Gira — Print Recipe — The Culinary Codex

A lightly fermented, tangy-sweet beverage brewed from dark rye bread, with a gentle effervescence and deep amber color.

Ingredients

300g dark rye bread, sliced and toasted until very dark
3L boiling water
100g sugar
5g active dry yeast
2 tbsp raisins
1 tbsp lemon juice

Instructions

1 Toast rye bread slices in the oven at 200C until very dark and fragrant, about 15 min.
2 Place toasted bread in a large jar, pour boiling water over. Cover and steep 4-6 hours.
3 Strain through cheesecloth, discard bread. Stir in sugar and lemon juice until dissolved.
4 Dissolve yeast in a little warm liquid, add to the bread water. Cover with cheesecloth.
5 Ferment at room temperature for 12-24 hours until lightly fizzy. Add raisins.
6 Strain into bottles, seal, and refrigerate. Drink within 3-4 days.

Did You Know?

Gira is so popular in Lithuania that commercial versions are sold from yellow street tanks during summer, similar to how lemonade stands work elsewhere.