After making your first batched of fermented soda, you'll usually have some leftover Ginger Bug - what do you do with it? We keep ours in the refrigerator and feed it once a week with 1 Tablespoon raw sugar and 1 Tablespoon chopped fresh ginger. We stir it a little with a non-metal spoon, and put it back in the refrigerator.
When you want to make a new batch of soda, you'll need to spend a few days "Waking Up" the Ginger Bug. You'll want to give yourself 3-4 days, depending on the room temperature. If the bubbles and foam are well established by the end of day 2, you can even start then.
Day 1 - Take your Ginger Bug out of the fridge and let it sit until it warms up to room temperature. When it's warmed up, add 1 Tablespoon raw sugar and 1 Tablespoon chopped fresh ginger and stir. Leave on a counter, covered with paper towel and rubber band.
Day 2 - Add 1 Tablespoon raw sugar, 1 Tablespoon fresh ginger and stir again. At this point, you might notice small bubble and a light fizzing sound. Leave on a counter, covered with paper towel and rubber band.
Day 3 - Add 1 Tablespoon raw sugar, 1 Tablespoon fresh ginger and stir. By the end of day 3, we had a great head of foam with large bubbles and a noticeable fizzing sound. At this point, we were ready to make our soda!
If your ginger bug isn't ready yet, continue the process to Day 4.
Now, you're ready to make a batch of soda! Check our Ginger Ale recipe for ideas, and have fun being creative!
