kvass recipe history culture origin

Kvass - refreshing, frothy, and bready - comes in various flavors and types.

Kvass! The Other Fermented Russian Drink

Published: August 5, 2018

Kvass (ะšะฒะฐั) is sometimes referred to as โ€œbread drinkโ€ or even โ€œbread ciderโ€ in English. We recommend just sticking with the word โ€œkvass,โ€ though. Brewed from black or rye bread, the drink may come with a range of consistencies similar to those found in beer and a distinctly โ€œbreadyโ€ taste.

The first recorded mention of kvassย in ancient Rus dates to 989 and is recorded in the Primary Chronicles, Russiaโ€™s oldest known written text. Here it is recorded that, when Kievan Prince Vladimir converted his subjects to Christianity he commanded that, in celebration, ยซั€ะฐะทะดะฐั‚ัŒ ะฝะฐั€ะพะดัƒ ะฟะธั‰ัƒ, ะผะตะด ะธ ะบะฒะฐัยป (food, honey, and kvass be distributed to the people).

Kvass is considered a national drink on par with vodka throughout much of the former Soviet Union.

Why Itโ€™s Called โ€œKvassโ€

(ะŸะพั‡ะตะผัƒ ั‚ะฐะบ ะฝะฐะทั‹ะฒะฐะตั‚ัั?)

The word โ€œkvassโ€ย is from ancient Russian, meaning โ€œsour.โ€

While the noun is now generally used only for the name of the drink, adjectival forms taken from the verb โ€œะบะฒะฐัะธั‚ัŒััโ€ (to ferment) can still be regularly encountered in modern Russian. โ€œะŸั€ะพัั‚ะพะบะฒะฐัˆะฐโ€ (prostokvasha), for instance, is a sour milk drink whose name translates to โ€œsimply-soured.โ€ Russians also eat a form of sauerkraut called โ€œะบะฒะฐัˆะตะฝะฐั ะบะฐะฟัƒัั‚ะฐโ€ (sour cabbage).

Kvass is primarily drunk in summer and is revered for its โ€œัะฟะพัะพะฑะฝะพัั‚ัŒ ะพัะฒะตะถะธั‚ัŒ ะฒ ะถะฐั€ะบะธะน ะดะตะฝัŒโ€ (ability to refresh on a hot day). While kvass is available in stores all year round, sales during winter months are negligible while in summer, kvassย sales rise to over 30% of Russiaโ€™s non-alcoholic beverage market.

The Soviets produced kvass on an industrial level. A street vendor would sell it from an โ€œะพะณั€ะพะผะฝะฐั ะผะตั‚ะฐะปะปะธั‡ะตัะบะฐั ะฑะพั‡ะบะฐโ€ (giant metal keg) by the mugful, wiping out the mug after each shot. These vendors can still be seen throughout Russia and some Central Asian states, although they are usually now equipped with โ€œะพะดะฝะพั€ะฐะทะพะฒั‹ะต ะฟะปะฐัั‚ะธะบะพะฒั‹ะต ัั‚ะฐะบะฐะฝั‡ะธะบะธโ€ (disposable plastic cups).

kvass recipe history culture origin
In Soviet times, kvass was delivered straight from the factory and sold directly from utilitarian trucks such as this. These iconic yellow barrels can still be seen sometimes, although are now rare. This one was spotted by an SRAS student in Khabarovsk, Russia.

Despite its availability on Soviet streets, kvass was long known best as a โ€œะฝะฐะฟะธั‚ะพะบ, ะธะทะณะพั‚ะพะฒะปะตะฝะฝั‹ะน ะฒ ะดะพะผะฐัˆะฝะธั… ัƒัะปะพะฒะธัั…โ€ (homemade drink). Soviet wives and grandmothers often โ€œะณะพั€ะดะธะปะธััŒ ัะฒะพะธะผะธ ัะพะฑัั‚ะฒะตะฝะฝั‹ะผะธ โ€œัะตะบั€ะตั‚ะฝั‹ะผะธ ั€ะตั†ะตะฟั‚ะฐะผะธโ€ (prided themselves on their own โ€œsecret recipesโ€).

It has always been known as a โ€œpeopleโ€™s drink:โ€ cheap, relatively easy to make, and popular. This is shown in the saying ยซะฉะธ ั ะผััะพะผ, ะฐ ะฝะตั‚ โ€” ั‚ะฐะบ ั…ะปะตะฑ ั ะบะฒะฐัะพะผยป meaning that even something as delicious (and luxurious a few centuries ago) as cabbage soup with meat is nothing compared to the basic pleasures of bread and kvass.

The status of ะบะฒะฐั as a national staple is further emphasized by ยซะšะฐะฑั‹ ั…ะปะตะฑ ะดะฐ ะบะฒะฐั, ั‚ะฐะบ ะธ ะฒัะต ัƒ ะฝะฐัยป (If there is bread, there is ะบะฒะฐั, all we need is with us.)

Kvass has a high caloric value, contains significant quantities of โ€œะฒะธั‚ะฐะผะธะฝั‹ B1 ะธ ะ•, ั‚ะฐะบะถะต ะบะฐะบ ะธ ะฐะผะธะฝะพะบะธัะปะพั‚ั‹ ะธ ะผะธะบั€ะพัะปะตะผะตะฝั‚ั‹โ€ (vitamins B1 and E, as well as amino acids and micronutrients trace elements). It is known to โ€œะฟั€ะธะดะฐะตั‚ ัะฝะตั€ะณะธะธ ะธ ั€ะตะณัƒะปะธั€ัƒะตั‚ ะพะฑะผะตะฝะฝั‹ะต ะฟั€ะพั†ะตััั‹ ะพั€ะณะฐะฝะธะทะผะฐโ€ (energize and regulate the bodyโ€™s metabolic processes). It prevents the reproduction of harmful microbes, and positively influences the cardiovascular system.

Although it still holds a traditional place in Russian life, kvass is now most often purchased bottled in stores. Due largely to its primary product, ะบะฒะฐั, the Russian brewer Ochakavo holds third place in Russian beverage sales by value, after Coca-Cola and Pepsi (both of which also sell kvassย in Russia).

kvass recipe history culture origin
The market for commercially produced kvass in Russia large, growing, and competitive. Two major brands are Ochakovo and Nikola (both pictured here, among others).

While most Russians consider kvassย distinctly Russian, โ€œะฟะพัะฒะปะตะฝะธะต ะบะฒะฐัะฐ ัƒั…ะพะดะธั‚ ัะฒะพะธะผะธ ะบะพั€ะฝัะผะธ ะฒ ะณะปัƒะฑะพะบัƒัŽ ะดั€ะตะฒะฝะพัั‚ัŒโ€ (kvass can trace its roots to ancient history). The ancient Egyptians, besides brewing beer, also brewed ะบะฒะฐั and types of fruity kvassย are mentioned in the historical records of ancient Babylon.

The word โ€œkwasโ€ is also found in a number of other Slavic languages โ€“ in Polish, where it means โ€œsourness,โ€ in Czech and others.

When to Drink Kvass

(ะšะฐะบ ะฟั€ะฐะฒะธะปัŒะฝะพ ะฟะธั‚ัŒ ะบะฒะฐั?)

Kvass is most often โ€œัƒะฟะพั‚ั€ะตะฑะปัะตั‚ัั ะฟั€ะธ ะบะพะผะฝะฐั‚ะฝะพะน ั‚ะตะผะฟะตั€ะฐั‚ัƒั€ะต ะธะปะธ ัะปะตะณะบะฐ ะพั…ะปะฐะถะดะตะฝะฝั‹ะผโ€ (served at room temperature or slightly chilled). It is never served with ice. Kvassย is most often drunk in the summer โ€“ but can be found year-round.

How to Make Kvass

(ะšะฐะบ ะฟั€ะฐะฒะธะปัŒะฝะพ ะณะพั‚ะพะฒะธั‚ัŒ ะบะฒะฐั?)

โ€œะšะฒะฐั ัะพะดะตั€ะถะธั‚ ะฝะตะฑะพะปัŒัˆะพะต ะบะพะปะธั‡ะตัั‚ะฒะพ ะฐะปะบะพะณะพะปัโ€ (Kvass contains small amounts of alcohol), as does any drink involving the use of yeast. Root beer, also traditionally a brewed drink, also contains traces of alcohol, although, like kvass, rarely more than 0.5% to 1.5%. It is not recommended for children under the age of three to drink kvassย (or traditional root beer).

โ€œะ—ะฐะบะฒะฐัะบะฐโ€ (Kvass fermentation starter) is sold in Russia, which contains yeast and malt, but both ingredients can be easily obtained in America in local brew shops or even online.

kvass recipe history culture origin
American students on an SRAS-supported faculty led tour enjoying Teremok-brand kvass sold from an outdoor cart.

โ€œะŸะธะฒะฝั‹ะต ะดั€ะพะถะถะธ ะธะปะธ ะดั€ะพะถะถะธ ะดะปั ัˆะฐะผะฟะฐะฝัะบะพะณะพโ€ (Brewerโ€™s or Champagne yeast) is recommended to use, as it will dissolve easily and fully, creating a smother drink.

The water used to make kvass is usually boiled and then the sugar added to create a syrup. The kvass can be flavored at this time by boiling the water with โ€œะผัั‚ะฐ, ัะตะผะตะฝะฐ ั‚ะผะธะฝะฐ, ะปะธะผะพะฝ, ะผะตะด, ัะณะพะดั‹, ะธะทัŽะผ ะธะปะธ ะดั€ัƒะณะธะต ััƒั…ะพั„ั€ัƒะบั‚ั‹โ€ (mint, caraway seeds, lemon, honey, berries, raisins or other dried fruit). While boiling is recommended, make sure that the water has cooled before adding the yeast. โ€œะ”ั€ะพะถะถะธ ะธัะฟะพั€ั‚ัั‚ัั, ะตัะปะธ ะธั… ะดะพะฑะฐะฒะธั‚ัŒ ะฒ ะบะธะฟัั‰ัƒัŽ ะฒะพะดัƒโ€ (Adding yeast to boiling water will kill it) and the kvassย will not ferment or carbonate properly.

When filling the bottles, make sure not to overfill them. Leave some space at the top for the gas to collect โ€œั‡ั‚ะพะฑั‹ ะฑัƒั‚ั‹ะปะบะฐ ะฝะต ะฒะทะพั€ะฒะฐะปะฐััŒโ€ (so that the bottle doesnโ€™t explode). Always store the bottles upright โ€“ as the pressure builds, โ€œะฑัƒั‚ั‹ะปะบะธ ะผะพะณัƒั‚ ะฟั€ะพั‚ะตั‡ัŒโ€ (the bottles can leak) if they are not upright.

Kvass Recipes

(ะ”ะฐะฒะฐะน ะŸั€ะธะณะพั‚ะพะฒะธะผ!)

See below for a free recipe for various versions of Russian kvass. See also the free videos online. If you are interested in cooking from Russia, Ukraine, Georgia, and other places in Eurasia, make sure to see our full, free Eurasian Cookbook online! You might also be interested in the following specialized cookbooks weโ€™ve enjoyed:

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ย 

ะšะฒะฐั ยซะ ัƒััะบะธะนยป (ะบั€ะฐัะฝั‹ะน) Russian Red Kvass
ะ˜ะฝะณั€ะตะดะธะตะฝั‚ั‹
  • 1 ะบะณ ััƒั…ะฐั€ะตะน ั‡ั‘ั€ะฝะพะณะพ ั…ะปะตะฑะฐ
  • 200 ะณ ัะฐั…ะฐั€ะฐ
  • 50 ะณ ะดั€ะพะถะถะตะน
  • 50 ะณ ะธะทัŽะผะฐ
  • 6 ะปะธั‚ั€ะพะฒ ะฒะพะดั‹
  • ะœะฐั€ะปั
  • ะ‘ะพะปัŒัˆะธะต ั‘ะผะบะพัั‚ะธ

ะŸั€ะธะณะพั‚ะพะฒะปะตะฝะธะต

  1. ะ’ั‹ััƒัˆะธั‚ะต ั…ะปะตะฑ, ะฟะพั€ะตะถัŒั‚ะต ะฝะฐ ะบัƒัะบะธ ะธ ะฟะพะผะตัั‚ะธั‚ะต ะฒ ะดัƒั…ะพะฒะบัƒ, ะฝะฐะณั€ะตั‚ัƒัŽ ะดะพ 170ยบC ะฟั€ะธะผะตั€ะฝะพ ะฝะฐ ะฟะพะปั‡ะฐัะฐ. ะญั‚ะธ ะบัƒัะบะธ ะดะพะปะถะฝั‹ ะทะฐะถะฐั€ะธั‚ัŒัั ะดะพ ั…ั€ัƒัั‚ัั‰ะตะณะพ ัะพัั‚ะพัะฝะธั, ะฝะพ ะฝะต ัะณะพั€ะตั‚ัŒ.
  2. ะŸะพะผะตัั‚ะธั‚ะต ะบัƒัะบะธ ะฒ ะฑะพะปัŒัˆัƒัŽ ยบะผะบะพัั‚ัŒ ะธ ะทะฐะปะตะนั‚ะต ะธั… 5 ะปะธั‚ั€ะฐะผะธ ะบะธะฟัั‰ะตะน ะฒะพะดั‹. ะ—ะฐะผะฐั‡ะธะฒะฐะนั‚ะต 6-8 ั‡ะฐัะพะฒ ะธ ะทะฐั‚ะตะผ ะฟะตั€ะตะปะตะนั‚ะต ะถะธะดะบะพัั‚ัŒ ะฒ ะพั‚ะดะตะปัŒะฝั‹ะน ะบะพะฝั‚ะตะนะฝะตั€, ะฟั€ะพั†ะตะดะธะฒ ั‡ะตั€ะตะท ะผะฐั€ะปัŽ.
  3. ะ’ัะบะธะฟัั‚ะธั‚ะต ะดั€ัƒะณัƒัŽ ะฒะพะดัƒ ะธ ะดะพะฑะฐะฒัŒั‚ะต ั‚ัƒะดะฐ ัะฐั…ะฐั€ ะธ ะธะทัŽะผ. ะžั…ะปะฐะดะธั‚ะต ะดะพ ั‚ะตะผะฟะตั€ะฐั‚ัƒั€ั‹ ะฝะตะผะฝะพะณะพ ะฒั‹ัˆะต ะบะพะผะฝะฐั‚ะฝะพะน ะธ ะดะพะฑะฐะฒัŒั‚ะต ะดั€ะพะถะถะธ. ะ”ะพะฑะฐะฒัŒั‚ะต ะฒัั‘ ัั‚ะพ ะฒ ะฟะตั€ะฒัƒัŽ ะถะธะดะบะพัั‚ัŒ.
  4. ะ—ะฐั‚ะตะผ ั€ะฐะทะปะตะนั‚ะต ะฟะพ ะฑัƒั‚ั‹ะปะบะฐะผ ะธ ะพัั‚ะฐะฒัŒั‚ะต ะฒ ั‚ั‘ะฟะปะพะผ ะผะตัั‚ะต ะฝะฐ 24 ั‡ะฐัะฐ, ะธ ะทะฐั‚ะตะผ ะฟะตั€ะตัั‚ะฐะฒัŒั‚ะต ะฒ ั…ะพะปะพะด ะธ ะดะตั€ะถะธั‚ะต ั‚ะฐะผ 72 ั‡ะฐัะฐ. ะขะตะฟะตั€ัŒ ะผะพะถะฝะพ ะฟะธั‚ัŒ!
Ingredients
  • 1 kg dried black bread pieces
  • 200 g sugar
  • 50 g yeast
  • 50 g raisins
  • 6 liters water
  • Cheese cloth
  • Large jars

Preparation

  1. To dry the bread, cut it into strips and place in an oven heated to 350ยบF for about a half hour. The pieces should be crispy but not burnt.
  2. Place the pieces in a large jar and pour 5 liters of boiling water over them. Let soak for 6-8 hours and strain out the liquid into a separate container through cheese cloth.
  3. Boil the other liter of water and add the sugar and raisins. Stir well. Let cool to just above room temperature and add the yeast. Add this to the strained liquid from before.
  4. Now pour into bottles and leave in a warm place for 24 hours, and then move to a cold place for 72 hours. Now drink it!

ย 

ะ‘ะตะปั‹ะน ะบะฒะฐั White Kvass
ะ˜ะฝะณั€ะตะดะธะตะฝั‚ั‹
  • 1/2 ะบะณ ั€ะถะฐะฝะพะณะพ ัะพะปะพะดะฐ
  • 1/2 ะบะณ ัั‡ะผะตะฝะฝะพะณะพ ัะพะปะพะดะฐ
  • 1/2 ะบะณ ะฟัˆะตะฝะธั‡ะฝะพะน ะผัƒะบะธ
  • 1/4 ั€ะถะฐะฝะพะน ะผัƒะบะธ
  • 1/2 ะบะณ ะณั€ะตั‡ะฝะตะฒะพะน ะผัƒะบะธ
  • 4 ะปะธั‚ั€ะฐ ะฒะพะดั‹
  • 1/2 ัั‚ะพะปะพะฒั‹ั… ะปะพะถะตะบ ะดั€ะพะถะถะตะน
  • ะขะผะธะฝ, ะธะทัŽะผ, ะผัั‚ะฐ (ะฟะพ ะฒะบัƒััƒ)
  • ะœะฐั€ะปั
  • ะ‘ะพะปัŒัˆะธะต ั‘ะผะบะพัั‚ะธ

ะŸั€ะธะณะพั‚ะพะฒะปะตะฝะธะต

  1. ะฏั‡ะผะตะฝะฝั‹ะน ะธ ั€ะถะฐะฝะพะน ัะพะปะพะด ะทะฐะปะตะนั‚ะต ะฟะพะปะพะฒะธะฝะพะน ะปะธั‚ั€ะฐ ั‚ั‘ะฟะปะพะน ะฒะพะดั‹. ะ”ะพะฑะฐะฒัŒั‚ะต ะฟัˆะตะฝะธั‡ะฝัƒัŽ ะธ ะณั€ะตั‡ะฝะตะฒัƒัŽ ะผัƒะบัƒ ะธ, ะฝะตะฟั€ะตั€ั‹ะฒะฝะพ ะฟะพะผะตัˆะธะฒะฐั, ะฒะปะตะนั‚ะต 2,5 ะปะธั‚ั€ะฐ ะบะธะฟัั‰ะตะน ะฒะพะดั‹. ะžัั‚ะฐะฒัŒั‚ะต ัั‚ะพ โ€œะฒะฐั€ะตะฒะพโ€ ะฝะฐ ะผะฐะปะพะผ ะพะณะฝะต ะฒ ั‚ะตั‡ะตะฝะธะต ัˆะตัั‚ะธ ั‡ะฐัะพะฒ, ะฟะพั‚ะพะผ ะฒัะบะธะฟัั‚ะธั‚ะต ะฒ ะพัั‚ะฐัŽั‰ะตะผัั ะปะธั‚ั€ะต ะฒะพะดั‹ ั‚ะผะธะฝ, ะธะทัŽะผ ะธ ะผัั‚ัƒ ะธ ะดะพะฑะฐะฒัŒั‚ะต ะบะธะฟัั‰ัƒัŽ ะฒะพะดัƒ ะฒ ัั‚ัƒ ัะผะตััŒ. ะฅะพั€ะพัˆะพ ั€ะฐะทะผะตัˆะฐะนั‚ะต, ั‡ั‚ะพะฑั‹ ะฝะต ะพัั‚ะฐะปะพััŒ ะบะพะผะบะพะฒ.
  2. ะŸะพัะปะต ั‚ะพะณะพ, ะบะฐะบ ัะผะตััŒ ะฝะฐะณั€ะตะตั‚ัั, ะดะพะฑะฐะฒัŒั‚ะต ะดั€ะพะถะถะธ, ั€ะฐัั‚ะฒะพั€ั‘ะฝะฝั‹ะต ะฒ ะฝะตะฑะพะปัŒัˆะพะผ ะบะพะปะธั‡ะตัั‚ะฒะต ั‚ั‘ะฟะปะพะน ะฒะพะดั‹, ะธ ะฟะพัั‚ะฐะฒัŒั‚ะต ัะผะตััŒ ะฒ ั…ะพะปะพะดะฝะพะต ะผะตัั‚ะพ ะฝะฐ ะดะฒะฐ ะดะฝั. ะŸะพั‚ะพะผ ะฟั€ะพั†ะตะดะธั‚ะต ะถะธะดะบะพัั‚ัŒ ั‡ะตั€ะตะท ะดะฒะฐ ัะปะพั ะผะฐั€ะปะธ, ั€ะฐะทะปะตะนั‚ะต ะฒ ะฑัƒั‚ั‹ะปะบะธ, ะธ ะดะตั€ะถะธั‚ะต ะธั… ะฒ ั…ะพะปะพะดะฝะพะผ ะผะตัั‚ะต ะตั‰ะต ะดะฒะฐ ะดะฝั ะฟะตั€ะตะด ัƒะฟะพั‚ั€ะตะฑะปะตะฝะธะตะผ.
Ingredients
  • 1/2 kg rye malt
  • 1/2 kg barley malt
  • 1/2 kg wheat flour
  • 1/4 kg rye flour
  • 1/2 kg buckwheat flour
  • 4 liters water
  • 1/2 Table spoon yeast
  • Caraway seeds (to taste)
  • Raisins (to taste)
  • Mint (to taste)
  • Cheese cloth
  • Large jars

Preparation

  1. Mix barley and rye malt with warm a half liter of warm water. Add wheat and buckwheat flour and, stirring continuously, pour in 2.5 liters of boiling water. Leave the โ€œbrewโ€ over low heat for six hours, now boil the remaining liter of water with the caraway, raisins, and mint and add the boiling water to the mixture. Stir well, making sure no lumps remain.
  2. After the mixture becomes warm, add yeast diluted with a little warm water and chill the mixture for two days. Then strain through two layers of cheesecloth, pour into bottles, and store them in a cold place for another two days before consuming.

Our Favorite Kvass Commercials

A commercial based on Nikolaโ€™s former ad campaign calling for Russians to drink kvass because it was โ€œnikolaโ€ (not cola). Coke and Pepsi appealed to Russiaโ€™s advertisersโ€™ union and had the campaign pulled, saying that it unfairly marketed against their products.

ย 

This bizzare little commercial is from Ochakovo, a company that makes good kvass and legendarily bad advertisements. Here, a group of tourists gawking at the architectural marvels of Los Angeles has one of their number saved by some guy who happens to have a couple large cans of kvass on him. And then he gets the girl too! Ooh, how refreshing!

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About the author

Josh Wilson

Josh Wilson

Josh lived in Moscow from 2003, when he first arrived to study Russian with SRAS, until 2022. He holds an M.A. in Theatre and a B.A. in History from Idaho State University, where his masters thesis was written on the political economy of Soviet-era censorship organs affecting the stage. At SRAS, Josh assists in program development and leads our Internship Programs. He is also the editor-in-chief for the SRAS newsletter, the SRAS Family of Sites, and Vestnik. He has previously served as Communications Director to Bellerage Alinga and has served as a consultant or translator to several businesses and organizations with interests in Russia.

Program attended: SRAS Staff Member

View all posts by: Josh Wilson

Andrei Nesterov

Andrei Nesterov

Andrei Nesterov leads SRAS' Research Services, performing remote archive research and consultations for researchers around the globe. Andrei graduated from Ural State University (journalism) and Irkutsk State Linguistic University (English). He also studied public policy and journalism at Duke University on a Muskie Fellowship and taught Russian at West Virginia University. As a journalist, he has reported in both Russian and English language outlets and has years of archival research experience. He has travelled Russia extensively and penned many stories on the โ€œreal Russiaโ€ which lies beyond the capital and major cities. Andrei also contributes news, feature stories, and language resources to the SRAS Family of Sites.

Program attended: SRAS Staff Member

View all posts by: Andrei Nesterov