What is the difference between apple juice and cider?
I was at the grocery store and saw glass containers of these.
What would be the differences?
Best Answer
Apple cider has two meanings, but they both start with raw, pressed juice from crushed apples.
Soft apple cider (normally just called cider) is simply the pressed juice, bottled. It is cloudy from suspended apple particles, and turns brown from the oxidation, much as apples themselves do when cut and exposed to air. Hard apple cider is an alcoholic beverage made by allowing soft apple cider to ferment.
Apple juice is essentially the squeezed juice from the apples that has been highly filtered to remove the suspended particulates. It is usually pasteurized to have a longer shelf life.
UK Usage: Per ElendilTheTall, in the UK, the alcoholic beverage is called cider, and the other products are called simple apple juice.
See also: MA government article
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Quick Answer about "What is the difference between apple juice and cider?"
The official description from the Massachusetts Department of Agriculture says cider is "raw apple juice that has not undergone a filtration process to remove coarse particles of pulp or sediment." On the other hand, apple juice undergoes filtration to remove pulp and is then pasteurized to extend the shelf life.Which is more healthy apple juice or apple cider?
As apple cider isn't filtered, it has more polyphenols than apple juice. It does, however, contain less than fresh, whole apples, which also contain a significant amount of fiber.How is apple juice different than cider?
Apple cider is fresh, unfiltered, and often unpasteurized. It's also considered a seasonal drink and can be hard to find outside of the autumn months. Apple juice, on the other hand, is filtered and pasteurized, which gives it a longer shelf life, a sweeter taste, and a smoother texture.Why does apple cider taste different than apple juice?
So, in essence, for the most part, apple cider is (basically) unfiltered apple juice. And -- due to the way it's produced -- will have a tangier, almost "harsher" taste than your traditional apple juice. This is probably why cider is oft-considered to be a more "grown-up" version of apple juice.Can you substitute cider for apple juice?
"Cook's Illustrated" says apple juice never makes a good substitute for apple cider, due to its sweetness. If you disagree with this, you can use them interchangeably and make the appropriate adjustments.Apple Juice vs Apple Cider - What's the Difference?
Sources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.
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