Drinks
fermented bread or grain drink
living tradition
Bread kvass, rye bread, fermentation, yeast, raisins, caraway kvass, summer drink
Bread gira, Village gira, Caraway gira
What is gira?
Gira is a fermented refreshing drink. In Lithuania, this most often means bread gira made from rye bread.
Its flavor is lightly sour, sweet-sour, with the aroma of bread crust.
The Gira Tradition
Gira was a practical way to use bread and get a refreshing drink. It suits summer, work gatherings, fairs, and the home table.
The Universal Lithuanian Encyclopedia's description shows that it is not only a bread drink: gira can be made from bread, flour, malt, fruit, berries, or caraway. Bread gira is simply the most recognizable Lithuanian version.
Besides bread gira, caraway, fruit, and berry interpretations are known. According to the Universal Lithuanian Encyclopedia, industrial gira contains only about 0.5% ethanol; in Lithuanian villages it was made from rye flour, bread, or dried apples; Žemaitijans made it from malt left after draining beer and from bread crusts, and Aukštaitijans even cooked soups from gira.
Fermentation and Safety
During fermentation, yeast turns sugar into carbon dioxide and a small amount of alcohol. For that reason gira should be kept cold and bottled carefully.
Sealed bottles kept warm too long can build dangerous pressure.
Recipe
How is gira made?
Bread gira is made by steeping toasted rye bread, sweetening the liquid, and fermenting briefly. Do not keep it sealed too long, because carbon dioxide builds pressure in bottles.
Ingredients
- 500 g rye bread
- 3 l water
- 150-200 g sugar or partly honey
- 5 g dry yeast
- A handful of raisins
Method
- Cut the bread and toast it in the oven until it smells strong but is not burned.
- Cover with boiling water and leave to steep for several hours.
- Strain and stir in the sugar. When the liquid cools to lukewarm, add the yeast.
- Leave to ferment at room temperature for 12-24 hours.
- Bottle with a few raisins, hold briefly, and chill.
Notes
Open bottles carefully and do not keep them warm for long, because pressure can rise.
