Ginger bug rubbing alcohol smell

[Hollianni]

I recently made a ginger bug and used some of it to make ginger ale. I gave a friend a starter culture of it. She said yesterday it had a strong smell of rubbing alcohol and didn't smell like ginger. I gave it to her in a mason jar with the metal lid. mine is in a mason jar too but with a paper towel on top. I smelled and tasted mine and it's fine. Do you think the metal lid had something to do with it? Or is it starting to turn into alcohol? Is it okay to use or should it be thrown out? Thanks for help.

[Christopher Weeks]

Has she been feeding it ginger and sugar every day or two? Does it smell yeasty in addition? Is it fizzing?

My bugs typically smell more yeasty than gingery when I'm in maintenance mode and then when I'm readying to make a batch of soda, I spawn off a child with a bunch more ginger.