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Ginger Bug

Prep Time:

10 Minutes

Cook Time:

6 days

Serves:

1 Pint

Level:

Beginner

About the Recipe

Ginger bug, a slurry of fermented ginger and sugar, forms the basis for homemade, traditionally fermented sodas including root beer, ginger beer, herbal tonics and fruit sodas. These soft drinks and light beers are naturally bubbly and effervescent and very rich in probiotics.

Ingredients

To Start the Bug

  • 2 cups water

  • 2 teaspoons sugar

  • 1 ounce fresh ginger diced

To Feed the Bug

  • 5 teaspoons sugar

  • 2 ½ ounces fresh ginger diced

To Use the Bug

  • 8 cups fruit juice or sweetened herbal tea

Preparation

Preparing the Bug

  1. Warm the water in a saucepan over medium heat, and stir in the sugar until it dissolves fully. Cool the sugar water to room temperature.

  2. Drop the ginger into a pint-sized jar, and then cover it with the sugar water. Seal the jar, and let it culture at room temperature for one day.


Feeding the Bug

  1. The next day, and each day for 5 days, stir 1 teaspoon sugar and ½ ounce ginger into the jar, and then close the jar tightly. Between 3 and 5 days, you should start to see bubbles forming, and your bug should smell yeasty and gingery. When you see bubbles, your bug is ready to use.


Using the Bug

  1. To use the bug, strain ½ cup of the liquid and mix it with 7 ½ cups liquid such as fruit juice or sweetened herbal tea, bottle and ferment for up to 3 days.

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