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How To Make Beet Kvass
Simply delicious and nutritious, beet kvass is a fermented drink made from beets, salt, and water. Try this easy step-by-step beet kvass recipe.
If you have made sauerkraut or kimchi then this beet kvass recipe will be a piece of cake to master.
The secret to making beet kvass into a drink you will actually want to drink lies in the fruits you add to the recipe. The sweetness of oranges, apples, strawberries, and/or ginger gives it a sweeter flavor that reduces the earthy, sometimes dusty flavor beets are known for.
Beet kvass is a gut-healthy drink that promotes regularity, aids indigestion, alkalizes the blood, and cleanses the liver. With benefits like that, isn’t it worth it to try a variety of recipes to find one you enjoy?
Beet Kvass Recipe
Notes
Sweeten the recipe by adding apples, strawberries, orange juice, carrots, pineapple, mint leaves, or cinnamon.
Salt: When fermenting, always use salt that does not contain iodine or anti-caking agents. Iodine and anti-caking agents can inhibit fermentation.
Water: the chlorine in water can also inhibit fermentation, so use spring, distilled, or filtered water if you can.
Optional starters: To speed up the fermentation process, add a tablespoon or two of whey to the jar or sauerkraut or kimchi juice for the same effect.
Recycle: use the leftover beets and 1 cup of the existing kvass to start another batch of beet kvass. Discard the beets after the second batch.
Ingredients
- 2-3 medium beets, wash, peel, and chopped into 1-inch cubes
- 2 oranges, peeled and chopped
- 1 tbsp ginger finely chopped
- 4 tsp. sea salt
- 2 quarts filtered water to cover the beets
Instructions
- Peel and chop beets into 1/2-inch pieces
- Peel and cut orange pieces in half
- Peel and cut about 1/2 inch of fresh ginger into pieces
- Place the beets, oranges, and ginger in layers in a half-gallon jar.
- Dissolve the salt in filtered water and fill the jar with the mixture, leaving 1-inch headspace.
- Cover the jar with a lid, airlock lid, or paper towel secured with a rubber band.
- If using a lid, be sure to burp daily to release pressure build-up from the carbon dioxide and prevent the jar from breaking.
- Culture at room temperature (60-70°F is preferred) until desired flavor and texture is achieved.
- After 5 days, check the depth of flavor of the kvass—you want the kvass to be slightly sweet, slightly salty, and very earthy.
- When the beet kvass is fermented to your liking, use a sieve to strain the liquid into jars, label it, and store them in the fridge for up to three months.
- Enjoy the beet kvass on its own, or try diluting it with sparkling water.
