IN THIS ARTICLE Equipment | Ingredients | Step-By-Step | Care and Storage | Our Picks
The key to making your own homemade naturally bubbly soft drinks and sodas, is having a great Ginger Bug (Ginger Beer Bug). I want to share my recipe with you, so you can learn how to make a Ginger Bug from ground ginger.
To make a Ginger Bug all you need is ground ginger, sugar, yeast, and a jar. That simple.
With my Ginger Bug recipe, you can make delicious probiotic, naturally bubbly soft drinks, sodas, and Ginger Beer for yourself and your children. Here’s my article on How To Make Homemade Ginger Beer using my Ginger Bug recipe.
What Is A Ginger Bug
A Ginger Beer Bug or Ginger Beer Starter is a mixture of ginger, sugar, yeast and water. It really is that simple. The mixture is allowed to ferment until bubbly and foamy. Brewers use a starter to brew drinks like root beer, ginger beer or lemonade (different recipe for each starter). It’s the key to making a great soda and the key to a perfect homemade Ginger Beer.
What Equipment Do You Need To Make A Ginger Bug
- 1 large jar 1 quart (1 liter)
- Measuring jug 1 quart (1 liter)
- A long handle spoon
- Cloth or tea towel
- Measuring spoons
For good quality equipment, take a look at Our Picks to get some ideas.
What Ingredients Do You Need To Make A Ginger Bug
- Warm water 16 ounces (.5 liter) between 70 to 85 degrees Fahrenheit (20 to 30 degrees Celsius)
- Active Dried Bakers’ Yeast (2 teaspoons)
- Raw Sugar (9 teaspoons)
- Ground Ginger (10 teaspoons)
For good quality ingredients, take a look at Our Picks to get some ideas.
How To Make A Ginger Bug Step By Step
Step 1
Using your measuring jug, fill a large glass jar (Mason Jar) with 16 ounces (.5 liters) of warm water approximately 70 to 85 degrees Fahrenheit (20 to 30 degrees Celsius).
TIP Yeast loves lots of air, so stir the water in your jar vigorously to aerate the water.
Step 2
Using your measuring spoons, to the warm water add 2 teaspoons of Raw Sugar and 3 teaspoons of Ground Ginger. Stir these with your long handle spoon until they’re well mixed.
Step 3
Using your measuring spoons again, to the warm water add 2 teaspoons of Active Dried Bakers’ Yeast.
Step 4
Cover loosely with a lid, soft cloth or tea towel. If using a lid, do not screw tight or the yeast won’t be able to breathe, we want the gases to escape as well. In the picture accompanying this article, I’ve left the lid of my jar cracked open. Place your Mason Jar in a warm place, such as the kitchen bench, pantry or table and let the yeast feed on the sugar in your mix.
Step 5
Feed your Bug every day for the next seven days. Feed it with 1 teaspoon of Raw Sugar, 1 teaspoon of Ground Ginger and 1/4 cup of cool water once each day.
TIP Yeast loves lots of air, so stir the mixture in your jar vigorously to aerate each day when you feed it.
Once you see bubbles and froth on the surface (about one week), your bug is ready for your first batch of ginger beer.
How To Care For Your Ginger Beer Bug
Once you have your Ginger Beer Bug, you need to keep feeding it to keep it alive. You also need to keep using it to help keep it alive, look at How To Make Homemade Ginger Beer for details on using your Bug. So if you are too busy to make a batch of Ginger Beer every week, don’t just keep feeding your Ginger Beer Bug and hope for the best. Your Bug won’t survive.
Here’s what you need to do, to store your Bug when you don’t have time to use it. At the end of the week, pour off the correct mount as if you were making some ginger beer. Pour the remaining Bug into an air-tight Jar and place it into the fridge. It’ll keep like this for up to 1 month. When you’re ready to use it again, follow the instructions above for restoring your Bug. You can do this as often as needed.
TIP Try freezing your left over Ginger Bug.
To store your Bug long term, try pouring it into a zip lock bag and placing it in your freezer. It will keep for up to a year like this. I use this method to store it over winter. Again, restore it by following the instructions above.
Conclusion
Sweet and delicious, there is nothing like homemade bubbly soft drinks and sodas. Because it’s fermented, it’s naturally rich in probiotics and wild yeasts. The secret to making the most delicious homemade bubbly soft drinks and sodas is having a great Ginger Bug. Use my Ginger Bug recipe and instructions and I hope you enjoy the results. It really is very easy to make it yourself.
Our Picks
High-quality ingredients and equipment make all the difference in your kitchen. Always buy the best quality you can afford. The products below are our picks of the best ingredients and equipment for making a Ginger Bug. They are all supplies you can add to your kitchen and re-use on other projects. These are essentials.
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