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Ingredients:
4-5 lbs. Finely sliced, grated, or chopped (shredded) Cabbage
Optional:
(Suggestions for different flavors)
Caraway Seed (just a tablespoon), and/or
Onion (chunk up a whole onion, any type), and/or
Garlic (several cloves)
Jar:
5 Liter (or smaller-adjust amount of cabbage if using a smaller Jar)
Brine:
2% (20 grams of Himalayan Pink Salt per liter of water)
Ideal Temperature:
68–78°F; 68–72°F preferred
Ferment:
7-9 days on counter, and another 12 weeks in the refrigerator, or another 6 weeks at 55ºF
Preparation:
1. Remove the outer leaves of the cabbage, cut out the core, and slice the cabbage.
2. Place it loosely in the Jar with any optional ingredients under the cabbage.
3. Add the brine to fill the Jar, to just below the neck.
4. Place Brine (Submersion) Bowl, fill & insert the Airlock, lock the Jar & cover.
5. Leave at 68–78°F for 7–9 days, with 68–72°F preferred.
6. Move to the refrigerator for 12 weeks or to 55ºF cool storage for 6 weeks.
Notes:
If the juice tastes very salty or still has a cabbage flavor when the time is up, then it is not finished and it needs more time.
The cabbage can be left in the kvass until the level of liquid is becoming lower than the cabbage, at this time remove the cabbage because if it pokes out of the brine it will spoil more quickly.
For higher juice to pulp ratio, run the cabbage through a low-temperature masticating juicer, and add both the juice and the cabbage to the Jar as directed in step 2. When it is ready, strain out the pulp.
Temperature for Kvass
For the countertop phase, use 68–78°F, with 68–72°F preferred. Kvass tolerates this warmer range because it is a beverage rather than a vegetable ferment where crisp texture is the primary objective.
Carbonation & Bottle Safety
Sealing a ferment to create fizz can build dangerous pressure, even during refrigeration. Use only bottles specifically designed for carbonation. Excessive pressure can break even pressure-rated bottles and cause serious injury.
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If you want carbonation, transfer finished kvass to clean bottles specifically rated for carbonation. Ferment and store the kvass under the Airlock in the Probiotic Jar.
- Carbon dioxide is produced during fermentation. The Probiotic Jar’s Airlock allows gas to escape and is not intended for producing carbonation. Do not use the Stopper to deliberately trap gas and create fizz in the Probiotic Jar.
- Use clean bottles specifically designed for carbonation. Avoid ordinary bottles and jars that are not designed for carbonation.
- Do not overfill carbonation bottles or leave them sealed indefinitely while fermentation continues. Pressure can continue accumulating under refrigeration, and even pressure-rated bottles can fail if pressure becomes excessive.
- Place sealed carbonation bottles in a sturdy, covered secondary container in the refrigerator as an additional precaution. It may provide an additional barrier, but it cannot guarantee containment of broken glass or protection from injury.
Learn more about actual incidents of exploding glass:
Scientific background
Colorado State University Extension — Understanding and Making Kombucha