Beet Kvass

Submitted by Dwight Schrute

Ingredients

• x2 1 Gallon Fermentation Jars
• 2.5 lbs Whole Beets
• 2 chili peppers
• 6 tbsp dried sumac***
• 2 tbsp salt
• 6 tbsp sauerkraut juice
• Water from tap or hose
• quality honey if you’re a pansy who needs your kvass to be hipster and sweet.

Instructions

• Cut beets into small pieces. There is no need to remove the skin. The mineral rich soil of Schrute Farms will only aid in the nutritional benefits of this beverage. Divide evenly among the two fermentation jars.
• Chop chili peppers and divide evenly among the jars. Exclude the seeds if you‘re a wimp who can’t handle a little spice.
• Add 1 tbsp of salt and 3 tbsp sumac to each jar
• Add 3 tbsp of sauerkraut juice to each jar to encourage fermentation
• Fill remainder of jar with water from the tap (or hose, if you’re a real outdoorsman) 3/4 of the way to the top
• Top fermentation jar with fermentation lid
• Let sit in warm, dark place for 5 days for the first fermentation. Check occasionally that the carbonation gas is properly exiting the jar unless you’re hoping to make a beet bomb. There are better ways to make a bomb, trust me.
• Keep an eye out for Kahm, a common whitish yeast. There is no need to panic if you see it. Just scrape it off, ya wuss.
• Strain liquid through a fine mesh strainer. Set aside beets. You can use those beets for composting, beet salad, whatever you want. They’re your beets. I don’t care.
• Store in fermentation jars as is or you can add 2.5 tbsp of honey per 32 oz-ish jar. Be sure to leave some head space for carbonation. Let sit in a warm, dark place for 1 week.
• Store in a cold place like a refrigerator. Some of you hipsters would love this over your seltzer and lemon to add some probiotic benefits.

**You’ve never heard of Sumac? I figured. This is the error of modern medicine at work, people. Sumac was used during medieval times to build immunity and cure common ailments. Also, you can smoke the leaves.

Sumac, according to the Huffington Post:

• is high in antioxidants. Eating foods high in antioxidants can help prevent heart disease and breast cancer and treat osteoarthritis.
• can help lower blood sugar levels. One study found that consuming sumac helped type 2 diabetics by lowering blood glucose levels and increasing levels of good cholesterol.
• is high in vitamin C which is involved in many body functions, including formation of collagen, absorption of iron, the proper functioning of the immune system, wound healing, and the maintenance of cartilage, bones, and teeth.

Traditionally, beet kvass has been used to support immune function, cleanse the blood, combat fatigue and chemical sensitivities, allergies and digestive problems, and is especially good for those suffering from constipation or sluggish liver.