What to drink after a sauna

What to drink after a sauna: keep drinking water part of your visit, during breaks and afterwards. Then choose a cold drink you will enjoy for its flavour. For that pour, try kvass, the traditional bathhouse drink. Quas is our non-alcoholic sourdough kvass, brewed in Edinburgh with rye and barley: malty, gently tangy and best fridge-cold.

What should you drink after a sauna?

• Water, throughout. The British Sauna Society’s Operators’ Charter calls for easy, free access to water. Follow your venue’s guidance.
• Then something with flavour. Perhaps tea, a cold kvass or whatever sounds good on the menu.
• Take it to the rest area. Enjoy it in the cooling or social area, wherever the venue welcomes refreshments, and use the vessel the team provides.

Why kvass suits the pause after the heat

The first thing you notice is the contrast. Heat gives way to cool air. Then comes a cold glass, a little foam and the aroma of malt. Quas Original brings dried-fruit notes and gentle spice, followed by clean sourness and a dry finish. Ginger adds a brighter, warming edge to the grain.

It is a grown-up drink with enough going on to hold your attention. Sip it slowly while the conversation carries on. Give it a few sips; the malt and tang make more sense together than either does alone. Our guide to kvass explains how this fermented grain drink gets its character.

Kvass, the traditional bathhouse drink

Kvass, also spelled kvas, has belonged to the time after bathing for well over a century. In the 1880 edition of his dictionary, Vladimir Dahl describes the bathhouse anteroom as a place to change, rest and drink kvass.

The drink has other names in other bathing cultures. In Lithuania, the Lithuanian Bathhouse Academy names gira among pirtis refreshments. In Estonia, Tallinna Saun lists kali among the things available at reception. In Ukraine, where bread kvass is also called sirivets, a Kyiv bathhouse on the Dnipro still offers cold kvass in its rest room after the steam. A related malt drink even travelled with Finnish immigrants to California: at the Hiipakka family sauna in Rocklin, 35 cents bought steam, a clean towel and a glass of “galli”, or kotikalja.

Follow the whole story, from nineteenth-century bathhouses to the British venues pouring Quas today, in kvass and sauna.

How to serve kvass after a sauna

Fridge-cold, straight and without ice. Original and Ginger need no garnish. A simple pour gives the toasted grain, fermentation notes and natural bubbles room to speak for themselves.

Where glass is suitable, choose a thin-rimmed stemless tulip glass or wine tumbler. Around bare feet, follow the sauna’s rules and use the vessel the team provides; a premium polycarbonate tumbler works well for a proper pour.

Common questions

Is Quas non-alcoholic?

Yes. Quas is a non-alcoholic sourdough fermented drink. Fermentation naturally produces trace alcohol, as it does in other familiar fermented foods and drinks.

Does Quas contain gluten?

Yes. Quas contains gluten from rye and barley. It is not suitable for people with coeliac disease or gluten sensitivity. Our Quas product page has the full ingredients and product details.

Where can I drink Quas after a sauna?

At saunas from Scotland to the Isles of Scilly. At Banya No.1 Chiswick, it comes straight from the tap. Explore the sauna stockist map to plan a visit; drinks vary by venue, so check the current menu before making a special trip.

Can I bring my own kvass to a sauna?

Check first that the venue allows outside drinks. You can also choose Quas to enjoy at home, or ask your local sauna to stock it.