Flavoring Cider at bottling

Question

The general caution I read when I started this batch of cider was to not do flavoring during fermentation as to avoid off taste weirdness. So my cider is now fermented and I'd like to keep it dry but would like to add some flavoring. Potentially ginger. I have carbonation drops that I plan to use for carbonation, I figure these will impart some sweetness by themselves whether I like it or not. But in terms of adding flavoring, what are my options? To do ginger at this point my only idea is to gri her ginger and steep it like a tea to make some sort of ginger flavored water, then add some to each bottle right as I bottle. But I would guess That ginger will naturally have some sugar in it(?) so I fear that might screw things up. This is all an experiment and a small batch but hoping someone might have some advice.

Answer 1

Are you making still cider or sparkling cider? If you are making sparkling cider than your plan should work since the amount of sugar is negligible. If you are making still cider, you might get a slight effervesce if anything at all. What I suggest is to add some ginger to the cider now as chunks or something like that and let it age for a couple of weeks to impart the ginger flavor, then bottle after any chance of fermentation has passed.

Answer 2

The advice given to me by a professional cider brewer was to put the fruit flavouring in at the last possible moment i.e. At bottling. Use natural fruit pressed and filtered. I have put a small amount i.e. About a teaspoon of fruit pulp to 1ltr still cider and that is sufficient for a very nice blackberry blush which doesn't overpower the cider and isn't too sweet. The small amount has added very little sparkle. Hope this helps