Dry, tangy, crisp and naturally fermented, GARNA Kvass is a modern British take on the traditional Eastern European fermented grain drink.
Brewed in Bermondsey, London, GARNA is made with barley malt, rye malt, live cultures and yeast. It's lightly sparkling, plant-based and contains just 0.5% ABV, delivering a complex, grown-up alternative to conventional soft drinks.
GARNA was created by Dasha & Masha, who grew up drinking kvass and missed it after moving to Britain. Their answer was to create their own: a naturally fermented kvass that stays true to the drink they remember while giving it a distinctly modern character.
Expect a dry, crisp and gently tangy drink, with the grain and malt character you'd expect from a traditionally inspired kvass. Serve well chilled and pour gently — natural sediment may occur as a result of the fermentation process.
What is Kvass?
Kvass is a traditional fermented grain drink with a history stretching back centuries in Eastern Europe. Traditionally made using rye bread or grains, water and fermentation, it develops a distinctive combination of malty, cereal-like flavours, gentle acidity and subtle sweetness.
Unlike conventional beer, kvass is typically very low in alcohol and has its own distinctive production methods and drinking traditions.
What Does Kvass Taste Like?
Kvass has a distinctive flavour that sits somewhere outside the usual categories of beer and soft drinks.
GARNA describes its kvass as dry, tangy and crisp. Barley and rye malts provide the grain character, while fermentation with live cultures and yeast adds complexity and acidity. Light carbonation gives it a refreshing finish.
If you enjoy fermented drinks, sour beers or more sophisticated alternatives to sweet soft drinks, kvass is well worth discovering.
How is Kvass Made?
Kvass is made through fermentation of grain or bread-derived ingredients.
GARNA keeps its ingredient list remarkably simple: water, barley malt, rye malt, live cultures and yeast. Fermentation develops the drink's characteristic tangy flavour and naturally produces a small amount of alcohol.
GARNA is then presented as a lightly sparkling fermented grain drink with 0.5% ABV.
Is Kvass the Same as Beer?
No. Although kvass and beer share ingredients such as malt, grains and yeast, they are different drinks with different traditions.
Kvass is traditionally produced as a lightly fermented grain or bread-based drink and generally has a much lower alcohol content than beer. Its combination of grain, acidity, gentle sweetness and fermentation gives kvass a distinctive flavour of its own.
