Are you looking to cut back on commercial soft drinks with healthier alternatives? Meet the ginger bug: a simple mixture of ginger, sugar, and water that’s alive with wild yeasts and bacteria.
This starter, rich with probiotics, is your gateway to healthier, naturally bubbly soda alternatives to commercial drinks, minus the artificial additives and preservatives.
Unlike commercial sodas and soft drinks that are often loaded with refined sugars and artificial flavours, these homemade versions are alive with beneficial microbes, naturally boosting your immune system and gut. Plus, they’re fun to make with the whole family and endlessly customisable.
It’s alive!
Similar to a sourdough starter or kombucha scoby, ginger bugs are a wild-fermented starter culture. The wild yeasts and bacteria found on the ginger root and in the air are the source of the natural fizz. When ginger pieces are mixed with some sugar and water, the microorganisms kickstart the fermentation process. They eat the sugar to stay alive and multiply. A by-product of this is carbon dioxide, or natural bubbles.
When a portion of this ultra fizzy bug is added to another liquid, the microorganisms feed on the sugars of the base liquid and ferment the mixture, resulting in gemmere or naturally fizzy sodas.
Health benefits of the bug
- Naturally rich in probiotics, which aid digestion
- Immune system support
- Ease nausea and morning sickness
- Ease migraines
- Supports healthy blood sugar regulation
- Improves overall gut health
- Lower sugar content compared to commercial sodas
How to make a ginger bug
The fermentation process might seem tricky, but it’s actually super simple. All we need to do is provide the right environment and food for the yeasts and bacteria to thrive. Once you do that, these little microorganisms work out the rest.
A ginger bug is made up of roughly chopped organic ginger, non-chlorinated water, and sugar. It’s kept in a sealed jar (preferably sterilised glass), and fed over five to seven days, depending on your climate. On the first day, you’ll mix up all the ingredients and seal them in a jar for 24 hours. After which, you’ll need to feed the starter daily for about four to six days with more ginger chunks and sugar.
When your jar is bubbling and the mixture smells yeasty, like beer, your starter is ready to use (or store in the fridge to use later)!
Basic ginger bug recipe
- 2 tablespoons ginger
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 cup unchlorinated water
Add the ingredients to a sterilised glass jar and seal tightly for 24 hours. Feed daily with 1 tablespoon ginger and 1 tablespoon sugar.
How to keep it alive
- Roughly chop the ginger: It works just as well as grated ginger, and is easier to strain.
- Use a caloric sweetener: The choice is up to you, but be sure to use sugar, honey, maple syrup, or palm sugar instead of non-caloric sweeteners like stevia or xylitol.
- Use organic ginger: Commercially grown ginger is usually irradiated, which kills off the microorganisms needed. Organic, or better yet, home-grown ginger will host the wild yeasts and bacteria needed for fermentation.
- Use non-chlorinated water: Chlorine kills any microorganisms needed for fermentation.
- Use a sterilised, air-tight jar: Unlike sourdough starters and kombucha that thrive in open containers, your ginger bug needs to be sealed tightly to thrive.
How to make naturally fermented sodas
Think of naturally fermented sodas as a bigger version of a ginger bug. Once your ginger bug is active, you’re ready to go.
- Choose your flavour base, like steeped and sweetened ginger tea, herbal tea or fruit juice.
- Strain ¼ cup of your ginger bug liquid and mix it into 1 litre of your base.
- Bottle it in swing-top or airtight glass bottles, leaving a little space at the top.
- Ferment at room temperature for 2 to 5 days. Burp the bottles daily to release pressure.
- Refrigerate once carbonated to slow fermentation and enjoy (store sodas for up to 2 to 4 weeks).
Remember to ‘burp’ the bottles daily by opening and closing them to release some of the carbon dioxide build-up. If you don’t, the carbon dioxide might build a strong enough pressure to burst the bottle. Once you’re happy with how fizzy your natural soda or gemmere is, store it in the fridge and keep it for up to a few weeks. The cool fridge temperature slows down the fermentation process and helps control the pressure that the carbon dioxide creates.
Suggested flavour combinations:
- Gemmere, or ginger beer
- Lemon and mint
- Grapefruit and lemongrass
- Hibiscus and raspberry
- Mixed berries
- Apple and cinnamon
Get fizzy with it
Crafting your own naturally fermented sodas might feel like a bit of a lengthy science experiment at first, but it’s surprisingly simple once you’ve got the basics down! With just a little ginger, sugar, water, and patience, you can ditch the commercial stuff and sip on a healthier and rewarding alternative! Once you’re happy with the basics, infuse your sodas with seasonal fruits, local herbs and even edible flowers. Let your kitchen become a playground for endless flavour combinations and the powerhouse for a happier, healthier, stronger gut.
Compiled by: Annemieke van Nieuwkerk
First published on Food & Home
Also see: Here’s what happens when you replace your daily coffee with yerba mate tea
