Probably, representatives of the older generation remember well the song performed by the legendary “Pesnyars” with the words: “And the Motherland generously gave me birch sap, birch sap” ...
This nectar of early spring with an illuminating sweetish note is dear to the heart of every Russian and has been appreciated from time immemorial. It is consumed fresh, they make healing kvass from birch sap and even moonshine.
The juice is not only tasty, but also useful, especially after winter avitaminosis, as it is rich in vitamins C and group B, as well as trace elements. It is drunk to increase immunity, and simply because it is delicious. He also has healing properties, helps in the treatment of a number of diseases:
- perfectly cleanses the body, removes toxins and deposits in blood vessels, joints;
- strengthens the cardiovascular system;
- improves brain activity;
- enhances physical endurance, gives energy;
- useful for people who have problems with the gastrointestinal tract, since it restores the acid-base balance;
- due to its diuretic properties, it removes excess water from the body, relieves swelling and partially regulates blood pressure;
- boosts immunity.
However, despite the obvious benefits, people with kidney stones and peptic ulcers should not be overly addicted to them.
Note that birch kvass retains all the beneficial properties of juice.
Important... Kvass prolongs the shelf life of the valuable juice up to six months, while sterilization significantly reduces its benefits.
"Spines" of the resulting carbon dioxide improve the taste, perfectly quenching thirst, refreshing in the heat. Drinking a glass of birch kvass daily, you will quickly feel improvements:
- in a week or two, vitamin deficiency and spring depression will pass, energy and efficiency will increase;
- prebiotic bacteria that are invariably present in fermentation products, along with the vitamin-mineral complex of kvass, improve the work of internal organs: improve digestion, get rid of poisons accumulated in the liver and kidneys;
- the skin is healed, there is an active elimination and healing of youthful acne;
- the condition of hair and nails improves: fragility is eliminated. Hair begins to grow better, has a healthy look.
Attention. For beauty, they use, in addition to the use of kvass, masks and lotions from it.
Harvesting sap without damaging the tree
A healthy adult birch can safely release up to 7 liters of valuable sap (or sap, as it is called in another way). But it is worth taking care of its capabilities and then in the spring it will be possible to again use the bounty
Carefully. If too much juice is taken away, the birch may die.
Therefore, do not be greedy and carefully "heal" the wounds after taking the healing liquid so that the tree has enough nutrition for further development.
Some "tourists" use this technique: they break off a twig from a birch, and insert a stump into a bottle. Then the collected raw materials are taken away, and the wounds on the trees are left. A broken branch can also kill the tree!
Therefore, the best method is this:
Take a small diameter tube (silicone, metal, wood) and drill a hole in the birch tree exactly to size (no deeper than 5 cm), at a distance of about half a meter from the ground. Insert the tube tightly into it and lower the tip of the tube into the jar. You can use a groove instead of a tube.
Peculiarities. A good container for collecting birch sap is plastic water bottles for 5-6 liters. But it is advisable to store the juice in glass.
After taking the juice in reasonable quantities, a wooden cork (a piece of a dry twig, etc.) is driven into the hole. The cork will quickly swell and seal the wound. It is advisable to additionally grease the chopik with garden varnish before hammering in order to protect the birch from possible infection.
How to cook at home
With honey and lemon
The sweet and sour tingling taste will appeal to both adults and children. Take:
- 10 liters of fresh birch sap;
- 50 g raw baker's yeast;
- 200 g (half a glass) honey;
- juice from 1-3 lemons (to taste).
Mix a glass of soda and yeast, and let rise. Add honey, stir. Then - lemon juice.
Mix the mass with birch sap. You can - in a large bottle or in a saucepan, then pour into three-liter cans (not to the very top) and close with nylon lids. Leave in room conditions. After 3-4 days, the drink is ready.
Yeast-free, with bread leaven
This kvass is prepared using ready-made bread sourdough. Let's take:
- 10 liters of juice;
- 3-4 tablespoons of honey;
- 7 tablespoons of bread leaven.
We mix the ingredients. We insist in the room for 3-4 days. We bottle it and send it to the coolness of the basement or cellar for a couple of weeks.
Advice. For a richer color and bready flavor, add 500 grams of dried rye bread crumbs.
When bottling, strain.
How to make kvass using raisins?
The addition of raisins is due to the fact that from this the kvass acquires additional sharpness, the amount of carbon dioxide in it increases. This makes it even more pleasant to drink, and at the same time it is hundreds of times more useful than store-bought carbonated drinks made from chemical components.
Note. Before adding raisins to kvass, do not soak it.
You don't need to wash it. And if you wash it - then not for long, with cold water. The wild yeast on the surface will create a light fermentation effect, even in cool conditions.
With raisins and dried fruits
This recipe will help add a pleasant fruity note to the finished kvass. Choose dried fruits to your taste, you can - mix (pears, apples, cherries, prunes, dried apricots, etc.). For a long time, a recipe has been known according to which, based on 10 liters of birch sap, they take:
- 200 g raisins;
- 500 g of dried apples.
You can cook in a 20-liter enamel pot. The mixture is left warm, covered for about a week. When "pungency" appears, kvass can be filtered, bottled and capped (from this time it can be kept cool).
Attention. To protect the kvass from insects, it is advisable to cover the pan with gauze (in 2-3 additions), and then with a lid.
If you do not filter, but take the pan to the basement with all the contents, then day by day the drink will become tastier and stronger.
Making this kvass on the basis that children will also drink it, you can add half a glass of sugar, and at the end of fermentation, strain.
With dark raisins
This kvass is prepared in early spring, but it will gain the necessary properties only by summer. It is pleasant not only to drink it, but also to cook okroshka on it (see:). It does not lose its healing properties for a long time.
Take 10 liters of birch sap and 80 large black raisins. Mix everything in a large bottle, close the lid tightly and send to the cellar where it will slowly ripen. The ready-made drink can be bottled, corked and used all summer long.
Children's sparkling nectar with orange
This naturally carbonated, sweet and tasty kvass is very popular with children. And the benefits from it are hundreds of times greater than from "chemical" drinks.
For 2.5 liters of fresh birch sap you will need:
- 1 orange, chopped
- a handful of raisins (50 g);
- 10 g raw baker's yeast;
- a couple of twigs with mint and lemon balm leaves. Considering that natural birch sap occurs only in early spring - it can be dried, but better than fresh;
- 1 cup of sugar.
Distance yeast (knead, add a pinch of sugar, a little juice, wait until they begin to rise). Mix everything except the raisins in a jar. Put in a warm place for a couple of days.
When fermented, pour into half-liter glass bottles. Add 3 raisins to each, seal securely and send to the cellar or refrigerator. In a day, sweet birch kvass is ready.
Advice. Bottles with clips (eg from) are good for capping.
Lemonade kvass
This kvass with lemon is an excellent immune stimulant, besides, it is delicious and refreshing. Both adults and children will like it.
A simple option is to replace the orange with lemon in the previous recipe. But a drink with honey is more useful. So let's take:
- 10 liters of fresh birch sap;
- juice from 3-4 lemons;
- 3 tablespoons of honey;
- 50 g raw yeast;
- 50 g raisins.
Mix all the ingredients at once, stir. There is a possibility - we close the whole drink in one container, no - we pour it into cans, distributing the raisins equally. We put it in the cool. After 3-4 days, kvass is ready for use.
Delicious coffee kvass with black bread
This invigorating drink based on birch sap acts as an energy drink, giving vigor and a surge of strength. The taste strongly resembles bread kvass.
- 2.5 liters of birch sap;
- 150 g crusts from black Borodino bread;
- 50 g raisins;
- 0.5 cups of sugar;
- 50 g of coffee beans (some consider the number of beans as raisins.
Roast the coffee beans in a dry frying pan, stirring occasionally. Fry the crusts of bread in the oven. In a jar, fill in all the ingredients with birch sap. We put on a rubber medical glove, fasten it with an elastic band on the neck of the can.
After 2-3 days, the glove will "raise its hand", then pierce one of the fingers with a needle. If it inflates strongly, we pierce the other finger as well. We wait until fermentation is over and the glove falls off. We filter the kvass, cork it in bottles, for a couple of days - in the refrigerator or basement. You can serve!
Dark birch-barley kvass
The rich color of dark beer and the slightly intoxicating properties of this kvass will appeal to lovers of refreshing drinks with a slight degree.
You need to take 1 kg of selected barley, rinse it, dry it, and then fry it in a dry frying pan until golden or almost brown. Pour into a container, pour 10 liters of fresh birch sap. Cover and ferment in the room. Try it periodically.
A few days later, when a light hoppy taste is already felt, pour into bottles, cork and send to the cellar. Stored for up to six months, without changing the taste and useful properties. An open bottle should be drunk in a day or two.
Spicy citrus kvass with ginger and oranges
For those who love the spicy pungency of ginger and a refreshing orange, this recipe is perfect. Would need:
- 3 liters of birch sap;
- 2 oranges;
- 50g grated fresh ginger root;
- 5 g of fast-acting dry yeast;
- 1 tsp honey;
- 150 g sugar;
- 15 mint leaves (fresh or dried);
- 0.5 lemon - optional.
Chop oranges and lemons, grate ginger. Place in a fermentation vessel and add honey, yeast, sugar, mint leaves. Heat birch sap to 25-28 ° С. Pour in the ingredients, making sure the container is no more than 2/3 full. Cover with a thick cloth and leave warm overnight. Then bottle, seal and store cool.
Sweet kvass without yeast with dried fruits
For 5 liters of birch sap, take:
- 250 g of any dried fruit that you like;
- 1.5 cups of sugar;
- 50 g raisins.
Dissolve sugar in strained birch sap, add raisins. Cover, leave warm for three days, then strain, bottle, add 3 raisins for every half liter, seal and send in the cold for a week.
Is fermented birch sap suitable for kvass?
As a rule, even in the refrigerator, freshly picked birch sap is stored for no more than two to three days. Many believe that such a product is already spoiled and cannot be saved. And here it is in vain, because it is perfect for kvass, but only if the fermentation process has just begun. Do not wait, but turn the juice into kvass, which is stored much longer and prolong the benefits of a natural Russian healer.
You can use a simple recipe from what is at hand. For 2.5 liters of soda, take 1.5 cups of sugar (honey), a handful of raisins and a few dried crusts of black bread.
The kvass became viscous. Can he be saved?
Kvass sometimes becomes viscous, although it does not change its taste. This happens more often with sugary drinks.
Most likely, not the best processes began in kvass, and the best solution would be to put a mash on it and overtake it. Birch moonshine is clean and pleasant to drink.
Conditions and terms of storage of birch kvass
It is believed that birch kvass is stored for no longer than three months. However, experts claim that they drink it all summer and even a whole year, until the new sap harvest. In most cases, hermetically sealed kvass in the basement can be stored for up to six months. That is, if there is enough supply, then you can drink it all summer.
Birch sap is only available in early spring, usually in April. You can save the taste, benefits and the unique composition of trace elements and vitamins not only in jars, but by preparing kvass on its basis. The drink can be prepared not only on the basis of bread, but also on birch sap - this makes the drink soft and refreshing.
Variants of kvass preparation with raisins and dried fruits, with barley and bread give a variety of tastes: from sour yeast to sweet fruit.
Kvass with barley
Making kvass from birch sap at home is not a troublesome business, as inexperienced housewives might think. The addition of barley will give a flavor similar to the usual yeast flavor.
Ingredients:
- fresh - 3 l;
- barley - 1 cup (about 100 gr);
Preparation:
- Strain the birch sap through several layers of gauze, removing dirt, chips and bark. Put in a cool place for 1-2 days.
- Pour the barley grains into the pan and fry. If fried until golden brown, the drink will become delicate and soft in taste. If you fry until dark, almost black, the kvass will be bitter.
- Pour the barley into the juice. If you do not want the grains to float in a bottle with kvass, they can be tied in a gauze bag and thrown into the bottle.
- Kvass should be infused for at least 3-4 days in a warm room. The drink should be stirred periodically. Over time, it acquires a dark color and rich barley flavor.
- After a few days, kvass can be filtered and poured into glass bottles.
- Store the drink for up to six months in a cellar or other cool place.
Such a natural birch-barley kvass is an excellent solution for filling with traditional homemade. It has the freshness of birch sap and sourness with a bit of bitterness from barley.
Kvass with raisins and dried fruits
The raisins in the composition are the basis of fermentation. Dried fruits will help add a fruity note to the drink.
You will need:
- fresh birch sap - 3 l;
- dried fruits - 0.6-0.8 kg;
- - 200 gr. or 1.5-2 cups.
You will need:
- fresh birch sap - 3 l;
- bread - 300 gr;
- sugar - ½ cup;
- your choice: a handful of raisins, mint leaves, black currant, barley or coffee beans.
Preparation:
- Strain the juice through several layers of gauze to get rid of dirt: pieces of wood and debris. If the juice is freshly picked, it is better to insist 1-2 days in a cool place before making kvass.
- Cut the bread into cubes and make crackers: put and dry on a baking sheet in the oven or fry without oil in a pan.
- In a glass container, where the fermentation process will take place, we put crackers and sugar on the bottom. Fill with slightly warmed birch sap and stir. You can add your favorite flavoring ingredient: blackcurrant or mint leaves - this will give a light berry-herbal aroma. Coffee beans and barley will enhance the rye flavor.
- Close the bottle with a loose lid or tie several layers of gauze and ferment in a warm place for 3-5 days.
- After a few days, the kvass can be filtered, poured into convenient containers and stored for up to six months in a cool place.
Birch sap is a healthy dietary drink. It is obtained through small cuts in the bark of a tree, through which the liquid flows out under the influence of root pressure. It is recommended to do this in the spring, because it is during this period that it is rich in many vitamins and minerals. However, the drink should not be considered a universal remedy. The harm, like the benefits of birch sap, must be taken into account in each specific case of its intake.
The composition and benefits of the drink
You can prove the benefits of birch sap thanks to knowledge of its composition. This is the only way to understand what effect it has on the human body.
Chemical composition table and KBZhU
1 liter of fresh drink contains a number of components.
| Nutritional value of birch sap | ||
| Carbohydrates | 58.0 | G |
| Fats | 0.0 | G |
| Protein | 1.0 | G |
| Sugar | 1–4 | % |
| Ash | 0.5 | mg |
| Macronutrients / trace elements | ||
| Iron | 0.25 | mg |
| Potassium | 273.0 | mg |
| Calcium | 13.0 | mg |
| Magnesium | 6.0 | mg |
| Sodium | 16.0 | mg |
| Phosphorus | 0.01 | mg |
| Aluminum | 1.5 | mg |
| Manganese | 1.0 | mg |
| Copper | 0.02 | mg |
| Zirconium | 0.01 | mg |
| Nickel | 0.01 | mg |
| Titanium | 0.08 | mg |
| Strontium | 0.1 | mg |
| Silicon | 0.1 | mg |
| Barium | 0.01 | mg |
As for vitamins, ascorbic acid, B6 and B12 prevail among them. Sweetish taste is obtained due to the presence of fructose, glucose, lactose.
This drink is considered low-calorie, because one liter of it accounts for only 240 kcal.
This wonderful drink is useful for losing weight, as it cleanses the body of toxins, speeds up metabolism and adds vigor.
Useful properties of the product
Birch sap has many positive qualities:
- enhances immunity;
- has a tonic effect;
- relieves fatigue, lethargy, drowsiness;
- is able to relieve cough with angina in a short period of time;
- eliminates headache;
- stimulates brain activity;
- helps in the treatment of joints, removing excess salt from the body;
- removes toxins;
- normalizes metabolic processes;
- improves the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract, kidneys;
- it is prescribed as a prophylaxis for the occurrence of constipation;
- relieves the condition of patients with tuberculosis;
- helps to get rid of acne;
- has a healing effect;
- removes heat during colds;
- heals eczema and furunculosis;
- prevents hair loss and caries formation;
- relieves women from depression during menopause;
- helps to eliminate severe edema during pregnancy;
- returns male strength, normalizing potency;
- increases the body's immunity.
This medicinal drink is also allowed for children if they are over 1 year old and do not have allergic reactions to birch pollen.
In the absence of contraindications, this drink is useful for both men and women, while it will have a healing effect in the most important directions for a person.
How the beneficial properties of the drink change over time and as a result of processing
The human body receives all the healing substances of birch sap only when consumed fresh. However, both frozen and canned food has the ability to heal the body.
According to experts, you can save vitamins in this drink within two days after collection by putting it in the refrigerator. If the juice is kept in a cool place for more than 48 hours, it can easily turn sour. It is strictly forbidden to drink such a liquid in its pure form, since harmful microorganisms begin to actively develop in it, which, once in the gastrointestinal tract, cause fermentation processes, can provoke nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, weakness and deterioration of the general condition. However, do not pour out the sour drink either. By adding some components, it is easy to make excellent kvass, wine and mash from it.
- send the freshly harvested product to the freezer for storage in order to subsequently defrost it and drink or wipe the face with ice cubes, thus getting rid of wrinkles;
- prepare it for future use: the juice is heated to 80 ° C, poured into pre-washed and sterilized jars, which are then rolled up with metal lids and placed in water with a temperature of at least 85 ° C for 15 minutes.
Sometimes, lemon slices are added to the preparations of birch sap of the hostess to make the taste of the drink brighter.
In no case should you boil the drink - all vitamins in it will disappear.
Contraindications and possible harm
This medicinal drink should not be drunk by groups of people with characteristics such as:
- allergy to birch pollen;
- stomach ulcer;
- large stones in the kidneys and gallbladder;
- children's age up to 1 year;
- the appearance of a rash or skin irritation after using it.
Allergy sufferers, unfortunately, any food should be eaten with caution and listen to the body's reactions to them.
Drinking it right: daily allowance for healthy people
Despite the usefulness of this drink, a certain measure must be observed: no more than 1.5–2 liters per day for a healthy person.
Such bottles just show the approximate daily norms for the use of birch sap for an adult and a child, it is only important to understand that the drink collected according to the rules will definitely be more useful than the purchased one.
Birch sap can produce a lasting positive effect only if you drink at least a glass of this healing elixir each time before a meal. You need to observe this rule for at least 14-21 days, which will allow you to significantly improve your body and cheer yourself up. You can achieve even better results by avoiding spicy, salty, fatty foods, alcohol and cigarettes, as well as adding more fresh vegetables, fruits and dairy products to your diet.
Nuances of consumption
The drink is characterized by some features and rules of reception:
- in the first trimester of pregnancy, juice will perfectly relieve toxicosis if you drink at least 3 glasses a day;
- in the second and third trimester, it will act as a pressure regulator, bringing the readings on the tonometer back to normal;
- the drink will be of particular value during the period of breastfeeding, 100 g before each meal, since it helps to normalize lactation and milk production - however, this is acceptable only if the baby is not allergic to such an additive in the mother's diet;
- as a complementary food, this drink cannot be given to the baby - the first teaspoon diluted with water, the child can try only after a year, and then, if a negative reaction does not follow, the volume will need to be gradually increased to 100-150 ml per day, but not every day, a two or three times a week;
- with pancreatitis, it is useful to take 500 ml of pure juice 30 minutes before meals 3 times a day;
- patients with diabetes are advised to drink 100–150 ml of juice half an hour before each meal;
- juice has a low calorie content, so it will be possible to get rid of extra pounds if on an empty stomach, 30 minutes before a meal, consume a glass of fresh drink.
The property of this magical drink to cleanse and tone the body is more useful than ever during pregnancy, facilitating its course.
Birch sap kvass recipe
Making kvass will not be difficult if you strictly follow a certain recipe. The most popular: 1 liter of drink is poured into a transparent glass container, 10 raisins are thrown into it and 2 teaspoons of sugar are poured, then the container, tightly closed with a lid, is placed in a dark cool place for 3 days, after which you can drink kvass, shelf life in this case it will be two months.
You can diversify the taste of kvass with various berries, lemon or orange peel.
Unlike rye, birch kvass turns out to be light, as if saturated with the sun
Beauty recipes using the product
Birch sap can not only cure many diseases, but also heal hair. Here are some recipes:
- after each shampooing, rinse it with birch sap, which restores the hair structure, moisturizes, strengthens it and makes it shiny;
- lotion prepared from this healing liquid and honey in equal proportions, which is rubbed into the hair roots for 5-10 minutes, will help prevent the appearance of dandruff. and washed off with warm water;
- it will be possible to strengthen the strands along the entire length using a mask made of juice, a decoction of burdock and brandy, taken in equal proportions. The composition is abundantly applied to the hair, kept for 20 minutes and washed off with running water.
The healing properties of birch sap are known all over the world, it can prevent the aging process of the skin and improve its condition. There are a number of face masks with its application, for example:
- get rid of acne with a mixture of egg white, honey and birch sap in equal proportions, applied to the skin after washing in the morning and evening;
- to smooth out small mimic wrinkles, you need to prepare a mask of 200 g of grated sea buckthorn, 50 g of sprouted wheat and 2 tbsp. l. juice;
- A remedy made from juice and honey, taken in equal amounts, will help moisturize overdried skin.
Before applying any of these masks, cleanse the skin with a tonic or scrub, then gently rub the mixture and leave for 15 minutes, after which it is washed off and the face is moisturized with a cream.
There are dozens of recipes using birch sap for the beauty of skin and hair: this way this elixir of life can heal the body not only from the inside, but also from the outside.
Birch sap is an excellent remedy in the treatment of many diseases, getting rid of excess weight, improving the condition of the skin and hair. It is only important to collect it only in an ecologically clean area, never to boil so as not to lose useful vitamins and minerals, to have time to either drink it in time, or prepare it for future use or turn it into kvass, and also remember about contraindications. If you follow all the recommendations, this healing drink will largely serve to cleanse and tone the body.
Birch sap is a very tasty drink, but it is only available fresh for a short time. To preserve its beneficial properties, you can prepare it for the winter. By combining birch sap with barley, you can make a very tasty kvass, which will not only refresh, but also bring considerable health benefits.
Useful properties of birch sap and kvass from it
Kvass from birch sap with barley allows you to preserve and increase the beneficial properties of its components for 4-6 months. The beneficial properties of such a drink include the following:
- strengthening the body's defenses;
- increased vitality;
- stimulation of metabolism;
- normalization of digestion;
- cleansing the body of toxins, toxins;
- improved blood circulation;
- activation of the regenerative forces of the body.
In addition, birch kvass has a diuretic effect and at the same time is able to fill the body with vitamins B and C, micro and macroelements (including potassium, manganese, copper, calcium), organic acids and other useful substances.
Thanks to barley, birch kvass is very useful for diabetics, as it can quickly lower cholesterol and sugar levels. It is also able to strengthen tooth enamel and gums, nourish hair roots, and improve complexion.
By optimizing metabolism, kvass does not allow pathogenic flora to multiply in the intestines, and by accelerating the removal of fluid from the body, it helps to get rid of extra pounds.
It is interesting! Birch kvass perfectly refreshes in hot weather, especially if served well chilled, with traces of condensation on the bottles.
Regular consumption of this drink helps in the fight against various problems and diseases of the body:
- vitamin deficiency and a decrease in immunity;
- diseases of the gastrointestinal tract (with low acidity) and kidneys;
- joint diseases (gout, rheumatism, arthritis);
- colds, coughs.
You can also use kvass from juice with barley externally. In this case, it helps to cope with skin diseases, rashes (acne, acne, eczema, furunculosis), as well as accelerate wound healing and stop hair loss.
Contraindications and side effects
There are no direct contraindications to the use of birch sap with barley, as well as obvious side effects. You will have to refuse this drink only in case of individual intolerance or allergy to birch pollen.
Those who suffer from stomach ulcer, cholecystitis, pancreatitis, urolithiasis and dysbiosis should be very careful with birch kvass. In general, for medicinal purposes, this drink can only be used as part of complex therapy and after the obligatory consultation with a doctor.
Cooking recipes
Birch kvass can be prepared according to many recipes - based on bread, dried fruits, with barley. In any case, it is preferable to use fresh natural birch sap for cooking. You can buy it, but it's better to assemble it yourself.
Important! Front at the beginning of work, birch sap can be filtered through cheesecloth folded in several layers. This will help clear it of any debris.
Classic recipe with croutons
To create kvass according to a classic, proven recipe, you will need the following set of ingredients:
- birch sap - 10 l;
- crackers - 200 g;
- oak bark - ½ cup;
- dried cherries - 300 g;
- dill stalks - several pieces.
It is better to cook kvass in a wooden barrel. Juice is poured into it, crackers are folded into a piece of gauze. Having connected its ends so that a bag is obtained, a long rope is tied to it and the bag is lowered into a barrel. If kvass is prepared in several barrels, then there should be several bags of breadcrumbs - one for each. The top of the rope does not need to be immersed in juice.
After two days, the fermentation of the juice will begin, at this time you will need to remove the crackers from the barrel and add oak bark, cherries and dill stalks. After that, kvass will take two weeks to brew.
Important! For the preparation of kvass, you cannot use plastic containers, a birch barrel can be replaced with an enamel or glass container.
Birch kvass with barley
A very tasty drink is made from juice with the addition of barley. To make it soft, the barley grains must be fried in a dry skillet until golden brown. And if you bring them to a dark, almost black color, the kvass will acquire a bitterness. If you do not add sugar to it, the fermentation process will last a little longer, but if sugar is not contraindicated, then you can add about half a glass of sand, which will speed up the process by 2-3 days.
To prepare kvass, you first need to defend 3 liters of birch sap, leaving it in the refrigerator for 1-2 days. After frying a handful of barley, add it to a container with juice, mix well and leave the drink to infuse at room temperature for 10 days. After that, the kvass is filtered and sent to a cool storage place.
Important! In order not to need to filter the finished kvass, barley can be dipped into it in a bag.
Together with barley, you can add a small piece of honey juice to birch sap - about 6 * 6 cm. You can also get interesting taste nuances by adding raisins or crackers. If you add some berries or lingonberry leaves to a container with fermenting juice, this will increase the diuretic effect and speed up the removal of excess water from the body.
Birch kvass is an amazingly tasty drink that not only refreshes on hot days, but also brings considerable benefits to the body. The main recipe can be diversified by changing the degree of roasting of barley or adding dried fruits, honey, crackers to the drink. Having prepared birch sap with barley, you can preserve its beneficial properties for many months.
All materials on the site are presented solely for informational purposes. Before using any means, a consultation with a doctor is MANDATORY!
Updated: 08-11-2019
Surely many of us know about the beneficial properties of birch sap, the composition of which is striking in a variety of substances valuable for the human body. Kvass prepared on its basis is not only a refreshing and thirst-quenching drink, but also a real storehouse of vitamins and minerals. How to make kvass from birch sap at home with raisins, the recipes for which are quite simple, you will learn from this article.
To prepare this healthy drink, you need to know when the season for collecting the basis for its preparation is birch sap. This valuable gift of nature is harvested during the period when birches are "crying", that is, from the end of March to the beginning of the last month of spring - May.
If you yourself are going to start harvesting juice, remember that you need not miss the moment, because when leaves begin to appear on the tree, it loses its valuable properties.
There are many recipes for making kvass from birch sap at home, which result in a natural drink with interesting flavors: from sweetish fruity to sharply sour. Even a novice hostess will cope with its preparation.
In addition, to make a drink, it will take quite a bit of time, effort, as well as the necessary ingredients. We present to your attention the most popular recipes for kvass with raisins, the beneficial properties of which you will feel on your health.
Classic recipe
To prepare a drink according to this recipe, you need to stock up on the following components:
- birch sap - 3 liters;
- sugar - 2 tbsp. lies;
- raisins - 1 tbsp lies;
Cooking steps:
First of all, the harvested birch sap should be filtered through a sieve, using also two or three layers of gauze for a more thorough disposal of possible debris (pieces of bark, chips).
In addition to the drink, we will need a glass jar, a plastic bottle, as well as sugar and well-washed raisins.
Add sugar to a three-liter glass jar.
Then we put carefully washed raisins in the same jar.
Pour the prepared juice and mix the ingredients well.
We cover the can with a drink with a special nylon lid with holes or 3-4 layers of fabric and leave it in a warm place so that it begins to ferment. After 5-8 days, the kvass is ready. Now, for ease of storage and use, it can be poured into plastic bottles.
It is better to store ready-made kvass in a cellar or another dark and cool place. Properly stored, the drink does not lose its valuable properties for 2-3 months.
Kvass with raisins, prepared according to this recipe at home, will perfectly cope with quenching thirst in the hot summer heat and will be an excellent addition to both daily and holiday menus.
Kvass with dried fruits and raisins
The drink made according to the recipe below has an exquisite sweetish aftertaste with fruity notes.
To prepare it, we need to stock up on the following ingredients:
- birch sap - in the amount of 3 liters;
- dried fruits (prunes, dried apricots) - 200 grams;
- raisins - 1 glass.
How to prepare a drink:
- First, clean the birch sap from debris by filtering it using 2-3 layers of gauze.
- After that, we place the drink, poured into a glass container, in a cold place for 1-2 days, let it brew during this time.
- We sort out dried fruits, as well as raisins, getting rid of debris, and then thoroughly rinse them with running water.
- Add dried fruits and raisins to the bottle with juice, and close it using a cloth or a lid with holes.
- For 5-6 days we place the future kvass in a warm place.
If you add 3-4 tbsp to the ingredients of the drink. tablespoons of sugar, the fermentation process will be faster, and kvass can be drunk in 3-4 days.
That's it, the drink is ready. It can be poured into plastic bottles and stored in a cool place for up to 6 months.
With dark raisins
Kvass prepared according to this recipe will become an excellent basis for such a summer dish as okroshka, while all the nutrients that make up birch sap will be preserved as much as possible in this drink.
Components of the drink:
- fresh birch sap - in the amount of 3 liters;
- large raisins of dark varieties - 25 pieces.
Making this drink couldn't be easier! To make kvass according to this recipe, the juice should be well filtered, ridding it of debris, then add raisins to it, tightly close the container with the drink with a lid and place in the cellar until summer.
With orange
Kvass based on birch sap with raisins and orange will become a favorite drink for many.
Cooking components:
- birch sap - about 3 liters;
- a handful of light raisins;
- 1 medium orange;
- granulated sugar - 200 grams;
- mint (you can replace lemon balm or use both ingredients together) - several branches;
- yeast - about 10 grams.
Drink preparation process:
- The yeast must be ground with sugar, taking a small amount of it, and place the mixture in a glass container.
- Peel the orange and divide into wedges.
- Add orange slices, mint and / or lemon balm, as well as the remaining sugar to a container with yeast.
- Pour the juice over the ingredients.
- To ferment, place the drink in a warm, secluded place for 2-3 days.
- When it begins to ferment, pour the kvass into plastic bottles, adding a few pieces of raisins to each of them, and place in a cold place.
- After a day, kvass can be drunk.
With lemon
The drink prepared according to this recipe will not only perfectly cope with thirst, but also contribute to strengthening the immune system.
What do you need:
- birch sap - 10 liters;
- raisins - a small handful;
- lemon - 3 pieces;
- fresh yeast - 50 grams;
- honey - about 30 grams.
Preparation:
- As in the previous recipes, strain the juice.
- Add lemon liquid to it.
- Also place yeast, raisins and honey in a container with a drink.
- Stir the ingredients and pour into glass bottles.
- Close the bottles with the drink tightly and place them in a cold place for 3-4 days.
Kvass is ready, drink and enjoy!
Kvass from birch sap: video
In this video, you will be clearly shown the process of preparing a drink:
Now you know how to properly make kvass from birch sap with raisins at home. This drink will not only help you get rid of thirst in the summer heat, but will also become a source of energy and vivacity for the whole day.
