Kvass

Kvass

　　Kvass, a transliteration from Russian meaning "romantic days," is a low-alcohol beverage popular in Russia, Ukraine, and other Eastern European countries. It is made by fermenting dried bread, resulting in a color similar to beer but slightly reddish, with a pleasant sweet-and-sour taste and fragrant aroma. With an alcohol content of only about 1%, it is even suitable for children and is a widely loved soft drink. In China, it is also quite popular in Harbin, as well as in Yili, Tacheng, and Urumqi in Xinjiang. In Russian cities, kvass can also refer to kombucha. In Harbin, it is sold in supermarkets and restaurants for just a few yuan a bottle. However, it is said that drinking too much may not be good for your health, but trying it is harmless.

　　Ingredients

　　100 grams of bread, 30 grams of sugar, 5 grams of hops (or half a cup of beer), 10 raisins, 1 bottle of boiling water (beer bottle size)

　　Preparation Method

　　Cut the bread into small thin slices, toast them until golden, and place them in a container. Cool the boiling water to around 40°C, pour it over the bread in the container, stir, then add the hops (or fresh beer), stir again, cover, and let it ferment for one day. Then, strain the mixture, pour it into a bottle with raisins, seal it, and let it ferment for 24 hours in a cool place. Finally, refrigerate it until ready to use.

　　Characteristics

　　It has an amber color, is rich in bubbles, has a balanced sweet-and-sour flavor, is refreshing and cool, carries a hint of hop aroma, and features a unique fragrance from the fermentation of malted milk and hops. Since kvass contains live cultures and some incompletely decomposed components from the ingredients, it is a non-transparent liquid with a certain degree of cloudiness and sediment. Kvass is an excellent summer coolant and also serves as a healthy beverage that stimulates appetite, promotes saliva production, aids digestion, and helps prevent constipation.

　　The main ingredients in Xinjiang include hops, bran, sugar, honey, and a small amount of starter. Locals believe it has beautifying and skin-nourishing effects.