Bring 2 cups filtered water to a boil. Add ½ cup chopped organic ginger, ¼ tsp. sea salt , and ¾ cup raw sugar. Stir for a few minutes to make sure dissolves completely, and cook gently for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let steep until lukewarm.

When the ginger and sugar mixture is lukewarm or cooler, strain it into a large pitcher or bowl that holds 8 ½ cups. Toss out the strained ginger.

Add ¼ cup strained fresh lemon juice, ½ cup strained ginger bug culture, and 6 cups filtered water. Stir to mix.

Use a funnel to pour soda into four 16 oz. swing-top bottles and cap tightly. Let ferment 24 hours at room temperature. You can "burp" the sodas every 12 hours to release CO2 and gauge fermentation.

When a noticeable stream of bubbles rush from bottom of glass to top, your soda is ready to finish in the refrigerator. You don't need to wait until it actually spills over the top of the bottle.

Place in refrigerator and chill completely before opening. Sodas last a couple weeks and then begin to lose sweetness gradually. Let your pineapple soda age for two months for a wild "champagne" alternative!

Increase ginger to 1 cup and keep everything else the same.

Make ginger tea with ¼ cup chopped ginger, ¼ tsp. salt, ½ cup coconut palm sugar, 4 tablespoons whole fruit tamarind, and 2 cups of filtered water. Cool and strain the mixture.

Omit lemon juice. Add ½ cup ginger bug and 6 cups of filtered water. Bottle and ferment per the basic recipe.

Make ginger tea with ¼ cup chopped ginger, ¼ tsp. salt, ⅓ cup raw sugar, and 2 cups of filtered water. Allow to cool and then strain the mixture.

Add ½ can of frozen unsweetened concentrated pineapple juice, ¼ cup of lemon juice, ½ cup ginger bug, and 5 ½ cups of filtered water. Bottle and ferment per the basic recipe.

Make ginger tea with ¼ cup chopped ginger, ¼ tsp. salt, ¾ cup raw sugar, 3 tablespoons dried elderberries, and 2 cups of filtered water. Allow to cool and then strain the mixture.

Add ¼ cup of lemon juice, ½ cup ginger bug, and 5 ½ cups of filtered water. Bottle and ferment per the basic recipe.

Make ginger tea with ½ cup chopped ginger, ¼ tsp. salt, ¾ cup coconut palm sugar, 2 tablespoons sassafras bark, 1 tablespoon dried wintergreen leaf, 1 vanilla bean split lengthwise and chopped, 1 tablespoon molasses, and 2 cups of water. Bring to boil and simmer for 15 minutes. Cool and strain.

Add 2 tablespoons lemon juice, ½ cup ginger bug, ¼ tsp. natural rootbeer extract and 6 cups of filtered water. Bottle and ferment per the basic recipe.

Make ginger tea with ¼ cup chopped ginger, ¼ tsp. salt, ⅓ cup raw sugar, and 2 cups of filtered water. Allow to cool and then strain the mixture.

Add ½ can of frozen unsweetened concentrated grape juice, ¼ cup of lemon juice, ½ cup ginger bug, and 5 ½ cups of filtered water. Bottle and ferment per the basic recipe.

Make ginger tea with ¼ cup chopped ginger, ¼ tsp. salt, ¾ cup raw sugar, ¼ cup dried Jamaica hibiscus flower, and 2 cups of filtered water. Allow to cool and then strain the mixture.

Omit the lemon juice. Add ½ cup ginger bug, and 6 cups of filtered water. Bottle and ferment per the basic recipe.

Chill soda for at least 12 hours before trying to open and serve it. Serve over ice if desired or enjoy straight from the bottle.

Store sodas in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. After that, they will become increasingly less sweet and more tart. Some like Sarsparilla can get powerfully carbonated- be sure to open them slowly and over a sink if they have aged!