Simple Living With Nature

Grow Forage Cook Ferment logo
  • Grow
  • Forage
  • Cook
  • Ferment
  • Herbalism
  • Homestead
  • Start Here
  • Resources
  • Books
    • Healing Herbal Infusions
    • Wildcrafting Weeds
    • Simple Mead Making
    • Healing Kitchen Herbs
    • The Backyard Forest Garden
  • About
    • About Me
    • Contact
  • Foraging Course
  • Subscribe!
  • Nav Social Menu

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Home » Ferment » Fermented Soda » How to Make a Ginger Bug for Wild Fermented Sodas

How to Make a Ginger Bug for Wild Fermented Sodas

May contain affiliate links or sponsored content. Please see my privacy policy and affiliate disclosure.

Originally published on October 1, 2021. Last updated on March 22, 2022

30.1K shares
  • 5.8K
  • 4
Jump to Recipe Jump to Video Print Recipe

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!

a bubbly jar of homemade ginger bug starter

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 homemade soda drinks, 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.”

a jar full of bubbling ginger bug that is covered with cheesecloth

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.

fresh ginger, a jar, a cheese grater, and spoons of ginger and sugar on a round wooden board

Grate the ginger until you have about one tablespoon. A cheese grater with small holes or a microplane work well for this.

a cheese grater and a wooden spoon of grated ginger

Then add the ginger to a pint jar with the sugar.

top view of a jar with grated ginger and sugar inside

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.

a womans hand covering the jar of ginger bug with a cheesecloth and rubber band

Stir it up a little anytime you think of it, every few hours or so.

a jar of fermenting ginger bug starter covered with a cheesecloth

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.

a pint jar of ginger bug with bubbles on a wooden board

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.

a pint jar of bubbling ginger bug with a wooden spoon

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
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
4.86 from 21 votes

Ginger Bug

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!
Course Drinks
Cuisine American, European
Prep Time 10 minutes
Fermenting Time 7 days
Total Time 7 days
Servings 1
Calories 10kcal
Author Colleen @ Grow Forage Cook Ferment

Equipment

  • Microplane (for grating)
  • Pint Mason Jar
  • Cheesecloth
  • Rubber Band

Ingredients

US Customary - Metric
  • 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.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cup | Calories: 10kcal
  • Join My Free Foraging & Herbalism Email Course!

  • This will also subscribe you to the Grow Forage Cook Ferment newsletter. You can unsubscribe at any time. Please see my Privacy Policy.

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Previous Post: « Fermented Jalapeño Honey
Next Post: Arnica and Yarrow Skin Cream »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Maria says

    March 23, 2023 at 1:03 am

    5 stars
    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.
    😊
    🙏

    Reply
    • Grow Forage Cook Ferment says

      March 23, 2023 at 12:21 pm

      You’re so welcome!

      Reply
  2. Allison says

    March 12, 2023 at 7:15 pm

    Hi Coleen!

    I’m wondering if one needs to be concerned about mold, like with kombucha.

    Thank you.

    -A

    Reply
    • Grow Forage Cook Ferment says

      March 13, 2023 at 8:43 am

      As long as your ginger stays submerged below the liquid, it shouldn’t mold.

      Reply
  3. Abby Houser says

    January 23, 2023 at 6:43 am

    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..

    Reply
    • Grow Forage Cook Ferment says

      January 23, 2023 at 10:56 am

      Hi Abby. Fermented sodas have a small amount of alcohol, but should be safe for older children.

      Reply
      • Abby Houser says

        January 30, 2023 at 8:52 am

        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?

      • Grow Forage Cook Ferment says

        January 30, 2023 at 12:12 pm

        Hi Abby. Yes, I do the same amount every time. White sediment is totally normal and harmless. Enjoy!

  4. Brooke says

    January 1, 2023 at 7:41 pm

    5 stars
    Hi,
    How long can I keep a ginger bug going?

    Reply
    • Grow Forage Cook Ferment says

      January 3, 2023 at 1:52 pm

      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.

      Reply
  5. star says

    December 31, 2022 at 7:00 pm

    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 ?

    Reply
    • Grow Forage Cook Ferment says

      January 3, 2023 at 1:54 pm

      You can add a splash of apple cider vinegar to regulate the pH if need be.

      Reply
  6. Laura says

    October 28, 2022 at 6:56 am

    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?

    Reply
    • Grow Forage Cook Ferment says

      October 31, 2022 at 9:13 am

      Hi Laura. Yes, that should still work.

      Reply
  7. Colleen says

    October 14, 2022 at 3:23 pm

    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

    Reply
    • Grow Forage Cook Ferment says

      October 17, 2022 at 8:57 am

      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!

      Reply
  8. Nancy says

    October 7, 2022 at 2:32 pm

    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?

    Reply
    • Grow Forage Cook Ferment says

      October 10, 2022 at 9:35 am

      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.

      Reply
      • Amy Prins says

        October 15, 2022 at 7:37 am

        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!

      • Grow Forage Cook Ferment says

        October 17, 2022 at 8:47 am

        Hi Amy. Yes, you can resume feedings with the same amount of ginger and sugar, topped with cheesecloth.

  9. Lisa says

    September 25, 2022 at 4:41 am

    Hi could you a pear ginger beer? We’ve got a surplus at the moment.

    Reply
    • Grow Forage Cook Ferment says

      September 26, 2022 at 8:10 am

      Definitely!

      Reply
  10. daan says

    September 24, 2022 at 11:49 am

    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

    Reply
  11. Naomi Hovey says

    August 14, 2022 at 4:59 pm

    Can you use coconut sugar or maple syrup?

    Reply
    • Grow Forage Cook Ferment says

      August 15, 2022 at 9:04 am

      Hi Naomi. You can use coconut sugar, but not maple syrup.

      Reply
  12. Nicolette says

    July 25, 2022 at 5:16 pm

    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.

    Reply
    • Grow Forage Cook Ferment says

      July 27, 2022 at 9:08 am

      Hi Nicolette. You can put your ginger bug in the refrigerator where it’ll stay dormant until you wish to resume feedings.

      Reply
« Older Comments

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Primary Sidebar

Hello there! I’m Colleen.

I want to inspire you to live seasonally, become more self sufficient, and protect your health. I share information on foraging and wildcrafting, fermenting and preserving, cooking whole foods from scratch, permaculture gardening, and making herbal products. And that’s just the beginning! Learn more.

CBD

Browse my homemade CBD recipes & how-tos

My Books

Spring Favorites

purple dead nettle uses benefits look alike

Foraging for Purple Dead Nettle: an edible backyard weed

50+ Dandelion Recipes: Drinks, Sweets, Soap, Remedies + More!

Lilac Flower Infused Honey

Dandelion Mead Recipe (Dandelion Wine Made With Honey)

Popular Posts

How to Make Soap For Beginners + Calendula Soap Recipe

5 Easy to Identify Edible Mushrooms

10 Reasons to Grow Mint (Without Fear)

How to Make and Use Dandelion Salve

What to Forage in Spring: 20 Edible and Medicinal Plants and Fungi

how to make mead

How to Make a Gallon of Mead: A Simple Mead Recipe

How to Make Hard Cider: Homebrew it!

Fermented Honey Garlic

Mountain Rose Herbs
×

Join list.

More info

Footer

Explore

  • Grow
  • Forage
  • Cook
  • Ferment
  • Herbalism
  • Homestead

Learn To Forage

The gather + root online foraging course will help you to safely identify, harvest, and use common edible and medicinal plants with confidence.

Enroll Now

As Featured On

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter
  • Privacy Policy
  • Affiliate Disclosure
  • Amazon Affiliate

Copyright © 2023 Grow Forage Cook Ferment & Cocos Creations LLC.

30.1K shares
  • 5.8K
  • 4