Local Drinks

1. чай

   chay

   Tea

   Usage

   Means black tea unless stated otherwise; traditionally brewed with water boiled in a самовар (samovar)

2. кофе

   kofe

   Coffee

   Grammar Note

   кофе (kofe) is an indeclinable loanword; the standard treats it as masculine (neuter is common in speech)

3. квас

   kvas

   Kvass (fermented rye drink)

   Usage

   A tart drink fermented from rye bread or malt; contains a very small amount of alcohol

4. морс

   mors

   Mors (berry drink)

   Usage

   Berry juice diluted with water and sweetened; served cold and never carbonated

5. компот

   kompot

   Kompot (stewed fruit drink)

   Usage

   A sweet drink boiled from fresh or dried fruit; a fixture of the столовая (stolovaya), the canteen

6. кисель

   kisel'

   Kissel (thickened fruit drink)

   Usage

   A drink thickened with starch; when made thick it is served as a dessert

7. сбитень

   sbiten'

   Sbiten (hot honey drink)

   Usage

   An old hot drink of honey boiled with spices and herbs, sold at winter fairs and stalls

8. кефир

   kefir

   Kefir (fermented milk drink)

   Usage

   White drink made by fermenting milk with lactic bacteria and yeast; tart, drunk as it is

9. ряженка

   ryazhenka

   Ryazhenka (baked-milk fermented drink)

   Usage

   Made by fermenting топлёное молоко (toplyonoye moloko), slow-baked milk; it has a pale brown colour

10. простокваша

    prostokvasha

    Prostokvasha (soured milk)

    Usage

    Milk soured by lactic fermentation; unlike кефир (kefir) it involves no yeast

11. минеральная вода

    mineral'naya voda

    Mineral water

    Usage

    You will be asked for газированная (gazirovannaya), sparkling, or без газа (bez gaza), still

12. тархун

    tarkhun

    Tarkhun (tarragon soda)

    Usage

    A sweet carbonated drink made with tarragon extract, emerald green in colour

13. айран

    ayran

    Ayran (salty fermented milk drink)

    Usage

    A Turkic and Caucasian fermented milk drink, close to salted kefir; often served with grilled meat

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