How to Make Probiotic Ginger Beer – a naturally fermented probiotic drink that is packed with health benefits. This article includes a photo tutorial, information on secondary fermentation, flavoring your ginger beer, and troubleshooting when the process goes awry.
Disclaimer: brewing probiotic beverages at home can be risky. When fermenting probiotc foods and beverages, use caution. Always use sanitized tools and when in doubt, throw it out! If you notice any strange smells or mold, be sure to discard the whole batch.
Many moons ago, I wrote a cookbook called Delicious Probiotic Drinks. This cookbook is focused entirely on making probiotic-rich beverages such as kombucha, kefir, ginger beer, fermented vegetable juice, and more, at home.
My favorite of all the fermented beverages to make is ginger beer. First and foremost, it is magnificent tasting.
Secondly, it is CHALLENGING.
Perhaps the most challenging and unforgiving of all the fermented drinks.
And for that reason, the most rewarding.
For those of you who have been around this site for a long time, you may remember my easy tutorial on How to Make Ginger Beer.
This is the goof-proof method that works each and every time and does not require much time or attention.
This version of probiotic ginger beer is different. It involves preparing a “ginger bug” (or ginger starter) from scratch.
How does that work?
Probiotics and yeast are naturally occurring everywhere. They are in our fruit and vegetables and are also present in the air. Giving these probiotics and yeast optimal conditions to grow and reproduce results in fermentation.
You’re already familiar with this concept, as it is the same process for creating yogurt, cheese, beer, wine, pickles, prosciutto (and other fermented meats), etc.
Applying this idea to fresh ginger is how we create a ginger starter, which is then used to make ginger beer.
Don’t worry…I’ll go over how to make a ginger starter in excruciating detail later on in this post. First, let’s cover some basics.
WHAT IS GINGER BEER?
Ginger beer is a naturally fizzy beverage with a sweet and spicy bite. Grated ginger is fermented in sugar water and lemon juice, allowing the natural yeasts in ginger to feed and multiply, creating a probiotic beverage.
While ginger beer is a sweet, spicy, delicious beverage all on its own, it is famous for its role in cocktails, particularly the Dark & Stormy cocktail, a mixture of ginger beer and rum, garnished with a slice of lime.
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN GINGER BEER AND GINGER ALE?
The phrases, “ginger beer” and “ginger ale” are typically used interchangeably, but there is a difference between the two beverages. Ginger beer is fermented for up to 2 or 3 weeks using a “ginger bug,” where ginger ale is more of a ginger flavored soda.
While there are ginger ale beverages made with real ginger, most ginger ales are simply carbonated water with ginger flavor and sugar. In this sense, ginger ale does not go through the same fermentation process that ginger beer does.
METHODS FOR MAKING GINGER BEER
There are multiple ways to make ginger beer. Here are three of the most common methods:
- Non-probiotic ginger soda/ale: For those who aren’t concerned about the probiotic benefit of fermented ginger beer, you can simply combine ginger simple syrup (made with ginger and sugar) with soda water and achieve a great-tasting homemade beverage. This version contains no probiotics and is basically fancy soda.
- Quick and Easy Ginger Beer with some probiotic benefits: This fast method uses bread yeast for fermentation and requires only two days to complete. For this version, read my blog post on How to Make Ginger Beer. This version is not as probiotic rich, but is still lower in sugar than regular soda.
- Authentic Probiotic Ginger Beer – a health elixir: The authentic method for making fermented ginger beer is outlined in this post. It uses a probiotic-rich “ginger bug” (or ginger starter) which you make yourself at home. Like most things in life, the authentic version takes much longer than the easy version, but also yields great results. This version can take between 2 and 3 weeks to complete.
HEALTH BENEFITS OF GINGER BEER
Fermented ginger beer has a great deal of health benefits and is commonly used to ease upset stomach, nausea or diarrhea.
Ginger is an anti-inflammatory, which can help with migraines, and studies show fresh ginger prevents and fights several types of cancer cells including breast, colon, ovarian, prostate, and lung cancer.
Ginger is also known for cleansing the body of toxic chemicals, easing menstrual cramps, and much more!
The probiotics and yeast that grow during the fermentation process help colonize your gut with good bacteria, which helps boost immunity, fight disease, and promotes overall health.
HOW TO MAKE FERMENTED PROBIOTIC GINGER BEER
Fermented probiotic ginger beer requires a three-step process.
Step 1: Make a “ginger bug” or starter using fresh ginger, water, sugar and lemon juice. This starter is used to brew a batch of ginger beer (Step 2). This can take 1 to 2 weeks to complete (depending on the temperature of your home and how active your culture decides to be).
Step 2: Brew a large batch of ginger beer using the “ginger bug.” You could compare this process to making a batch of sourdough bread dough using sourdough starter. This process takes about 1 to 3 weeks, depending on how active your ginger bug is and how warm your home is.
Step 3: Bottle the ginger beer and allow it to ferment further. Once the beverage becomes effervescent (fizzy/probiotic-rich), bottle it and allow it to sit for “secondary fermentation” (more on this below). This process takes about 2 to 5 days.
You Will Need:
- 1-quart glass jar or jug
- Cheesecloth
- Stretchy rubber band
- 1-gallon glass jug
- Flip-Cap Bottles
- Fresh ginger
- Organic Cane Sugar
- 2 to 4 Lemons
Ingredients for the “Ginger Bug:”
- 1-inch nub fresh ginger, peeled and grated, plus more for feeding the starter
- 1 tablespoon raw organic sugar, plus more for growing the starter
- 2 cups water
Instructions for the Ginger Bug / Ginger Starter:
Peel and grate a 1-inch nub of fresh ginger (about 1 tablespoon).
Add the grated ginger, 1 tablespoon of sugar, and two cups of filtered water or spring water (non-chlorinated) to the jar and stir (a 1-quart jar works great).
Cover the jar with a cheesecloth or towel. Secure the cloth around the jar with a rubber band. This keeps insects away from the starter.
Allow jar to sit in a warm, dark place for 24 hours. The optimal temperature for preparing the ginger starter and brewing ginger beer is between 70 and 85 degrees.
If your house stays cool, find the warmest spot in your home to place the ginger starter. This process activates the probiotics and yeast that are in the ginger and allows them to begin reproducing.
Feed the colony – Once a day for one week, add one teaspoon of sugar and one teaspoon of grated fresh ginger to the jar and stir well.
This ensures your ginger starter stays fed and grows, similar to sourdough starter. Stir a couple of times per day.
During this process, natural yeasts are released and create a white substance at the bottom of the jar. This is where the probiotics come from.
After about 3 to 5 days (perhaps longer if your house is very cold), the liquid will begin bubbling when you stir it. Once you can see and hear bubbles without touching the jar, your ginger bug is ready to be used. This will usually take 7 to 10 days in a warm (70 to 80 degrees F) house, but longer in a cool house.
To expedite the process, wrap the ginger starter jar in a heat blanket or an insulated blanket to keep it warm. If after 7 days, your ginger bug is still not bubbling, continue adding a teaspoon of sugar and ginger until it does. Have patience, friend!
In some cases, folks have gotten bubbles within only a few days of beginning their starter. While this is unusual, it is a sign the starter is ready! As soon as you see the bubbles rushing from the bottom to the top, you’re ready to go.
Use the liquid from ginger starter to make ginger beer (instructions below).
You can continue adding water, ginger, and sugar to the starter and to use it for multiple batches of ginger beer. In this sense, you can treat your ginger starter the same way one would treat sourdough starter and keep it alive.
Note: If you ever see mold floating on top of the starter liquid, discard the starter and make a new one.
Ingredients for the Ginger Beer:
- 1 cup ginger starter (see above)
- 1 scant gallon of filtered spring or well water
- 1 1/4 cups organic cane sugar
- 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
- 1/3 cup fresh ginger, grated
Instructions for 1 Gallon of Probiotic Ginger Beer:
Fill a gallon-sized jug most of the way up with spring or well water (do not use water from the tap unless your house runs on a well). This water should be room temperature or slightly warmer (aim for 70 to 80 degrees).
Add one cup the the ginger starter, along with 1 1/4 cups of sugar, 1/2 cup of lemon juice, and 1/3 cup of grated ginger. Stir very well.
Cover the jug with a cheesecloth or towel bound by a rubber band and put it in a warm, dark place at room temperature for 8 to 10 days. Mine takes 8 days, even in a very warm (80⁰F +) house.
Taste-test the mixture periodically to see if more sugar needs to be added (the natural probiotics will eat the sugar so if the beverage ever loses all of its sweetness, add a little more sugar (no more than 2 tablespoons at a time), but be careful to not overload the probiotics, as they can die when given too much sugar.
Stir the mixture once or twice a day. You will notice a white substance forming around the ginger at the bottom of the jug.
This is the natural yeasts coming out of the ginger – it’s a good sign! There will also be large bubbles that form on the surface of the liquid.
The ginger beer is ready when the substance becomes bubbly when stirred (similar to when you’re making the ginger starter).
Once the ginger beer is ready, give it a taste test. If it doesn’t taste sweet, add additional sugar and ginger because once you bottle the brew, it goes through secondary fermentation and the probiotics continue to need to eat sugar.
At this point, your options are to either bottle the ginger beer as-is or flavor it prior to bottling it. See information on Secondary Fermentation and flavoring options below.
Pour the liquid (including the ginger pulp) into sealable bottles and set them in a dark room for 2 to 4 days. This process makes the ginger beer very fizzy.
The warmer the room, the faster the beverage gets fizzy, so open a bottle every day or so to check the fizz and level of sweetness.
Both the fizz and sweetness is up to your taste but be very careful to not allow the bottles to sit for too long because they most definitely will explode.
Place bottles in the refrigerator to calm the fermentation process. Note that the ginger beer will continue to ferment in the refrigerator, so try to consume the beverage within a few days after secondary fermentation is complete for best results.
Leaving it in the refrigerator for longer than a week will result in a “drier”, less sweet ginger beer.
You can now brew another batch of ginger beer using the ginger starter you have been feeding. Because your ginger starter is now more mature, it will take a little less time to brew your second batch.
SECONDARY FERMENTATION
Once ginger beer is finished with its primary fermentation, you may add additional sugar and/or ingredients (see “Flavoring Ginger Beer” section below) to flavor it and allow it to go through a secondary fermentation.
The purpose of secondary fermentation is threefold: To achieve a fizzy beverage (it will get just as fizzy, if not fizzier than soda!), to make the drink even more probiotic-rich, and to give it delicious flavor.
FLAVORING GINGER BEER
Ginger beer is perhaps the easiest probiotic drinks to flavor because just about any type of fruit and/or herb goes wonderfully with ginger.
The fact that there is already a great deal of sweet and spicy flavor in ginger beer provides a wonderful canvas for incorporating other sweet, sour, tart or creamy flavors.
In this way, the added ingredients are typically what one tastes first when drinking the ginger beer, with the spicy ginger coming through at the finish.
You have a few options for adding ingredients for secondary fermentation. You can add fresh fruit juice, a homemade simple syrup infused with any flavor you like, or a fruit/herb sauce (similar concept to simple syrup).
If you’re adding fruit juice, simply add 1/4 cup to each glass bottle before filling them the rest of the way up with ginger beer. Secure the lids tightly and allow them to sit for 2 days. Immediately transfer to the refrigerator to slow the fermentation process.
Getting creative with fruit and herb combinations is brilliant when it comes to this drink and you are virtually guaranteed to end up with a delicious probiotic drink!
To make flavor ginger beer, choose your fresh fruit and/or fresh herbs.
Combine 2 cups of fresh fruit with ½ cup cane sugar and 1/3 cup water in a saucepan (Note: if you’re adding fresh herbs, do so here as well).
Bring to a full boil and cook until the fruit has softened. Allow mixture to cool completely. Once cool, divide it between the bottles you are using to bottle the ginger beer.
Fill the bottles the rest of the way up with ginger beer, seal tightly, and allow bottles to sit at room temperature for 2 days to undergo secondary fermentation. Transfer the bottles of ginger beer to the refrigerator and chill.
Flavored Ginger Beer Options:
Here are some of my favorite flavor combinations for ginger beer:
- Blackberry Sage (2 cups blackberries, 1/2 cup sugar, 1/3 cup fresh sage, packed)
- Grapefruit Rosemary (1 cup fresh grapefruit juice, 2/3 cup sugar, 3 sprigs rosemary)
- Coconut Basil (1 can full-fat coconut milk, 1/2 cup sugar, 1/2 cup fresh basil, packed)
- Blood Orange (1 cup fresh blood orange juice, 1/2 cup sugar)
- Raspberry Mint (2 cups fresh raspberries, 1/2 cup sugar, 1/2 cup fresh mint)
SHELF LIFE OF GINGER BEER
How long does homemade ginger beer last?
When properly sealed in bottles, plain ginger beer can last for up to one month in the refrigerator. For best results, drink within 2 weeks of brewing.
When ingredients such as fruit, are added to ginger beer, consume within 1 week for best results and keep in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. While ginger beer can last even longer than this, it is best to err on the safe side when it comes to probiotics.
A NOTE OF CAUTION
As is always the case with probiotic beverage, be cautious when opening a bottle after secondary fermentation as pressure builds and the drink will be fizzy. Never point a bottle at your face (or at any other person) while opening, and never hand a bottle to a child to open.
TROUBLESHOOTING
If it seems like either your ginger starter or ginger beer is taking a long time to come to life (get bubbly), don’t worry. This is likely the result of the temperature of your home, and it may just take some extra time.
As mentioned previously, if you want to expedite the process, wrap the jar in a heating pad and set it to a low temperature to keep the starter warm.
On the flipside, in rare cases, a ginger starter may be ready after only a few days. As long as bubbles are flowing from the bottom to the top, that is a sign the starter is rich in probiotics and is ready to be put to use.
Like many probiotic beverages, ginger beer is one of those that seems to be doing nothing for quite some time and then all of a sudden, it’s working.
At the end of secondary fermentation, if your ginger beer too dry (not sweet and very fizzy), this is because the yeast consumed all of the sugar that was in the bottle, leaving very little sweetness for you.
Some people prefer drier ginger beer, but if you prefer it to be on the sweet side, simply make sure you add additional sugar (either cane sugar, fruit, or juice) prior to bottling your next batch.
Did you pop open a bottle of ginger beer after 3 days of secondary fermentation and it wasn’t fizzy and it still tasted sweet? If this is the case, your ginger beer still contains residual sugar that needs to get eaten up by the probiotics. This is okay!
Simply leave the remaining bottles (if any) at room temperature to continue secondary fermentation. Because there was plenty of sugar in the beverage prior to bottling, it will simply take an additional day or two for the probiotics to consume the sugar and for the beverage to become fizzy.
How to Prevent Flat Ginger Beer:
To prevent flat ginger beer, be sure there are small bubbles that rise from the bottom to the top of the liquid prior to bottling it for secondary fermentation, as this is a sign of probiotic activity. Keep in mind that even if your ginger beer does not get fizzy, it is still full of probiotics and is great for you!
Wondering if Your Batch is Bad?
If at any point you find mold on the surface of your ginger beer while it is brewing, throw the whole batch out, even if it is only a tiny bit of mold. Ginger beer is easy to re-make (especially since you already have your ginger starter ready to go), and it is not worth sacrificing quality and health even if it is frustrating to have a failed batch.
Any Questions??
I hope this post will inspire you to make your own naturally fermented healthy ginger beer at home!
Be sure to check out my cookbook, Delicious Probiotic Drinks for more recipes for fermented beverages!
If you enjoy home fermentation projects, also check out my tutorial on How to Brew Kombucha.
Check out my latest cookbook, Paleo Power Bowls for nutrient-dense meal recipes.
If you make ginger beer, feel free to share a photo on Instagram and tag @The.Roasted.Root!
Probiotic Ginger Beer
Equipment
Ingredients
Ginger Starter:
- 1 (1-inch) nub fresh ginger, peeled and grated
- 1 Tbsp organic cane sugar
- 2 cups filtered water
Ginger Beer:
- 1 cup ginger starter instructions below
- 1 gallon filtered water or well water
- 1 1/4 cups organic cane sugar
- 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
- 1/3 cup fresh ginger peeled and grated
Instructions
Prepare the Ginger Starter:
- Peel and grate a 1-inch nub of fresh ginger (about 1 tablespoon).
- Add the grated ginger, 1 tablespoon of sugar, and two cups of filtered water or spring water(non-chlorinated) to a jar and stir. Cover the jar with a cheesecloth or towel and secure it with a rubber band. Allow jar to sit in a dark place for 24 hours.
- Once a day for 4 to 10 days, add one teaspoon of sugar and one teaspoon of grated fresh ginger to the jar and stir well. This ensures your ginger starter stays fed and grows, similar to sourdough starter. Stir a couple of times per day. During this process, natural yeasts are released and create a white substance at the bottom of the jar. This is where the probiotics come from.
- After 3 to 5 days (longer if your house is very cold), the liquid will begin bubbling when you stir it. Once you can see and hear bubbles without touching the jar, your ginger bug is ready to be used. If after 7 days, your ginger bug is still not bubbling, continue adding a teaspoon of sugar and ginger until it does. Note that amount of time it takes to get a ginger bug active varies widely depending on the temperature of your home and the activity of the bacteria and yeast.
- Use the liquid from ginger starter to make ginger beer (instructions below).
Make the Ginger Beer:
- Fill a gallon-sized jug most of the way up with spring or well water (do not use water from the tap unless your house runs on a well). This water should be room temperature or slightly warmer (aim for 70 to 78 degrees).
- Stir the ginger starter well. Add 1 cup of the ginger starter, sugar, lemon juice, grated ginger, and the ginger starter. Stir very well. Cover the jug with a cheesecloth or towel bound by a rubber band and put it in a dark place at room temperature for 8 to 10 days.
- Taste-test the mixture periodically to see if more sugar needs to be added (the natural probiotics will eat the sugar so if the beverage ever loses all of its sweetness, add a little more sugar (no more than 2 tablespoons at a time).
- Stir the mixture once or twice a day. You will notice a white substance forming around the ginger at the bottom of the jug. The ginger beer is ready when the substance becomes bubbly when stirred (similar to when you’re making the ginger starter).
- Once the ginger beer is ready, give it a taste test. If it doesn’t taste sweet, add additional sugar and ginger – once you bottle the brew, it goes through secondary fermentation and the probiotics will need more sugar to survive.
- At this point, your options are to either bottle the ginger beer as-is or flavor it prior to bottling it. If you choose to leave the ginger beer as-is, simply transfer the ginger beer toglass bottles, secure the lids, and place bottles in the refrigerator.
- If you choose to flavor the ginger beer, add your flavoring ingredients to the flip cap bottles (see blog post for flavor ideas and instructions for secondary fermentation) prior to filling the bottles up with ginger beer. Secure the lids on the bottles and leave at room temperature for another 2 days.
- Place bottles in the refrigerator to calm the fermentation process. Note that the ginger beer will continue to ferment in the refrigerator, so try to consume the beverage within a few days after secondary fermentation is complete for best results. Leaving it in the refrigerator for longer than a week will result in a “drier”, less sweet ginger beer.
- You can now brew another batch of ginger beer using the ginger starter you have been feeding. Because your ginger starter is now more mature, it will take a little less time to brew your second batch.
Nutrition
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Sorry, I realise that didn’t write properly. I’m not “seeing or hearing” bubbles! Thank you ?
Hi there, my ginger bug is 8 days in and looks good. It also tastes strongly fermented with a good ‘sting’, but I’m. It seeing or hearing bubbles. Is this just a matter of time or am I missing the boat or can I proceed with starting a batch. I’m keen! And thank you for this great recipe and for responding to everyone’s questions.
Hi Annemarie,
Do you notice any bubbles if you stir it? It is definitely possible the bug is working, but I would hate for you to go through the trouble of making a batch and not have it work out. I would leave it up to you and your intuition…if the bug definitely tastes fermented, similar to kombucha, I personally would go for it. Hope that helps 😀
Hi Julia. I was wondering if you would be able to use local honey for this? Also, is this able to be bottled such as beer? What process what the entail to kill the yeast? Thank you! Can’t wait to make this.
Hi Cheyenne,
I’ve never tested ginger beer using honey, so I’m not sure. I know some people have had success using molasses. If you’re okay with experimenting, I think it’s worth the try, but I’d hate for you to go through the whole process and not have it work out.
You do want to bottle the ginger beer once it has brewed 😀 This is an important step in getting it to be nice and fizzy.
Thank you for putting this instruction together. You mention feeding the ginger bug water, ginger and sugar to keep it going. Do you feed this the same volume of water/ginger/sugar as the original bug or a different amount after taking out a cup of the liquid for the ginger beer ?
Hi Patti,
You can continue feeding it the same amount as the original bug 😀 Once the starter has matured, you can likely drop the feedings to less frequency (similar to a sourdough starter).
Does the probiotic Ginger Beer have the alcohol content of a normal beer (3-5%)? Stronger like a microbrew? Or just trace amounts like Kombucha?
Hi Joy,
It’s trace amounts, like kombucha 😀 Hope you enjoy! xo
Ok, thank you! It’s ok for pregnant women and children then, right?
Hi Joy,
I wish I could give you the clear on that, but I can’t be sure. Without measuring the amount of alcohol, it is difficult to know how much is actually in it, and the strength varies per batch. My gut says it would be fine because it is typically less than 1% alcohol, but if there is any concern at all I don’t think it’s worth it 😀 Hope that helps!
Who would have thought of a healthy beer? This is a kind of beer that I would definitely drink. Thanks for sharing.
My pleasure! Enjoy!
I have been researching ginger beer recipes as it is one drink I truly enjoy, the criterion being that it is vegan.
This recipe of yours seems to be a perfect start point, however, I am going to make one change; instead of organic cane sugar I want to use molasses giving it a darker colour, and while I know that this may change the flavour slightly I am willing to give it a try. I will let you know how it turns out.
Oh I love the idea of using molasses! That will give the ginger beer such a unique and rich flavor. Looking forward to hearing how you like it!! xo
Hi Julia,
Thanks for making such a comprehensive and interesting post on probiotic ginger beer.
My question is : if made according to your instructions, is the drink suitable for children or is it deemed an alcoholic drink with more than 0.5 percent of alcohol.
We used give our children kefir with all its health benefits but we wanted to try something new.
Many thanks,
Stuart
Hi Stuart,
That’s a great question…in short, I don’t know! Unfortunately, it’s difficult to tell how much alcohol ends up in the ginger beer since the strength can vary per batch, and I don’t own a hydrometer 🙁 I would definitely err on the side of caution until I buy a hydrometer and can test it myself among several batches. Stay tuned! xo
@Julia, Were you able to ever get that meter and test for alcohol content? My husband is very anti-alcohol but my 10yo has terrible chronic gastritis and I’m looking for a natural solution. That being said, I’m uncomfortable giving my son any alcohol.
Hi Heather! I still haven’t tested homemade ginger beer for alcohol so unfortunately I don’t have a solid answer as to how much it can contain. After a little light googling, I found this forum (https://www.homebrewtalk.com/threads/how-alcoholic-is-my-ginger-beer-going-to-be.674100/), where someone intentionally tried to brew their ginger beer to include alcohol and they were not able to get it above 2.5%. This leads me to believe it would be challenging to get a substantial amount of alcohol using the method in this recipe; however, some alcohol will always result. So if the barometer is zero alcohol, I wouldn’t try it. If the barometer is less than 2% (but more likely, closer to 1%), then I would say you would be safe.
Those who brew alcoholic ginger beer using different types of yeasts that promote alcohol growth, such as beer yeast or champagne yeast. For this reason, I think using a regular bread yeast and a short fermentation time will result in negligible alcohol. I hope this helps! xo
Hi!
Thanks for sharing such great detailed instructions for brewing ginger beer! I have a few questions I’m hoping you can help with.
I was wondering if we are able to bottle using mason jars if we don’t have the flip-cap/swing-top bottles? I have 16 oz mason jars I was hoping to use.
If so, how much flavoring of simple syrup concoction would you fill up vs ginger beer? With honey having anti-bacterial properties, should that not be used as a flavoring agent? (Curious since I love the honey + ginger combination)
Also, when bottling, do you leave any head space or fill it to the top when capping it off? And if I read another commentor’s question above correctly, we would strain out fruits & herbs from the syrup mix used for flavor, but we do not need to strain out ginger from the ginger beer itself, is that right?
Thanks a bunch!
Katie
Hi Katie,
I wouldn’t recommend bottling the ginger beer in Mason jars, because the pressure builds quite a bit and removing the lids from mason jars could be difficult or even dangerous. I recommend flip cap bottles because you can pop open the lids pointing away from you so if there is any overflow, it isn’t directed toward your face. I don’t mean to scare you, but I would hate for you to go through all the process and then have a difficult time getting the jars to open.
When flavoring ginger beer, I use about 1 to 1.5 cups of whatever I’m adding per 1 gallon of ginger beer. For instance, if I’m making a blueberry flavor, I do 1 cup blueberries, 1 cup water and 2 to 3 tablespoons sugar on the stove top, boil it, let it cool for an hour, mash up the blueberries and add all of it (blueberry pulp included) to the ginger beer prior to bottling. The pulp actually works wonders for the probiotics (because: fiber) and results in a very fizzy beverage! I just stir everything up really well so that each bottle gets an even distribution of the flavor mixture. As an alternative, you can add the same amount of the flavoring (again, including any pulp) to each bottle prior to adding the ginger beer. Yes, be sure to keep some space at the top of each bottle to allow the pressure to build. I fill mine just below the neck.
I’m not too sure about the honey question. I personally wouldn’t do it because I wouldn’t want to disrupt the bacteria, but there isn’t a good way of testing the bacteria content at home, so I can’t be too sure how much it would effect the ginger beer. I know that’s not a super helpful answer, but to summarize, I’d pick a different flavor 😉
Let me know if you have any other questions, and happy brewing!! xoxo
Hi, I have followed your recipe but halved the quantities for the beer and I’m 3 days into the fermentation process. I’m wondering how it should taste by now as the amount of ginger you add doesn’t seem like very much compared to the amount of water. I just tasted it and it tastes very yeasty but not very gingery. Will the flavour improve as it ferments or should I add more ginger? Some recipes require boiling ginger and water before adding the bug, is this to create a stronger flavour? I’m new to this and would appreciate some clarification. Thank you
Right at the beginning you mention lemon juice required to make the starter, then all later references don’t include it… please clarify. Thank you for this post… very keen to try it
@Heather Andrews, I’ve been scrolling through looking for clarification on this exact point, myself. I’m 7 days into my starter (without lemon juice) and wondering if this was required to kick off the fermentation of the bug, or not.
Hi Ben,
The lemon juice isn’t necessary for fermentation. It’s for flavor 🙂
Other recipes tend to show that you can use the ginger bug starter mixed with water and other ingredients and immediately bottle it. How come you have the extra 8-9 days of fermenting before bottling?
Hi Annie,
The 8 – 9 days is your fermentation process. The versions you have seen that bottle right away may work, too, but they will likely result in far less probiotic content and may not become fizzy. If you don’t mind that, the quicker version is just fine! xoxo Happy brewing! 😀
Hi thanks for great post – I finally got a healthy bug – funny had 3 variations and only 1 took off so happy lol bubbling now – my ? is for 2F – I am very interested in trying some of your favorites specifically these 2 –
how do you make these? – still a simple syrup? if so how much water in each and any other tips?? for 2F with these combos..
Grapefruit Rosemary (1 cup fresh grapefruit juice, 2/3 cup sugar, 3 sprigs rosemary)
• Coconut Basil (1 can full-fat coconut milk, 1/2 cup sugar, 1/2 cup fresh basil, packed)
Hi Lori,
I’m so happy your third attempt at a ginger bug worked! It really can be a challenging process, as you’ve experienced!
No need to add water to either one of those flavors – the ingredients you listed are all you need. Simply heat the ingredients in a saucepan to boiling, then remove the saucepan from the heat and allow it to sit for at least 1 hour. Then strain out the herbs (rosemary and basil) and add all of the liquid to your ginger beer (should be just under one gallon of ginger beer). Stir it all together and pour into your glass bottles. Allow the bottles to sit for 3 to 5 days (3 if your house is very warm, 5 if your house stays less than 70 degrees), then refrigerate them. And let me know how it turns out!! Happy brewing! xoxo
Hi there. I’ve just started my bug and am wondering about flavouring the ginger beer. Is it doable/advisable to put a few sprigs of fresh herbs (say mint) in with either the initial or secondary ferment? I tend to like my ginger beer on the drier side, so would like to avoid adding simple syrup. Thanks!
Hi Andrew,
The first fermentation must be just the base recipe – you can add flavors for the secondary fermentation.
The residual sugar content is dependent upon the amount of time it ferments, so to get a nice flavorful but dry ginger beer, simply allow it to ferment 3 to 5 days for the secondary fermentation. For a mint flavor, I would combine 1 cup water, 3 tablespoons sugar and 1 cup fresh mint leaves in a saucepan. Bring it to a full boil, then remove it from the stove top and allow it to sit for 1 hour. Strain the mint leaves, then add the liquid to the ginger beer for the secondary fermentation.
Let me know if you have any other questions, and happy brewing! xo
Got a nice active ginger bug so hoping for a great result
That’s very exciting! Happy brewing! xo
hi there, i just finished my secondary fermentation (after 8 days) and the beverage is really sour and i really believe that there is more alcohol in there than it is supposed to be. could it be harmful? is there any way how to find out the alcohol percentage? thank you for your answers 🙏
Hi Paula,
You would need special equipment that measures alcohol content in order to have an accurate idea of how much alcohol there is. Fermenting ginger beer under a short period of time will not result in very much alcohol, so I wouldn’t say it’s harmful. If it tastes offputting to you, it’s best to start over. xoxo
Hello,
Thank you so much for this recipe it is very detailed. I would like to know the approximate percentage of alcohol i may achieve with this recipe. Will i get up to 5% alcohol?
Hi Jemmy,
I don’t think you would achieve 5% alcohol with this method. You would need to employ an entirely different brewing method, likely requiring some sort of beer yeast or champagne yeast. Alcoholic ginger beer or cider is a whole other ball of wax 😉 xoxo