The Wonders of Beet Kvass
yield: 1 quart
adapted from Sally Fallon’s Nourishing Traditions
One 4-ounce glass of beet kvass morning and night serves as an excellent blood tonic, digestive regulator, blood alkalizer, liver cleanser and overall healing tonic. In general, it keeps things moving! Remember, this is a detox tool, not a sugary beverage! The taste is acquired, and we find it most palatable when served cold. And if you’re heading to a party tonight, avoid purple hands by wearing rubber gloves when peeling beets!
Ingredients:
2 medium or 1 large organic beet
1 quart-sized mason jar *
2 tbsp whey
1 tsp sea salt
filtered water
Instructions:
Peel the beets and chop into 1″ chunks. Place beets in the bottom of the clean mason jar. To the jar, add 1 tsp sea salt and 2 tbsp whey. Fill the jar with water up to 1″ below the top of the jar. Put the lid on the jar and shake well. Place the jar at room temperature for 2 days without drinking before transferring to the refrigerator for use. (See Note.) Drain off the liquid, leaving the beets in the bottom of the mason jar, and enjoy as a tonic drink.
When all the liquid has been drunk, the cycle may be repeated one time by adding the same amount of whey and sea salt to the jar that now contains only beets. Re-fill the jar with water up to 1″ below the top of the jar. Leave at room temperature for another two days without drinking before transferring to the refrigerator for use.
When the liquid has been drunk, discard the beets and start fresh.
* This recipe may easily be doubled, and when doubling, we prefer to use two one-quart mason jars (rather than one two-quart jar) in order to allow the jars to be rotated. When one jar is finished, begin the second round of fermentation with that jar while consuming the second jar.
Note -
Although it may be consumed right away, allowing the Beet Kvass to sit untouched in the refrigerator for 1 week or more will deepen the color and flavor, while also thickening the texture.
Nicole
Hello! I’m so glad to have found your blog, it’s just beautiful! I love your photography.
I was wondering how many times you can use the beets?
Molly Chester
Two batches, then I start fresh! Thanks for the kind words! I will pass on the note about photography to my husband.
Frances
Will there be traces of alcohol in it? I’d love to make for my mom but she does not drink. Thanks.
Molly Chester
I do not taste any alcohol in this drink, unlike kombucha and the like. But, I am not the authority on fermented drinks. For someone who is really sensitive, I would confirm this answer with someone else. Possibly Sandor Katz of the book Wild Fermentation? Looks like you can submit a question to him here: http://www.wildfermentation.com/contact.php
Brian Cormack Carr
Hi Molly,
Thanks for sharing this recipe. I have tried making Beet Kvass before, but I don’t think it worked. The resulting kvass tasted very salty. Can you describe how it should taste when finished?
I live in a pretty cold old house, and we’ve had very cool weather of late, so I’m not sure the kvass ever got up to sufficient “room temperature” to ferment properly. Any advice?
Molly Chester
The taste is salty, but I do cut back on the salt just slightly in this recipe. It still ferments, and I haven’t had any problems with spoilage, but it doesn’t leave me feel like I am drinking sea water! As for keeping it at room temperature, if you happen to own a 9-tray Excalibur dehydrator, you can set the temperature to the lowest setting and set it inside of there. Or, I a friend sets her ferments on top of a lizard heating pad from pet shops! Never done that myself, but very clever… hope that helps!
Janis
Hey Molly,
Just wondering if this is supposed to taste fizzy or flat? I’ve made this a couple of times and just can’t tell whether it’s fermented or not. I’m not sure how it’s supposed to taste. Mine tastes flat and maybe a little too salty for my taste. Think I will reduce the salt next time too.
Thanks!
Your site is getting beautifuller and beautifuller. Great job!
Molly Chester
Hi Janis – I find Beet Kvass to always be flat. Most of the time I make my kvass, I leave it in the fridge for a couple weeks after its 3 or so days of fermenting on the counter. It gives the drink a deep red color and flavor that I like. However, it still is not very fizzy at all, mostly flat. Nothing at all like kombucha. It is a salty drink, but I have already cut back from the NT recipe, so I don’t know how much more you can cut back while still maintaining the integrity of the drink. Let me know what works for you! I’d love to hear… Warmly – Molly
Janis
My kvass was 2 weeks old yesterday. I just tasted it. The flavor has mellowed, the color is a gorgeous red, and it doesn’t taste as salty. I think it takes a little while for this drink to mature. I am liking it and so glad I’ve finally succeeded with help from your recipe. Thanks!
Molly Chester
Oh, good Janis! I agree about the mellowing. I need to add that to the recipe. It really does make all the difference. It goes from salt-watery to having its own bold flavor.
Sonia
Hello Molly. What a beautiful site. I’ll try your recipes!
I just made a batch of beet kvass, and after reading comments online, I left it out longer than the 2 days recommendation, because it’s been chilly in France lately. The chunks of beet have gradually whitened and come up to the surface (it’s been beautiful to watch), and since I’ve also seen pictures online of beet kvass pots with the beets all floating, I figured I had to wait until that point.
It’s the first time for me, do you think 5 days outside is too long?
Can’t wait to taste it…
Beth
I tried the NT recipe for beet kvass and it was way too salty for me, which is saying a lot as I love salt. I really want to like this drink so I’m going to try it again using your reduced salt version.
Molly Chester
Hope you like it with the reduced salt. I find it a nice balance of salty, but not overly.
CateK
I love to take some freshly squeezed orange juice and add 1/4 cup of Kvass. I’ve also added Kvass to organic apple cider and to smoothies.
diane nestor
Just made my first batch today. I used a 2 and a half quart (which I didn’t realize at the time) I measured in 2 quarts of water. Will that be okay since it doesn’t reach up to the lid?
I’m thinking maybe there’s too much room and it won’t ferment? Thanks in advance.
Molly Chester
Should be just fine Diane. The extra space shouldn’t cause you any problem.
Sereena
I made my first batch of Kvass a few days ago, but for some reason, I have a type of mould growing on the top. I’m not game to drink it to be honest. I have no idea what I’ve done wrong. Any ideas?
Jaime
Molly thanks so much for this article. Having cut way down on salt(I only use it for fermenting and sausages) on the Paleo Diet I was a bit worried when I popped open my first ever batch of Kvass and it tasted like brine.
I did a search on this and went to a couple of sites looking to see what this was supposed to taste like and found nothing conclusive until I came across your blog.
Your article was super informative and answered all my questions, especially after I read the comments. Now I know to let it sit a bit longer which is great news. I was excited about the healthy benefits of Kvass and prepared for the overwhelming beet flavor(not a big fan but health is health right?) but not at all prepared to gag down what to me, tasted like drowning in the ocean.
Thanks for actively answering comments on your page too.
:)