Making a Ginger Bug as a Starter for Sodas :)

Ginger bug is a starter culture used to ferment drinks. It is made from fresh unpeeled ginger root, water and sugar, and once established, it provides enough active microorganisms to ferment other beverages.

The basic principle is that ginger skin has many lactic acid bacteria and yeasts that are ready to be activated with oxygen, sugar and water. This provides the right environment for them to multiply.

A ginger bug thrives in a warm spot between 70–75°F (21–24°C) for optimal activity. Try to keep it at a stable warm temperature, like near the cooker on the countertop.

Ginger Bug (500ml jar)

From The Cultured Club by Dearbhla Reynolds

Ingredients

Enough fresh unpeeled (organic) ginger to pack a 500ml jar. Roughly chopped.

1 tbsp sugar (preferably raw cane sugar, but also unrefined, muscovado or white sugar), plus extra for feeding

200ml filtered water, plus extra

Method

• This process is like making a sourdough starter and happens over 5 days.

• Loosely pack a clean 500ml jar with roughly chopped ginger. You can fill it to just over ¾ full.

• Add 1 tbsp sugar, fill the jar to full with the filtered water, pop the lid on and give it a good shake to mix.

• Open the lid, cover with a breathable cloth and leave on the countertop to attract some wild yeasts.

• After 24 hours, you’ll need to feed this bug, so pour off a little water, feed it ½ tbsp sugar and top up with fresh filtered water. Put the lid on.

• Continue this step for the next 5 days, pouring off a little water, adding sugar and topping up until it starts to bubble.

• It is now ready to ferment some drinks for you

• Store it in the fridge and feed it ½ tbsp sugar each week to keep it alive (though some sources say that you only need to feed it 24 hours before you’re going to use it).

The more common method of making a ginger bug is by feeding ginger and sugar each day (in the link below), but I find the method above a bit easier.

Using this 'bug' as a starter:

You can use about 50ml of this 'bug' as a starter in a 1 litre flip top bottle. Strain the bug through a sieve straight into the bottle. Then put the ginger from the sieve, 1 tbsp sugar and 50ml of water back into your ginger bug to replace what you've used and pop it back in the fridge for next time!

Flavours you can make include:

• Watermelon, lime and mint: 2 cups of chopped watermelon, blitzed with a little water and pushed through a sieve into your bottle, with the juice of 1 lime, 50ml of the ginger bug starter and then topping with water (just to the point where the bottle starts to narrow). Ferment on the countertop for 1-3 days, keeping an eye on it, and opening the bottle (burping) at least once every day to let out the excess gas. you can burp more often in hot weather, this guy gets very lively. Serve with ice, crushed mint and a drizzle of maple syrup if you like :)

  
  

• Mango and ginger: 2 cups of fresh or frozen mango, blitzed with water and again, pushed through a sieve, little squeeze of lemon or lime (if you like), 50ml ginger bug starter and then topping with water (just to the point where the bottle starts to narrow). Ferment on the countertop for 1-3 days, keeping an eye on it, and opening the bottle (burping) at least once every day to let out the excess gas. you can burp more often in hot weather, this guy gets very lively.

If you'd like to learn more about fermentation, come to one of my workshops or my 4-week programme. You'll find all the details on www.foodhugs.ir/fermentation