments. I wouldn’t call Beet Kvas super sweet, definitely more tart and sweet. It won’t be soft drink sweet. I view it as a sweet tonic that grows in you in taste. Is there enough fermentation to release gas? It just sounds like it’s maybe not in a warm enough place. It should be sweet, tart and a bit yeasty with bubbles like a carbonated drink. Then it’s ready to drink.
Just wondering because I just made my very first ever batch of this last night, what exactly does the rye. Read crust do for the Kvas? Is it merely for flavor, or does that help with the lacto fermentation? Thanks for the recipe
I believe it does both, however technically lacto fermentation is possible with out rye ????
Very interesting to know about it and shall definitely try it out.
Thanks Gloria for checking it out 🙂
🙂
In have to try this! One of my foreign students was from Chechlovakia. I always ask them what the commoner eats. He gave me a recipe for Borch. I loved it!
in some Borscht Recipes, they add Beet Kvas which gives it an amazing colour! Borscht is amazing! I’ll be posting my wife’s recipe soon! Hope you enjoy the Kvas! 🙂
We have something like this that my great grandmother used to make and that I have read about but never seen done. Thank you for sharing this!
You’re welcome! Thanks for stopping by! 🙂