Someone smarter than I must know the answer

Captshady · Jan 6, 2009

Apple juice is available in abundance here. Apple cider, on the other hand, is hard to find. What gives?

I'm a military brat, and I distinctly remember road side stands on the east coast selling cider out the wazoo. When I contracted in Pittsburgh, the Walmart closest to me had a wall of crated cider for sale as you first walked in. I know apples come from 'up north', but that doesn't explain the apple juice being readily available, so I don't think that has anything to do with it.

stormie · Jan 6, 2009

Good question. I live in NJ and there is an abundance of apple cider. In fact I just bought another gallon. I like it far better than apple juice. I think the label says it's made in PA. Hopefully someone can give you a good answer.

Yeshanu · Jan 6, 2009

Apple juice is pasteurized, meaning it keeps better than apple cider, and doesn't have to be refrigerated until opened. You pretty much need to be where apples are grown to get apple cider fresh.

Mr Flibble · Jan 6, 2009

*stares into can of cider*

I think you're talking about a different kind of cider. Because the alcohol preserves this lot just fine

Yeshanu · Jan 6, 2009

Um, actually, yes. I was talking about sweet cider, which hasn't yet fermented. Though even apple juice will ferment, given an open can and a warm enough day.

First it turns alcoholic, then it turns to vinegar...

Jersey Chick · Jan 6, 2009

When I was a kid, there was a small farm here where you could watch apples being pressed into juice, and learn how cider is made and more than you ever needed to know about apples themselves. October meant a trip there to pick pumpkins ad get tons of cider (and it was soooooo good... I'm almost drooling just remembering it) and we looked forward to it.

I think it's gone now, though. I may have to take a drive out and see for myself. But it might make me sad

I also prefer cider over apple juice - but nothing tastes quite like Scrumpy's cider did.

Mr Flibble · Jan 6, 2009

Ahhh well because here all cider is alcoholic. That's kinda the definition you see - alcoholic apple juice.

Shadow_Ferret · Jan 6, 2009

I found this:

In the United States, apple cider refers to the unprocessed liquid that you get from apples. The apples are washed, cut, and ground into mash before being pressed. The resulting cider usually contains apple pulp and is dark, brown, and cloudy. The beverage is perishable and must be refrigerated. If this liquid is filtered and further processed, the resulting product is apple juice, which has a longer shelf life than cider.

In England, apple cider is an alcoholic beverage that is produced when the juice from freshly pressed apples is allowed to ferment. It's sometimes referred to as "hard cider."

Which is essentially what Yeshanu said.

Mr Flibble · Jan 6, 2009

*boggles*

But without the alcohol....but...but....BUT!!!!

Actually i had a looksee too - apparently it's only recently ( relatively speaking) you've taken to making cider AN ABOMINATION!! REPENT I TELL YE!!!

During colonial times cider was consumed as the main beverage with meals because water was often unsafe for drinking.

Sometime after Prohibition the word cider came to mean unfiltered, unfermented apple juice.

Blooming Americans, always have to be different *mutters*

Captshady · Jan 6, 2009

LOL, well thank you all, now I know.

Someone smarter than I must know the answer

Captshady

What happened to my LIFE?!

stormie

storm central

Yeshanu

Elf Queen

Mr Flibble

They've been very bad, Mr Flibble

Yeshanu

Elf Queen

Jersey Chick

Up all night to get Loki

Mr Flibble

They've been very bad, Mr Flibble

Shadow_Ferret

Court Jester

Mr Flibble

They've been very bad, Mr Flibble

Captshady

What happened to my LIFE?!