• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Peter's Food Adventures
  • Home
  • About
  • Recipes
  • Travel
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
menu icon
go to homepage
  • recipes
  • about
  • travel
  • Follow and Share!

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • search icon
    Homepage link
    • recipes
    • about
    • travel
  • Follow and Share!

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • ×

    Home » Recipes » Recipes

    Bread Kvass with Blackcurrants

    Author: Peter Kolesnichenko · Published: Jun 22, 2018 · Modified: Sep 19, 2021

    Jump to Recipe
    Kvass with black currants in a  glass
    • Kvass with Blackcurrants preparation
    • Kvass with Blackcurrants preparation

    Bread Kvass with Blackcurrants ( хлебный Квас смородиновый) is a delicious fermented rye bread drink recipe, sweetened with fresh blackcurrants. A perfectly refreshing drink, a twist on a traditional Russian Kvass.

    This recipe can be made with many different ingredients and in different ways. A different healthy version is made only with beets and is naturally fermented and full of probiotics. The most popular recipe is made with dark Russian Rye bread, and is sold commercially in soft drink bottles, like a Russian Coca-Cola!

    Traditionally made with a Russian Rye called black bread. The darker the rye, that is what impacts the color of the Kvass. This Black Currant Kvass is a bit of a different way of enjoying Kvass. A bit of a summer fruity twist. Not sweet, but a flavored non-alcoholic bread beer.

    Kvass is enjoyed in Northern Slavic countries, Central Asia and the Baltic States. In Lithuania, its called Gira.

    • Pouring Kvass through a funnel into a bottle

    Is Kvass alcoholic?

    Traditionally Blackcurrant Kvass is made by fermenting Blackcurrant juice with yeast, a fizzy fermented fruit drink. I think it's much tastier with with the depth that a rye bread provides, and more refreshing too! Kvass is classed as a non-alcoholic drink, usually containing about 0.05% alchol in it, like your de-alcoholized beer in the grocery store.

    You don't need to use fresh blackcurrants from the garden (nice if you have them). I used frozen blackcurrants from the grocery store, as fresh blackcurrants are hard to find here! I miss having them growing at the backyard and dacha in the summer! Fun fact, Black currants were once illegal in the United States, so not everyone is familiar with this European fruit. Homemade Blackcurrant Juice is one of my summer favorites, we also make blackcurrant jam too.

    A refreshing summer Kvass drink made from Rye Bread and Blackcurrants, fermented and non-alcoholic. Like a homemade beer, but sweeter and healthier. Bon Appetit! Приятного аппетита!

    Kvass Recipe

    Bread Kvass with Blackcurrants (хлебный Квас смородиновый)

    A refreshing summer Kvass drink made from Rye Bread and Blackcurrants, fermented and slightly-alcoholic. Like a homemade beer, but sweeter & healthier. (хлебный Квас смородиновый)
    5 from 4 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Rate Recipe
    Course: beverages, Drinks
    Cuisine: Russian, Slavic, Ukrainian
    Keyword: Kvass
    Author: Peter Kolesnichenko

    Ingredients

    • Ingredients
    • ½ loaf of dark Rye bread 350g, the darker the better
    • 250 g fresh black currant berries
    • 5 litres of water
    • 1 cup sugar
    • 2 teaspoons brewer's yeast 7 grams or 1 packet
    • 2 teaspoons of raisins

    Instructions

    • Fill large stock pot with 5 litres of water and bring to a boil.
    • In a bowl, muddle or mash the black currants berries until they are broken and juice is released.
    • Toast the bread on the darkest toaster setting. The darker the toast, the darker the drink will be, a little blackness is ok. (fyi...the smoke alarm might go off)

    • When the water is boiled, remove from heat. Add the toast and black currants to the boiling water, cover and allow to cool (better to leave overnight).

    • Strain the toasted rye bread and black currants using a cheesecloth.
    • The kvass will be cool at this moment. Quickly warm it up on the stove, until it is warm and around 35°C/95°F. Don't use water hotter than 45°C/110°F, or it will kill the yeast. If the water is cold, the yeast won't activate.

    • Add the yeast, sugar, and 1 teaspoon of raisins and allow to sit for 6-8 hours. Stir to make sure the sugar is fully dissolved. You will see foam and bubbles start to rise.

    • Strain the black currant kvass using a cheese cloth. Put 2-3 raisins in each soft drink bottle and pour and seal tightly. Only fill the bottle about ⅔ of the way, squeezing the sides letting air out, as it will continue to ferment and expand in the fridge. The next day, when the bottle is too tight, open it to release some air out, and squeeze again.

    • After about 3 days in the fridge, you're ready to enjoy!

    Tried this recipe?Mention @petersfoodadventures or tag #petersfoodadventures!

    ©PetersFoodAdventures.com

    Kvass
    A refreshing summer Kvass drink made from Rye Bread and Blackcurrants, fermented and slightly-alcoholic. Like a homemade beer, but sweeter & healthier.
    A refreshing summertime fruit kvass made from Rye Bread and Blackcurrants, fermented and non-alcoholic. Like a homemade beer, but sweeter and healthier. Delicious Rye Bread Kvass with Blackcurrants.

    More Recipes

    • cabbage pie served on a plate
      Cabbage Pie
    • coleslaw dressing in a jar
      KFC Coleslaw Dressing
    • bowl of korean fried rice with a fried egg
      Kimchi Rice
    • Slow Roast Leg of Lamb recipe, perfect for a Sunday Roast, an Easter Lamb lunch, or for dinner tonight. Roast Lamb with pierced with fresh rosemary and garlic, roasted with vegetables.
      Slow Roasted Leg of Lamb

    Primary Sidebar

    Peter's Food Adventures - where you'll find Russian recipes, Slavic and International favorites with some fun travel and cooking videos. A Russian Food Blogger.

    Hi, I'm Peter!

    Are you looking for a little inspiration in the kitchen? Let me show you how to create tasty meals for your family!

    Food is the ingredient that brings people together. I love authentic foods, and have a very multicultural food background. I am genuinely happy to share the recipes of foods that make me and my family happy. And hopefully yours too. 

    Learn more about me →

    As Featured On

    As Featured On various magazine brands

    Popular Recipes

    • A Hungarian classic summer dish - paprika peppers with with ground beef, rice and paprika spice. Cooked in a delicious tomato passata sauce. Summer comfort food - Hungarian Stuffed Peppers (töltött paprika)
      Hungarian Stuffed Peppers (töltött paprika)
    • Greek Meze Plates
    • pineapple fried rice served inside pineapples
      Thai Pineapple Fried Rice
    • black caviar on a plate served with blinis
      How to Eat Caviar

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • Privacy Policy
    • Disclaimer
    • Intellectual Property

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates

    Contact

    • Contact

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2022 Peter's Food Adventures

    We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.
    Cookie settingsACCEPT
    Privacy & Cookies Policy

    Privacy Overview

    This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
    Necessary
    Always Enabled
    Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
    Non-necessary
    Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
    SAVE & ACCEPT
    510 shares
    • 83