Ginger Beer Plant

The Ultimate GBP Resource

Ginger Beer Plant is a unique culture made up of the yeast Saccharomyces florentinus (originally Saccharomyces pyriformis) and the bacterium Lactobacillus hilgardii (originally Brevibacterium vermiforme). The yeast and bacterium form a symbiotic culture otherwise known as a SCOBY.

A Ginger Beer Plant (GBP) therefore is not what one would consider to be a plant, it doesn't grow leaves and it doesn't grow in soil, that would probably kill it. Instead, the plant consists of lumps of gelatinous substance and is typically stored in a jam-jar or coffee-jar when not in use. The Lactobacillus hilgardi makes up the jelly of the GBP and the alcoholic fermentation is due to the yeast Saccharomyces florentinus.