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!
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.”
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.
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.
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.
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!
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
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.