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Equipment | Ingredients | Ginger Bug | Recipe | Bottling and Storage | Our Picks

On a hot day, ice-cold Homemade Ginger Beer is one of my favorite drinks. When I was a kid, my mom made it for us all summer. Now that I’m a parent, I make Homemade Ginger Beer for my family too.  

Homemade Ginger Beer is made from ginger, sugar, lemon, yeast, and water.  It really is that simple.

Follow my recipe and simple instructions, to learn everything you need to know to make delicious homemade Ginger Beer for your family.

What Equipment Do You Need To Make Ginger Beer

What Ingredients Do I Need To Make Ginger Beer

• Warm water 70 to 85 degrees Fahrenheit (20 to 30 degrees Celsius)
• 2 tsp active dried yeast (bakers yeast)
• 2 tsp raw sugar
• 3 tsp ground ginger
• 3 cups raw sugar
• 2 tsp cream of tartar
• 1 quart boiling water (1 Liter)
• 5 quarts (1.3 gallons, 5 Liters) cold water
• Juice of 2 lemons (strained)

What Is A Ginger Bug (Ginger Beer Starter)

A Ginger Bug or Ginger Starter is a mixture of ginger, sugar, yeast and water.  The mixture is allowed to ferment until bubbly and foamy.  Brewers use the bug to brew drinks like Root Beer, Ginger Beer or Fermented Lemonade. For a detailed description of how to make a Ginger Bug, come see my article “How To Make A Ginger Bug From Ground Ginger“.

How To Make A Ginger Bug

Step 1

Fill a large glass jar with 16 ounces (.5 liters) of warm water approximately 70 to 85 degrees Fahrenheit (20 to 30 Celsius). 

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With your long handle spoon, stir the water vigorously to aerate. This helps the yeast grow.

Step 2

To the warm water, add 2 teaspoons of raw sugar and 3 teaspoons of ground ginger. Stir these until they’re well mixed.

Step 3

To the warm water, add 2 teaspoons of bakers’ yeast.  

Step 4

Cover loosely with a lid or tea towel.  If using a lid, do not screw tight or the yeast won’t be able to breathe.  Place your jar in a warm place, such as the kitchen table.

Step 5  

Feed your bug every day for seven days with 1 teaspoon of raw sugar and 1 teaspoon of ground ginger. 

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With your long handle spoon, stir the bug vigorously to aerate. This helps the yeast grow.

Once you see bubbles and froth on the surface (about one week), your Ginger Bug is ready to make your first batch of Ginger Beer.

How To Make Ginger Beer Step By Step

Step 1

In your 2.5 gallon (5 Liter) bucket, put 3 cups of raw sugar and 2 teaspoons of cream of tartar.  Add 1 quart (1 Liter) of boiling water. 

Step 2

Using your long handle spoon, stir the boiling water mix in your bucket to dissolve the raw sugar. 

Step 3

To your bucket, now add 5 quarts (1.3 gallons, 5 Liters) of cold water. 

Step 4

Get the jar that contains your Ginger Beer Starter (Bug).  Pour all the liquid into your bucket, but be careful to leave the sludge in the bottom of the jar behind.  Next, add the juice of your 2 lemons (strained).  Using your long handle spoon again, stir the liquid well.

Step 5

Pour the liquid from your bucket into your clean bottles.  It makes six 25 ounce (750 ml) bottles.  I like to use reusable clip-top bottles.

Step 6

Store in a cool, dark place for two weeks before drinking.  Make sure you open the bottle in the kitchen sink as it might overflow.  Open the cap bit by bit to allow the gas to escape.  There will also be a little sediment in the bottom of your bottle.  I like to drink this, but some people don’t.  You can pour it out into a jug and leave the sediment behind if you like. Your Ginger Beer will be a little cloudy, it’s perfectly normal and it tastes delicious!

How To Reuse A Ginger Bug

Your Ginger Beer Starter (Bug) is not dead.  In fact, it’s ready to make another batch of delicious Ginger Beer for you.  Take your Ginger Beer Starter jar with the sludge in the bottom.  Fill it with water to the top.  Tip out half of the liquid into another jar so you can give it to a friend.  Now they can have their own Ginger Beer Starter as well.  Fill your jar back up to the 16 ounces (.5 liters) mark with warm water and feed using the instructions above.  In one week you’ll have another Ginger Beer starter ready to make you more delicious Homemade Ginger Beer.

How To Store A Ginger Bug

If you are too busy to make a batch of ginger beer one week, don’t just keep feeding and hope for the best, as your Ginger Beer Starter won’t survive. Pour it out after a week, as you would if you were making some ginger beer.  Now follow the above instructions for restoring your Starter all over again.

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Try freezing your left over Ginger Bug.

Be Careful Opening Your Bottles of Ginger Beer

As your Homemade Ginger Beer brews in your bottles, the pressure will build up. Try releasing the caps on your bottles twice a week (every 3 days) to let a little of the pressure out. The flip-top bottles really make this task simple. Less pressure in the bottles makes your bottles easier to open when it’s time to drink. No matter what, always take care when opening your bottles.

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Release a little of the pressure from each bottle every 3 days. Don't forget to do this or you might have bottles crack!

Is Ginger Beer Probiotic

Ginger Beer is fermented, making it naturally rich in probiotics like lactobacillus bacteria and wild yeasts. These organisms help to support metabolic and digestive health as well as the immune system. For centuries herbalists have used Ginger to help with nausea and digestion. I’ve learned that Ginger Beer is a special soda and more than just delicious.

Conclusion

Sweet and delicious, there is nothing like homemade Ginger Beer. Because it’s fermented, it’s naturally rich in probiotics and wild yeasts. These organisms help to support metabolic and digestive health. So it’s not only delicious, it’s good for you, well maybe not all the sugar. Best of all, it’s easy to make it yourself. That’s why it’s my favorite summer soda.

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 homemade Ginger Beer. They are all supplies you can add to your kitchen and re-use on other projects. These are essentials.

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