Fruit Kvass

Kvass is traditionally a fermented drink made with beets. This refreshing drink is made from fruit and started with kombucha rather than whey. Please note that fermented drinks may contain a negligible amount of residual alcohol that occurs naturally during fermentation. Generally, the longer the drink is fermented, the greater the alcohol content.

Organic & Fair-Trade Ingredients:

• 1 apple, washed and chopped 

• 1 handful of organic frozen berries 

• ½ cup low-sugar kombucha (i.e., GT’s Original)

• 1 inch of fresh ginger, sliced

• Purified water to fill

Instructions:

1. Always wash hands and all kitchen tools well before working with raw produce for fermentation. 

2. Place the ingredients in a 1-quart wide mouth jar and fill to the shoulder of the jar with filtered water, leaving ½-1-inch space from the top. Seal tightly.  

3. Gently shake the jar at least once daily to ensure that the floating fruit is remixed.  

4. Ferment for approximately 4 days on the counter. Fermentation time depends desired taste and room temperature, with colder days requiring longer fermentation. The final drink should be tart and slightly bubbly when shaken.  

5. Carefully remove the fruit and transfer the remaining liquid to glass containers (I re-use kombucha bottles), and store in the refrigerator.

6. Save ½ cup of the fermented kvass to re-start the next batch, then repeat the recipe with the same or a different fruit mixture. I’ve used mandarin oranges and oranges (with the rinds removed to minimize bitterness).

7. To make a half gallon, multiply the recipe by 2; to make a full gallon, multiply the recipe by 4.

Variations:

• Add other fruits such as frozen mango or mandarin oranges.

• Add fresh, sliced turmeric for anti-inflammatory benefits.