Beet Kvass

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Beet Kvass

Postby Diana on Sat Jan 10, 2009 7:37 am

So I made beet kvass a few days ago, following Sally Fallon's recipe, although I wasn't sure whether I needed raw or cooked beets. I used cooked ones coz that was all that I could buy - and that while having visited 4 different shops :-(.
So I put the lot according to the recipe in the jar and put it on the kitchen counter for the required amount of days.
This morning I was going to put it in the fridge and found a thin white layer on the fluid and some white mould spots on there as well.
Now what?
Can I take this off and use the fluid anyway or do I have to start over?
And if this is totally wrong, what could have caused it?

I recently moved and already had sourdough go moldy the first time in this house as well, so I am wondering whether it could be the house, although the second try - different flour - worked out great and is now working its way up to several breads.

Thanks for your help.
Diana, mom to 4 - Switzerland
Diana
 
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Re: Beet Kvass

Postby Diana on Tue Jan 27, 2009 7:00 am

Okay, so I let it sit there and simply took the white mold like stuff off just to see what would happen.
It started bubbling and it tastes like salty beet fluids.
Is that what it tastes like? It doesn't taste like mold or so.
Any comments? Thoughts?
Diana, mom to 4 - Switzerland
Diana
 
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Joined: Wed Aug 06, 2008 10:27 am
Location: Switzerland

Re: Beet Kvass

Postby spring on Tue Mar 03, 2009 4:09 pm

Hey there,

Don't be discouraged, you just need to get fresh beets. Your kvass should taste fizzy, tangy, salty, beety. I like it even better than sauerkraut juice. When I was sick with a flu recently, I found salty beet kvass too much, so I made another batch without salt, and it fermented fine, plus tasted milder. Try adding your whey to chopped raw any veg. See what you like! Just trust your nose and your eyes. If it looks or smells wrong, don't eat it. Look at the reply to a question about bread kvass on another thread. Good beet kvass instructions. But all you need to know is use fresh beets, filtered water, and whey from a good live yougurt or kefir. Kefir grains available from happyherbalist.com.
spring
 
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Re: Beet Kvass

Postby bekah on Thu Mar 05, 2009 7:58 pm

Diana,

I agree, I think raw beets are key, but we often get a thin film of mold on our kvass made from raw beets, too, and we just skim it off as long as it doesn't go too deeply into the liquid. It always tastes fine, and my understanding is that it isn't harmful. The first kvass I had, made by a PA farmer, tasted like you said-- salty beet juice-- and I didn't like it.

I would try making it with raw beets (do you have a farmers' market nearby where you can get some winter storage beets? Where in Switzerland are you?), diced in filtered or non-chlorinated water, with either salt or whey. Adding salt gives the good microorganisms a headstart; whey introduces them, which also gives them an edge on the competition. My humble opinion is that you don't need both. If you want to make one guaranteed to not be salty, try just whey. If you're vegan or don't have any whey, try salt, and experiment with the amount until the end product tastes good to you.

Keep in mind that it may take significantly longer than the 2 days Sally Fallon suggests, especially in the winter when the temperatures are lower. Even in late summer temperatures, I like it best when fermented for at least a week. Just taste it now and then until it tastes good to you. And if you like carbonation, bottle it after you've strained out the beets, leave a little headroom, put a tight cap on, and leave it out of the fridge for a little longer before transferring it to the cold!

Hope that helps!

Bekah
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