I am wanting to freeze apple juice/cider this next fall, but do not even know the difference between the two. What is it that makes for the two names. I see them on the grocery shelf side by side. Thanks! Marie

-- Marie in Central WA (Mamfila@aol.com), February 02, 2002

Answers

I think the difference is that apple juice had sugar and water added. Cider is just juice from mushed up apples that have been pressed.

Susan

-- Susan in Minnesota (nanaboo@paulbunyan.net), February 02, 2002.

juice is also filtered,, and usually its pasturerized

-- Stan (sopal@net-port.com), February 02, 2002.

Really, when you get right down to it, there is very little difference other than the juice is filtered, both are usually pasteurized, the law requires that now of apple cider in most places, so no more fermenting is possible in the cider. Cider used to taste different than juice when the "mother" was still unkilled by pasteurization, now it tastes the same as juice, kind of "flat".

-- Annie Miller in SE OH (annie@1st.net), February 02, 2002.

If you press the "cider", I use many different varieties of apples so you do not need to add sugar. Anyway (it is my understanding) that when you press it and you immediately pasterize it , it is juice. I let the juice sit with cheese cloth on for a few days and it gives it a bite, but it is not alchol, I then heat it up to 180, and water bath it. We drink it all year mostly warmed with cinammon sticks. But honestly I have never figured out if I made juice or cider!!

-- debbie (bwolcott@cwis.net), February 02, 2002.

Cider is pressed in a process that allows a lot more apple solids to be present in the juice. Apple juice is just juice, no solids. If you let apple cider set for awhile, it will separate to some extent and you will have to shake it up to mix it. As the season goes on, the cider separates more easily. I'm not sure why, although I suspect it has something to do with the higher sugar content of riper apples.

-- Sheryl in Me (radams@sacoriver.net), February 02, 2002.

Apple juice is what you get when you press the apples. If you let it sit and it ferments (turns into alcohol) it is apple cider. At least that is what it was a few hundred years ago. With no refrigeration you couldn't keep apple "juice" sweet, it would ferment. Now days you have apple cider (just pressed apples) and hard cider (the stuff that has created alcohol). We freeze apple "juice" (just pressed apples) and also make hard cider (the stuff with a kick). If you get it fresh in the grocery store and freeze it quickly you will have apple juice/cider that you can use all year round.

-- Mary R. (cntryfolk@ime.net), February 03, 2002.

If you let apple juice sit long enough, you get vinegar! (Discovered while hiking....lol)

-- GT (nospam@nospam.com), February 03, 2002.

We have a couple of Treetop plants in our area and so I called them this morning as they process both apple cider and apple juice. The only difference between the commercially processed kind is that apple cider has 3% more acid. I asked how that was obtained, like different kind of apples, etc. They weren't sure but something to do with the processing. However, we did have a friend that worked at one of the plants and he said that he would never drink the commercial stuff again. I guess the condition of the apples used is not the greatest. The lady did say that years ago cider was made immediately after the apples were picked as the apples continued to ripen after they were picked and then could not be used for cider, but were used as juice. Thanks for your help. I'm hoping to be doing my own juice/cider this fall. Marie

-- Marie in Central WA (Mamafila@aol.com), February 04, 2002.