Learn how to make a homemade ginger bug using a wild ferment. It’s a very easy beginner fermentation recipe, can be a base for all kinds of naturally fermented soda drinks, including traditional ginger beer. Here is everything you need to know about this traditionally fermented ginger starter for homemade natural sodas!
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Fermenting Ginger as a Starter for Sodas
The coolest thing to me about fermenting is that it is one of the oldest methods of food preservation, along with salting and drying.
I love the thought of humans discovering the fermentation process many hundreds of years ago, and love the revival it has been experiencing in recent times.
One very traditional method of fermenting is to make ginger beer. No, not what you traditionally know as “ginger ale” which in most cases is usually just sugar water with ginger flavoring.
I’m talking about real ginger beer, which is made with a ginger bug starter.
I’m going to show you how to make a ginger bug, which is started by a wild ferment. This means that no commercial yeast is added, but rather comes from the local environment.
It’s super simple to make and can be a base for all kinds of fermented soda recipes, not only just ginger beer.
Ginger has been used as a spice and medicinally for hundreds, if not thousands, of years. Somewhere along the line it was discovered that if you mix it with sugar and water it will ferment until bubbly fairly quickly.
Ginger root has a large amount of naturally occurring yeast and lactic acid on its surface, so it doesn’t take much for it to produce a “ginger bug.”
Ginger Bug Recipe
All that is needed to make a ginger bug is organic unpeeled ginger root, raw sugar, and filtered water. That’s it!
Some people suggest adding a squeeze of lemon juice, and I’m sure it wouldn’t hurt, but I usually just keep it simple.
Mix Ginger, Sugar & Water
First, get yourself a good sized hunk of organic ginger. Organic is important here because you are leaving the skin on and it houses all of the lovely bacteria and yeasts that you want.
Grate the ginger until you have about one tablespoon. A cheese grater with small holes or a microplane work well for this.
Then add the ginger to a pint jar with the sugar.
Next add the water and stir it all around well until the sugar completely dissolves.
That’s the slurry that you start with. Cover it up with a cheesecloth or other breathable cloth and a rubber band and let it sit on your counter for 24 hours.
Stir it up a little anytime you think of it, every few hours or so.
Feed the Ginger Bug Daily
Then, much like a sourdough starter, you need to feed it again after 24 hours. Same as before, 1 tablespoon grated ginger, 1 teaspoon sugar, and a little bit of water.
Keep feeding it and stirring it every day, and after a couple of days you should start to see some bubbles forming in the jar.
How to Use a Ginger Bug
After feeding your ginger bug daily for a week or so, the jar will start to get full and should have some nice bubbles.
That’s when it’s time to use it as a base to jump start homemade fermented sodas!
Ginger beer is a common way to use a ginger bug, but I like making all kinds of delicious wild sodas with it.
Related: 12 Fermented Soda Recipes
One of my favorite ways to use a ginger bug is to make this apple ginger beer! It’s absolutely delicious!
Homemade strawberry rhubarb soda is another favorite around here.
A refreshing homemade soda sure does sound good, especially when you can choose your own favorite flavors.
You can also make a turmeric bug and fermented turmeric soda with fresh turmeric root!
Who needs the store bought stuff with all of its high fructose nonsense when you can make your own healthy, probiotic soda?
Making a homemade ginger bug is such a simple concept that uses easy to find ingredients to make a wonderfully healthy base for homemade sodas! You couldn’t ask for anything more.
Naturally Fermented Soda Recipes Made With a Ginger Bug
Here are some more recipes I have for using your ginger bug.
- Strawberry Rhubarb Soda
- Fermented Root Beer
- Fermented Elderberry Soda
- Apple Ginger Beer
- Strawberry Water Kefir Soda
- Homemade Soda with Yarrow
Ginger Bug
Ingredients
- 1 Tablespoon organic fresh ginger unpeeled, grated
- 1 teaspoon raw sugar
- 3 Tablespoons filtered water unchlorinated
Instructions
- Put the unpeeled grated ginger and the sugar into a jar.
- Add the water and stir it all around well until the sugar completely dissolves.
- Cover the jar with a cheesecloth or other breathable cloth and a rubber band and let it sit on your counter for 24 hours. Stir it up a little every few hours or anytime you think of it.
- Feed the ginger bug daily by adding 1 tablespoon grated ginger, 1 teaspoon sugar, and a little bit of water.
- Keep feeding it and stirring it every day, and after a few days you should start to see some bubble action. When the jar is full and bubbly, it's ready to use.
Notes
- Total fermentation time before the ginger bug is ready to use is 5-7 days.
- Soda recipes will require about ½-1 cup of ginger bug depending on how large a batch your are making.
This is really fun to read about other people’s experiences. I started making a ginger bug and then a turmeric bug in early January. Neither seems to be bubbling. My kitchen is a little cold, so I moved both jars, as well as my kombucha jar, to a spot near à heat vent, but no progress so far. Should I try adding vinegar or kombucha instead of water?
No, I wouldn’t add vinegar or kombucha to your ginger or turmeric bug since they will introduce different types of bacteria and could disrupt the wild lacto-fermentation process. Ginger bugs like to ferment between 68–75°F, so a cold kitchen may be why you’re not seeing any bubbling. Also, it’s important to not use tap water the contains chlorine, as it can kill beneficial bacteria. Lastly, store bought, irradiated ginger or turmeric (usually what you find at the grocery store) can inhibit fermentation, so it’s always best to use organic.
Can I use turbinado sugar to make my ginger bug? Thanks! You are an inspiration!
I haven’t tried, but I think it should be totally fine!
I have never made this before, but am a home brewer. Turbinado sugar and honey both have lots of fermentable sugars in them. I want to try this with honey and make a hard root beer. Will post results.
Turbinado sugar is just another name for “Sugar in the Raw” though not really raw sugar. Could slightly darken your final Ginger Bug as it contains some molasses.
I also have this question, which Stan my have answered. I am using filtered water, organic raw turbinado cane sugar and organic ginger root which was previously frozen; my bug is not fermenting. I wonder if it was the sugar or if the wild yeast on the skin of the ginger was killed by freezing.
I covered the jar with paper towel, but I have read elsewhere that a lid is essential, so I assume the wild yeast is coming from the ginger skins, not the air.
Freezing ginger can kill the wild yeast and bacteria on its skin, which are key to getting the ginger bug going. While turbinado sugar is usually fine, some organic varieties may contain anti-caking agents that slows fermentation, so I would try using fresh, never frozen ginger and raw sugar that doesn’t have any additional ingredients added to it.
As for how to cover the ginger bug, it’s best to use a loose fitting lid or cloth, like cheese cloth, instead of a paper towel because paper may be too breathable and let in unwanted microbes.
I am made a new batch of ginger bug using a starter from a previous batch. The new bug is thick and slimy. It smells good and tastes delicious. Is it normal for the bug to have this consistency?
Hi Theresa, sounds normal to me! As long as it looks and smells good, there’s nothing to worry about.
Do you have to refrigerate the bug after it’s ready? Or should you have the base prepared by then to mix it in?
It will go dormant in the fridge. It should be at room temp when ready to use.
Hello, I want to start a ginger bug, I would also like to start a tumeric bug, what would the ratios be? Thank you in advance
Hi Misty. You can learn how to make a turmeric bug here.
I did exactly as directed. It’s been 7 days and no bubbles. I washed the dirt off the ginger before grating. Is that the problem? I also used distilled water.
Did you use organic ginger? How cold is it in your home? It’ll take longer to ferment if it’s not around 70 degrees.
Don’t grate. Dice. And use organic ginger (got mine at Trader Joe’s). Started with 2 cups of water. I added 2 ounces of ginger and 5 tsp of sugar each day for 5 days. Turned out perfectly.
I didn’t see it mentioned so I’ll repeat it here. The absolutely certain that you are using non-chlorinated water. Not all water filter removes chlorine so check yours and give it another try
Hi! I followed your instructions and now have a beautiful and bubbly ginger bug! I am excited to try your delicious sounding soda recipes!
Question: how do I sustain my current ginger bug? Or do I need to start a new one each time I’d like to make a soda?
Thank you so much for this invaluable resource you have generously provided!
As long as you have more ginger bug than you’re using in a recipe, you can either keep feeding it daily if you plan to frequently make soda or you can give it a feeding and store it in your refrigerator where it’ll go dormant. Then, when ready to make soda again, simply remove from the fridge and resume feedings.
Hi, can I substitute honey for sugar? Thanks!
Yup, that should be fine!
Can you use organic cane sugar?
Yup.
Do you think maple sugar would work in place of the raw sugar?
Yes, that should still work!
Hi! I’ve been trying to find specific information or answers about keeping a ginger bug going. I see information or comments about feeding it. I understand that one would keep feeding it the ginger and sugar. But I assume one would also add water. However, I’m finding anything about how much water to add each time. Enough to refill the original container? Or a specific amount? Could someone clarify this for me? Thanks!
I just made my first ginger bug and it seems to be working great. I look forward to using it to make other things, but I want to be sure about how to keep the bug going – specifically the amount of water to add each time.
I add a little bit of water each time I feed the bug. No exact amount.
THANK YOU for asking this. All I see is “add more ginger and water” but nothing about how much water to add. This is the first recipe I’ve seen that even suggests adding more water to maintain it.
@Theresa Talarek, I am on exact same mission to find out HOW to continue with this magical bug i created, if you / anyone find more info, kindly share. Looking forward in hearing of more tips.
Hi!when ready to be used, do I need to strain the ginger first or are the chunks good to put in as well? Thank you so much 😊
I don’t strain mine. I use it as is.
I’ve been trying to make a ginger bug the past 2 weeks. On my second attempt since my first one stopped bubbling on day 5, I started with 2 cups of filtered water, 3 T of organic raw ginger and 3 T raw sugar. I’ve been feeding it daily 1T of ginger & sugar and use a fine mesh cheesecloth with a metal ring to cover it. I store it in my pantry and stir throughout the day but I’m not seeing as many bubbles as I thought I should. So many recipes say to use equal amounts of ginger & sugar but you say to use 1T ginger & 1 tsp of sugar. Is this the reason for a sluggish ginger bug? I’ve read in some blogs that too much sugar is not good but I thought it needs sugar to feed.
The recipe said:
▢ 1 Tablespoon organic fresh ginger unpeeled, grated
▢ 1 teaspoon raw sugar
▢ 3 Tablespoons filtered water
If you are using 2 cups of water, you would need to increase the amount of ginger and sugar. Like you did when you started.
Hello! I started a ginger bug a couple of days ago and it’s already forming bubbles! My question is: am I looking for a yeast-y, vinegar-y smell to know it’s ready? Right now it’s bubbly but just still smells of strong ginger.
Thanks so much!
How long does the ginger bug keep? Do you put it in the refrigerator? I make kombucha and wondered if I can use Kombucha in place of ginger bug when making ROSE YARROW soda? Thank you!
Hi there. When refrigerated, you can expect to keep your ginger bug for many months or longer since it’s fermented. When you want to use it, simply resume feedings and return it to its home in the fridge. I’ve never tested whether or not you can use kombucha in place of the ginger bug in my rose yarrow soda, but I do have a rose kombucha recipe that you can add yarrow to if you’d like!
Hi! Thank you for your recipe! The other ginger bug recipes I’ve seen online have a lid tightly attached. Is there a benefit to cheesecloth or a tight lid?
Thank you!
You’ll just need to burp your ginger bug every day to release built up gases.
How often should I feed my ginger bug when kept in the fridge? How long can I keep it in the fridge? Thanks!
Hi Kathy. You could feed your ginger bug every couple of weeks while it’s dormant in the fridge. Personally, if I wasn’t going to use it beyond that time, I would just make a new one.
I didn’t feed my ginger bug enough so it got mad at me and bit me.
You’re amazing. Been following for a while. Was new to the homestead scene about 6 years ago, when I was only dreaming about DIY food recipes. Thank you, Colleen, for your passion in this Life and sharing it with others.
😊
🙏
You’re so welcome!
Hi Coleen!
I’m wondering if one needs to be concerned about mold, like with kombucha.
Thank you.
-A
As long as your ginger stays submerged below the liquid, it shouldn’t mold.
Hey there! I’m wondering about giving this soda to my kids. Is it safe or does it have a fair bit of alcohol from the fermentation?? I’m totally new to fermentation so I’m fairly clueless..
Hi Abby. Fermented sodas have a small amount of alcohol, but should be safe for older children.
Thank you!! I’m also wondering, each day you feed it, do you do the same 1tsp sugar, 1tsp ginger and 3Tbsp water? I’ve been doing this for a week and just wanting to be sure the ratios are correct. I’m also noticing a white sediment at the bottom of the jar. Is this okay?
Hi Abby. Yes, I do the same amount every time. White sediment is totally normal and harmless. Enjoy!
Hi,
How long can I keep a ginger bug going?
For as long as you’d like. When you want a break, simply pop it in the fridge where it’ll go into dormancy. When ready to use again, resume feedings a few days before making your fermented soda.
The way the authorities prove it with beneficial bacteria is through its low PH
but in the case of turmeric how do you bring down the PH ?
You can add a splash of apple cider vinegar to regulate the pH if need be.
Hi Colleen! Thank yo for sharing this :) I have a lot of grated ginger in my freezer (with the skin on) – would I be able to use that if I defrosted it first?
Hi Laura. Yes, that should still work.
I’d like to make this in Hawai’i where ginger and turmeric are plentiful. Any suggestions for tropical fruit that would work since apples, pears, rhubarb are hard fruit? What would you think of passion fruit which will be in season at the beginning of my stay? Citrus fruits? I imagine papaya would be too soft?
Thanks,
Colleen
Hi Colleen. I’ve never been there, so I have no experience with fermenting tropical fruit. Your ideas sound lovely though and I’d love to hear about any experiment you try!
Use pineapple skins and the core. it comes out wonderfully. Good for your microbiome and tastes good, too!
Hi. My ginger bug started bubbling after 3 days of feeding. I kept feeding it daily but now on day 7 it’s stopped bubbling. Is it still active? Or does it stop and I need to start over fresh if I want to make some more secondary ferments/sodas?
Hi Nancy, your ginger bug should still be active. If you’re not planning on using it any time soon, I would give it a rest in the refrigerator for up to a week and resume feedings a few days before using.
Hi Colleen. A question to add to this; when resuming use for the ginger bug after it’s been refrigerated do I still continue adding the same amount of ginger and sugar each day? And do I use cheesecloth again or a lid? Thanks in advance!
Hi Amy. Yes, you can resume feedings with the same amount of ginger and sugar, topped with cheesecloth.
Hi could you a pear ginger beer? We’ve got a surplus at the moment.
Definitely!
Hi Nicolette, could I make this with honey as well. Or so it a waist of honey? Would love to know your view on this. Thank you! Daan
this can definitely be done with honey. that’s how i started mine.
Can you use coconut sugar or maple syrup?
Hi Naomi. You can use coconut sugar, but not maple syrup.
Hey Colleen!
I’m wondering if the ginger bug is something I continuously feed and use or if I should make a new one for each batch of soda I make.
Hi Nicolette. You can put your ginger bug in the refrigerator where it’ll stay dormant until you wish to resume feedings.