Kvass

Kvass (literally "leaven"; borrowed in the 16th century from Russian квас ), sometimes translated into English as bread drink, is a fermented mildly alcoholic beverage made from black or rye bread. It is popular in Russia, Belarus, Ukraine and other Eastern and Central European countries as well as in all ex-Soviet states, like Uzbekistan, where one can see many kvass vendors in the streets.

The alcohol content is so low (0.05-1.44%) that it is considered acceptable for consumption by children. It is often flavoured with fruits or herbs such as strawberries or mint. Russians also use kvass for cooking a special summer cold soup, okroshka.

History
Kvass has been a common drink in Eastern Europe since ancient times. It was at first mentioned in old-russian chronicles under 989. It has been both a commercial product and homemade. It used to be consumed widely in most Slavic countries, and in almost every city there are kvass vendors on the street.

Manufacturing


Kvass is made by the natural fermentation of bread made from wheat, rye, or barley, and sometimes flavoured with fruit, berries, raisins or birch sap collected in the early spring.

Modern homemade kvass most often uses black or rye bread, usually dried, baked into croutons (called suharki), or fried, with the addition of sugar or fruit (e.g. apples or raisins), and with a yeast culture and zakvasska ("kvass fermentation starter").

Commercial kvass is often made just like any other soft drink using sugar, carbonated water, malt extract and flavourings. Kvass is commonly served unfiltered, with the yeast still in it, which adds to its unique flavour as well as its high vitamin B content.

Variant names

 * Russian, Belarusian, Serbian and Ukrainian: квас (kvas);
 * Polish: kwas chlebowy (lit. "bread leaven"),
 * Lithuanian: gira;
 * Estonian: kali.

Kvass in Latvia
After the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991, the street vendors disappeared from the streets of Latvia due to new health laws that banned its sale on the street and economic disruptions forced many kvass factories to close. The Coca-Cola company moved in and quickly dominated the market for soft drinks, but in 1998 the local soft drink industry fought back by selling bottled kvass and launching an aggressive marketing campaign. This surge was further stimulated by the fact that kvass sold for about half the price of Coca-Cola. In just three years, kvass constituted as much as 30% of the soft drink market in Latvia, while the market share of Coca-Cola fell from 65% to 44%. The Coca-Cola company had losses in Latvia of about $1 million in 1999 and 2000. The situation was similar in the other Baltic countries and in Russia. Coca-Cola fought back by buying kvass manufacturers and also started making kvass at their soft drink plants.

Similar beverages
Other beverages from around the world that are traditionally low-alcohol and lacto-fermented include:
 * Kombucha
 * Chicha
 * Ibwatu
 * Pulque
 * Toddy
 * Malta