How to Make a Ginger Bug
- ★★
- ★★
- ★★
- ★★
- ★★
Recipe Intro From littlealchemykitchen
This ginger bug is a natural fermentation starter used to make homemade sodas like ginger beer or sparkling fruit drinks. With just ginger, sugar, and water, you’ll create a bubbly, living culture that’s easy to maintain and fun to experiment with.
- Recipe Card
Recipe Card
ingredients
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh ginger (skin on)
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 2 cups water (non-chlorinated, room temperature)
ingredients
Daily Feeding (Days 2 and onward):
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh ginger (skin on)
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
Method
Day 1:
Step 1
In a clean glass jar, combine 2 tablespoons chopped ginger, 2 tablespoons sugar, and 2 cups water. Stir to dissolve the sugar. Cover the jar with a coffee filter or paper towel secured with a rubber band. Leave it at room temperature, away from direct sunlight.
Day 2:
Step 1
Add 1 tablespoon chopped ginger and 1 teaspoon sugar. Stir well and re-cover the jar.
Days 3–7 (or longer):
Step 1
Continue feeding the bug daily with 1 tablespoon chopped ginger and 1 teaspoon sugar. Stir after each feeding. The mixture may become cloudy and might stop bubbling for a day or two—this is normal. Keep feeding it daily until you notice consistent bubbles forming within a few hours of feeding. This can take anywhere from 5 to 10 days depending on your environment.
Once Active:
Step 1
Your ginger bug is ready to use when it produces bubbles reliably and has a light, yeasty smell. At this point, you can use a portion for fermenting drinks and continue feeding the remaining culture daily, or refrigerate it and feed weekly to maintain.