Ginger Bug Recipes

GINGER BUG RECIPE

Steps:

• Gather the ingredients.
• Peel the ginger, and chop or slice.
• In a 1-quart glass jar, combine the water, ginger, and sugar. Stir with a wooden spoon until the sugar is dissolved.
• Cover the jar with fine-weave cloth (layer it if needed) and secure with a rubber band or string. Place the jar in a warm location.
• After 24 hours, feed the ginger bug by stirring in 2 tablespoons each of ginger and sugar. Repeat the feedings daily for 4 to 6 days.
• The ginger bug is ready when bubbles form, it fizzes when stirred, and it smells yeasty and gingery, almost like beer.
• Prepare 7 1/2 cups of the soda base (either cooled sweet tea, fruit juice, or lemonade). Strain 1/2 cup of liquid from the ginger bug. Replace the liquid by adding 1/2 cup water to the ginger bug jar. You can put the ginger bug to "sleep" by storing it in the refrigerator or begin the fermentation process again with daily feedings. For the first 2 days, use 1 teaspoon each of ginger and sugar, then 2 tablespoons each for the remaining 4 to 6 days.
• Combine the soda base and ginger bug, stirring to combine.
• Use a funnel to fill bottles, leaving between 1/2 and 1 inch of headspace. Seal and let sit at room temperature for about 3 days, or until it reaches the desired carbonation. This process is similar to the secondary fermentation of kombucha . Use either glass or plastic bottles; 8 cups will fill three 16-ounce bottles with appropriate headspace. When using glass, "burp" the bottles-briefly open then seal again-daily to release excess carbon dioxide and avoid a possible explosion.
• After bottle fermentation is complete, refrigerate the bottles. Drink cold within a few weeks, after which it will lose carbonation. Enjoy!

GINGER BUG RECIPE

Steps:

• Place room temperature water, sugar and diced ginger in a clean jar. (I use a 16 ounce weck tulip jar or mason jar.)
• Firmly attach a lid to the jar, give it a good shake, and set it in a warm spot (72-80°F) for 24 hours.
• The next day, feed the ginger bug by adding 2 tsp chopped ginger, 2 tsp sugar, and shaking it again. Repeat this step for 3-5 more days. The ginger bug is ready to use when you see little bubbles forming.

GINGER BUG STARTER RECIPE

Steps:

• Fill a 1-quart mason jar half way with filtered water.
• Add 2 tablespoons of white sugar and stir until dissolved.
• Finely chop up about 1 tablespoon of ginger using the food processor or knife.
• Stir the ginger into the sugar water.
• Cover the jar with the towel and secure with the rubber band. Store the jar in a dark place.
• Each day, add 2 more tablespoons of ginger and 2 more tablespoons of sugar, stir it well, and recover the jar. Continue this process for three or more days until the bug is ready.
• When there are bubbles consistently sitting at the surface at the end of a this period you know that the starter is working.