Ginger Bug

Ginger Bug 

(for making natural soda)

I have never allowed my children to taste soda. There have been a few times that I wanted to have ginger ale on hand for an upset tummy but refused to buy commercialized soda.

I finally started making ginger bug....

-this general recipe begins your starter-

1/2 c organic sugar*

2 T Shredded fresh organic ginger 

2 cups of water

Every day for the next 5 days add

1 T ground ginger

1 T sugar

Give it a good stir after this is added

Cover with a light cloth to keep bugs out and allow fermentation to commence

*Some say: do not use anything other that sugar- honey has antibacterial properties which will prohibit proper growth.  Other things like Stevia etc. will also not work.

My friends say they start their bug with sugar and for the rest of the week they have honey as their additive.... it obviously works for some.  One stipulation might be that they are using processed vs a true raw honey.  I will have to experiment for a personal verdict.

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MY PERSONAL RECIPE IS BELOW

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[day 1]

[I personally begin 1/2 gallon mason jars with 3 1/2 c water]

[4T ginger+ 4T sugar]

[day 2-5]

[2T ginger + 2T sugar]

[I do this for a stronger ginger flavor and a better "bubble"]

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After a few days it begins to froth and the bubbles and small bits of ginger float toward the top

After 5 days I begin to bottle-

Take 1/4 ginger bug and add it to a lock top bottle then top with your juice or kombucha of choice.

I use kombucha for this step to induce the 2nd fermentation process.  This allows for the natural carbonation to take place.  Leave bottles on counter- unopened for 3 days.

Place in refrigerator and consume over the next 2-3 months.  You may want to release some pressure to avoid an accidental explosion.

The "rule" is- if you take out 1/4c of liquid- you need to replace it with 1/4c sugar and 1/4c ginger.

I pick up these old beer bottles from random garage sales.  Amazon sells replacement seals (gaskets) for around $10 per 100ct. 

If the ginger bug is left out and the carbonation exhausts itself- it will eventually turn into alcohol...and then vinegar.  In fact, if it makes it that far without molding then a proper mother will have produced.