How to Start and Maintain a Ginger Bug
Keeping a ginger bug on hand is a great way to have a strong colony of beneficial bacteria and yeast at your finger tips. It can be used to start a variety of fermented sodas and fermented foods.
Equipment
- glass mason jar, 1 pint
- measuring spoons
- grater or sharp knife
- cloth or coffee filter
- rubber band
Ingredients
- Ingredients Day 1 to start
- About 2 Tablespoons chopped or grated organic ginger
- 2 Tablespoons sugar
- 1 cup water
- Ingredients For regular feedings
- 2 Tablespoons chopped or grated organic ginger
- 2 Tablespoons sugar
Instructions
- Finely chop or grate ginger, no need to peel it.
- Dissolve 2 tablespoons sugar into 1 cup water.
- Add the 2 tablespoons ginger and stir well.
- Cover with cloth or coffee filter and rubber band.
- Ferment, stirring at least a couple times a day.
- Watch for signs of fermentation. Bubbles on the surface, ginger floating up and down, fizzy sound when stirred. Usually about 1-4 days.
- After it becomes fizzy/active, feed 2T sugar and 2T ginger to it everyday. Stir often.
- Use ginger bug to start ginger beer or root beer anytime after it becomes active and bubbly.
- When using your bug, save at least 2 tablespoons liquid to add to your new ginger bug so you won't have to start building your bacteria colony from scratch.
- For your new bug, follow the same instructions above, but just also add the 2T reserved ginger bug starter as well.
Notes
*You can also make a turmeric bug! Try the same method, just use fresh turmeric in place of the ginger.
*If you don’t use it often, you can keep the bug in the fridge after it is established. Just feed it at least once a week.
*If you don’t use it often, you can keep the bug in the fridge after it is established. Just feed it at least once a week.