The traditional method of making white kvass from flour and malt at home. Only such a drink perfectly quenches thirst and is useful, any other types (including those based on white bread) are just substitutes that are very far from the original.
Malt is a germinated grain. After germination in cereals, in addition to useful substances, enzymes are released that break down starch in flour to sugar, which is then processed by yeast into carbon dioxide and a little alcohol (up to 0,5%). If there is no malt, you can take grain instead and germinate in a couple of days. How to do it is written in the recipe.
Ingredients (for 3 liters of kvass):
- water – 2 liters;
- rye flour – 100 grams;
- wheat flour – 100 gram;
- barley grains – 100 grams (or 80 grams of barley malt);
- rye grains – 100 grams (or 80 grams of rye malt);
- dry yeast – 1 teaspoon (7 grams) or 35 grams pressed;
- sugar – 3 tablespoons;
- raisins (preferably white) – 1 tablespoon;
- fresh mint – 5 leaves (optional)
The taste of white kvass depends on the ratio of different types of flour and malt. The recipe uses traditional proportions, if you want to change them as you wish, but the amount of flour and malt should be about the same. You can also make a drink from only one type of flour, for example, white rye kvass. Sometimes buckwheat flour or malt is also added to the composition.
It is advisable to use only the purest water, as it greatly affects the taste. Spring or bottled water is suitable, in extreme cases, filtered. Raisins and mint refresh the taste.
White kvass recipe
1. Prepare malt. Pour the grains with warm water (35-40 ° C) 5-6 cm above the level of the grains, stir after 5 minutes, remove floating particles and debris, drain the dirty water. Then rinse again with cold water.
Pour the grain in an even layer of 2-3 cm on a tray (soak different types of cereals in separate trays), add a little water so that it covers the grains by 1 cm.It is advisable to cover the tray with a clean cotton cloth on top, which will absorb excess moisture. Transfer for 2-3 days to a dark room with a temperature of 12-20 ° C and good ventilation. Stir and sprinkle with water twice a day. The grain should germinate 10 mm, this will be the malt, which must be dried (for example, with a paper towel) and chopped in a blender along with the sprouts to a cereal state.
2. Prepare the leavened wort. Dissolve the crushed malt in a little water to activate the enzymes. You should get a mass that resembles batter in consistency. Then add flour. Beat with a whisk until smooth (add a little more water if necessary).
There should be no lumps left, they interfere with fermentation!
3. Make a leaven. To do this, mix yeast and 3 tablespoons of sugar, add 5 tablespoons of water. Leave on for 10 minutes.
4. Add the starter culture to the batter (leavened wort). Cover with a cloth and leave for 2 hours at room temperature.
Leave at least half of the free space in the container, since the wort will increase in volume during fermentation.
After the indicated time, a leavened aroma should be felt. Pour the prepared base into a three-liter jar.
5. Pour water (30 liters) heated to 35-2 ° C with the wort. Add raisins and mint. Mix.
If the water temperature is higher, the yeast will die, and homemade white kvass will not work!
6. Cover the container with gauze, put for 10-12 hours in a dark place with room temperature for fermentation.
7. Strain the finished kvass through 3-4 layers of gauze or a sieve. Pour into bottles, leave at least 3-5 cm of free space from the neck and close hermetically.
8. Before use, keep the drink in the refrigerator for at least 1-2 hours to ripen and saturate with carbon dioxide.
Monitor the pressure in the bottles, bleed off excess gas if necessary, otherwise the bottles may burst.
The shelf life of homemade white kvass in the refrigerator is up to 5 days. Open it is better to drink a day.
