Russian cuisine results in a beverage with very low alcohol content. Commercial kvass is often around 0.5% alcohol. The fermented liquid, referred to as "zator," is diluted with water and mixed with yeast, sugar, and aromatic additives. This final mixture is allowed to brew for several days. Flavor additives may include fruit and berry juices (cherry, raspberry, lemon, etc.), as well as ginger and mint. Sbiten, another non-alcoholic drink, is made of honey, water, fruit juices, and spices. Sbiten was once the most popular non-alcoholic beverage in the country, but in the last few centuries it has been superseded and largely replaced
History of alcoholic drinks Alexander the Great (356-323 BC), whose mother adhered to the Dionysian cult, developed a reputation for inebriety. Several Native American civilizations developed alcoholic beverages. Many versions of these beverages are still produced today. Pulque, or octli is an alcoholic beverage made from the fermented juice of the maguey, and is a traditional native beverage of Mesoamerica. Though commonly believed to be a beer, the main carbohydrate is a complex form of fructose rather than starch. "Pulque" is depicted in Native American stone carvings from as early as AD 200. The origin of pulque is unknown, but because it has a