Golden Beet Kvass

Using only filtered water, beets, ginger, turmeric and salt you can easily make a batch of this beet kvass at home.

Have you ever tried beet kvass?  Sour and sweet, with a salty earthiness, it’s a unique fermented beverage you can make right at home.

Fermenting foods is of course an old tradition.  By now we’ve all heard about yogurt and kefir, but there’s a whole world of fermentation beyond dairy.  From sauerkraut in Germany, to kimchee in Korea, and kvass in Russia, we’ve been making and consuming fermented foods of all kinds for centuries.

Fermentation literally transforms food, preserving it and enhancing the bioavailability of certain nutrients.  It’s also a great way to easily get lots of gut-friendly bacteria into your diet. (I like to consume a small serving with each meal to help with digestion.)

How do you make beet kvass?

The idea of fermenting at home can be a little overwhelming at first but it’s pretty simple for the most part.  Using only filtered water, beets, ginger, turmeric and salt you can make a batch of this beet kvass at home in a matter of minutes.   It contains all of the anti-inflammatory power of ginger and turmeric and is loaded with beneficial bacteria. The most time-consuming part is waiting for the bacteria to do their thing and transform the mixture into a probiotic-filled tonic which can take anywhere from 3 day to a week depending on how warm your home is and how strong you like it.

I’ve recently discovered Mortier Pilon’s fermentation crocks which I’m really impressed with.  The Montreal based company makes a line of vegetable fermentation crocks and Kombucha jars that make fermenting super simple and accessible. They’ve rethought the traditional fermentation crock and come up with a line of modern jars that are a ⅓ of the price and a ⅓ of the weight of old fashioned stoneware ones.

Why do you need a fermentation jar?

The glass jars let you see how your ferment is progressing and won’t absorb odors while the gutter style water barrier in the lid creates an airlock that allows fermentation gases to escape while preventing mold and unwanted bacteria from getting in.  Each jar comes with a ceramic weight to keep vegetables submerged in brine and a clever chalkboard ring around the top of jar where you can jot down the date you started a new batch.

Their kombucha brewing jar comes with a spigot at the bottom and a fine mesh top so you can have a continuous brew going at all times.  Just drain the jar when you are ready to drink it, leaving about a third of the kombucha behind to act as a starter for your next batch.

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