In this instructable I will show you how to make Lithuanian nacional drink kvass
( in Lithuania we call it gira but kvass is more international name for it )
its easy and cheep to make in large quantities , just perfect for feasts.

the dink is made by burning black bread then breawing it with hot water
and fermenting with sugar and cooking yeast for three days in room temperature.

kvass consider to be non alcoholic, but
ferment it for week and a pitcher will get you dizzy.
because some alcohol will buildup from 0.05 to to 1% by wikipedia
I never mesure the percentage my self, but I would say its from 1 to 2 %
these alcohol percentage seams not mutch but the brew is not just water an alcohol
impurities allso add up to the dizzyness,
add hops and you got yourself a cheep homemade beer like drink in a week.

Step 1: Ingredients

I usualy make 25 liters of kvass ( pictures are from 25l bacth)
but will make this instrucable to make it in one liter bottle
so that you can first make small amount
and see if you like it or not

You will need for 1l bottle

water 800ml
yeast 1 teasoppn ( dry for small amount because you dont need much,
live for big amount because its cheaper )
sugar about 40g more for more alcohol
black bread about 50g or just use one slice
the numbers dont have to be perfect

for 10l you will need

700g black bread
500g sugar
20g yeast ( if useing live yeast dissolve it in tepid water with a little sugar )

optional

almost any think with flavor can be added I tried it with lemon, rasins, hops (almost tasted like beer )

equipment

for one liter but you should make more

twist cap botle 1l ( some air space will be needed about 1/6 )
or other pressure tight container like keg

Step 2: Burning

burn your bread literaly, I usualy put my bread in oven with max heat till some smoke apears
but if you are makeing less than 10l this would be impractical
bread has to be compleately dry ( to give all the taste) and burned (gives a nice collor)
you could just burn it on dry pan or any way you like.

Step 3: Brew

my teabag metod is put burned bred in a sack and boil it in a pot wich is mutch easier for bigger quanities

brew burned bread with boiling hot water and wait for water to get nice dark collor
the procese can be repeted for more collor and taste
ti would require less bread but I am too lazy to brew it more than once because the water takes long time to boil.
you dont need all water to brew, if you are makeing one liter it can be done in a cup later simply add more water

Step 4:

let the brew cool down till its tepid (becouse hot brew would kill the yeast) ,
pour it into bottle add some water if needed (leave airspace about 1/6)
add yeast sugar, cap it and shake ot dissolve sugar and yeast

If you would like to add some flavoring like herbs, hops, mint, lemon peal or anything you like now is the time
but for the first time I sudgest to make it with no flavoring
If you decide to add hops brew it with boilig water, filter then pour into kvass in small portions stir up and taste to get any bitternes you like, remember its very easy to put too mutch and ruin it all

put the cap on top but dont seal it, the gas need to get out fot the fist day
if you are makeing big amount
the first day of brewing can be done in a bucket or barrel, then jut pour it into bottles and seal

after one day seal the cap tightly it will create pressure for the kvass to carbonate

by the third day slowly open the cap to let all the pressure out and taste
I usualy taste it earlier but the tase is the best after three, four days,
after a week it would be realy strong

keep it in the fridge when it reatched the taste you like
it will slow down the further fermentation

more sugar could be added before drinking ( dont add all sugar at once because
yeast will react and make bubbles witch could rise over the top)
but dont sweeten big amounts becouse in time it will turn into alcohol

there are many other species of kvass but I haven't tried to make it from anything other than bread

I think i have said everything
but If you have any questions feel free to ask.