How to Make a Ginger Bug: Your Starter for Homemade Probiotic Sodas

How to Make a Ginger Bug: Your Starter for Homemade Probiotic Sodas

If you’re ready to start making naturally bubbly, gut-healthy drinks at home, it all starts with a ginger bug. It's like the sourdough starter but for homemade sodas! This wild-fermented starter culture captures beneficial bacteria and yeasts from ginger and sugar, creating the base for probiotic sodas that are full of gut-healthy benefits—and delicious fizz.

Here’s everything you need to know to start your own ginger bug from scratch.

TOOLS:

• Mason jars (16 or 24 oz)
• Pickle Pipe
• Tough Band
• Spoon/spatula for stirring (avoid using a metal one as this would react with the acidic environment of the ginger bug)

INGREDIENTS:

For The Ginger Bug (Day 1)

• 2 cup dechlorinated water
• 2 Tbsp finely chopped or grated fresh organic ginger (skin on)
• 2 Tbsp cane sugar*

Food For The Ginger Bug, To Keep It Happy (Every 24 Hours – For 2-3 Days)

• 2 Tbsp finely chopped or grated ginger (skin on)
• 2 Tbsp granulated sugar

INSTRUCTIONS:

(Day 1) MAKE YOUR GINGER BUG:

To cultivate your own wild yeast (Ginger Bug), combine filtered water with granulated sugar, and finely chopped ginger and place in a Mason jar.

Mix together until the sugar is dissolved, cover with the Pickle Pipe and secure it with Tough Band. Let it sit for 24 hours.

(Every 24 Hours – 2-3 Days) FEED YOUR GINGER BUG:

Moving forward, add the same amount of ginger and sugar every 24 hours until it becomes fizzy (don’t add any more water). Mix well till sugar dissolves.

This should take about 2-3 days.

Signs to look for: small bubbles, foam, light fizz, these mean that your Ginger Bug is active and ready to be used!

To Keep It Going:

If you're not using it daily:
Store your ginger bug in the fridge with a lid on.
Feed it 2 tbsp ginger + 2 tbsp sugar once a week.

To reactivate, bring to room temp and resume daily feeding for 1–2 days.

That’s It!

You now have a homemade, living starter for probiotic soda—no commercial cultures required. Want to try your first soda? Find the recipe here.

*Why cane sugar? It’s unrefined and rich in minerals—perfect fuel for the good bacteria and wild yeast that make your ginger bug come alive. 

Happy fermenting!

Grab your Masontops tools to make this recipe: