In Russia, you coulda had a kvass

Soda pop made from rye bread sounds about as appetizing as chewing on an old shoe.

[PaulF]

I was there years and years ago but was too chicken to drink it. They sold it on the streets, and the vendor poured the drink out of a huge metal tank on wheels into this tin cup on a chain. No thanks, comrade. I dont share anything I cant smoke. If Coke bottles it and sells some here in the US I may give it a try. I'm sure it must be tasty and likely healthy. Todd Stroger and Daley should get ready to tax it.

[coolncrazy]

Today it's selling in the bottles, just like Cola. In summer it's the most popular drink in Russia...

[Robespierre]

There is nothing like kvas when you are really thirsty.
BTW, the kvas sold on the markets by vendors "out of a huge metal tank on wheels into this tin cup on a chain" (sic) is the real thing!!

It taste 10 times better than the bottled kvas you can find in supermarket nowadays.

When in Russia, I try to by a couple of liters from these street vendors: the real McCoy!!!

Kvas is healthier than Coke, which is really bottled paint stripper!

[H B K]

Tell me please - what "Coca-Cola" has got to do with Russian kwass?
Oh, I know - it will come up with a new wonderful recipe with artificial additives that will definitely prolong the "shelf life of a product," that Russians used to drink fresh. This will bring even more revenues to "Atlanta-based soft drink giant" - duh! How can anyone produce a "soft drink" and make profits off of it, without "Atlanta-based soft drink giant" having its rightful share? Sure enough, let's think something up, mix wholesome natural ingredients that those pesky Russians used for centuries with "high quality Coca-Cola," and here we have new wonderfully Americanized product.
After all, wasn't it what nineties were all about - paving the way for American corporations "to do business" in Russia, amid chaos and "shock therapies" enforced on the nation through orchestrated "economic reforms?"
That "Vlad-The-Impaler," the KGB officer taking charge of a country firmly as ever, came as unpleasant surprise of course, but hey - it can't stop the production of "Kwas-a Cola," can it? After all, such drink "could help Coca-Cola adjust to the Russian market and change its perception here as a foreigner that propagates Western values rather than Russian."
You better believe it, since these words are coming from another "marketing wizard" - in this case home-grown, I bet.

[Kvass is tasty]

You never know wat it's like, to drink kvass, untill you've tried it. It's pretty much like a beer, actually, only less alcoholic. And beer is a oda pop made from rye bread too.

[Why_Me]

Robespierre wrote:

There is nothing like kvas when you are really thirsty.
BTW, the kvas sold on the markets by vendors "out of a huge metal tank on wheels into this tin cup on a chain" (sic) is the real thing!!
It taste 10 times better than the bottled kvas you can find in supermarket nowadays.
When in Russia, I try to by a couple of liters from these street vendors: the real McCoy!!!
Kvas is healthier than Coke, which is really bottled paint stripper!

Let me guess, you always have a "kvass" right before you give your annual guest speech at the local NASHI rally, yes?

[Robespierre]

Why_Me wrote:

<quoted text>
Let me guess, you always have a "kvass" right before you give your annual guest speech at the local NASHI rally, yes?

Stupid man !!

[Aussie]

Why_Me wrote:

<quoted text>
Let me guess, you always have a "kvass" right before you give your annual guest speech at the local NASHI rally, yes?

You are definitely Russian, because Alaska was their territory :) And a member of Alaska Communist party.

[Why_Me]

Aussie wrote:

<quoted text>
You are definitely Russian, because Alaska was their territory :) And a member of Alaska Communist party.

WTF? There is nor has there ever been such a thing as the "Alaska Communist Party". Trust me on that one.

[Andrew]

Why_Me wrote:

<quoted text>
WTF? There is nor has there ever been such a thing as the "Alaska Communist Party". Trust me on that one.

Why_Me is communist ! That'why he hates everyone !

[Stefanya]

PaulF wrote:

I was there years and years ago but was too chicken to drink it. They sold it on the streets, and the vendor poured the drink out of a huge metal tank on wheels into this tin cup on a chain. No thanks, comrade. I dont share anything I cant smoke. If Coke bottles it and sells some here in the US I may give it a try. I'm sure it must be tasty and likely healthy. Todd Stroger and Daley should get ready to tax it.

How funny, didn't taste it and you are dissing it. Well coke and the other soft drinks are pretty much crap, a lot of sugar and carbonation and about as healthy as a heart attack. Outside of making money for the cocacola company, Coke is hardly anything good to share with the world.

[Stefanya]

Robespierre wrote:

There is nothing like kvas when you are really thirsty.
BTW, the kvas sold on the markets by vendors "out of a huge metal tank on wheels into this tin cup on a chain" (sic) is the real thing!!
It taste 10 times better than the bottled kvas you can find in supermarket nowadays.
When in Russia, I try to by a couple of liters from these street vendors: the real McCoy!!!
Kvas is healthier than Coke, which is really bottled paint stripper!

Other uses for coke:

Pour into the dirty toilet and swish it cleans it like sparkling new.

Pour it into greasy places like on an engine or at the bottom of a washing machine and watch it cut through the grease.

It makes the chrome sparkle but be sure to rinse afterwards.

Try it on grease stains on your driveway, Besure to scrub hard with a brush.

And of course stripping paint.

Try coke on anything and everything. YOu will be surprised at the great job it does dissovlving crud.

[Andrew]

For Stefanya :http://ru.youtube.com/watch?v =RvVlqRO3gFY&feature=relat ed

[tarmo]

This is an old drink. It is called 'kali' in Estonia - meaning a drink that gives strength. I guess that latvians and other nearby nations have their own name for kvas.

And I agree that the old tank-poured kali was somewhat different than the recent bottled ones. You could buy 3 liters of that stuff for 3 soviet kopeks, if you provided the 3L bottle.

H B K wrote:

Tell me please - what "Coca-Cola" has got to do with Russian kwass?

Coca-Cola bought a local Estonian recipe of kali and is selling it in Estonia, making profit on it. It may be on sale in Latvia, but probably not in Russia. I guess that Coca-cola saw that their cola business was not going anywhere in Estonia and they wanted either their share or wanted to shut the production of kali down.

The good news is that it was just one recipe and other local companies produce kali from other recipes, so Coca-cola is not able to shut it down here.

[Stefanya]

Andrew wrote:

For Stefanya :http://ru.youtube.com/watch?v =RvVlqRO3gFY&feature=relat ed

'
Thank you for the gorgeous video. I also got to practice the Russian language a bit. I try to practice my languages using music and songs.

[Stefanya]

And the really good news is that while cola cola can be used for lots of cleaning purposes, that kvass can't be so its a lot healthier.

[Alex]

tarmo wrote:

This is an old drink. It is called 'kali' in Estonia - meaning a drink that gives strength. I guess that latvians and other nearby nations have their own name for kvas.
And I agree that the old tank-poured kali was somewhat different than the recent bottled ones. You could buy 3 liters of that stuff for 3 soviet kopeks, if you provided the 3L bottle.
<quoted text>
Coca-Cola bought a local Estonian recipe of kali and is selling it in Estonia, making profit on it. It may be on sale in Latvia, but probably not in Russia. I guess that Coca-cola saw that their cola business was not going anywhere in Estonia and they wanted either their share or wanted to shut the production of kali down.
The good news is that it was just one recipe and other local companies produce kali from other recipes, so Coca-cola is not able to shut it down here.

Latvians call it kvas also, and there is something about it that quite good.

[Russian official news]

H B K wrote:

Tell me please - what "Coca-Cola" has got to do with Russian kwass?
Oh, I know - it will come up with a new wonderful recipe with artificial additives that will definitely prolong the "shelf life of a product," that Russians used to drink fresh. This will bring even more revenues to "Atlanta-based soft drink giant" - duh!

THEY DID IT already in Russia.

:(

[Stefanya]

Why would anyone want to drink coke if they could have a healthier kvass. Maybe the tourists.

[Robespierre]

Stefanya wrote:

Why would anyone want to drink coke if they could have a healthier kvass. Maybe the tourists.

Well, it's what you know, isn't it?

I like to buy home-made kvass from street sellers, but some of them I saw in some parts of Russia seemed to have basic sense of hygiene, and put me off to be honest. Bottles kvass bought in the shops don't seem to have the same taste, so I avoid that.

I suppose people know exactly what the Coca Cola brand represents and may prefer buying a drink that is industrially produced, but also quality-checked. It isn't a matter of taste only, Coca Cola is fashionable among young Russians.