How much ginger bug to add to soda?

Here's a general rule: Once the ginger bug has cultured, use a ratio of ¼ cup "ginger bug" starter per quart of sweetened herbal mixtures for ginger ale or root beer or diluted fruit juice for fruit flavored sodas.

Can you drink straight ginger bug?

It is time for “ginger bug” to have its day in the sun as a fermented tonic drink in its own right. Long considered just a starter for ginger beer, this quick to ferment beverage is low in sugar, spicy, warming and pungent. In our house, we enjoy it straight up.

What can you make with a ginger bug?

Once you have a healthy ginger bug, you can add it to a sweetened beverage like fruit juice, lemonade, or sweetened herbal tea . The ginger bug will consume the sugar in the drink and transform it into a healthy, bubbly, probiotic-rich soda.

Do you refrigerate ginger bug?

Store your freshly fed ginger bug in the refrigerator and feed it one tablespoon each of chopped ginger and raw sugar every week.

Why is my ginger bug not fizzy?

If you're not seeing bubbles after a few days, it's possible your ginger bug was contaminated, had traces of chlorine, or was sterilized by harsh direct sunlight . We'd recommend starting over on your ginger bug.

Is ginger bug soda good for you?

Ginger bug is a fermented , all natural beverage starter similar to a sourdough bread starter or Kombucha SCOBY. It is a starter to a multitude of all natural fizzy sodas and to great gut and digestive health. There are so many combinations you can't even begin to comprehend.

Is ginger bug yeast or bacteria?

While they're both rich in probiotics and used to make natural sodas, they're two different things. Ginger bugs are wild-fermented starter cultures that rely on the native yeast and bacteria of your kitchen to become bubbly.

Should ginger bug be sealed?

Pour your Ginger Bug culture into an airtight glass container. Seal & place in the refrigerator . The cool temperatures will slow down fermentation and create a semi-dormant Ginger Bug. Ideally, feed your Ginger Bug culture once per week while stored at refrigerator temperatures.

Can you overfeed a ginger bug?

Overfeeding your Ginger Bug can stress and weaken your culture further .

Can I use distilled water for ginger bug?

GINGER BUG: Day 1: Combine 2 c water, 1/2 c of diced organic ginger, 1 tbsp sugar in a thoroughly cleaned container. Be sure to use distilled or filtered water . Also be sure to use organic ginger, as non-organic ginger may be irradiated.

How do you add ginger to a drink?

The easiest way to make it is to just add ground ginger or a few slices of fresh ginger root to water . But these aren't the most efficient ways to get ginger to release its natural compounds. Steeping ginger in hot water also helps make it more flavorful. You can serve it chilled if you prefer a cold drink.

How much ginger should I add?

Ginger is safe to eat daily, but experts recommend limiting yourself to 3 to 4 grams a day — stick to 1 gram daily if you're pregnant. Taking more than 6 grams of ginger a day has been proven to cause gastrointestinal issues such as reflux, heartburn and diarrhea.

Make Delicious Homemade Soda With a Ginger Bug (2024)

A ginger bug is a fermented slurry of sugar and ginger that creates homemade ginger soda and probiotic tonics. It's easy, though it takes a little over a week to create a fizzy beverage that's ready to drink. Once you get it started, you can keep the "bug" going and continue to make naturally carbonated drinks as long as you like for minimal cost. It's an excellent project for creative experimentation because there are many ways to vary the flavor.

The process of making a ginger bug at home is simple, and it doesn't require any special ingredients or tools. You simply need a good supply of fresh ginger root (organic is preferred, but not necessary), sugar, and water.

The ginger bug is fermented in a glass jar and fed a mixture of ginger and sugar daily. It's similar to a sourdough starter for bread; the slurry feeds off the wild yeast and bacteria in your kitchen. When the ginger bug is ready, it's mixed with sweet tea or fruit juice, bottled, and left to ferment for a few days longer, to give you a healthy, bubbly soda.

How to Make Ginger Juice

Ingredients

For the Ginger Bug:

2 to 3 tablespoons peeled and diced fresh ginger
2 to 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 cups distilled or filtered water

For Daily Feedings:

2 tablespoons peeled and diced fresh ginger
2 tablespoons granulated sugar

For Ginger Soda:

1/2 cup ginger bug liquid
7 1/2 cups sweet tea, fruit juice, or lemonade

Steps to Make It

Gather the ingredients.
Peel the ginger, and chop or slice.
In a 1-quart glass jar, combine the water, ginger, and sugar. Stir with a wooden spoon until the sugar is dissolved.
Cover the jar with fine-weave cloth (layer it if needed) and secure with a rubber band or string. Place the jar in a warm location.
After 24 hours, feed the ginger bug by stirring in 2 tablespoons each of ginger and sugar. Repeat the feedings daily for 4 to 6 days.
The ginger bug is ready when bubbles form, it fizzes when stirred, and it smells yeasty and gingery, almost like beer.
See Also
Ginger Bug
Prepare 7 1/2 cups of the soda base (either cooled sweet tea, fruit juice, or lemonade). Strain 1/2 cup of liquid from the ginger bug. Replace the liquid by adding 1/2 cup water to the ginger bug jar.
You can put the ginger bug to "sleep" by storing it in the refrigerator or begin the fermentation process again with daily feedings. For the first 2 days, use 1 teaspoon each of ginger and sugar, then 2 tablespoons each for the remaining 4 to 6 days.
Combine the soda base and ginger bug, stirring to combine.
Use a funnel to fill bottles, leaving between 1/2 and 1 inch of headspace. Seal and let sit at room temperature for about 3 days, or until it reaches the desired carbonation.
This process is similar to the secondary fermentation of kombucha. Use either glass or plastic bottles; 8 cups will fill three 16-ounce bottles with appropriate headspace. When using glass, "burp" the bottles—briefly open then seal again—daily to release excess carbon dioxide and avoid a possible explosion.
After bottle fermentation is complete, refrigerate the bottles. Drink cold within a few weeks, after which it will lose carbonation. Enjoy!

Tips

Choose your favorite type of sugar. Standard white sugar works well, and raw sugars are popular. Avoid honey as it can inhibit fermentation.
When making any fermented beverage, use plastic and wood utensils as much as possible. Metal can negatively affect the flavor and fermentation process.
Use a finely woven cloth, paper towels, or a coffee filter to cover the jar to keep fruit flies and other tiny insects out. Some people use glass or plastic lids, and it doesn't seem to affect fermentation. Avoid metal lids.
The key to good bottle fermentation is sugar. It's food for the microorganisms that create carbon dioxide and balances the acidic taste naturally produced by fermentation. Make sure that your soda base includes a good amount of sugar. For instance, make a sweet tea with 1/2 to 1 cup of sugar for 7 1/2 cups of brewed tea. The natural sweeteners in fruit juices may be enough, or you can add sugar.
Bottle a couple of batches at one time, retaining the 1:16 ratio of ginger liquid to soda base. Either split the 1/2 cup of ginger bug liquid in half or use an additional 1/2 cup for a second batch with a different base. For a half-batch, use 3 3/4 cups of the base and 1/4 cup of ginger liquid.

Recipe Variations

Every part of the ginger bug brewing process can (and should) be customized to see what works best for your home's environment as well as your taste:

As with kombucha, black tea ferments very well. Green or white teas are not as boldly flavored, and many people enjoy herbal teas.
Lemonade, as well as other fruit "ades," have a good combination of sugar and fruit flavor. Use a standard mix of 1 part each fruit juice and sugar with 2 parts of water.
Choose fruits that complement ginger. Favorites include apple, apricot, blueberry, cranberry, grapefruit, lemon, lime, lychee, mango, passion fruit, pineapple, pumpkin, and strawberry.
Try a mix of sweet tea and fruit juice. Start with equal parts and see what you think.
Before bottling, combine the soda base and ginger bug liquid in a large jar, cover with a cloth for two days, stirring a couple of times daily. Then bottle the mixture, seal, and let sit at room temperature for one day, or until fully carbonated.

Ginger Bug vs. Ginger Plant

The ginger bug creates a bubbly soft drink that's not as sweet as ginger ale, but it's also much different than ginger beer. Though they're both fermented beverages, ginger beer requires a "ginger plant." It's actually a "scoby" —a symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast—much like that used to brew kombucha or water-based kefir. While you can make the ginger bug with common ingredients, you will need to acquire a ginger plant from someone who brews ginger beer or buy it from an online store if you want to make a ginger beer, instead.

How to Make Ginger Juice

Fermenting Food
Non-Alcoholic Drinks
Raw Vegan

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
37	Calories
0g	Fat
10g	Carbs
0g	Protein

Show Full Nutrition Label

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 16
Amount per serving
Calories	37
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 0g	0%
Saturated Fat 0g	0%
Cholesterol 0mg	0%
Sodium 0mg	0%
Total Carbohydrate 10g	4%
Dietary Fiber 0g	0%
Total Sugars 9g
Protein 0g
Vitamin C 0mg	0%
Calcium 0mg	0%
Iron 0mg	0%
Potassium 24mg	1%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Recipe Tags:

ginger
non-alcoholic drinks
american
winter

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Make Delicious Homemade Soda With a Ginger Bug (2024)

Ingredients

Steps to Make It

Tips

Recipe Variations

Ginger Bug vs. Ginger Plant

FAQs

How much ginger bug to add to soda? ›

How do you add ginger to a drink? ›