Malta & kvass

[unkle bik]

Anybody know anything about a non-alcoholic beverage made from malt called "malta"?

How about kvass which is a low-alcohol beverage (2-3%) made from rye?

[Payson]

Malta is available locally (SC) in the ethnic section of most supermarkets. It's of Spanish origin I believe. Kvass is Russian I think. I've seen it at a local Russian restaurant but haven't tried it. By the way, malta is non alcoholic due to no yeast being added to it. It's basically unfermented, carbonated wort.

[fretlessman71]

HEY... could you take malta and add yeast to it to get beer? Just a thought...

[unkle bik]

That's a thought worth looking into. One would assume that it contains preservatives such as sodium bezoate that would hinder fermentation, but I could be wrong.

[fretlessman71]

I think I've had a variety of that before... "Malta Goya" I think. If so, that's one HELL of a strong wort! You could almost pour that on your pancakes!

[brewmonkey]

IIRC Malta is quite popular in Puerto Rico and is available in the US atmost grocery stores. I have seen it around my house in the recent past.

[barley ben]

I bought some and couldn't drink the stuff. I was thinking the same thing but waited too long to try. The girly threw it out because nobody would drink the stuff and it was taking up fridge space. Don't know if it would have been worth the effort anyway. That's alot of bottles you would have to buy even for 1 gallon.

[steveh]

Originally posted by Payson
It's basically unfermented, carbonated wort.

That's just about how I'd describe non-alcoholic beer, there's just something about it that is too sweet - not smooth enough.

S.

[danno]

on one of the other forums I frequent, people swear by Malta Goya for starters. No messing around with boiling up a cup of wort, just pour it in your flask and add the yeast...

[fretlessman71]

More info, please! We need more info!

[unkle bik]

Originally posted by fretlessman71
More info, please! We need more info!

I second the motion.
Anybody have more info on kvass?

[fretlessman71]

Originally posted by danno
on one of the other forums I frequent, people swear by Malta Goya for starters. No messing around with boiling up a cup of wort, just pour it in your flask and add the yeast...

Hey, I'm serious, danno.... send me some info on this! Just bought a 6er of Malta Goya, and I have a new appreciation for it. It's barley and hop soda... it's really good!

I'm very willing to sacrifice a bottle for a starter, though... got a link?

[danno]

fret, I found a couple of sites, but not really any instructions, just people using it in place of boiling up a starter. most users shake it up in order to degas it....

http://hbd.org/hbd/archive/1562.html#1562-17 (2/3 the way down the contents)

http://forum.northernbrewer.com/search.php enter in "malta goya" and check "search for all terms"

[fretlessman71]

OK... now, I want to know if anyone can find a recipe for Malta. Every time I do a search for it I end up with all of this historical data on some island somewhere...

Call me weird, but I really like Malta Goya, and I'm even considering stealing a 6er worth of wort from every batch so I can make some out of whatever I'm brewing that day. Something to sip on while I'm waiting for my brew to do its thing, maybe?

[mlsuggs]

Howdy, Fretless! How's things down in your neck o' the woods? Started that chocolate mead yet?

Kvass is indeed Russian. The most basic description of the brewing process is: Toast about 1 lb of dark rye bread. Make a "tea" of this (boil the bread in the water). Add sugar. Pitch yeast when cool. Drink while still in primary fermentation (fizzy, but low-alcohol).

Variations include: Add beet juice. Add mint. Add one of a small handful of other flavorings.

If you can find an ethnic Russian grocer, they'll have bottles (usu. 2-liter soda-style bottles) of kvass, as well as an "instant kvass extract" (just add water, sugar, yeast). Have had both, and am working on a homemade version.

Warning: for some reason, non-Eastern-Europeans don't seem to like kvass much. Too heavy on the rye, I think. I'm OK with it--but then, I've got a *very* broad, inclusive palate.

YMMV.

Brew good things!

--Michael Suggs

[Payson]

Fret-
I've got a Malta recipe.... I'll find it this evening and post it as soon as I can put my hands on it.

[Payson]

Here it is:

3.75# Light DME
3/4 oz Hallertauer boiling hops
1/2 oz Hallertauer aroma hops

Boil DME and aroma hops for 45 min. Add 1/4 tsp irish moss and boil additional 15 minutes. Remove from heat and add aroma hops. Steep for a few minutes. Chill, strain hops and hot break however you wish. Chill to just above freezing and allow cold break to settle roughly 24 hours. Siphon into keg, force carbonate and consume. Need less to say, you can filter prior to kegging. Keep as cold as possible to prohibit wild yeast growth. (No yeast is ever intentionally added)

[ReverendBeat]

I had kvass once in Russia. I remember not liking it, but then again, my palate has changed. It actually came out of the back of a tanker truck, like the ones the deliver fuel oil. I think we brought our own jug, and paid to have it filled up. Hilarious. I wish I had it with me right now, but I remember seeing a recipe in The Alaskan Bootlegger's Bible. Whole lotta information on making obscure alcohols in that book.

What I don't remember is the beets everyone kept mentioning. The Kvass was definitely a milky clear color, not a hint of red. I remember having a cold soup made from putting greens, cukes and the like into it. Definitely use stale bread (I wouldn't use most store-bought bread, Russian bread does not contain preservatives, and takes 3 days to get stale, but you can get it still warm). Make a lot of it, so you can acquire the taste.

[newportstorm]

Here's a recent stab at a Kvass - a collaboration between East End Brewing & Tom Baker, formerly of Heavyweight Brewing. Any Pittsburgh area people should check it out.

http://beeradvocate.com/forum/read/836562

Cheers!