Beet Kvass (Video)

Ingredients

• 2.2 lbs beets (1kg)
• 4 cups water (1liter)
• 1 tablespoon table salt
• 5 cloves garlic
• 4 allspice berries
• 4 bay leaves
• 20 black peppercorns

Instructions

1. 1

   Prepare the brine: bring the water to a boil, add the salt and stir until it's dissolved. Leave to cool (it doesn't need to be cold, just lukewarm, but it shouldn't be warm).

2. 2

   Prepare a glass jar (2 qt /1.8 liters): pour boiling water into the jar. Do not use metal or plastic containers. Discard the water (the boiling water is used to disinfect the jar).

3. 3

   Peel the beets and cut into large 1.5 inches (4 cm) pieces. Wear gloves!

4. 4

   Peel and cut the garlic cloves in half.

5. 5

   Arrange the beets in the jar, alternately with the chopped garlic cloves and spices.

6. 6

   Pour over the cooled brine.

7. 7

   Close the jar tightly and set aside in a warm place for a minimum of 6 days (it can be longer, for up to 14 days). The longer you leave the kvass, the more sour it will be. I´m using it after 6 days, it´s perfect.

8. 8

   After this time, strain the beet kvass and pour it into a clean jar. The beet kvass is ready to use. Store it in the fridge for about a week. You can discard the beets or use them to make a salad.

9. 9

   Enjoy!