Lithuania's fermented drink to ward off a cold

Sweet, tangy and packed with probiotics, gira has long been a go-to winter tonic – and is now making a comeback in craft breweries and kombucha-style artisanal brands.

When Tadas Eidukevičius was crafting his latest winter menu at Demoloftas in Vilnius, Lithuania, the Michelin-starred chef turned to an unassuming staple: the turnip. But rather than deconstructing the simple ingredient beyond recognition, Eidukevičiusd slow-roasted and lightly smoked the root vegetable before serving it with gira, Lithuania's traditional fermented beverage.

"I wanted to create a dish that highlights the traditions of Lithuania on a plate, and using gira to make the glaze brought so many flavours together without over-complicating things – it was a no brainer," says Eidukevičius. "The gira adds acid, sweetness and a pleasant tang, which gives more complexity to the otherwise simple vegetable."

While Eidukevičius' creative approach no doubt helped capture the attention of Michelin inspectors, gira remains largely absent from Lithuania's fine-dining scene. Instead, the naturally fermented drink is a household staple, enjoyed chilled in summer or as a soothing remedy for a sore throat. Once brewed in homes out of necessity – particularly during Soviet times when things were scarce – in recent years, its increased popularity has led it to be mass produced and sold by the can in soft-drink aisles of supermarkets and corner shops throughout the country.

Dating back to ancient times, gira is more commonly known as kvass across north-eastern Europe where it can be made with grains, fruits or vegetables, and is widely popular in Baltic and Slavic countries where fermentation traditions run deep.

"Traditionally, [in Lithuania] it was a homemade drink using old rye bread because it was a smart way to use up leftovers," says Tomas Josas, a beer historian and 2023 beer sommelier champion of Lithuania who grew up drinking his grandparents' homebrewed gira. "Fermentation not only preserved nutrients but also lowered the pH, killing harmful bacteria – meaning kvass was often safer to drink than water."

A traditional recipe involves soaking toasted or dried-out rye bread in hot water to extract the flavour. Once cooled, yeast and maybe sugar in the form of raisins are added to kickstart the natural fermentation process. It is then cooled, strained and bottled, to be consumed within three to five days. The result is a slightly tart, mildly effervescent drink with an ABV of up to 1.2%, akin to traditionally brewed kombucha, and contains healthy probiotics that benefit gut health and immunity. In Lithuania, traditionalists see it as a tonic for the common cold because it can be made with honey, ginger and other herbs as an immunity booster.

"When I was little, my grandmother would make gira for Easter and Christmas as a festive drink but I also remember drinking gira when I was sick – consuming it more commonly as a natural remedy," explained Ieva Šidlaitė, a cultural historian and the author of Naturally Fermented who teaches fermentation classes on her farm outside Vilnius. "In the 20th Century, when sugar was available to everyone, it became sweet," she added. "Before this time, it was completely fermented and a sour liquid without any bubbles. It was mostly used to acidify food, make soups and also sauces because in our culture, food is dominated by a sour taste."

Josas agrees. "Many believed kvass was good for digestion and immunity, thanks to its probiotics. My great-grandparents made traditional homebrewed gira, very different from today's commercial versions [that are sweeter]. It had a funky, tangy flavor from lactobacillus – like sauerkraut has, but in liquid form. I wasn't a fan as a child since it lacked sugar, but once I got into beer, I learned to love its complexity," he says.

The early '80s is what Josas describes as "the golden age of gira" with mobile barrels selling it on every street corner during summer. However as global soft drinks like Coke flooded the Baltic market, gira struggled to compete, losing its appeal and audience. To survive, manufacturers began mass-producing the drink using sugar for appeal and cheap malt extract to speed up the process, shifting it closer to soda than traditional fermentation.

"Kvass lacks a strong identity, a clear drinking culture or an image that appeals to younger generations," says Josas, noting that while gira shares the same probiotic qualities of kombucha, it has never been "hyped" as a health drink. But things are changing, he says. Artisanal gira brands are reviving traditional methods, tapping into kombucha's success. 

One of Lithuania's largest producers of beer and gira is Gubernija Brewery in northern Lithuania who, despite their large-scale production, still make their gira traditionally: with black grain bread. However, the 360-year-old brewery is also adapting for modern palates. 

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"We have created different varieties of kvass to widen our audience in the last few years," says Jogailė Čojūtė, export specialist for Gubernija Brewery. "For example, our white wheat bread gira is aimed at younger consumers who like trendy soft drinks. The taste is much milder. Another popular item we have is the dark rye bread gira with hemp and hints of lime; it is a unique and refreshing twist to our traditional recipe and proves that gira really can stand the test of time."

"In 2024, we observed an 18% increase in the sales volume of owned gira brands compared to the previous year," she continues, "while export sales volume grew by 47%."

Globally, interest in non-alcoholic beverages and low-ABV drinks is soaring, and kvass is catching on. In the US, breweries, bakeries and even restaurants have released their own versions of kvass with great success. Dan Woods of Beaver Brewing Company in Pennsylvania produces kvass in his nanobrewery; while at Honey's in East Williamsburg in New York, kvass made an appearance on tap. Made with chunks of toasted dark sourdough rye bread which were left to ferment, the slightly tart drink was sweetened with a touch of honey and also served as a cocktail.

In Australia, a string of bakeries have collaborated with local craft breweries to make stronger alcoholic versions, such as Three Mills Bakery in the nation’s capital, Canberra; while in Leeds in the UK, Northern Monk releases a seasonal kvass each year.

While some international versions exceed 4% ABV, for Lithuanians, it remains a drink with cultural significance that should only be fermented to 1.2% ABV at most. "It should not be considered a direct substitute for beer," says Čojūtė.

Instead, Eidukevičius says, the beauty of the unassuming drink lends itself to a nice refresher anytime of the day with its sweet, acidic, tangy and even funky taste.

"Gira, for all its refreshing qualities, can be a bit of a mischievous drink," Eidukevičius adds. "There's a running joke in Lithuanian households about 'gira explosions' because it ferments in closed containers where enormous pressure can build up like a bottle of Champagne. There's nothing quite like walking into a cellar and finding gira sprayed across the walls and ceiling like some kind of fizzy, rye-bread-scented geyser. It's a testament to how alive this drink is. It's a reminder that we're working with natural processes, and sometimes, those processes have a mind of their own."

So, if you find yourself in Lithuania looking for a low-alcohol beverage, consider a glass of gira. "Drinking gira is a connection to our land and to the traditions that have shaped Lithuania's culture," says Eidukevičius."It has a long tradition in my beautiful country as more than just a beverage; it's a part of our cultural heritage and a link to our ancestors' traditions."

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