Ginger is a multifaceted herb. Its knobby root is versatile. Warm, spicy and earthy, ginger serves to boost the immunity. There are so many varied ways to use ginger. It has several medicinal properties. It also is a potent antioxidant and reduces inflammation. To make a ginger bug, probiotic ginger beer is perhaps one of the best uses of this herbal root. Ginger is covered with wild yeast. This property can be effectively used to make a ginger bug.
Ginger bug refers to collections of yeasts and bacteria that colonize a jar of sweetened ginger. This concoction is extremely easy to make and excellent for a homemade soda. A ginger bug is a starter culture turning fruit juice or sweet herbal tea into a bubbly homemade drink. All you need is filtered water, sugar, and ginger. Sugar is excellent for probiotic bacteria. Additionally, the longer the soda ferments, the less sugar there is in the final drink.
Did You Know!
|
What Is Ginger Bug?
A ginger bug is a bacterial starter needed to make soda. It ferments ginger root in water and sugar and, this fermented ginger liquid can be added to the juice. It can be made into sweetened tea. Fermented homemade sodas using ginger bug are quite popular. Adding ginger bug to the soda adds good bacteria to the drink. The ginger bug bacteria eat sugar in the juice/tea and creates CO2 and lactic acid. The resulting brew is fizzy. It is also probiotic.
How It Works and Its Benefits
A ginger bug is fermented. It is a starter culture. It’s like a sourdough starter for bread or SCOBY for kombucha. Ferment root beer, homemade sodas and ginger ales using ginger bug. It is ideal for crafting healthy drinks right from the comfort of your kitchen.
By using these three ingredients – sugar, water, and organic ginger root – the ginger bug captures wild yeast or bacteria that eat sugar. These emit carbon dioxide as a waste product, adding to the natural fizz of bubbles. This drink is excellent for a sweet fizzy drink for refreshment on hot days.
This naturally carbonated soda produces lactic acid bacteria or gut-friendly bacteria. Sugar feeds the bacteria and yeast. Raw, unrefined sugar works best.
Once the starter culture is active, it can be added to any juice, tea, or liquid to make soda. Replenishing the starter to protect its live culture is essential, as it is for making new batches of drinks. It is recommended to use organic ginger as this has not undergone irradiation. Irradiation destroys good yeast and bacteria.
How to make homemade soda With Ginger Bug
1. Ginger Bug Soda Recipe-1
Sodas made using ginger bug have a strong, pungent taste. So it is recommended to add herbal teas or juices to the probiotic mixture for best results. The flavor depends on the wild yeasts and bacteria present in the drink. Each batch of homemade soda using ginger bug is therefore associated with a unique taste!
What you Will Need?
- 0.5 gallon/ 2 liters of fruit juice
- Half a cup or 100 grams of sugar/honey/agave/nectar.
- One-fourth cup or 60 ml strained the liquid from the ginger bug soda starter
Method
- Sweeten the juice with sugar. It is quite sweet, as yeast consumes sugar during carbonation.
- Cool the juice to room temperature.
- Combine the sweetened juice and starter liquid in a mason jar.
- Let it blend by stirring it.
- Cover the jar with either a cheesecloth or a coffee filter, securing it with a rubber band.
- Ideally, bubbles should form at the surface within one-three days.
- Once the soda is bubbly, move it to a bottle.
- Store this bottle at room temperature for one-five days.
- The soda must be fully carbonated.
- Then, move the bottle to a fridge.
- Consume this soda within two weeks.
2. Ginger Bug Soda Recipe-2
Making ginger bug from scratch is easy. Here’s how you can combine ginger bug with tea to make a soda.
What you Will Need?
- Ginger Root
- Filtered water
- Quart sized mason jar
- Organic sugarcane sugar.
For the Soda:
- Quarter cup ginger bug.
- One quart sweetened herbal tea.
Method:
- First, add two tablespoons of finely chopped or grated ginger root to two cups of water in the mason jar. Add two tablespoons of sugar.
- Place the lid on the jar.
- Leave it at room temperature for 12 hours overnight.
- Then, add one tablespoon grated ginger and one tablespoon sugar to this, every 24 hours.
- Once five-seven days are over, the ginger bug should form.
- You’ll be able to see bubbles and feel the pressure on the lid.
- Then, mix one-fourth cup ginger bug liquid with a single quart of sweetened tea at room temperature.
- Transfer the mixture to a bottle. Let the bottle ferment for two-three days.
- Then, refrigerate the bottle and consume within a couple of hours.
- Remember that you should place your ginger bug in the fridge. Feed the ginger bug two tablespoons grated ginger, water, and sugar each week.
- For reactivating the bug, bring it to room temperature.
There you have it! These homemade recipes made using a ginger bug are mind-blowingly simple. All you need to do is get the ginger bug ready and going. Add juice or tea, and et voila, your ginger bug homemade soda is waiting for you! This refreshing summery drink is excellent for the hot days. It also serves as an excellent catalyst for digestive health. As it is fermented, probiotic soda, it is excellent for curing stomach ailments too. So, what are you waiting for? Bring out that mason jar and start making your delicious homemade soda today!
