Don't scald the yeast
The kvass infusion must cool to warm: in hot liquid, yeast and starter die and fermentation never starts.
Tips
Cooking tips
Sometimes kvass fails not because of the recipe but because of a small detail: water that is too hot, burnt rusks or a cold kitchen. Here are short tips that help you avoid such mistakes.
Write down how long your kvass fermented and what the day was like, warm or cool. In a couple of weeks you will know your kitchen better than any chart.
How this section works: a tip is included if it is short, can be tested in an ordinary kitchen and does not require buying anything special.
Tips
Six habits that make kvass, bread and braised dishes more predictable.
Trim burnt edges
Burnt rusk edges give a harsh bitterness. It is better to trim them than to fix the flavour with sugar later.
Leave room in the bottle
When bottling kvass, do not fill the bottle to the neck, and open the cap from time to time to release the gas.
Label your jars
Mark the date on jars of starter or malt. It makes it easier to know when to feed the starter and whether the malt has been sitting too long.
Salt braises at the end
During long braising the liquid reduces and the salt concentrates. Taste and season near the end.
Make a second batch ahead
If a beer dish is served to guests, make a portion with stock alongside; it is easier than explaining why someone can't have it.
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Topics our editors are working on
- Keeping a rye sourdough starter alive if you only bake once a month
- Using malt extract and malted flour in everyday home baking
- Cooking for mixed groups when one dish contains beer
- Winter berry drinks and syrups made from frozen fruit
Editorial rules
- Articles in this catalogue are written separately for each language version and are not translations.
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See also
- Recipes
Kvass okroshka, rye bread with malt and beef braised in beer, with an alcohol-free alternative.
- Techniques
Scalding malt, rye starter, fermenting kvass, batter and braising, with safety notes.
- Ingredients
Rye and barley malt, hops, rusks, sourdough starter and yeast: how to choose, store and use them.
- Drinks
Bread kvass, mors, sbiten and alcohol-free malt drinks; beer only as a pairing with food.
- Questions
Answers to questions about kvass, malt, sourdough and how to cook dishes with beer safely.
- Seasonal
Cold kvass soups in summer, spiced hot drinks in winter and treats for the festive table.
What we rely on
- cookery reference books and traditional Russian recipes
Fermentation and baking times in the recipes are approximate: they depend on your kitchen temperature, the flour, the rusks and how active the starter is. Go by taste, smell and look, not just the clock.