Step 1

Mix 3 1/4 cup of the water with 3 Tbsp of sugar in a glass quart jar. Stir until the sugar is dissolved.

Step 2

Wash the ginger root, then grate 3 Tbsp of ginger into the quart jar. Don’t peel the ginger because the skin helps with fermentation.

Step 3

Cover with a cloth (or coffee filter) and secure in place with a rubber band or jar ring.

Step 4

Place the jar somewhere warm and dark to ferment (a kitchen cupboard is ideal).

Step 5

Give the ginger bug a good stir once or twice a day.

Step 6

After 3 to 7 days it should start to bubble. Once it’s started to bubble, feed it 1 Tbsp of sugar and 1 Tbsp of grated ginger each of the next two days.

Step 7

Once it is really bubbly you are ready to make ginger ale or ginger bug sodas. See the section above for information on how to maintain your ginger bug starter and links to recipes for ginger ale and ginger bug sodas.