A new start: probiotic drinks and water kimchi

After rich festive meals, do you crave something fresh, light and healthy at the start of the year? Something that settles your stomach and keeps your mind bright?

The start of the new year is an inspiring time to get to know different ways of making probiotic drinks and to create a new habit that brings live-culture drinks into your everyday menu, supporting the health of your gut microbiome regularly.

In this workshop we explore the world of fermented probiotic drinks. We talk about kombucha, water and milk kefir, and fizzy drinks made with ginger bug. We also look at different kvass drinks: traditional rye-bread kvass and beetroot kvass from Eastern Europe. We talk about how all these drinks are made, why they are good for your health and how to make them successfully at home. And of course we taste all of these drinks together!

In the practical part we make water kimchi, which is both food and drink at once. Water kimchi is ready much more quickly than classic sharp cabbage kimchi. It is light for the body, keeps the mind bright and the stomach in order, yet it is also very aromatic and gives a real taste experience. Koreans value this gently fizzy, tasty “broth” for its delicate flavour and its digestion-supporting properties.

Workshop content:

get to know different probiotic fermented drinks: kombucha, water kefir, milk kefir, ginger bug drinks, rye kvass, beetroot kvass and water kimchi

learn how these drinks are made, what care they need and how to ferment them successfully at home

taste together a variety of fermented live drinks

gain knowledge about the health benefits of fermented foods and drinks, and how much and how to consume them

in the practical part, learn to make your own water kimchi

Each participant takes home 700 ml of fresh water kimchi made on site, which will continue to ferment at home. The ticket includes a digital handout with recipes.

Workshop leader:

Liis Tuulberg is the founder of Metsik Toit (Wild Food) and a long-time fermentation enthusiast, who learned fermentation at the Nordic Food Lab in Copenhagen. For the past decade she has devoted herself to the world of fermented foods and drinks. Metsik Toit offers workshops for professionals and home experimenters alike. In the Metsik Toit pantry a number of exciting experiments are always fermenting: different types of miso, kimchi, kraut, all kinds of vegetable ferments, yoghurts, probiotic drinks, craft vinegars and more. The most special thing, though, is the shelf dedicated to fermented wild Estonian plants and herbs.

Venue and parking

The workshop takes place at Üks Maja (Valdeku tänav 66, Tallinn).

Public transport: from the city centre, buses 14, 18 and 18A; from Mustamäe, bus 33. The bus stop is right next to the building.

You can park in front of the building, behind the gate and in the yard.