What's the difference? There doesn't seem to be much.

According to the USDA, there isn't a real legal distinction between the two.

Traditionally, cider is pressed unfiltered apple juice. Apple "juice" is usually filtered to make it clear, and pasteurized to give it additional stability.

I love good cider.

PH

Yep, and my vote goes to fresh cider!

quote:

Originally posted by PurpleHaze:
According to the USDA, there isn't a real legal distinction between the two.

Traditionally, cider is pressed unfiltered apple juice. Apple "juice" is usually filtered to make it clear, and pasteurized to give it additional stability.

I love good cider.

PH

I thought that apple juice tastes slightly sweeter than apple cider out of the bottle

Errmmmm... Cider is fermented!

quote:

Originally posted by KillerB:
Errmmmm... Cider is fermented!

Errmmmm...
Here in the states, that's known as "hard" cider.

Killer B is right. Cider is fermented, Calvados is distilled and juice is what you need to make cider or calvados.

No wonder Dave is confused.

quote:

Originally posted by PurpleHaze:
According to the USDA, there isn't a real legal distinction between the two.

Traditionally, cider is pressed unfiltered apple juice. Apple "juice" is usually filtered to make it clear, and pasteurized to give it additional stability.

My local Safeway sells both. Since they are from concentrate I can only assume the difference is that one is unfiltered, however it certainly doesn't look much cloudier than the juice.

KB: Agreed. As a life member of CAMRA it pains me to see the term Cider abused in this way!

I once asked my late uncle that question. He was an apple farmer in Eastern Washington for much of his life. Even he didn't know, so I would accept PH's explaination.

Interesting fact:
I used to stop by his place every October on my way home from hunting trips, and he'd load me up with bags of apples and pears. NOT the ones you commonly see in grocery stores, but HUGE ones, softball size or bigger. He told me that the buyer/distributors (Tree Top in his case) segregate these monsters and sell them to Japanese markets at premium prices. That's why you never see them in your local supermarket.
Bummer, huh?

Apple Cider vs. Apple Juice
Apple cider is essentially apple juice that has not undergone a filtration process that removes coarse pulp or sediment. Cider may or may not be heat pasteurized. Sweet cider is made by crushing a blend of apple varieties into a pomace, then pressing the juice from the pomace. Tiny apple solids floating in the juice turn color when exposed to air, giving cider that gorgeous caramel color and opaque look.

Apple juice has been filtrated, pasteurized, and vacuum sealed to give a longer lasting, clearer looking product. Most juices add additional water and other ingredients to maintain flavor and clarity.

Outside the U.S., the term "Apple Cider" typically means "Hard Cider" while "Apple Juice" usually will get you a sweet cider.