Wahaha kvass

I've often talked about how much fun I think it is to 'discover' new foods. In truth, I'm discovering them about the same way the early explorers "discovered" the south sea islands. The islands and their people were always busy, going about their business and didn't need some foreign guy to come along to discover them.  They knew they were here all along.

These interesting foods that I am describing to you have been made in some cases for thousands of years. (the Chinese ones anyway.) Even the 'modern' formulations have been made for hundreds of years. I am not really discovering anything, just finally jumping on the bandwagon of fans that have always been happily consuming them.  

Here is one that I noticed today, that had appeared on a shelf at the Silver Bell where it had not been before. It cost $1.40 for this bottle, so with such a minimal investment, I figured I couldn't go wrong, even if it tasted awful. I asked the check-out girl what it was, but because of language problems, she couldn't tell me.  

When I got home, I used the little bit of English on the label to open my eyes to a totally new product.  WHO KNEW?  (Well, besides a few billion Russians and Chinese and others.)

  

Here is the add I found on the internet that describes this drink

Wahaha Kvass
The Unique Liquid Bread
Future Cola is a carbonated drink catered to the taste of Chinese people with a high CO2 content and no preservatives. With its unique Chinese style characteristics, Future Cola has become a symbol of Chinese people's happy lives.We adopt the modern biotechnology and use the lactic acid bacteria group specifically in longevity village in the former Soviet Caucasus district with pure malt fermentation, to produce the unique kvass wort fermented drink, rich in protein, amino acids, vitamins, reducing sugars, organic acids and other Follow your feelings and enjoy the temptation of romance and passion!

Jeanne, Allie and I tasted it and found that it is quite good, if you like sweet drinks that is, and it's not really as fizzy as many other sodas are, despite what the ad says about a high CO2 content. The interesting thing about it is that after each sip, as you pause and consider the flavor, you realize that it tastes very much like a crust of rye bread. Not surprising, since that's what it's made from.

What I like, I think, even more than tasting these 'discoveries', is doing the research into them, and learning the history behind them. And I find the choice of models on this ad interesting.  How come they're not Chinese?

I learned for example that this product is a bit up an upstart. The Chinese guy that owns this company tried to move in on the established brand of Russian kvass and take a bite out of its market share, which was pretty much ALL of the market. The take-over bid didn't go so well for Wahaha at first and they had to fall back and re-group. Fortunately for them, the world is a big place and there is room in it for lots of Kvass makers. 

My new goal is to find the other, original version of kvass. It probably has a more pronounced rye bread flavor and I read that some kvass is bottled unfiltered, so yeast sediment remains. Now THAT would be a one-of-a-kind drink.

I don't really care for sugary drinks these days so I hope I can find a kvass that isn't.  

Follow up: It's a few days since I wrote the preceding, and I have found a source for Ochakovo kvas at the Skazka Deli in Newmarket. I'm not sure yet if this is the real article, like I describe in the two short paragraphs above, but here is the ad:

Soft drink Kvas Ochakovo
Weight / Package: 2 L



The history of kvass dates back to the ancient times of Russian civilization. Over the period it has been consistently modified by adding new ingredients and improving technologies of brewing. Still the authentic recipe has been kept invariable for ages.

Ancestors of Russian people knew well of the wholesome, somewhat healing properties of kvass. And it was not without reason that at that time kvass was so popular with old and young alike! Especially it was beloved by those who aspired to be vigorous and healthy!

Despite a rather long period of preponderance of Coca-cola and other foreign drinks nowadays kvass experiences a new wave of omnipresent popularity. There are a plenty of companies in present Russia manufacturing various sorts of kvass. Among the most flourishing brands is kvass Ochakovskiy.

Brewed according to the traditional recipes borrowed from old-timers of remote villages of Russia kvass Ochakovskiy is considered one of the most beloved non-alcoholic beverages by contemporary Russian people. Moreover it is in great request far beyond the Russian federation, especially in countries of CIS. And this is not surprising! Smooth delicate taste and obvious useful properties make kvass «Ochakovskiy» a superb drink for every day regardless of circumstances and weather conditions. Unique combination of fully natural ingredients (sugar, specially prepared water, rye flour, rye and barley malt, pure cultures of yeast and lactic acid bacteria) guarantee true quality and excellent taste of genuine kvass «Ochakovskiy»!

Newmarket is the last stop by train before Auckland. The deli looks (from google maps) to be no more than one half kilometer or so from the station. I have a new adventure to go on!

I'll know lots more once I talk to the people that run the place and try my own bottle. This ad mentions sugar as a main ingredient so it may turn out to be too sweet, but I'll find out.

Another followup

Here we are in Newmarket about two blocks away from the deli. Jeanne's foot is improving so she came along on this adventure. I'm not sure if this sculpture behind her was inspired by a hub-cap, or if it's some sort of sidewalk sun-tan device. Rather hard to look at in the bright sunlight though.  

And we found it.  This deli is small in size, but is packed with all sorts of foods with ingredients listed in several languages, none of which either of us recognized. We came home with lots of sausages, and kraut, black bread, sliced spiced carrots, spices and, of course, a couple of bottles of kvass.  

This kvass is not quite as sweet as the Chinese brand. (that's good) But it is WAY more sugary than I was hoping (that's bad)  Check out this comparison of the amounts of sugar in popular soft drinks. The two kvass bottles reported the grams of sugar per 100 ml, so I adjusted their reporting to correspond to 12 oz. bottles.

Coke ......................                 39 grams

Red Bull Energy Drink.............27 grams

Snapple Ice Tea......................23 grams

Nesquik Chocolate Milk...........29 grams

Wahaha Kvass.........................24.7 grams

Kvass Ochakovskiy.................20.5 grams

Notice too, that there is very little foam in this glass and I poured it to maximize the 'head' I could produce.  It's just not very foamy. And Jeanne noticed that it tasted much more like rye bread than the Wahaha brand did.  

I asked the mother/daughter team who was working the store if there were any other kvass brands available.  They said no, that this was the only one in NZ. (They didn't mention the Chinese knockoff.)  

I don't think now that I'm going to find the 'original' sort of kvass, although I'm happy to have sampled these brands. I'll keep my eyes open though and let you know. 

Overall, I am disappointed that both brands are as sugar-filled as they are. I'd be surprised if the original brew had much sugar in it. I read that the first mention of kvas in literature was in the year 998 and I just don't think those folks back then had the sweet tooth we do today.    -djf