Ginger Soda

Ingredients

• ½ gallon of water

• 4-6 inches of fresh ginger root

• Juice of one lemon

• 2 cups sugar or 1 ½ cups raw honey 

• ½ cup of ginger bug  [Refer to Contraband Ferment’s Ginger Bug recipe.]

Instructions

1. In a large stock pot put the water and chopped or grated ginger root. Bring to a boil for 20 minutes and then turn off heat and add sugar or honey.

   • Allow the mixture to cool (below 85 degrees F) and add the Ginger Bug. Stir to combine with a wooden spoon making sure the sugars are diluted.

2. Move to a half gallon glass jar and cover with a lid and leave on a counter to ferment for 10-14 days.

   • Depending on the weather, season, ambient temperature, and other variables, it may ferment quickly or take a little longer. Taste it every 2-3 days and see how it tastes to you and then decide if you’d like to let it go a little longer.

3. You can bottle your soda at this point, if you’d like. Use bottles with a screw top or bottle as you would homemade beer.

   • I prefer to make small batches and drink it rather quickly as they do continue to ferment, even if stored in sealed bottles in the fridge.