Difference between kvass and beer.

Fermented beverages are very popular among our compatriots. Take at least good old mead, young wine, beer or kvass. If the first drinks contain a sufficiently high percentage of alcohol, then the latter are considered to be lighter. However, their use is due to different purposes. If beer is drunk in order to relax after a hard working week, then kvass is usually used to quench thirst on hot days. Is that really the whole difference between the two drinks? Let's take a closer look at how kvass differs from beer.

Definitions

Kvass is a traditional Slavic drink with a minimum alcohol content, prepared on the basis of fermentation. Raw materials for its creation can be not only bread, flour and malt, but also beets, fruits, berries. The addition of honey, fragrant herbs and foundation helps to give the drink a unique taste and aroma. Since ancient times, kvass has served as the basis for cold stews in Russia. In the interval between the 9th-15th centuries, it began to contain a significant percentage of alcohol, in connection with which it was considered an intoxicated drink. It was not for nothing that drunkards were called "fermentors" in those days. Today in Russia, Belarus and Ukraine, the drink is elevated to the rank of national.

Kvass

Beer is a low-alcohol drink prepared on the basis of alcoholic fermentation of malt wort with the participation of yeast and the addition of hops. Distributed all over the world, it is especially popular due to its pleasant taste and light intoxicating effect. There are about a thousand varieties of this drink. Beer types can vary significantly in taste and alcohol content. It is believed that this drink originated in the prehistoric era. The earliest written mention of it dates back to the 5th century BC. NS. In ancient China, beer was brewed from sprouted rice, in Armenia - from barley, while the Germanic and Celtic tribes used wheat, oats, rye and millet as the basis. Surprisingly, in the Middle Ages, the production of the drink in Europe moved to monasteries. The monks improved the technology of its preparation, starting to use hops as a preservative.

Beer

Comparison

First of all, let's talk about the methods of making drinks. Kvass is obtained by fermentation of wheat or barley malt, sugar and water with the addition of rye crackers. However, some of its types are created on the basis of various fruits and berries. Be that as it may, kvass is distinguished from beer by the absence of hops. In addition, during the preparation of the drink, alcoholic fermentation stops quickly enough. In this regard, kvass contains only negligible traces of alcohol (on average from 0.1 to 1%). However, a drink prepared from plant materials, be it radish or beetroot, does not have a heady effect at all.

As for beer, its production technology is also based on the fermentation of malt with the participation of yeast. However, in addition to this, hops are added to the drink. In comparison with kvass, alcoholic fermentation here takes a little longer. The strength of the drink directly depends on its duration. It usually ranges from 4 to 8%.

Another difference between kvass and beer lies in the taste. The first drink is sweeter, with noticeable sour notes. It is an excellent thirst quencher. Beer has a pronounced hop flavor and aroma. In terms of its effect on the human body, kvass is considered a healthier drink. Due to its carbon dioxide content, it promotes rapid digestion and assimilation of food. It also contains various vitamins, trace elements and free amino acids. By its effect on the body, kvass is comparable to such drinks as kefir, yogurt, koumiss, etc. Few people know that it can be used as the main source of nutrition. In years of famine, kvass saved people from exhaustion.

It's fair to say that beer is rich in B vitamins, flavonoids and minerals. Its use prevents the formation of kidney stones. This is where the beneficial properties of beer end. Passion for this drink not only provokes the emergence of alcohol dependence, but is also fraught with the development of hypertension and arrhythmia. It leads to metabolic disorders and the emergence of a "beer belly", which is the first step towards obesity. And this is only a small part of the harmful consequences of the abuse of the intoxicated drink.

We have found the answer to the question, what is the difference between kvass and beer. We will try to systematize the results obtained.

Table

Kvass Beer
Prepared without hopsBrewed with hops
Can be made with fruits and berriesProduced only through fermentation of malt
The alcoholic fermentation process stops quicklyThe alcoholic fermentation takes longer
Alcohol is either minimal or absent altogetherThe average strength of the drink is 4-8%
It has a sweetish-sour tasteThe taste is pronounced hoppy
Brings great benefits to the bodyCauses serious harm to human health
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