Gira (Lithuanian Rye Bread Kvass)
In short: A tangy, lightly fizzy Lithuanian drink fermented from toasted dark rye bread, water, sugar and raisins, served well chilled in summer. It takes about 30 min in total and makes 8 servings.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 15 min
- Resting
- 48 h
- Total
- 30 min
- Servings
- 8
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Calories
- 60 kcal
Gira is Lithuania's bread drink, closely related to kvass, and it is a favorite in summer, served ice cold. Toasted dark rye bread is steeped in water, sweetened and fermented briefly with a little yeast and raisins until lightly sour and fizzy. The flavor is malty, slightly bitter from the toasted crust and gently sweet. It contains a trace of alcohol from fermentation.
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 200°C (400°F). Spread the bread cubes on a tray and toast them for 12 to 15 minutes, stirring once, until deeply browned but not burnt.
- Put the toasted bread in a large clean pot or jar and pour over the boiling water. Cover and steep for 4 to 6 hours at room temperature, until the liquid is amber and tastes of toasted bread.
- Strain the liquid through a fine sieve or cloth, pressing the bread, and discard the solids. Let the liquid cool until lukewarm, below 35°C (95°F), then stir in the sugar until dissolved and sprinkle in the yeast.
- Cover loosely with a cloth and leave at room temperature for 24 hours, up to 48, until small bubbles form and the smell is lightly sour.
- Pour the gira into clean plastic bottles, adding a few raisins and a little mint to each and leaving 5 cm (2 in) of space at the top. Seal and leave at room temperature for 12 hours for a little fizz.
- Chill for at least 4 hours before drinking. Open the bottles slowly and drink within 5 days.
Tips
- Use plastic bottles and squeeze one now and then to check the pressure. Fermenting liquid can burst glass bottles, so refrigerate it as soon as it turns fizzy.
- Toast the bread very dark but never black. Burnt bread makes the gira bitter.
Questions and answers
Is gira alcoholic?
Only slightly. Fermentation makes a small amount of alcohol, usually under 1 percent after a short ferment. A longer ferment makes it stronger, so keep it short and refrigerate it.
How long does homemade gira keep?
Up to 5 days in the fridge. Open the bottle slowly, because it keeps fizzing.
Can I flavor gira?
Yes. Add a few raisins, a lemon slice or a sprig of mint before the second ferment. Keep additions small so the bread flavor still shows.
How long does it take to make Gira (Lithuanian Rye Bread Kvass)?
About 30 min in total: 15 min of preparation and 15 min of cooking.
How many calories are in Gira (Lithuanian Rye Bread Kvass)?
About 60 kcal per serving, with 1 g of protein, 14 g of carbohydrates and 0 g of fat. These values are estimates.
Nutrition per serving
| Calories | 60 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 1 g |
| Carbohydrates | 14 g |
| Fat | 0 g |
| Fiber | 0 g |
| Sugar | 10 g |
| Sodium | 90 mg |
Estimated values, calculated from the ingredients.
