According to some of my posts on Pinterest, the Turmeric starter bug gets a lot more attention. While I love turmeric ginger beer, I stopped maintaining my turmeric starter bug in favour of my ginger starter bug. For one, I also have a sourdough starter now, but also the maintenance of a ginger starter bug has been really easy for me. There are many grocery stores where I can pickup organic ginger easily and at a good price. I found that fresh Turmeric has been a little harder for me to find. Either the quality has not been great or it has been expensive for the quantity. Either way I found really great fresh and flavourful turmeric in bulk at Ambrosia Fine Foods. That has been my preferred place to get fresh Turmeric. Nonetheless, to chop and feed the turmeric bug regularly, my hands were getting stained bright orange and yellow and the colour was transferring to anything I came in contact with for a while like Midas’ touch.
On the flip side, I have kept this ginger bug going for several months with a very simple routine and storing it in the fridge when not in use. I feed it one tablespoon of chopped organic ginger and one tablespoon of sugar once a week or two. I take the ginger bug out of the fridge to let it reach room temperature and feed it. When it shows good activity like bubbling and fizzing when moved, it’s ready to be sealed up and put back into the fridge, or used to make a naturally carbonated beverage. We had some last evening for Father’s day. That’s it simple.
If you’ve got a ginger bug stored in the fridge to slow down fermentation, don’t forget to feed it occasionally to keep it healthy and active! A dormant fridge-stored bug still needs love to stay alive.
How to Feed a Refrigerated Ginger Bug:
- Take it out of the fridge and let it sit at room temp for 30-60 mins (to wake up the microbes).
- Add 1 tbsp grated ginger (skin on is fine!) + 1 tbsp sugar.
- Stir well, cover with a cloth or loose lid, and let it sit for 2-4 hours.
- Put it back in the fridge (or use it if bubbly and active!).
🔹 Feeding Frequency: Every 1-2 weeks if stored long-term.
🔹 Signs it’s Healthy: Bubbles, fresh ginger smell, and no mold.
Your ginger bug is the heart of homemade sodas (like ginger beer or fruit ferments)—keep it happy! 🥤💛
Have you tried reviving a fridge-stored bug? Share your tips below! 👇
