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ginger bug

How To Make A Ginger Bug (Using Honey or Sugar)

Learn how to make a ginger bug — a natural starter culture made with just ginger, sweetener, and water! This easy recipe shows you how to use honey or sugar to create the perfect base for homemade fermented sodas.
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Course: Healthy Remedy
Cuisine: Healthy Options
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Fermenting Time: 5 days
Total Time: 5 days 20 minutes
Servings: 12 oz
Calories: 10kcal
Author: Capri Lilly

Equipment

  • 16 oz Mason Jar
  • Cheese Cloth or Clean Kitchen Cloth
  • Cheese grater or food processor to chop ginger (can also chop with a knife)
  • Rubber Band

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon Raw Sugar or Raw Honey
  • 1 tablespoon Organic Fresh Ginger unpeeled, chopped or grated
  • 1 cup Non-chlorinated Water

Instructions

  • Put the unpeeled chopped ginger and sweetener into a jar. 
  • Add the water and stir 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. Stir it a few times a day, if you can.
  • Feed the ginger bug daily with 1 tbsp fresh chopped ginger and 1 tbsp sweetener. Give it a good stir.
  • Keep feeding it and stirring it every day, and after a few days you should start to see some bubble action.
    Your ginger bug is ready to use when it’s been actively fermenting for 5–7 days, produces bubbles throughout the jar, forms a light foam or fizz on top, and gives off a pleasantly tangy, slightly sweet, yeasty aroma — and when stirred, it should fizz noticeably, showing it's full of active fermentation power.

Notes

Most soda recipes call for about ½ to 1 cup of ginger bug, depending on the size of your batch. After using your ginger bug, you can store any remaining for future use. 

How to Store a Ginger Bug:

Once your ginger bug is active and bubbly, you can store it in the refrigerator with a loose-fitting lid or cloth cover to allow it to breathe slightly.
  • Keep it cold to slow fermentation and reduce the need for daily feeding.
  • Feed it once a week with 1 tbsp ginger and 1 tbsp sugar to keep it alive.
  • Stir well after feeding and before each use.

How to Reuse a Ginger Bug:

To reuse your ginger bug for soda:
  1. Remove it from the fridge and let it come to room temperature.
  2. Feed it once and wait a few hours (or overnight) until it's bubbly again.
  3. Use ½ to 1 cup of the liquid from the bug to ferment your soda.
  4. Top it off with fresh ginger, sugar, and water to keep the bug going.
 

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 10kcal