Ginger Bug & Kombuchas
01-28-2020, 10:09 AM
#1
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Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Mendocino Coast, CA
Posts: 4,861
Ginger Bug & Kombuchas
I love fizzy, bubbly drinks, but don't want the sugar, or their questionable water, so I've been making my own using fermentation. I usually have a batch of Kombucha brewing, which is fermented, sweetened, green tea, in which most of the sugar has been used up in the fermentation process. You can add all sorts of juices to it to give it extra flavor and start it bubbling. I've been making it for years and I like it, but it does have quite a bit of caffeine in it. I did once find a green tea that was decaf, but haven't seen it in the stores since.
Now, I'm trying my hand at making a Ginger Bug, which is grated, fresh ginger, sugar and water, fermented until it gets fizzy. My first batch failed, but this second one is making bubbles...! I love the ginger taste and plan to mix it with some berry juice, or just lemon and a little monk fruit powder. I have a lot of "Grolsch" style beer bottles to put it in. Here's the basic recipe:
https://www.thespruceeats.com/how-to...r-soda-3016495
Has anyone else tried to make sodas with a Ginger Bug?
~ C
Now, I'm trying my hand at making a Ginger Bug, which is grated, fresh ginger, sugar and water, fermented until it gets fizzy. My first batch failed, but this second one is making bubbles...! I love the ginger taste and plan to mix it with some berry juice, or just lemon and a little monk fruit powder. I have a lot of "Grolsch" style beer bottles to put it in. Here's the basic recipe:
https://www.thespruceeats.com/how-to...r-soda-3016495
Has anyone else tried to make sodas with a Ginger Bug?
~ C
Last edited by QuiltnNan; 01-28-2020 at 04:02 PM. Reason: shouting/all caps
02-24-2020, 05:40 AM
#3
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Mendocino Coast, CA
Posts: 4,861
So...an update on my ginger bug. I made a batch, followed the recipe exactly (which is hard for me to do,) and waited for the bubbles. At the end of 7 days there were no bubbles. 
The recipe said to throw it out after 8 days if it wasn't fizzy, but being the mad scientist that I am, I held on to it.
After another week, low and behold, I noticed that the top of the mason jar lid was bulging and the ring was super tight. I slowly twisted off the cap and BUUUUSSSSHHH I had bubbles galore! I poured a frothy glass of it and had a sip...delicious! It tasted like a mild ginger ale without a ton of sugar. The DH added some to his sparkling cider that he makes to give it a gingery taste and even more fizz...really good! I'm going to start adding it to fruit juice.
So now, I am regularly feeding my ginger bug with sugar and ginger to keep it alive. It sits on the counter, close to the refrigerator for warmth. I think that I should graduate to a larger vessel to keep it in, especially now that the hubby has gotten hooked on it too.
~ C
The recipe said to throw it out after 8 days if it wasn't fizzy, but being the mad scientist that I am, I held on to it. After another week, low and behold, I noticed that the top of the mason jar lid was bulging and the ring was super tight. I slowly twisted off the cap and BUUUUSSSSHHH I had bubbles galore! I poured a frothy glass of it and had a sip...delicious! It tasted like a mild ginger ale without a ton of sugar. The DH added some to his sparkling cider that he makes to give it a gingery taste and even more fizz...really good! I'm going to start adding it to fruit juice.
So now, I am regularly feeding my ginger bug with sugar and ginger to keep it alive. It sits on the counter, close to the refrigerator for warmth. I think that I should graduate to a larger vessel to keep it in, especially now that the hubby has gotten hooked on it too.
~ C
