Ginger Bug (Fermented Ginger)

Close up of fermented shredded ginger floating in the water mixture in a glass jar.

How make a ginger bug, or fermented ginger, to drink with sparkling water or to make homemade ginger beer or other fermented soda pops. You need just fresh ginger, sugar, and water.

Course Drinks, Fermented

Cuisine American, Caribbean

Diet Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian

Prep Time 10

Fermenting Time 3

Total Time 3 10

Servings

Calories 18kcal

Author Alexandra Daum

Ingredients

For Each Feeding

1 teaspoon fresh ginger root unpeeled, finely grated
1 teaspoon sugar
3 teaspoons water

Instructions

Add the grated ginger, sugar, and water to a clean glass jar. Stir very well to combine, trying to dissolve the sugar.
1 teaspoon fresh ginger root, 1 teaspoon sugar, 3 teaspoons water
Cover the top of the jar with a piece of tightly-woven fabric and secure it tightly with an elastic band or some kind of string.
Set the covered ginger bug in a dark, open place, like the corner of your countertop.
The next day, feed it again with the same amounts of ginger, sugar, and water, stirring well again.
On the third day, repeat the feeding again.
By the fourth day, the ginger bug should be actively bubbling and the ginger should have mostly risen to the top of the mixture. It is now ready to drink mixed with water, or used to make ginger beer.
If you’re using the bug in drinks every few days, or making a lot of ginger beer or other fermented soda pops, you can keep it on the counter and continue with feeding daily. If you find that the jar is filling up too much either reduce the size of the feedings or store as outlined below.
To use once a week or less, store your active ginger bug in the refrigerator with a tight-fitting lid. I usually do this after the bug has peaked and I’ve made a batch of ginger beer, so it’s not just been fed as you would when storing sourdough starter in the refrigerator (but this doesn't really matter). Keep at least a tablespoon of the bug in the jar. When ready to use, feed it once as usual and see how it looks – usually it’ll be active again after just one feeding, but if not, feed it a second day and then it should be very bubbly and ready to use again.
This will keep for months at a time in the refrigerator without being fed, but I usually try to feed it about once a month if I'm going through a period when it's not being used. Otherwise simply start a new bug when needed.

Notes

As with any fermenting project, your time frame might look differently from the one laid out here. Temperature, ingredients, and more can play a role in how quickly things will lacto-ferment in your space. Use this recipe as a guideline but pay attention to what’s happening rather than how many days it’s been.

Nutrition