The return of fermented beverages: a journey through tradition and health

22 July 2024

Wine and beer, of course. And then mead or cider, which a quirky friend used to order in certain bars, drawing attention, curiosity, and (often) a few laughs. Until a few years ago, Italians’ knowledge of the vast world of fermented beverages was quite limited. Yet fermentation is an ancient process, known and used since antiquity: the Egyptians produced beer (or something very similar), and many ancient peoples exploited the antiseptic properties of fermented grains. In recent years, fermentation has made a strong comeback, especially for health and wellness reasons: consuming fermented products supports metabolism and increases the intake of probiotics, which are essential for the “good” bacteria in our gut.
Kefir, kombucha, and their companions can now be easily purchased (even in supermarkets) or homemade: more and more Italians are experimenting with these beverages, and it’s easy to find recipes, tips, and dedicated shops online.
So let’s explore the most popular fermented beverages.

Beer and wine

Beer is the most widespread fermented beverage in the world, made from cereals, mainly barley. Wine begins its journey from the fermentation of grape juice, while sake is produced from rice (and is the fermented beverage with the highest alcohol content, around 15%). Cider and perry (or pear cider), made respectively from apple and pear juice, offer a sweeter and fruitier taste. Mead, a sweet, complex, and very ancient beverage, is made by fermenting a honey-based syrup.

Emerging products: kefir

Among the rising stars is certainly kefir, originating from the Caucasus and Central Asia. It is made by fermenting sheep’s, goat’s, or cow’s milk with yeast and letting it rest for several hours (or days). The result is a creamy and slightly fizzy beverage with very low alcohol content (technically considered non-alcoholic), low in lactose but rich in probiotic lactic acid bacteria. There are all kinds of variations, made from soy, rice, sugar, and fruit—even water kefir (made from kefir grains and sugar).

Kombucha

Kombucha, originating from China, is a beverage made by combining tea, sugar, and scoby (a symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast that triggers the fermentation process). It has a tangy, slightly fizzy flavor (often flavored to taste), is quite easy to prepare, and is considered very healthy for its digestive, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant properties. It is a living beverage with minimal residual alcohol (0.5%) that is rapidly winning over Western consumers.

Kvas

Loved in many Eastern European countries, kvass is a low-alcohol beverage also known as “bread beer.” It is made by fermenting a mixture of vegetables such as barley, wheat, and rye, often enriched with apples, strawberries, birch sap, various berries, or aromatic herbs. Refreshing and thirst-quenching, kvass is also rich in probiotics.

Other fermented beverages

The list of fermented beverages is long and full of surprises. In Mexico, the national beverage is pulque, made by fermenting agave and reaching alcohol levels of up to 18%. Used by the Aztecs in ceremonial rituals, today it is widely available, either on its own or mixed with beer, juice, or other alcohols under the name curado. Much less alcoholic and more homemade are chicha, beverages made by fermenting corn, cassava, or fruit, available in countless variations. The original version involved chewing corn and spitting it into a bowl to start fermentation with saliva (still sold today under the name taqui). Also from Mexico comes tepache, a fermented drink made with spices and pineapple peel, while Africa offers pombe, a type of banana and honey beer (about 5% alcohol content). Loved in India (and widespread throughout much of Asia and Africa) is toddy, made by fermenting palm sap. The juice is tapped directly from the wood and immediately begins fermenting on contact with the air. It can be enjoyed fresh (sweet and refreshing) or left to ferment longer for a more complex, structured beverage with a slightly bitter note.