Ingredients

The following ingredients have 4 Servings
  • 4 cups water (filtered)
  • 8 ounces strawberries (fresh or frozen when fresh are not available)
  • 1 medium-large beet (1 ½-2 cups, chopped into about 1” cubes (or larger), not grated or diced)
  • 2-4 Tablespoons fresh ginger root (chopped (optional))
  • 1 Tablespoon probiotic liquid (whey or sauerkraut juice for AIP (not one that tastes of garlic or other strong flavors))
  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1/8 teaspoon stevia (not for AIP)

Instruction

  • Place the beet pieces into a one-quart mason jar. Add the optional ginger.
  • Add the whey or kraut juice.
  • Fill the jar to within one inch of the neck with filtered water. Add the sea salt and stir well, to dissolve.
  • Cover, screwing the lid on loosely to allow gasses to escape. Or use airlock lids to ensure success (and prevent kahm yeast [see notes below in post]; see link below in Recipe Notes). Keep at room temperature and out of direct sunlight for two days in warm weather, or up to 8 days or longer in colder weather. (You may also use a warming mat or yogurt maker to maintain a steady warm temperature.)
  • After the kvass has deepened in color, has a pleasantly sour flavor, and shows signs of bubbles near the surface, or active effervescence, strain all but ¼ cup from the mason jar into a blender.
  • Add strawberries and optional stevia/maple syrup or honey. Blend 30 seconds.
  • You can serve the kvass now, but preferably continue a slow, gentle fermentation in the fridge. Transfer Strawberry Beet Kvass into a 4-cup mason jar and a 2-cup mason jar. Chill and store kvass in fridge, allowing it to continue to ferment, for up to 7 days. Serve.
  • If you'd like to make another batch of kvass, the same beets can do one more round (with the reserved 1/4 cup kvass): Simply add water to the fill line again. Add 1/4 teaspoon sea salt. Stir to dissolve.
  • Again, keep the mixture at room temperature for 2-8 days minimum. After the second batch, the beets are now “exhausted” and can be composted; but ¼ cup of the strained kvass may again be used for another batch in place of whey.