A ginger bug for weekend sodas

The bug lives in a pint jar with a cloth cover, so fruit flies stay out and gas can leave. Most mornings it gets a spoon of grated ginger and a spoon of sugar, stirred into the cloudy water.

When it is happy it smells sharp and sweet, with fine bubbles on the glass. I used a few tablespoons to start a bottle of lemon and honey water. That bottle stayed out overnight, then went into the fridge before it could get too lively.

Sealed bottles hold pressure. I burp them, keep them cold, and do not leave them in a warm room all week.

I missed two days while the kitchen was torn apart. The bug smelled flat and a gray film gathered on top. I skimmed the film, fed it, and it was bubbly again by the next evening. That recovery is the part I want on camera next.