We made a 14% ABV ginger beer on 04/29 and let it ferment for exactly 2 months. We spiced it with cinnamon, allspice berries, cloves, peppercorns, and a habanero. Turned out amazing.
Thanks for the recipe, it’s awesome. I do like mine stronger so I modified mine a little. 40 g of ginger before the simmering and extra 10g (50g total) just after the pot leaves the stovetop to slowly cool down(IPA dry hop style😂). I also add the juice from a small lemon or half a large one with the second batch. You get a whole range of ginger flavour, full yet citrusy and spicy. The store bought stuff doesn’t stand a chance.
Just finished my first batch of Ginger beer and WOW. So good. I changed your recipe up a bit and used honey instead of sugar. Its so good and it was insanely easy. My son and I are going to do a rootbeer with the ginger bug and then a blueberry soda with my daughter with it. Thanks for the great videos.
Hey headsup, everyone: can vouch, this is the perfect ratio for 1 litre of ginger beer. If you want to use up all of the ginger bug, 1 cup / 250 ml is more than enough for 4 litres of ginger beer. Thanks for putting measurements in both metric and imperial (is that what they're called? Not sure, we haven't used those in decades lol). Don't forget to burp the bottle(s). ps Cute doggo!
Thanks Trent for this video! After numerous attempts in the past, I followed your recipe as closest possible and was successful, not to mention the best batch of Ginger beer I've ever tasted. Keep up the amazing work!
My Gran made this all the time, She had no "fancy" jars or bottles though, we are lucky now! Thank you so much for posting. I was not sure of quantities!! Delicious & so good for you.
My mum used to make the best ginger beer..She used to put 2 sultanas in it before sealing they would go to the bottom..and we had to wait until the sultanas came to the top of the bottle and this told us all it was ready..And then we would fight over the juicy swollen tasty fruit..I hope this is of help to know when ready to drink.😂
I make my ginger beer with dried yeast and add sugar for 5% alc. I ferment it in a fermenting jar and after sugar is used up I put it in bottles and add 6g/L for carbonation :) I use 60g ginger per Liter so it gets very spicy :D I also add lemon Juice for better Taste and erythrose for some sweet taste (wont get fermented by the yeast)
It took the bug longer to get bubbly fizzy, but its now constantly bubbling and de gasing now. I just have my first liter and i burped it (although not necessary) now and i think its working ! My toxic trait is that i think i can move on to Sake 😂😂
Hi! My ginger bug stop bubblin after the third day..and no foam on top..is it working normally or i have to restart? And...to keep going the bug...when should i refill water? Theres a kind of ratio depending the amount of old ginger already in jar?
Great video. I seen people talking about making a ginger bug but non mention how to store it. Glad you covered that part. I figured it would be fine in the fridge since I do this with my sourdough starter, but wanted to make sure. Thanks.
I've been doing sourdough bread, and can see the similarities to the "starter" you made with the ginger. I'm stopping at the supermarket tomorrow to get some ginger. Saved this page, liked, and subscribed
What microbe do I need exactly for the fermentation? I tried the way to make ginger beer as you advised in this video. The ginger bug didn't want to be foamy. I made a second try, I put a piece of cabagge to the bug from my homemade kimchi. It worked well. After 3 days I put 50ml of ginger bug to the boiled ginger juice as you mentioned. The result was tasty but it wasn't full of bubbies, it wasn't gasy at all. There was no pressure in it. At my third attemption I used brewer's yeast. It worked well in the ginger bug, it made a lot of gas. But, when I poured it in to the sterilized ginger juice, I experienced an interesting process: After two days, it started to be getting jelly. I thought, it is because the brewer's yeast is speicialized for starch, not for sugar. Then, I repeated the project with wine yeast. The result was the same. What shall I do?
The production quality on your videos is incredible, even more so considering your number of (current) subs. You’re going to get big. Great quality content, thank you for sharing!
Hello, I made the ginger bug following this recipe. The bug has bubbles but I want to know is it normal for the bug to have jelly like consistency or did I screw up somehow? Thank you
Hey mate, I made a ginger beer using your recepei and it was the best thing I ever had ! I made a few times but recently I have a problem, I can't make ginger bug don't know what is the problem...It doesn't ferment, just a sweet water when taste...even after 1 week. Maybe the ginger is too young or too old, maybe ginger not enough or too much...maybe too much or not enough sugar..Your profesional advice would be highly appreciated, thanks
Thanks, a no nonsense, get to the point video. I am on to it. I had to buy some decent bottles so I bought 2 dozen Grolsch Pilsner beer. Same price for the bottles but got the beer thrown in. I am in Mexico and some items are hard to find.
Question: For the 3 to 4 days of adding ginger/sugar to the bug, do you add another cup of water every day too or is just the 10 g ginger/10 g sugar? Thanks!
Awesome video - you makes it seem so simple. I love ginger beer so definitely will try. I've already gone ahead and purchased 6 fermentation bottles at 500ml each = 3 litres. Dumb question but for the secondary process if I do 3 litres of water do I simply scale up? Also thanks for using the units of measurement that you use - makes it real simple. Thanks.
Bro, I'm so glad I found your channel. I recently won an old The Beer Machine kit (never used or opened) from an auction and was needing to find a TH-cam channel for homebrewing so I can find a place of knowledge. I've watched 5 videos so far and I think I found my new knowledge bank. Love the channel and am definitely now subscribed!
I do have a favorite cocktail that uses ginger beer: a Dirty Shirly. 1 teaspoon of lemon juice, 1 ounce of home made grenadine, 1 ounce of London dry gin and top the glass with about 5 oz of ginger beer. Stir and enjoy!
Nice! I think i will have to try this! When removing liquid from and adding new sugar and ginger to the gingerbug, should you also replace the removed liquid? When do you (if ever?) remove the ginger bits? - If you continue this process you would end up with no liquid and all ginger pieces in the masonry jar?
I make sooooo may fermented foods and beverages and my brother just got me a ton of organic ginger. I love ginger ale so I am gonna make this indefinitely
How fuzzy do you want the ginger bug? I made a much bigger one so obviously it'll take alittle longer, at this stage I only see very small bubbles on the rim. Also if you're not adding water to the bug after you use it, do I just keep using it until its empty and make another bug?? Those two questions would be very help, im on day 3 of following this :). I'm worried about the bowling stage, can I get it to hot?
Hey, if your seeing small bubbles that’s a great sign. You should be good. And I do add more water, sugar, and ginger each time I use it so I have a continuous supply
@02:50 you measure the weight grams in volume? So how would you measure grams of distilled water versus grams loads of sugar dissolved in water? By volume?
I have been making ginger bugs & using it to make a ginger-ale/ginger beer, but also other things for a long time. Sometimes, when ginger isn't available (before I started growing my own inside my home & outside during warm weather months) I would add a little apple with the apple peel or even a small potato peel (if that is what I had on hand). Love your tips. Even though I've been doing this for a while, I did learn a few new things from watching the way you do things. Thanks.
Hi mr . I make ginger beer almost every day . So every day 1 add sugar,water,ginger to my ginger bug jar . Few weeks letter my jar almost full of ginger and there is "mother " on the ginger slices (in the ginger bug 's jar ) Should i make new ginger bug ??or continue with the old ginger bug ??
It happens. It's not a problem. Continue feeding with ginger, sugar - optional (taste, if it is sweet, you can skip the sugar). This is a period of calm. Sooner or later, after a few days, the ginger bug will come to life and bubbles will appear. Or it will spoil, but it will be clear by the smell. In this case, just install a new one and it won’t work for now)
It's better to do this. But bottles will explode if the fermentation process is too active and if you do not open it for 5 days. In fact, fermentation lasts 2-5 days. Once a day it is better to open and relieve pressure.
hi today I am going to bottle for the first time. I wonder if this will work. I had another question, can I also add other flavors? I like a spicy taste and anise.
My first attempt failed. It may have been because I used ginger that had been frozen (I store it in the freezer, because it’s easier to grate.)…the new one is plugging along, despite being neglected!
Well I've got my ginger Bug on the go, I'm itching to get it into a bottle, but I'll leave it for another day, today is day 3 I think I need to do day 4 ☺️ more foam, I have many friends who love ginger that can't wait to try it, fingers crossed it works as in the mountains of Spain we can't buy it here, thank you for the very easy video, love it...
Another comment pointed out that the strained ginger from making the syrup can be candied and the resulting syrup from that process can be saved to flavor other things. If you meant the leftover bug, put that in the refrigerator for future use. When you want to use it, take it out and feed it.
What I like about making ginger beer is that you can get ginger syrup and candied ginger as byproducts. After draining the wort and pitching the bug, I'll add more water and sugar to the used ginger and boil again; after cooling, bottle the syrup and put the ginger pieces on a wire rack to dry. Great additions to cocktails or in cooking.
Hello Trend, you mention to add more ginger and sugar to the ginger bug if we want to make more ginger beer. but at some point fermented liquid will run out... I want to make ginger beer all year so how can i refill my ginger bug? should i add more water? or should i make a new ginger bug every so often? Thanks for your answer and of course your great videos!
From time to time it is better to get a new red beetle, the outer ones will be alcoholic in two weeks. And the more you feed, the more ethanol it costs. From my experience, the survivability of a bug is about two weeks, then I just install a new one. Or rather, I install a new one while still using the old one, so that by the time the old one has outlived its usefulness, a fresh one will be ready. This creates a continuous process
New subscriber here (wanted to use my pineapple skins so came from the Tepache vid). My favourite cocktail with ginger beer is the same as yours. I love a good Moscow Mule (extra kick with alcoholic ginger beer). I love your additions. Will have to try the cider.
Thanks for subscribing, glad you found me! Cider is a great jumping off point to get into more fermentations, super easy to make and it sounds like you already got some base fermenting knowledge
I think I've screwed up mine. There were bubbles but after adding sugar and ginger everyday I was mixing it with a spoon. So it's not fuzzy as yours. Should I throw it away and start from the beginning or stick to it without stirring?
I make it the much faster, lazy, less healthy, immediate gratification way... Technically this makes a ginger syrup, but it's perfect for cocktails. I buy a small bottle of ginger juice, I weigh the juice on a kitchen scale, start warming it in a pot on the stove and then weigh out cane sugar until you have 1.5 x the weight of the ginger juice - then dissolve it into the juice. I store this ginger syrup in a flip-top bottle in the fridge until it's time to make a Moscow Mule (or Dark 'n Stormy, or Kentucky Mule, etc.). Then for the "soda" part, I add a few ounces of seltzer or club soda (generally 3 to 4 ounces or to whatever your taste preference is). I have a 5lb tank of CO2 that I use to carbonate my own water but you can use a "Soda-Stream" or just buy carbonated water at the store.
You do it much faster... That's the point, what you are doing is not it. Your product is not fermented, which does not make yours what the author does.
@@Sunsilknz very bad actually. Probably because I was lazy and didnt disenfect everything properly or because of the summer heat at home. It tasted like medicine so I had to pour it down the drain. Haven't tried it since
Which fermentation is possible in a really hot country? Like, i make kombucha and im interested in other ferments, but tempeture here in northeast brazil are very high (25° Celsius is a "cold day"). Can u help me choose a ferment that gives me a refreshing drink like this one? Temperature of 28-32° C would kill the ginger bug?
Guys do you think I can reuse as fermenting bottles the beer bottles with the air proof seal ? Or do I have to buy new ones specifically advertised as fermenting bottles?
I recently found your website you do a great production thank you very helpful and to the point! Ginger is so expensive that I usually make my ginger tea at night before I go to bed and then I let it sit all night and strain it in the morning you get a much stronger tea that way and don’t waste so much ginger.
Hello, this is my first attempt in fermenting! For storage and fermentation of the ginger bug, could I use a pasta sauce jar or do I have to use a jar with a silicone top/seal? Thank you
You can use any jar that you have laying around that's made of glass not metal. You can cover it with cheesecloth, an old t-shirt, etc. Use a rubber band to keep the insects out. A brewing airlock or a balloon will work just fine too. The important thing is that you're fermenting! Good luck
If I wanted to make a drink like this with something else like blueberries would I be able to use this recipe with adding the ginger bug to a blueberry juice? I also saw the switchel video, would I have to follow that instead. I'm guessing both would work but wondering if you have any experience. Thanks!
Lime juice can be used instead of lemon juice. However, ginger beer is a self-sufficient drink. Fermentation enriches it with esters and it does not need flavor tuning. If you add the zest and boil it along with the ginger, the fermentation process won't make a lime-flavoured ginger beer, you'll end up with something third, not always better than the original. Checked.
looks delicious,and i really like ginger beer. But is 1% the maximum you can achieve without buying brewers yeast? I'd be looking to between 6 and 8% from mine if possible.
Theoretically, this is possible over time, but one must understand that over time, ginger beer will become too sour due to the production of lactic acid by lactobacilli. Therefore, it is easier to use brewer's yeast. More efficient and faster.
Hi, I'm always watching your youtube ! Thank you for your informations. I have a question! Why Ginder bug doesn't produce an alcohol? Exactly, they produce an alcohol but just a litte bit. What is different from beer yeast and ginger bug?
Ginger bug does produce some but not much. And technically speaking it’s a bacteria fermentation. Whereas beer is fermented with a yeast that is capable of fermenting more sugars than the ginger bug. So you can then in get more alcohol out of it.
I made this years ago, but I used some type of yeast that I bought for this process. I guess the sugar and the fermenting process for a day creates natural yeast in this method?
I'm excited to give it a try. I love Vernor's Ginger Ale. If I wantrf to get the taste of the ginger beer closer to Vernor's, do you have any suggestions?
That’s a lot sweeter than this. Would basically make the ginger beer and then stabilize it so it doesn’t referment and then add lots of sugar. Would likely need a keg to also get the carbonation up to Vernors level
@@TheBruSho Perfect. Any recommendations on how to age the ginger beer? Although I don't think I could wait three years like Vernors does, maybe a little ageing would help the smoothness.
Hmmm....I followed your recipe, and it turned thick!! It still tastes good, but no carbonation at all, and it just thickened up, any idea where I could have gone wrong?
Leuconostoc infection has occurred. It was the red beetle that was the corpse. These are lactobacilli that protect pathogens during the production of fermented drinks. This ginger bug needs to be thrown out and a new one installed. To avoid infection, it is necessary to disinfect all utensils with which the original ingredients come into contact, and change the ginger. Also, it is advisable to boil sugar syrup 2:1 and add it as a top dressing, since sugar is the main source of leuconostoc infection. Personally, I solved a similar problem with the help of sugar syrup.
Hey, thanks for the recipe i just tried it and after bottling (it's been two days) my ginger beer and its foam is slimy... What did i do wrong ? Thanks for the tips
I made ginger beer several times and its work, i use 1ltr bottle, if i want make a large batch, can i just use a plastic bucket for final fermentation?
I don’t think the bucket would be able to hold the pressure needed for enough fizz. But if you bought a keg you could do F2 in that and get pressure. Kegs are relatively inexpensive: $50+
Im currently trying to start in the brewing world since I have a bachelor in Microbiology and this gets me super excited ✨ Your videos are very informative and the production and quality is incredible! On other note, it will make any difference if used brown granulated sugar instead of white sugar?
Still got questions? 🤔 I got your answers right here: th-cam.com/video/-SLdAtybYkk/w-d-xo.html&
How would you recommend making this enlarger quantities?
So when do you use the ginger?, I didn´t see any ginger in the video.....
We made a 14% ABV ginger beer on 04/29 and let it ferment for exactly 2 months. We spiced it with cinnamon, allspice berries, cloves, peppercorns, and a habanero. Turned out amazing.
Wow that sounds really great!! Will have to try that out
Did you add the spices when you bottled it?
How did you get 14% abv?
Wouldn't it be wine by that point?
That's my kinda beer. I like the higher ABV types. I have habs growing in my apartment. Would love to get the jist of how you brewed your brew.
Try using turmeric instead of ginger for the bug and ginger for for the 2nd ferment. It adds a unique bottom yet maintaining the bright ginger tang.
Could you elaborate the steps?
How about a combination of both?
I've some fresh turmeric I bought on a whim but don't know what to do with.
Thanks for the recipe, it’s awesome. I do like mine stronger so I modified mine a little. 40 g of ginger before the simmering and extra 10g (50g total) just after the pot leaves the stovetop to slowly cool down(IPA dry hop style😂). I also add the juice from a small lemon or half a large one with the second batch. You get a whole range of ginger flavour, full yet citrusy and spicy. The store bought stuff doesn’t stand a chance.
hell yeah, ty
Just finished my first batch of Ginger beer and WOW. So good. I changed your recipe up a bit and used honey instead of sugar. Its so good and it was insanely easy. My son and I are going to do a rootbeer with the ginger bug and then a blueberry soda with my daughter with it. Thanks for the great videos.
Hey headsup, everyone: can vouch, this is the perfect ratio for 1 litre of ginger beer. If you want to use up all of the ginger bug, 1 cup / 250 ml is more than enough for 4 litres of ginger beer.
Thanks for putting measurements in both metric and imperial (is that what they're called? Not sure, we haven't used those in decades lol).
Don't forget to burp the bottle(s).
ps Cute doggo!
Thank you!! Appreciate it
Thanks Trent for this video! After numerous attempts in the past, I followed your recipe as closest possible and was successful, not to mention the best batch of Ginger beer I've ever tasted. Keep up the amazing work!
Me for no freaking reason at 3.00 am watching this.
A great new addition to all my other bugs, starters and mushrooms!
Thanks!
Thank you so much! Hope you enjoy it
My Gran made this all the time, She had no "fancy" jars or bottles though, we are lucky now! Thank you so much for posting. I was not sure of quantities!! Delicious & so good for you.
My Nan did too! Haven't had this for years.
My mum used to make the best ginger beer..She used to put 2 sultanas in it before sealing they would go to the bottom..and we had to wait until the sultanas came to the top of the bottle and this told us all it was ready..And then we would fight over the juicy swollen tasty fruit..I hope this is of help to know when ready to drink.😂
Thank you for the great tips that I can sense the results.🙏💕
When you say sultana, that’s a grape, right?
@@yanndumont. I think it’s a raisin?
I make my ginger beer with dried yeast and add sugar for 5% alc. I ferment it in a fermenting jar and after sugar is used up I put it in bottles and add 6g/L for carbonation :)
I use 60g ginger per Liter so it gets very spicy :D I also add lemon Juice for better Taste and erythrose for some sweet taste (wont get fermented by the yeast)
It took the bug longer to get bubbly fizzy, but its now constantly bubbling and de gasing now. I just have my first liter and i burped it (although not necessary) now and i think its working !
My toxic trait is that i think i can move on to Sake 😂😂
Very nicely done sir! Easy to follow, very explanatory and concise. Also well done on the editing!
THANK YOU FOR A SIMPLE & EASY RECIPE!
Hi! My ginger bug stop bubblin after the third day..and no foam on top..is it working normally or i have to restart?
And...to keep going the bug...when should i refill water? Theres a kind of ratio depending the amount of old ginger already in jar?
Great video. I seen people talking about making a ginger bug but non mention how to store it. Glad you covered that part. I figured it would be fine in the fridge since I do this with my sourdough starter, but wanted to make sure. Thanks.
I'm really learn a lot new thing about brewing from your videos, thank you and keep it up!
Thank you for watching! 🍻
I've been doing sourdough bread, and can see the similarities to the "starter" you made with the ginger. I'm stopping at the supermarket tomorrow to get some ginger. Saved this page, liked, and subscribed
How did it turn out?
What's the minimum amount of sugar you could add to get a complete ferment, and consume all the sugar?
Interested to know too
Nice quick easy video,thanks for your efforts
What microbe do I need exactly for the fermentation?
I tried the way to make ginger beer as you advised in this video. The ginger bug didn't want to be foamy.
I made a second try, I put a piece of cabagge to the bug from my homemade kimchi. It worked well. After 3 days I put 50ml of ginger bug to the boiled ginger juice as you mentioned. The result was tasty but it wasn't full of bubbies, it wasn't gasy at all. There was no pressure in it.
At my third attemption I used brewer's yeast. It worked well in the ginger bug, it made a lot of gas. But, when I poured it in to the sterilized ginger juice, I experienced an interesting process: After two days, it started to be getting jelly.
I thought, it is because the brewer's yeast is speicialized for starch, not for sugar.
Then, I repeated the project with wine yeast. The result was the same.
What shall I do?
This has got to be the bomb! Imma try it!
Currently I use ginger & a touch of jaggery in a 2nd kefir ferment. It's pretty good too!
Nice
You must have a good Christmas and a happy New Year.
Cheers from Norway
The production quality on your videos is incredible, even more so considering your number of (current) subs. You’re going to get big. Great quality content, thank you for sharing!
Thank you so much, I really appreciate that! Cheers! 🍻
Hello, I made the ginger bug following this recipe. The bug has bubbles but I want to know is it normal for the bug to have jelly like consistency or did I screw up somehow?
Thank you
Hey mate, I made a ginger beer using your recepei and it was the best thing I ever had ! I made a few times but recently I have a problem, I can't make ginger bug don't know what is the problem...It doesn't ferment, just a sweet water when taste...even after 1 week.
Maybe the ginger is too young or too old, maybe ginger not enough or too much...maybe too much or not enough sugar..Your profesional advice would be highly appreciated, thanks
Thanks, a no nonsense, get to the point video. I am on to it. I had to buy some decent bottles so I bought 2 dozen Grolsch Pilsner beer. Same price for the bottles but got the beer thrown in. I am in Mexico and some items are hard to find.
Question: For the 3 to 4 days of adding ginger/sugar to the bug, do you add another cup of water every day too or is just the 10 g ginger/10 g sugar? Thanks!
A bit of a later reply, but no need to add more water. :)
Awesome video - you makes it seem so simple. I love ginger beer so definitely will try. I've already gone ahead and purchased 6 fermentation bottles at 500ml each = 3 litres. Dumb question but for the secondary process if I do 3 litres of water do I simply scale up? Also thanks for using the units of measurement that you use - makes it real simple. Thanks.
I used to make kombucha its sooo much better than store bought. I bet a moscow mule with home brewed ginger beer is amazing
Hi, thanks for the video, don't you have to "burp" the bottles so they don't explode?
Bro, I'm so glad I found your channel. I recently won an old The Beer Machine kit (never used or opened) from an auction and was needing to find a TH-cam channel for homebrewing so I can find a place of knowledge. I've watched 5 videos so far and I think I found my new knowledge bank. Love the channel and am definitely now subscribed!
Cheers! Glad you found me! 🍻
Thanks for the recipe! Trying this out at the moment!👍
*Correction: I said organic has no pesticides, but I misspoke as many of you have pointed out! Thank you!
I do have a favorite cocktail that uses ginger beer: a Dirty Shirly. 1 teaspoon of lemon juice, 1 ounce of home made grenadine, 1 ounce of London dry gin and top the glass with about 5 oz of ginger beer. Stir and enjoy!
Question, you dont mention adding more water as you use the bug to replace water you have used.
yes add more water as you use it
Nice! I think i will have to try this!
When removing liquid from and adding new sugar and ginger to the gingerbug, should you also replace the removed liquid?
When do you (if ever?) remove the ginger bits? - If you continue this process you would end up with no liquid and all ginger pieces in the masonry jar?
I make sooooo may fermented foods and beverages and my brother just got me a ton of organic ginger. I love ginger ale so I am gonna make this indefinitely
How fuzzy do you want the ginger bug? I made a much bigger one so obviously it'll take alittle longer, at this stage I only see very small bubbles on the rim.
Also if you're not adding water to the bug after you use it, do I just keep using it until its empty and make another bug?? Those two questions would be very help, im on day 3 of following this :). I'm worried about the bowling stage, can I get it to hot?
Hey, if your seeing small bubbles that’s a great sign. You should be good. And I do add more water, sugar, and ginger each time I use it so I have a continuous supply
@@TheBruSho I followed your recipe and after 2-3 days of making the ginger bug, it started smelling really funky.... is that normal?? Thanks.
Something I should try todo this summer, think I would like to scale it up a bit though for the time it takes.
@02:50 you measure the weight grams in volume? So how would you measure grams of distilled water versus grams loads of sugar dissolved in water? By volume?
영상 공유해주셔서 감사합니다! 잘 만들어볼게요! From South Korea
Thank you, best of luck! 행운을 빌어요!
I have been making ginger bugs & using it to make a ginger-ale/ginger beer, but also other things for a long time. Sometimes, when ginger isn't available (before I started growing my own inside my home & outside during warm weather months) I would add a little apple with the apple peel or even a small potato peel (if that is what I had on hand). Love your tips. Even though I've been doing this for a while, I did learn a few new things from watching the way you do things. Thanks.
How many bubels do I need to have tell it is ready?
Hi mr . I make ginger beer almost every day .
So every day 1 add sugar,water,ginger to my ginger bug jar .
Few weeks letter my jar almost full of ginger and there is "mother " on the ginger slices (in the ginger bug 's jar )
Should i make new ginger bug ??or continue with the old ginger bug ??
I'm on day four and no foam or bubbles, should I keep adding or just wait or do over?
Day 4 here, same problem
It happens. It's not a problem. Continue feeding with ginger, sugar - optional (taste, if it is sweet, you can skip the sugar). This is a period of calm. Sooner or later, after a few days, the ginger bug will come to life and bubbles will appear. Or it will spoil, but it will be clear by the smell. In this case, just install a new one and it won’t work for now)
Hi. Nice video! Should I wash my ginger first?
Some recipes advise to burp the bottle when the gingerbeer is in the final ferment stage to prevent explosion. Necessary or no?
It's better to do this. But bottles will explode if the fermentation process is too active and if you do not open it for 5 days. In fact, fermentation lasts 2-5 days. Once a day it is better to open and relieve pressure.
hi today I am going to bottle for the first time. I wonder if this will work. I had another question, can I also add other flavors? I like a spicy taste and anise.
@TheBruSho
Amazing vids!
Is it possible to use honey or any other natural sweetener instead of sugar?
My first attempt failed. It may have been because I used ginger that had been frozen (I store it in the freezer, because it’s easier to grate.)…the new one is plugging along, despite being neglected!
This looks amazing. How long does it last in the fridge?
Well I've got my ginger Bug on the go, I'm itching to get it into a bottle, but I'll leave it for another day, today is day 3 I think I need to do day 4 ☺️ more foam, I have many friends who love ginger that can't wait to try it, fingers crossed it works as in the mountains of Spain we can't buy it here, thank you for the very easy video, love it...
Awesome!! Hope you all have lots of yummy ginger drinks with it!
Why you seal it immediately in a bottle? Shouldn't it ferment a bit freely before getting pressurized?
Great video, thank you for sharing. I was wondering, do u discard the ginger made or it works for another ginger beer?
Another comment pointed out that the strained ginger from making the syrup can be candied and the resulting syrup from that process can be saved to flavor other things.
If you meant the leftover bug, put that in the refrigerator for future use. When you want to use it, take it out and feed it.
What I like about making ginger beer is that you can get ginger syrup and candied ginger as byproducts. After draining the wort and pitching the bug, I'll add more water and sugar to the used ginger and boil again; after cooling, bottle the syrup and put the ginger pieces on a wire rack to dry. Great additions to cocktails or in cooking.
Hello Trend, you mention to add more ginger and sugar to the ginger bug if we want to make more ginger beer. but at some point fermented liquid will run out... I want to make ginger beer all year so how can i refill my ginger bug? should i add more water? or should i make a new ginger bug every so often? Thanks for your answer and of course your great videos!
Just add more water when it runs low!
Great! Thanks a lot... It will improve self sufficiency on my sailboat here in the caribbean :)@@TheBruSho
From time to time it is better to get a new red beetle, the outer ones will be alcoholic in two weeks. And the more you feed, the more ethanol it costs. From my experience, the survivability of a bug is about two weeks, then I just install a new one. Or rather, I install a new one while still using the old one, so that by the time the old one has outlived its usefulness, a fresh one will be ready. This creates a continuous process
Can i use Brown Sugar instead of White Sugar??
Of course
Before using any glass jars or bottles I usually clean with a vinegar solution. Any comments on that?
New subscriber here (wanted to use my pineapple skins so came from the Tepache vid). My favourite cocktail with ginger beer is the same as yours. I love a good Moscow Mule (extra kick with alcoholic ginger beer). I love your additions. Will have to try the cider.
Thanks for subscribing, glad you found me! Cider is a great jumping off point to get into more fermentations, super easy to make and it sounds like you already got some base fermenting knowledge
I think I've screwed up mine. There were bubbles but after adding sugar and ginger everyday I was mixing it with a spoon. So it's not fuzzy as yours. Should I throw it away and start from the beginning or stick to it without stirring?
I make it the much faster, lazy, less healthy, immediate gratification way... Technically this makes a ginger syrup, but it's perfect for cocktails. I buy a small bottle of ginger juice, I weigh the juice on a kitchen scale, start warming it in a pot on the stove and then weigh out cane sugar until you have 1.5 x the weight of the ginger juice - then dissolve it into the juice. I store this ginger syrup in a flip-top bottle in the fridge until it's time to make a Moscow Mule (or Dark 'n Stormy, or Kentucky Mule, etc.). Then for the "soda" part, I add a few ounces of seltzer or club soda (generally 3 to 4 ounces or to whatever your taste preference is). I have a 5lb tank of CO2 that I use to carbonate my own water but you can use a "Soda-Stream" or just buy carbonated water at the store.
You do it much faster... That's the point, what you are doing is not it. Your product is not fermented, which does not make yours what the author does.
Currently making this recipe with my gingerbug about to be fed for the second time. So excited to taste the final product!
How'd it turn out?
@@Sunsilknz very bad actually. Probably because I was lazy and didnt disenfect everything properly or because of the summer heat at home.
It tasted like medicine so I had to pour it down the drain. Haven't tried it since
Bummer, I've just made my bug. Hopefully I have better luck.
Should the bottles with ginger beer be opened daily (´cause of the gas)?
Do the bottles need to be gassed during the three day resting period after bottling?
Clear and concise. Thank you.
I can't wait to try this. It's so expensive to buy good ginger beer
Which fermentation is possible in a really hot country? Like, i make kombucha and im interested in other ferments, but tempeture here in northeast brazil are very high (25° Celsius is a "cold day"). Can u help me choose a ferment that gives me a refreshing drink like this one? Temperature of 28-32° C would kill the ginger bug?
Do you need to burp the bottles every day during the 3 days prior to refrigeration?
Can you use monk fruit as a substitute for sugar? If not are there any?
Guys do you think I can reuse as fermenting bottles the beer bottles with the air proof seal ? Or do I have to buy new ones specifically advertised as fermenting bottles?
Yum that cocktail with crushed ice 😋 so refreshing
Should i use boil water or tap water?
Tap is ok. Spring/RO water is best. Boil is good if you have patience for that to cool down
I recently found your website you do a great production thank you very helpful and to the point! Ginger is so expensive that I usually make my ginger tea at night before I go to bed and then I let it sit all night and strain it in the morning you get a much stronger tea that way and don’t waste so much ginger.
Thank you so much for showing how to make a ginger bug. How long can one keep ginger when prepared with a ginger bug (Shelf life)
Hello, this is my first attempt in fermenting! For storage and fermentation of the ginger bug, could I use a pasta sauce jar or do I have to use a jar with a silicone top/seal? Thank you
You can use any jar that you have laying around that's made of glass not metal. You can cover it with cheesecloth, an old t-shirt, etc. Use a rubber band to keep the insects out. A brewing airlock or a balloon will work just fine too. The important thing is that you're fermenting! Good luck
Punch holes in the pasta sauce jar lid and put a tissue or napkin coffee filter etc. over the top and screw the lid on. That should work.
If I wanted to make a drink like this with something else like blueberries would I be able to use this recipe with adding the ginger bug to a blueberry juice? I also saw the switchel video, would I have to follow that instead. I'm guessing both would work but wondering if you have any experience. Thanks!
That sounds good! Yeah I would go for something like the switchel recipe and just swap in your blueberries!
@@TheBruSho Going to try both and see the difference. Using spruce tips instead of blueberries though :-)
Just watched your video and loved it. Can I add lime juice and the rind to make it tastier?
Lime juice can be used instead of lemon juice. However, ginger beer is a self-sufficient drink. Fermentation enriches it with esters and it does not need flavor tuning. If you add the zest and boil it along with the ginger, the fermentation process won't make a lime-flavoured ginger beer, you'll end up with something third, not always better than the original. Checked.
Your thoughts on adding vanilla to the brew.
Could be tasty! Go light at first and see how it is
Great video. I have to try this. Thank you. Subscribed.
looks delicious,and i really like ginger beer. But is 1% the maximum you can achieve without buying brewers yeast?
I'd be looking to between 6 and 8% from mine if possible.
Might be able to push it to 2-3% but would be much easier to just use some beer yeast if you want it that high
Theoretically, this is possible over time, but one must understand that over time, ginger beer will become too sour due to the production of lactic acid by lactobacilli. Therefore, it is easier to use brewer's yeast. More efficient and faster.
Nice and good tutorial Thanks Take Care Enjoy
Hi, I'm always watching your youtube ! Thank you for your informations.
I have a question! Why Ginder bug doesn't produce an alcohol? Exactly, they produce an alcohol but just a litte bit. What is different from beer yeast and ginger bug?
Ginger bug does produce some but not much. And technically speaking it’s a bacteria fermentation. Whereas beer is fermented with a yeast that is capable of fermenting more sugars than the ginger bug. So you can then in get more alcohol out of it.
Yeast is one of those things that has kust absolutely thrived in symbiosis with us
Great video, thanks! Just got one question - if I wanted to make this kid's version(alc free) what should I change?
This is the children's version. There is no more alcohol than in fermented milk products. Less than one percent - consider non-alcoholic
I made this years ago, but I used some type of yeast that I bought for this process. I guess the sugar and the fermenting process for a day creates natural yeast in this method?
yup exactly, this method uses the yeast and bacteria from the ginger to ferment
This is very helpful, thank you!
Can I use frozen ginger for my ginger bug or will the freezing process kill the yeast?
I'm excited to give it a try. I love Vernor's Ginger Ale. If I wantrf to get the taste of the ginger beer closer to Vernor's, do you have any suggestions?
That’s a lot sweeter than this. Would basically make the ginger beer and then stabilize it so it doesn’t referment and then add lots of sugar. Would likely need a keg to also get the carbonation up to Vernors level
@@TheBruSho Perfect. Any recommendations on how to age the ginger beer? Although I don't think I could wait three years like Vernors does, maybe a little ageing would help the smoothness.
Hmmm....I followed your recipe, and it turned thick!! It still tastes good, but no carbonation at all, and it just thickened up, any idea where I could have gone wrong?
Leuconostoc infection has occurred. It was the red beetle that was the corpse. These are lactobacilli that protect pathogens during the production of fermented drinks. This ginger bug needs to be thrown out and a new one installed. To avoid infection, it is necessary to disinfect all utensils with which the original ingredients come into contact, and change the ginger. Also, it is advisable to boil sugar syrup 2:1 and add it as a top dressing, since sugar is the main source of leuconostoc infection. Personally, I solved a similar problem with the help of sugar syrup.
Hey, thanks for the recipe i just tried it and after bottling (it's been two days) my ginger beer and its foam is slimy... What did i do wrong ? Thanks for the tips
this was a great tutorial but I have one question. Can brown sugar be used as a substitute sugar
Thanks and yep!
thank you!
I made ginger beer several times and its work, i use 1ltr bottle, if i want make a large batch, can i just use a plastic bucket for final fermentation?
I don’t think the bucket would be able to hold the pressure needed for enough fizz. But if you bought a keg you could do F2 in that and get pressure. Kegs are relatively inexpensive: $50+
Im curious about if this would be possible to make without sugar. Maybe erythritol or something like that, would it feed the ginger bug?
Will not work. Yeast and lactobacilli feed on sucrose, and more specifically on glucose and fructoca. With sweeteners, they just won't do their job.
How much alcohol would it have? Can I skip the ginger bug and just use a brewer yeast to the ginger mixture?
Great video.
Thanks for the video!
Do we need to burp the bottles?
yes, once a day is preferable
Im currently trying to start in the brewing world since I have a bachelor in Microbiology and this gets me super excited ✨ Your videos are very informative and the production and quality is incredible!
On other note, it will make any difference if used brown granulated sugar instead of white sugar?
Any sugar which the yeast can eat should work, which is basically anything except lactose iirc
you have a bachelor degree YET still ask Qs as if you are uneducated ??? education system is failing