How To Make A Ginger Bug | Ginger Brew

There is so much to say on the subject of ginger bugs. I’m somewhat of a beginner on the topic of homemade cultured foods and drinks. Let me start by saying when you cover your bug, don’t use a fitted lid. You want air to flow freely into the bug so that the good bacteria will grow. As you can see from the video I used a napkin/paper towel to cover my bug in order to allow it to breathe and prevent insects from contaminating it. When you feed your bug. Be sure to mix thoroughly afterwards. I was instructed to use a plastic spoon… “Stay away from metal!” I was told. For some reason every single time I turned the camera on to record the feeding of the bug… I completely forgot, Lol! What can I say? It was a teaching moment, though many are religiously against using metal, I absent mindedly used metal over and over again and it came out well. Very important... taste your flavoring liquid, before mixing the brew. Make sure you adjust the flavor before mixing the brew. I did not have enough lemon juice to make my brew as acidic as I would've liked but the brew was still good. Be sure to taste and have some extra lemons available just in case :)

I will try this once again with plastic spoon, just to see if the metal spoon changed the flavor of the bug. Disclaimer* check with you doctor as well as research for yourself before making and consuming homemade raw probiotic foods or drinks.

Ginger Bug
4T Grated Fresh Ginger (peel on)
4T Grated Fresh Turmeric (peel on)
4c Water Filtered
1/2c Sugar (Granulated white is the best, no nutritional value)

In a large non-reactant container mix all of the above ingredients. Cover loosely and store in a dry place.  

To feed over the following three days:
6T White Sugar
6T Filtered Water

Two tablespoons of water and two tablespoons of sugar per day.

Ginger Brew
Makes 1 Gallon+
1c Grated Ginger
1t Vanilla Extract
1/2c Lemon Juice
3T Molasses
1-1/2c Sugar (adjust to preference)
1gal Filtered Water
2c Ginger Bug

Bring to a boil 2c of filtered water, sugar, vanilla, lemon, and ginger for approximately 3-4 minutes or until sugar has dissolved and the syrup takes on the flavor of ginger. BECAREFUL this liquid will boil over into to a mess on your stove top… I know it well. Allow flavor syrup to cool completely. If syrup is hot or too warm, you will kill your ginger bug.

In a large pitcher mix ginger bug, flavored syrup, and the remaining water. Cover pitcher and allow to sit at room temperature overnight or up to two days. The brew will take on a subtle carbonation. Refrigerate and enjoy.

Glass Jar & Plastic Storage for  Carbonation:
If you are desiring to make a ginger soda pop, you can store your brew in plastic bottles with a tightly fashioned top. After approximately 2-3days the bottle will be very firm as a normal un-opened plastic bottle of soda. That’s due to the gas build up from the bacteria consuming the sugar. For the glass jar storage, cover with fitted lid and store at room temperature overnight or for the next two days. BE SURE* to burp your glass containers every eight hours to release the gas build up from the glass container. If you do not release the gas from your brew in your glass containers, the buildup will become so great that you will no longer be able to unfasten the lid. In some cases the gas build up can explode your jar.