apples
Apple juice and apple cider are both 100% apple juice squeezed or pressed from apples and in many ways are the same when first squeezed. In some jurisdictions, especially outside of North America, apple cider is not pasteurized and is generally sold with an alcohol content. Apple juice, on the other hand, goes through more processing and is almost always pasteurized and therefore does not ferment or develop any alcohol content.
Apple cider vinegar is a year-round product.
There is a substantial year-round market in the United States and Canada for apple juice and apple cider, but the cider product enjoys particular popularity around the holiday season beginning with Thanksgiving. the traditional days of the harvest festival. Stores will increase their apple cider stocks during this period to meet the increased demand, and special recipes for cider-based beverages such as mulled cider will be featured. Another popular variation on apple cider is a non-alcoholic carbonated drink called sparkling cider, often served as a substitute for champagne. There’s also a small but vibrant market for apple cider vinegar, open year-round.
Apple cider is not pasteurized and is usually sold in orchards.
In the United States and Canada, growers must process apple juice and apple cider to extend their shelf life and destroy any disease-causing organisms, such as E. coli. To achieve these goals, most growers use pasteurization, a method of heating liquids that destroys these pathogens; it also destroys the bacteria that convert natural sugars into alcohol. This is why juice and cider sold in American and Canadian supermarkets are not fermented. The one exception is when growers sell directly to consumers, such as an apple orchard that presses and sells jugs of cider on its premises or at roadside stalls; when this cider ferments, it is called hard cider.
Apple juice had all particles, pectin, and starches removed.
The first stage of production in the United States and Canada is the same for apple juice and apple cider. Ripe apples are crushed and the juice is squeezed through a sieve and placed in a vat. This juice is brown and opaque with tiny apple particles suspended in the liquid; if it is sold as apple cider, it may not be subject to any further filtration. If sold as apple juice, it will undergo additional filtering and processing to remove all apple particles, pectin, and starches. This clarified juice is clear and lighter in color. Most large producers blend juices and ciders from different species of apples for a consistent flavor.
Outside of the United States and Canada, apple juice is produced in the same way and is generally sold as apple juice or sweet cider. Apple cider, on the other hand, is produced to ferment and develop an alcohol content, much like wine. Some growers allow the apples to begin to rot, so the fermentation process begins before the apples are pressed. There is a huge market for cider in Europe, with many different varieties available.