How To Make Beet Kvass

Beet kvass is a delicious and healthy fermented drink. It supports liver function, boosts your immune system, helps regulate blood sugar and improves blood flow, is chocked full of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, and some studies have shown that it can reduces stress! In this post I am going to show you how easy it is to make this wonderful drink right in your own kitchen!

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read the disclosure policy.

What Is Beet Kvass?

Beet kvass is a fermented drink made by submerging diced beets in a saltwater brine for a few days. After several days the water turns to a deep purple color if you use red beets, and a vibrant golden color if you use golden beets.

Beet kvass is considered a “wild” fermentation because it is the wild yeast and bacteria on the surface of the beets that is utilized to ferment the beets. These “wild” yeasts and bacteria are found on the surface of all fruits and vegetables and even in the air.

Why Should You Drink Beet Kvass?

The taste: it is delicious! It has a sweet, slightly tangy flavor and is lightly effervescent. If you don’t like the taste of beets, if you think they taste “earthy,” then try golden beets. Geosmin is the compound in beets that give them an earthy flavor and golden beets have less geosmin than red beets.

Health benefits: because beet kvass is fermented, it is rich in probiotics that support gut health. It can aid in digestion, constipation, and other issues that affect your gut microbiome. It is also high in vitamins, minerals and other beneficial compounds. Other health benefits include:

• Aids in liver detoxification
• Improves blood circulation
• Supports immune function
• Combats fatigue
• Can help to lessen allergy symptoms

Tool and Ingredients

Tools: a glass jar (I like a half gallon size, but a quart jar will work great) and a lid. You will also need a kitchen knife to chop the beets.

Ingredients: beets, water and salt.

I recommend organic beets to ensure there were no chemicals administered to the soil or root that will interfere with the “wild” fermentation.

The water needs to be non-chlorinated and the salt non-iodized.

When Is Beet Kvass Ready?

You will know your beet kvass is ready when the color of the liquid is the color of the inside of a beet. You may see some small bubbles at the top of the liquid, but the jar does not “burp” when opened and the kvass smells sightly lemony and has a clean, crips taste. The whole process should take 3-5 days, depending on the conditions in your kitchen.

When it is ready, strain the liquid out into a clean jar, place a non-reactive lid on it and pop it into the fridge. Your beet kvass is ready to enjoy just as it is or you can check out some of my recipes for a second ferement:

• Blood Orange Beet Kvass
• Golden Kiwi Beet Kvass
• Winter Kvass with Cinnamon, Clove and Orange

Tips:

• Be sure to chop your beets. If you dice them to small or grate them, they will release too much sugar and that is not what you want for this type of ferment.
• If your kvass becomes thick like syrup it likely has gone too far and you will want to pour it out and start over.
• If your kvass is too salty, try using less salt in your brine next time. The brine should be 5% salt or less.

If You Liked This Recipe Check Out Some Others

• How To Make Sauerkraut
• How To Make Kombucha
• Easy Homemade Milk Kefir