Ginger bug culture has naturally occurring beneficial probiotics and magically carbonates home-brewed sodas. Once you have a ginger bug, you can use it to make all sorts of flavored sodas. Plus, it can be kept alive indefinitely.
Wash whole ginger and dry with a clean paper towel. Leave skin on and chop ginger into ⅛-inch pieces. You can chop all the ginger in advance and keep it in the refrigerator to use each day as needed.
Start Ginger Bug
Pour 2 cups filtered or bottled spring water into a one-quart jar. Add 1 tablespoon organic ginger and 1 tablespoon organic raw cane sugar. Stir to mix. Cover the jar with a square of breathable cotton cloth cut to size. Secure with a rubber band. Set aside at room temperature out of direct sunlight. A countertop or table is fine.
Daily Feeding
Every day, remove the cover from the jar and add 2 teaspoons each raw sugar and chopped ginger. You'll need a total of ¼ cup chopped ginger and ¼ cup organic raw cane sugar for a week of feeding. Give a quick stir and replace the cover. Don't overfeed your ginger bug. It needs time to digest and convert sugar.
In a couple of days the ginger bug may show bubbles or signs of fizziness. Don't worry if you don't see obvious signs. Your culture is working behind the scenes growing beneficial probiotics. If your culture grows mold or smells bad, toss it out and start over.
After 4-7 days your healthy culture will be ready. If you aren't sure, just give it the full 7 days to ferment.
Strain your ginger bug into a clean jar and toss away all the old ginger. Now you can use it to make homemade, naturally carbonated sodas.
Once you have measured out the needed ginger bug to make your first soda, replace the liquid with an equal amount of filtered water and add 1 tablespoon each of finely chopped ginger and raw sugar.
Store
Store your freshly fed ginger bug in the refrigerator and feed it one tablespoon each of chopped ginger and raw sugar every week.
Notes
Ingredients
Use filtered water without chlorine or water bottled without additives.
You can use peeled ginger, but I recommend leaving the skin on for convenience. The extra bacteria in the skin is helpful.
Equipment
Make sure your equipment is sterilized or very clean.
Use a jar large enough to provide some air space while fermenting.
Cover your jar with a breathable cotton cloth and keep it out of direct sunlight.
Preparation
It's not necessary to grate the ginger. Diced small is fine.
Chop all your ginger in advance.
Store ginger and sugar for the weeks feeding in small jars.
Don't overfeed your mixture. It needs time to digest the fresh sugar and ginger.
Maintaining
The first time you put your ginger bug in the refrigerator, mark the date on the jar.
Each time you remove some liquid to brew soda, replenish with an equal amount of water, and feed the starter.
If you have a ginger bug that has been in the refrigerator for several weeks, you can "wake" it up. Strain out the old ginger pulp and feed it with 1 tablespoon each of ginger and sugar. Place it at room temperature for 12- 24 hours to ferment before making your soda.
Over time the chopped ginger will accumulate. Go ahead and strain it all out and toss it away. Add a tablespoon each of sugar and ginger and replenish water if needed.