This drink is an almost miraculous moment, where you literally just take some sugar, and some ginger, mix it in water, let it sit, and then in a few days, you have a powerful fermented mixture to make your very own ginger beer without adding any commercial yeast at all. You are basically harnessing the power of nature to make a Moscow Mule.

ITEMS USED:

Flip Top Bottles

Pyrex Measuring Cup

OXO Good Grips® Small White Silicone Spatula

INGREDIENTS:

‘Ginger Bug’ Ingredients (First Day):

• 2 cups (500ml) filtered water

• 2 Tbsp (22g) finely chopped or grated ginger (skin on is fine)

• 2 Tbsp (28g) granulated sugar

Ginger bug feeding (every 24 hours):

• 2 Tbsp (22g) finely chopped or grated ginger (skin on is fine)

• 2 Tbsp (28g) granulated sugar

Ginger Beer:

• 2 quarts filtered water

• 1 1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp (273g) granulated sugar *see notes*

• 1/4 cup (54g) ginger, grated

• 1/2 cup (110g) strained ginger bug liquid

• *optional* Juice of 3 lemons

*notes on sugar in ginger beer: You're welcome to make the ginger beer much less sweet if you prefer. I would say the lowest you can go on sugar is 1/2 cup (170g).

INSTRUCTIONS:

Method:

1. To cultivate your own wild yeast, combine filtered water with granulated sugar, finely chopped ginger and place in a 1-quart glass/plastic container.

2. Mix together until the sugar is dissolved, and cover with a cheesecloth. Let it sit for 24 hours.

3. Moving forward, add the same amount of ginger and sugar every 24 hours until it becomes fizzy. This should take about 2-3 days.

4. Once the ginger bug is fizzy, pour 2 quarts of water into a large pot. To that, in granulated sugar and grated ginger. Bring up to a boil and then reduce the heat to a simmer and let it sit for 5-8 minutes. Let it cool down naturally until it reaches room temperature, leaving all of the ingredients in there to steep.

5. Once it’s up to room temperature, strain your liquid through a fine mesh colander. Make sure to press out the juices.

6. Next, add in ½ cup of your strained ginger bug and the juice of 3 lemons. Mix together until thoroughly combined and transfer that mixture to some flip-top bottles. Make sure to leave 2 inches of head room.

7. Let them sit out at room temperature with the flip bottle tops locked, for 3-6 days or until they’re fizzy.

8. Once they’ve reached that point, you can refrigerate them; but make sure you’re opening the top and burping them once a day.