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In the late fall, you can find fresh cranberries at most supermarkets. They have such a brief season; you need to snap them up while you can.
When they're available, I make cranberry kvass - a wintertime riff on my fruit kvass recipe. It's sweet and tart with a delicate effervescence. And you only need a handful of ingredients.
If you're unfamiliar with it, kvass is a fermented drink from Eastern Europe. Traditionally, it's made with stale bread such as sourdough rye bread, honey, or similar sweetener, and a starter culture that acts as a sort of wild yeast and lactic acid bacteria. It ferments for a few days at room temperature, and then the fermentation process infuses it with beneficial bacteria.
This version, which uses cranberries instead of bread, tastes delicately tart and has a lovely color that borders between scarlet and pink. Once you've got the hang of making it, you can also adjust the recipe by adding other fruits or spices (ginger and apples are some of our favorite additions);
Why You'll Love It
Like other fermented drinks, cranberry kvass is packed with beneficial bacteria that help support gut health and the immune system.
It's easy to make. Mix the ingredients in a jar and wait for a few days while the good bacteria work. Then strain and bottle. That's it.
Cranberries are loaded with vitamin C and phenolic compounds that help reduce oxidative stress.
Ingredients + Substitutions
Cranberries give the kvass its vibrant scarlet color and its tart, fruity flavor. You can use fresh or frozen cranberries. If using frozen berries, thaw them first. Chopping the berries before fermenting them encourages them to release their color and flavor into the kvass.
Raw honey provides sweetness and provides fuel for the beneficial microbes responsible for fermentation. You can use any caloric sweetener, including minimally processed sugar, such as turbinado sugar or another natural sweetener like maple syrup. You can adjust the amount of honey you use, but I recommend adding at least 1 tablespoon and no more than ¼ cup.
Salt provides flavor and a dose of minerals. Some people avoid salt and prefer adding a little tarter cream instead.
A starter culture kickstarts fermentation. Kvass is a yeast-based ferment that is ready in a few days.
What kind of starter?
Traditional kvass uses a grain-based starter similar to sourdough starter. You can also use yeast water, ginger bug, kombucha, jun, or water kefir. Some people like to use a package of active dry yeast instead of a wild starter.
Recipe Tips
Pay attention to temperature. Your drink will ferment faster in a warm kitchen and more slowly in a cold one.
Flip-top bottles seal in the bubbles created by fermentation, making your kvass fizzy. Transferring your bottles to the fridge for a few days supports carbonation. Filling your bottles to the shoulder (right where the bottle begins to narrow) helps ensure a fizzy brew.
Burping your jar helps release excess gas that builds up during fermentation. If the jar hisses when you open it, it's a good sign your kvass is ready.
You can crush the cranberries with a potato masher instead of chopping them.
How to Serve It
I often serve cranberry kvass at the holiday table, along with other winter drinks such as honey-mulled wine or cranberry cider.
It's delicious served over ice or blended with a little apple cider or citrus juice.
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Variations
Ginger is an excellent addition to cranberry kvass (it also gives this cranberry compote a delicious kick). Chop a 1- to 2-inch knob of ginger and add it to the jar along with the cranberry, honey and other ingredients.
Apples, pear, and citrus fruit can also taste delicious. Chop them coarsely and add them to the fermentation jar at the same time as the cranberries.
Patti says
Last year I found 2lb bags for .99 cents so I thought I’d give everything a try. I canned juice, fermented and froze cranberries. I am not a huge fan of kvass, but this cranberry is the best ever! Cranberry juice without the sugar. I have expiremented with fermenting 3-5 days and watching to make sure I don’t see yeast. I used kombucha as my starter. Frozen berries worked out well also which allows me to drink it when I want.
Brenda says
Is starter active or discard?
Jenny McGruther says
Hi Brenda -
It doesn't matter. You can use either discard or proofed. Both are a source of wild yeast (as long as your starter isn't too old).
Jessica says
Tried it this weekend and just uncorked the first bottle. It was good - a little fizzy, sweet from the honey.