Pete's Food Blog

2. Sep, 2021

Kvass...my sauna drink

Ingredients:

4 dl dark malted rye (readily available in Finland as Kaljamallas)

250g soft brown sugar

1 dl white sugar

1 + 4 litres of water

½ tsp dried active yeast (I find this hold the 'fizz' longer than fresh baker's yeast)

Method:

You'll need a large pan with a lid

Simmer the malt and sugars in 1 litre of water for 10 minutes - stirring occasionally.

Remove from the heat, pour in the 4 litres of cold water, and stir in the yeast. Fit the lid on and leave to ferment at room temperature for 36 hrs.

After fermentation, place a sieve over a large funnel, held in the mouth of your 5l-10l container - with tap.

Pour the mixture into the container and let the garin darin for 20 minutes or so.

Seal the container well and leave to stand for 24 hrs. In the summer I transfer it at this stage to the fridge, at other times I have it stand in my laundry sink (just in case it bursts - though that's never happened).

Then store in the fridge for up to 10 days - although the fizz and sugar levels drop over time.