Re: Middle Earth brewing
Posted: Wed Mar 15, 2023 4:26 am
Not alcoholic, but I brewed my first batch of kvass over the past weekend. I like to bake bread, and although I know kvass was traditionally made with rye bread, I haven't learned how to bake rye bread yet, so I thought I'd try the wheat. I saved a few slices of a loaf that was all from hard red flour and dried them out, then toasted them - maybe a bit too dark. I put them to soak with some raisins, a spoonful of yogurt whey, and a pinch of yeast, for a couple of days.
Then I strained out the solids and had a nice clear brown liquid with a very slight fizz and a taste that took some getting used to. Turpentine came to mind at first. But I'm warming to it, and I'll keep on experimenting.
I read that kvass is traditionally brewed with sugar added, but I thought: surely in medieval Russia they would not have had that, so I wanted to try it with no sweetener, not even honey. Again, I'm getting to like the taste.
It has only a very slight fizz (a bit less than kefir), and it won't keep long. But it is refreshing, and leaves a good feeling in the belly.
Then I strained out the solids and had a nice clear brown liquid with a very slight fizz and a taste that took some getting used to. Turpentine came to mind at first. But I'm warming to it, and I'll keep on experimenting.
I read that kvass is traditionally brewed with sugar added, but I thought: surely in medieval Russia they would not have had that, so I wanted to try it with no sweetener, not even honey. Again, I'm getting to like the taste.
It has only a very slight fizz (a bit less than kefir), and it won't keep long. But it is refreshing, and leaves a good feeling in the belly.