Simple, tasty cider

I bought a couple gallons of cider on sale very cheap, fresh pressed. It was nearing its expiry date. I was in the middle of a few other batches, so I put the cider, a nub of ginger and a pack of ec1118( needed to use it up some where) in a jug and air locked it. OG of 1.050.

5 days later it was 1.000

Cold crashed for a week, racked, sweetened with a ginger simple syrup and bottled in swing tops. Carbed up over night.

Tastes like... An apple cider/ginger ale hybrid. Pretty delicious.

Just thought I would report, in case someone was thinking of doing the same thing.

Sounds really tasty! Did the ginger syrup work like a priming sugar to carb up the cider??

Correct, it carbed and sweetened.

How long did you rack before bottling?

Was it fairly well carbed after just a day?

Cold crashing means in the fridge right, I'm fairly new to this and still tryn to get down the parlance.

Thanks

Cold crashing is putting it in a fridge or other cold place. It helps the yeast go dormant and settle to the bottom.

I racked out of the primary jug off the sediment into another jug which I put the ginger syrup in. Then I bottled directly from that . All was sanitized beforehand.

It carbed over night. Bottled at 7pm, perfectly carbed at 7am the next morning. I filled a small pop bottle to be able to test the carb level. They are currently in the fridge.

Just to clarify, this is a cloudy, simple cider, if you wanted it perfectly clear you could add some pectin enzyme and give it a few weeks to clear. I just wanted something simple and delicious, not concerned about looks.

Thanks for the tips

Can you add the pectin enzyme after primary fermentation and initial racking? Does it still work well then or must it be added from the start?

To the best of my understanding, it can be added after, but its effect is inhibited by alcohol, so you need higher doses.

I plan on doing something similar with the cider I have going right now. Was gonna back sweeten to 1.02 with honey and a ginger simple syrup. Then pasteurize it after it gets to the carbonation I want.

How much ginger did you use in the simple syrup? Im assuming you used fresh root since you said nub of ginger.

A large amount, we like it gingery. Probably 10 cubic inches worth in 2 cups ginger syrup, then sweeten with it to taste

Does is fade much over time or pretty much stay the same?

It hasn't been bottled long enough to tell. Unfortunately I don't think it'll last long, down by half already, in only two weeks. Here's a pick. One of my favorites so far.