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Overhead view of a jar with a Ginger Bug inside.

Ginger Bug Recipe (Probiotic Fizzy Sodas)

Are you ready to kick your soda habit? Try this homemade ginger bug recipe and start using the power of fermentation to boost your immune system. It’s easy, inexpensive, and uses simple ingredients and minimal equipment you probably already have in your kitchen! 
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Course: Drinks
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Fermenting Time: 7 days
Total Time: 7 days 5 minutes
Servings: 10 servings
Calories: 87kcal
Author: Carolyn Thomas

Equipment

  • Measuring Utensils
  • Grater or zester
  • Glass Jar & Lid
  • Soda Bottles optional

Ingredients

  • 8 teaspoons ginger root grated
  • 8 teaspoons sugar
  • 2 cups water
  • 8 cups sweet tea or lemonade, apple cider, etc.

Instructions

Making a Ginger Bug

  • Start your ginger bug: Combine two teaspoons of sugar, two teaspoons of chopped or grated ginger root (leave the peel on), and two cups of water in a glass jar. Seal the jar with the lid and shake it to mix. Place the jar in a warm place for 24 hours.
  • Feed your ginger bug: For the first 5-6 days after you create your ginger bug, you will need to feed it. This involves opening the jar, adding 1 more teaspoon of grated ginger and one more teaspoon of sugar, recapping the jar and shaking. Complete this process once a day.
  • Look for bubbles: Around the fifth or sixth day of this process, you will begin to see bubbles in your ginger bug. You may also smell yeastiness when you open the jar. These are signs that your ginger bug is happy, healthy, and ready to make some soda! You can make a drink right away or stash it in the fridge for a week or so until you are ready.

Using a Ginger Bug

  • Prep your ginger bug: Just like sourdough, your ginger bug needs to be very active to successfully ferment other recipes. If you've been keeping your ginger bug in the fridge, bring it out and feed it for a day or two until the sights (bubbles) and smells (yeast) tell you it's ready.
  • Strain and mix: Strain off ½ cup of your ginger bug and add it to a scant half gallon of your favorite sweetened drink – lemonade, sweet tea, apple cider, your choice! Leave half an inch of headspace for bubbles and put on a tight lid (flip-top bottles are great for this!).
  • Ferment: Allow your soda to ferment for 2-3 days at room temperature, “burping” daily by briefly opening the jar and quickly resealing it. After a couple of days, taste the soda and see if the flavor is to your liking. If so, transfer to cold storage and enjoy! Homemade soda will last a few months in cold storage below 55°F.

Notes

Tending a Gingerbug

Keeping your ginger bug alive is very similar to tending sourdough. You can leave it on your counter as long as you feed it daily, or you can keep it in cold storage as long as you feed it once a week. 
Over time, you’ll need to add more water to your ginger bug (just judge this by eye), and you will need to remove some ginger. Ginger from your bug can be composted or fed to your chickens.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cup | Calories: 87kcal | Carbohydrates: 22g | Protein: 0.03g | Fat: 0.02g | Saturated Fat: 0.003g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.002g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.002g | Sodium: 10mg | Potassium: 26mg | Fiber: 0.03g | Sugar: 21g | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 7mg | Iron: 0.01mg
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