tropit

I know that I've posted about Ginger Bugs before, so please bear with me. Every year, I make a few Ginger Bugs to keep in the fridge. I like to mix them with various fruit juices for a sparkling fruit soda. They're healthier than store bought sodas and a great to drink in the hot summertime. There's all kinds of Ginger Bug recipes online. Here's a rough draft of what I do.

Ginger Bug is super easy to make. in a 1 qt. mason jar, add 2 or 3 Ts of plain, white sugar, a couple of Ts of finely chopped ginger root and fill the jar the rest of the way up with water. secure a thin cloth over the top and let it sit somewhere warm. (I put mine on the top of my griddle with a rag underneath it and the pilot light keeps it just the right temperature.) For the next few days, feed it with a T of sugar and a couple of Ts chopped ginger. After a few days, you should start to see some activity. The ginger will start slowly dancing in the water and you start to see tiny bubbles forming. At that point, put a solid lid on it and let it get super fizzy. Open the lid at least once a day so that the excess gas can escape. From there, you can add some fruit juice and let it continue to ferment in the sealed container. I like to bottle mine in a flip top bottle and keep them in the fridge to slow down the fermentation. You can also make ginger ale, or beer with it, if you want an alcoholic beverage. I like to make one every few days, in succession, so that I always have a supply.