Homemade ginger beer made with ginger bug is a delightful treat! This easy fermentation is perfect for making your own soda.
Making soda is so easy! You'll know exactly what is in your cup and gain all the beneficial bacteria without the high price tag.
I'm an equal opportunity tea and coffee drinker, all depends on the season of life. Some babies don't like when I drink coffee! Blueberry Iced Tea is a family favourite. I always packed huge jars when Marius worked out of the house. Honey Sweetened Lemonade is perfect when friends drop by.
Key Ingredients
Ginger Bug - Making your own ginger bug is key to making this probiotic soda.
Fresh Ginger - I prefer organic if possible because we are not peeling it.
Sugar - Organic cane sugar, please!
Water - Make sure it is filtered and doesn't have chlorine.
How to Make Homemade Ginger Beer
***See recipe card below for precise measurements and instructions.***
Step 1: Add sliced ginger to filtered water.
Step 2: Boil to impart flavour.
Step 3: Allow to cool and stir in sugar.
Step 4: Strain out ginger slices.
Step 5: Ready to bottle!
Step 6: Use a funnel and something to catch every last drop.
Looking for more fermentation? Marius will walk you through his mead-making process in my membership!
FAQs
Technically, any sort of fermentation will produce a bit of alcohol. If you stop fermentation, by placing the jars in the fridge, no more will occur. The longer you ferment at room temp, the more alcohol it can contain. I have no qualms giving this drink to kids if you stop fermenting as soon as it is fizzy. Even store-bought kombucha has a warning that it might have the tiniest bit of alcohol in it, but not enough to where it's illegal to sell to all ages.
Use jars with flip top lids or carboys or other things that aren't completely sealed. As fermentation occurs there will be gas and a build up of pressure. You definitely need to keep an eye on things and be ready to "burp" your jars and watch for overspill.
Photos by Dante from Shire by the Sea
More Drink Recipes
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Ginger Beer Made with Ginger Bug
Ingredients
- 6 inches fresh ginger root
- 16 cups filtered water 1 gallon, divided
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- ½ cup active ginger bug
Instructions
- Cut ginger root into thin slices and add to a large pot with 8 cups of filtered water.
- Bring to a boil for around 15 minutes, then simmer for another 5-10 minutes.
- Allow to cool for a bit off heat.
- Strain ginger slices out and discard into compost.
- Stir in 2 cups granulated sugar while the ginger concentrate is still hot but not scalding; stir and dissolve.
- Pour sugared concentrate into a fermentation vessel (large jug, small carboy etc.) that can hold at least double the volume of the ginger concentrate.
- Add another 8 cups of filtered water and stir thoroughly. Allow to cool to body temperature.
- Add ½ cup active ginger bug and stir well.
- Cover with a towel and place in a safe place to ferment. After several hours or days, look for bubbles several times a day. When it is starting to fizz, it is time to bottle.
- With your pristinely clean bottles, take your funnel and place it in the bottle. You might want to have a tea towel underneath to catch any overflow. Carefully pour your ginger beer into the bottle stopping short at an inch or two below the top.
- Cap it off and repeat for the remainder of your bottles. If you wish you can also keep it in a carboy or large jug.
- Keep in mind that fermentation will continue at room temperature. If you wish to have a bit more alcohol in your ginger beer, let it ferment out of the fridge for a few more days. Otherwise place in the fridge and drink within a few weeks.
Notes
- Beware of over carbonization as you don’t want any explosions to clean up!
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