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1
Combine 1 teaspoon grated ginger (unpeeled), 1 teaspoon turbinado sugar, and 1 cup distilled water in a small bowl.
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2
Stir, cover with cheesecloth, and leave in a room-temperature area (70 degrees F to 75 degrees F works best).
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3
Add another teaspoon of ginger and sugar every other day until the bug becomes active (it should take 6 to 8 days).
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4
The bug is active once there are a few bubbles on the surface and a white residue forms on the bottom of the bowl.
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5
Halve the lemons and juice them, reserving both the juice and the rinds.
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6
In a large pot, combine 1 quart (4 cups) distilled water with 2 teaspoons grated ginger (about 2 inches), the remaining turbinado sugar (should be a scant cup), the juice of the lemons, and the lemon rinds and bring to a boil over high heat.
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7
Let this mixture boil for 15 minutes and then remove from heat.
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8
Discard the lemon rinds.
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9
Add the remaining 7 cups distilled water and let the mixture cool to room temperature (about 70 degrees F to 75 degrees F).
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10
Pour through a fine mesh strainer into a large, clean pot.
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11
Then strain the bug into the pot (stir before straining to make sure that the white residue gets included).
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12
Mix to combine, and now youre .
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13
Set the sealed ginger beer bottles upright to ferment at room temperature (about 70 degrees F to 75 degrees F works best) in an area where it is OK if the bottles explode (such as a bathtub).
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14
Let the soda ferment for about 7 to 10 days.
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15
Around day 7, test the flavor and carbonation of the ginger beer by sampling the test bottle.
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16
(Note: We fermented the soda for about 8 days and were happy with the balance of sugar and ginger at that point.
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17
The longer you let the soda ferment, the more sugar the yeast will consume, and therefore the less sugary the soda will be.)
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18
When the soda is ready, place the labels on the bottles and put the bottles in the refrigerator to halt the fermentation process.
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19
Make sure the bottles are completely cold prior to opening.
