Fermentation Support Forum

Hi all

I am new to fermentation and was gifted Fermentation for Beginners - Drakes Press.

After having a look through the book, I thought making a ginger bug would be a good start. I am now on my forth day and there are no signs of fermentation occuring, well any bubbles that is. I had asked the question in my introductory post and have posted here for discussion.

My understanding was that the process is a lacto-ferment, which is an anaerobic process (i.e. an oxygen free environment). This is coming from both my scientific background and reading through the book.

So based on this, I purchased a Kilner Clamp Sealing jar with rubber gasket and have tried using this to create the environment, with regular ‘burping’ (thought not sure I’d call what I currently have a burp...).

I was told that the ginger bug should actually be open to the room air, separated by a piece of cloth, and this is also true for some other online guides, however there are a few others that are saying to do what I am currently doing.

Any help on this matter would be greatly appreciated, though I think in the meantime I will set up a second jar, using the cloth just to see what I can get.

Thanks
Dan

Just to clarify the guide I have is as follows:

Day 1
- 3 tbsp chopped fresh ginger
- 3 tbsp sugar
- 3 tbsp water
Place in jar with tight-fitting lid. Cover and ferment at room temp for 24h (I assume covered also means in the dark?)

Day 2-5
Feed by adding:
- 3 tbsp chopped and peeled fresh ginger
- 3 tbsp sugar
- 3 tbsp water

After day 5 this can be transferred to the fridge. Feed weekly as above for day 2-5.

Dan

See the following link to see what I do:

https://grist.org/food/ginger-beer-recipe/

Hi

Thanks for the response.
Long story short I had kind of given up with them and got some pickled carrots and pickles ginger on the go instead. The carrots were bubbling nicely, though the ginger was very subtle. I put some of the pickled ginger liquid into the ginger bug and less than 24h later I have it going!

I think this has come down to where I sourced my ginger, and possibly the temperature.

Hopefully I don’t run into any further issues