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.
35 comments
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Frances
Will there be traces of alcohol in it? I’d love to make for my mom but she does not drink. Thanks.
March 15, 2011 -
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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
March 15, 2011
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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?
March 17, 2011 -
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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!
March 17, 2011
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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!
April 14, 2011 -
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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
April 17, 2011
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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!
April 18, 2011 -
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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.
April 22, 2011
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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…May 26, 2011 -
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.
August 28, 2011 -
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Molly Chester
Hope you like it with the reduced salt. I find it a nice balance of salty, but not overly.
September 14, 2011
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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.
November 22, 2011 -
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.
January 24, 2012 -
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Molly Chester
Should be just fine Diane. The extra space shouldn’t cause you any problem.
January 24, 2012
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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?
May 3, 2012 -
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Jennifer
Sereena,
That “mold” you saw growing… is it like a whitish film on the surface of the kvass? If so, that is not a problem. And even if you see a little blob of mold forming around the rim of the jar, just wipe it off. As for that whitish film, I just try to skim it off. As far as I know, it’s harmless, and I certainly haven’t gotten sick, nor has my husband, and we’ve been drinking it everyday for weeks now.May 25, 2012
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Molly Chester
You just went a day or so long. Was it hot in your room? Some people say to scoop it off and drink it. I have done it, but I do prefer not to have the mold develop.
July 14, 2012
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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.
:)
May 18, 2012 -
Jennifer
I had tried beet kvass according to Sally Fallon’s recipe without success. Then I tried making it by adding some homemade kombucha to get it fermenting. What a difference! It began showing bubbles withing 24 hours. I now make it regularly, adding sliced fresh ginger, a coarsely chopped lemon or two , 2 T. coarse sea salt in a one-gallon jar along with a 1/2 cup of the beet kvass from the previous batch to get it going. Wonderful and very easy.
May 25, 2012 -
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Molly Chester
WOW! Great idea Jennifer – thanks! I’ve started using a little Kombucha in my soaking water for grains, which I like, but I never thought to do it in kvass!
July 14, 2012
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Lynn D
Hi
was just thinking of how to make sauer kraut and
wondered if could use the beet kvass recipe for it?
Also can I use the yogurt starter in place of whey since used that up last week with the goat yogurt?
Thanks
Lynn DJune 3, 2012 -
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Molly Chester
Not sure what you mean by making sauerkraut with the beet kvass recipe? I bet you could use the yogurt starter, but I’ve never tried it! A Vegetable Starter Culture would work.
July 14, 2012
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David Holman
I’m going to make my first jar of Beet Kvass but I’m concerned about what kind of water to use. Tap water is out because of the fluoride and chlorine (or chloride). But I haven’t found any information on bottled water to assure me they aren’t likewise treated with that stuff. Any suggestions? Do you know of a brand of bottled water that’s nothing more than just pure water? Thank you.
July 19, 2012 -
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Molly Chester
Hmmm… I don’t know very much about bottled water. I use a water filtration system by this company: http://www.hightechhealth.com/ at my house. We also have a PurHome water filter on our whole house. I have seen bottled water by Mountain Valley Spring Water that comes in Glass Bottles. I usually buy those when out on the road – http://www.mountainvalleyspring.com/ Hope that helps!
October 16, 2012
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Rhianna
Hi there, I used normal water not filtered water ??? is it still okay !?
Also it tastes fizzy salty tangy, but it has a tiny bit of that taste thas like juice gone bad. like really tangy.
July 31, 2012 -
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Molly Chester
Hi Rhianna – I like to use filtered water b/c the chlorine can supposedly mess with the proliferation of good bacteria. But, it sounds like it worked for you! fizzy salty tangy sounds right. But, if it tastes alcoholic, you may have just left it out a day too long. Tang is good. Alcoholic means too long fermenting. Hope that helps!
October 16, 2012
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Jessica
First time making beet kvass, am I supposed to strain the liquid from the beets before cold storage? I’ve had my jar in the fridge(with beets) for about two weeks and found my kvass to have a slimy/mucous texture. Did something go wrong? I’ve never tried kvass before and am unsure what it should be like.
November 16, 2012 -
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Molly Chester
Jessica – No… you can keep the beets in the liquid. Not sure about the slime, but my mom recently told me that something similar happened to her. She drank it anyway and seemed to like the bit of thickness. Has anyone else had this happen to them?
December 22, 2012
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rye
I have made kvass for years.To get it extra fizzy, just increase the fermentation time. sometimes I leave it out for a week or more. I have had it overflow with fizz when opened. I have also used yogurt for an inoculate when I have not had time to strain whey. Just scoop 1/8 of a cup into a quart jar..it will disappear and kvass will be bright red and not cloudy or pink. Using kombucha is a great idea too!
November 20, 2012 -
James Stokes
Thanks for the info I like how it is so simply put on how the process of creating Kvass is done. Also compliments on your still image of the Kvass. Very tastefully done!
November 27, 2012 -
Bruce Winter
Hi Molly. At last, a solution to my problem. Like Sonia in France, this house in an alpine rainforest in Hawaii is always cool so fermentation is slow or dosen’t happen at all. I’ve never heard of a lizadt heat mat but it sounds like just what I need. The few times the kvass became spritzy it was wonderful but now in winter it never happens. Thanks for the tip!
December 21, 2012 -
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Molly Chester
Bruce – I also just found this woman, who’s heating element looks really cool: http://www.kombuchakamp.com/kombucha-heating-mats
December 22, 2012
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Al Rose
I do love my kvass and I also like to experiment. NT says to discard the beets after 2 batches of kvass. I have tried for more by letting subsequent batches sit longer.
first batch: 2 days
second batch: 3 days
third batch: 4 days
fourth batch: 1 week
fifth batch: 2 weeksI also add a little salt and whey with each batch.
Each batch is only slightly weaker than the preceding one. All my kvass seems to get a little stronger and less salty with more time in the refridgerator. I have had some over 2 months in the refridgerator and still tastes very good. No alcohol nor salty taste. I have no idea how long it will last without going bad but I will find out.
January 7, 2013
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.