A Traditional Polish Beet Kvass is a probiotic drink made with fresh beets, sea salt, and water. It is full of healthy probiotics from Lacto-fermentation. These good bacteria heal the gut and support immunity.

Traditional Polish Beet Kvass

Beet kvass is a traditional Polish fermented probiotic drink. Many other countries in Eastern Europe also make this drink. It is delicious, tangy, salty, earthy, and slightly sweet from the beets. Full of gut-healthy probiotics, it’s a perfect drink to have in the morning with your breakfast to add diversity to your microbiome and, make your beet soup delicious!

One of my favorite soup for the holidays is beet soup. To make this soup, I need to make fermented beet kavas.
In Poland, beet kavas is made to drink for gut health because it is a great probiotic. We also use beet kavas to make traditional Christmas borscht. I make this fantastic drink regularly and drink it.

Health Benefits of Beet Kvass

As a fermented, food benefits gut health and the digestive system
Purifies your blood
A great tonic for the liver
Benefits the heart
It is a natural energy drink

Great, not only for your Christmas Eve!

Beets are a fantastic antioxidant and might have a significant effect on cancer prevention. Beet kavas help cleanse and strengthen the blood (increases the number of red blood cells). It is helpful in the prevention and treatment of anemia.

Beet kavas is also excellent for the liver because it has detoxifying properties. This probiotic drink alkalines the body help slow down putrefaction in the gut. It helps in the excretion of uric acid from the body (supports the kidneys and cleanses the body). It is also recommended to drink for colds and fatigue.

Also, beets contain many vitamins ( A, C, and B’s) and iron, magnesium, potassium, calcium, and cobalt. The latter is an essential mineral in creating red blood cells.
Beets contain a lot of folic acid, which is invaluable for women during pregnancy.

Beet Kvass is Also a Fantastic Energy Drink!

It gives us energy and strength. Especially at this time of year, when it is cold. It is worth remembering that eating fermented food is crucial to our health! We completely underestimate them, and yet people in Europe, China, or Japan can’t do without them. They ferment almost anything! Traditional soy sauce or miso soup is based on fermented soy. Chinese – love fermented cabbage, radish, Polish – sauerkraut, pickles, pickled mushrooms – you name it! I remember making fermented food throughout the summer and fall in preparation for winter.

Today’s scientists, doctors, and specialists in healthy nutrition stress the importance of eating ferments. During the fermentation process, lactic acid is formed, helping cleanse the body and strengthen the immune system. Therefore, it is advisable to introduce ferments to people at a young age.

Ferments are indispensable in our diet to live longer and keep youth and vitality for many years. The substances in them regulate the bacterial flora in the intestines, support the digestion and absorption of metabolic products, and reduce the level of harmful cholesterol. Ferments regulate metabolism and facilitate the digestion of proteins, fats, and carbohydrates. They smooth the skin, strengthen hair and nails. And most importantly, they increase iron absorption, giving us strength, energy, and vitality.

How to Make Beet Kvass

Making beet kvass is not as complicated as you might think! I think it’s worth it! It is effortless and less expensive than at the store.

I put peeled and thickly chopped beetroot into a large stone pot (so that it will be heavy and do not flow out), or you can even do it in a large mason jar, probably like three large beets.

Add garlic (about 4-5 cloves or even more – it is very healthy!), black pepper, and bay leaves. It is essential not to throw spices and garlic on top but between beets.

Boil the water, then cool it down and mix with salt – for one liter of water, I add one tablespoon of salt. People with hypertension must consider the amount of salt they take.

Cover the brine with water thoroughly. I cover the stoneware and put it in a warm and dark place for about 4-7 days. I check it around the 4th day to see how everything looks.

Store the kvass in the fridge after it is ready to drink. It can be stored even for a few months!

Tips For Making Beet Kvass

Even though it’s a simple recipe, you need to know a couple of things while making beet kvass to make it right. As with all fermented food, I want you to make sure that you understand what you are doing and so that your beet kvass doesn’t go bad.
Here are the critical pointers:

Always use organic and clean beets. Any residue of pesticides and dirt can affect the fermentation process, and your beet kvass can go bad;
I don’t recommend using beets with skin because any dirt left behind can negatively affect the fermentation process, so peel and cut your beets into thick slices;
I like to use gloves when I’m working with beets. In this recipe, using gloves help prevent an introduction of unwanted/unintended bacteria into the beet kvass;
No tap water! Water needs to be filtered, boiled, and cooled off. The reason for this is again to kill any undesired bacteria to guarantee a proper fermentation process;
Use only a stone pot or a large, wide, glass mason jar. Rinse with boiling water ahead of time. Make sure that your jar is perfectly clean;
If you see beets floating up, you need to use a disinfected (with boiling water) plate to push them down. Make sure that all the beets are submerged in water;
A white film may form around the top of the liquid. Don’t worry, it’s harmless. Remove it daily and mix the kvass with a wooden spoon;
If you took all the precautions outlined above, your beet kvass should come out perfectly;
Once done, strain it and keep it in jars or glass bottles in the fridge for up to a couple of weeks;
If for some reason, your kvass grows mold at the top, you need to discard it. It means that undesired bacteria entered the fermentation process at some point. Don’t get discouraged. I’ve made plenty of them. It takes practice! Start from the beginning, and you’ll master it in no time.
To speed up the fermentation process, consider adding 1–2 tablespoons of whey (the liquid strained from yogurt) or brine from fermented sauerkraut or pickles. Be sure to use brine from live-culture ferments, typically found in the refrigerated section of the grocery store or homemade varieties.

Optional Flavor Enhancements for Beet Kvass:

Fresh Herbs: Try fresh dill, fennel fronds, bay leaves, or other aromatic herbs.
Pickling Spices: Add fennel seeds, dill seeds, peppercorns, celery seeds, or caraway seeds for a flavor boost. To prevent them from floating, place the spices in the jar first.
Alliums: Include sliced onion or garlic for a savory depth of flavor.
Roots: Add slices of fresh ginger or turmeric root for a warm, spicy kick.
Citrus: Lemon, lime, or orange for additional flavor.

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Easy Beet Kvass Recipe

Angie

A Polish Beet Kvass is a probiotic drink made with fresh beets, sea salt, and water. It is full of healthy probiotics from Lacto-fermentation.

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Prep Time 30

Total Time 7

Course Drinks

Cuisine AIP, Dairy-free, European, Gluten-free, Paleo, Polish, Raw food, Vegan

Servings

Calories 21 kcal

Ingredients

3 beets large, organic
5 cloves garlic peeled and cut in half
2 liters water
allspice
bay leaves
1/2 or 1 tbsp salt per 1 liter of water

Instructions

How to Make Beet KvassIngredients:Fresh beets (peeled and chopped into cubes)Non-chlorinated waterSea saltOptional: whey, sauerkraut brine, or pickle brine (for faster fermentation)Optional flavorings: fresh herbs, pickling spices, sliced onion, garlic, ginger, or turmericInstructions:
Prepare the Beets:Wash, peel, and chop the beets into roughly 1-inch cubes. Avoid grating, as it can make the kvass too cloudy and ferment too quickly.
Fill the Jar:Place the beet cubes into a clean glass jar, filling it about 1/3 to 1/2 full.
Add Flavorings (Optional):If desired, add fresh dill, bay leaves, garlic, sliced ginger, or pickling spices. To prevent spices from floating, place them at the bottom of the jar.
Mix the Brine:Dissolve 1–2 tablespoons of sea salt per quart of non-chlorinated water. If you're using whey or brine to accelerate fermentation, add 1–2 tablespoons of it to the water.
Pour the Brine:Pour the saltwater mixture over the beets and flavorings, leaving about an inch of space at the top of the jar. Ensure the beets are fully submerged to prevent mold formation. Use a weight or clean cabbage leaf to keep them submerged if necessary.
Seal the Jar:Cover the jar with a loose lid, airlock, or clean cloth secured with a rubber band. This allows gases to escape while protecting the kvass from contaminants.
Ferment:Place the jar in a cool, dark spot at room temperature (65–75°F) and let it ferment for 5–7 days. If using whey or brine, fermentation may be complete in 3–5 days.
Taste and Adjust:After a few days, start tasting the kvass. Once it reaches your desired tanginess, it’s ready. The color should be deep and vibrant, and the flavor should be slightly sour and earthy.
Strain and Store:Strain the liquid into clean bottles or jars, and refrigerate. The kvass will continue to develop flavor in the fridge and can be stored for up to a month.
Reuse the Beets (Optional):You can reuse the beets for a second batch by adding fresh brine. The second ferment may take a bit longer and have a milder flavor.

Nutrition

Serving: 6gCalories: 21kcalCarbohydrates: 5gProtein: 1gFat: 1gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 49mgPotassium: 143mgFiber: 1gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 14IUVitamin C: 3mgCalcium: 21mgIron: 1mg

Keyword beet, Beet Kvass, drinks

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Traditional Polish Beet Kvass