The Ginger Bug
Just like a sourdough starter, but for fizzy probiotic drinks. Treat it with love and it will love you back!
The ingredient we cannot quantify for a ginger bug, is time!
A ginger bug is a naturally fermented starter made from fresh ginger, sugar, and water, used to create probiotic-rich sodas and other fizzy drinks. It’s an easy and rewarding way to harness wild fermentation, but proper food safety is key. Always use clean utensils and fresh ingredients, and if you notice mould, an off smell, or slimy texture, discard and start fresh. Once active and bubbly, your ginger bug can be used to ferment homemade ginger beer, fruit sodas, or even boost the fermentation of other recipes like kvass or tepache. Keep it thriving by feeding it regularly and enjoy the benefits of natural probiotics in your drinks!
Leaving the skin on the ginger will help it ferment faster. You do end up straining out any residue, so don't worry about that.
We have several ways to create delicious and good for you fermented drinks in our Gut Instinct course. Make sure you join us to start your fermentation journey!
Here are some delicious drink ideas you can make using a ginger bug:
Homemade Ginger Beer – A classic, fizzy, and refreshing probiotic drink.
Fermented Lemonade – A tangy, bubbly twist on traditional lemonade.
Fruit Sodas – Try flavors like raspberry, strawberry, pineapple, or mango.
Hibiscus Fizz – A floral and tart probiotic drink with dried hibiscus flowers.
Apple Cider Soda – Naturally sparkling and full of warm apple flavors.
Spiced Orange Soda – Infused with cinnamon, cloves, and citrus for a wintery twist.
Tepache – A Mexican-style fermented pineapple drink.
Kombucha Starter – Use a small amount to kickstart kombucha fermentation.
Fermented Herbal Tonic – Infuse with mint, basil, or lavender for a unique soda.
Disclaimer: brewing probiotic beverages at home can be risky. When fermenting probiotic foods and beverages, use caution. Always use sanitised tools and when in doubt, throw it out! If you notice any strange smells or mold, be sure to discard the whole batch.
Need
- 100 Grams fresh ginger cleaned, but not peeled and preferably organic
- 100 Grams raw sugar
- 500 Milliliters filtered water and more as required
Do
- 1
Chop the ginger into large pieces and place into the Thermomix bowl. Mill 4 sec/speed 5. Store in an airtight container in the fridge and use as directed.
- 2
To begin the bug, place the full amount of water into a sterilised jar with 1 tbsp each of raw sugar and milled ginger. Give it a good stir, cover loosely with a paper towel or kitchen cloth and place into the pantry or a dark cupboard, overnight for up to 36 hours.
- 3
Each day for the next 5 days, feed the bug 1 tbsp each of the milled ginger and sugar and stir to combine. Cover and return to your dark resting place.
- 4
Once it is starting to release bubbles when you stir it, it is ready to use. If you are not organised to use it at this point, place it into the fridge and leave it there until you are good to use it in a drink recipe.
- 5
Before using it in recipe of choice, take it out of the fridge, allow it to return to room temperature, feed it as per above, and then use it after 6-12 hours in the cupboard!
- 6
To keep the bug active and healthy, top up the water, feed it again with sugar and a slice or two of ginger and keep in the fridge until the next use. Repeat step 5 after every use.
This recipe can be seen if you sign up for the related course. Join the course to get access!
Gut Instinct Protocol: The Power of Fermented and Cultured Foods
Tenina Holder is a wife, mother of five and grandmother of nine, who started cooking in the olden days before Thermomix was even a thing.
Tenina has become the premium go to source for all Thermomix expertise and of course fresh and easy recipes that work. Her cooking classes and foodie trips are sold out in literally hours, her cookbooks appear on the Australian best seller lists and her social reach is in the millions. Her Insider Club is the most fun you can have with a Thermomix and you really should join her! She believes chocolate, butter and salt are health foods. Her food positivity mantra is, eat everything, just not all at once!
