The Forgotten Drinks of the Zaporozhian Sich: Mead, Kvass & the Cossack Table

Long before vodka became the drink most associated with Ukraine, the Cossacks of the Zaporozhian Sich gathered around fires along the Dnipro to share honey mead, rye kvass, and herbal infusions drawn straight from the steppe.

These weren't just beverages — they were acts of hospitality, brotherhood, and survival. A shared cup at the kurin meant a guest had been welcomed. A drink before a campaign meant a community had gathered one last time. In our new illustrated collector's edition, The Lost Spirits of the Ukrainian Cossacks, we've reconstructed ten of these historical drinks for the modern kitchen — from a simple honey-water (sytá) to a tart viburnum and honey infusion — alongside the historical context, sources, and illustrated plates that bring the world of the Sich back to life. [See the full collection → https://payhip.com/b/Gd2up] Glory to Ukraine.