Best juice for Apfelwein?

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elbajista

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I'm ordering the equipment I need to start a batch of Apfelwein, but I was wondering which juices have produced the best finished product. All I have locally are Publix/Walmart/etc., which seem to only stock Mott's, White House, and the house brand. I figured I'd go with White House, as I think it tastes better and more "real" than other sweeter, almost candy-like juices.

What is the general consensus on juice choices?
 
I'm starting some experiments on this subject, one-gallon batches using pretty much every kind of apple juice I can find. So far of what I have used though, the best was the martinelli's brand, it can be pricy though.
 
Mix them all up! I guess the trick is then to figure which combination works best.
 
I'm making my first batch, but I'm using some "Sam's Club" brand from Walmart. $2 for a half gallon. It's all natural, no preservatives, not from concentrate. This is actually the first "real" smelling apple juice I've run into in a long time.
 
Whatever brand you do get, just make sure that it's 100% juice and doesn't have any preservatives (sodium benzoate) as it will kill the yeast.
 
I think Kroger has a deal on apple juice until the first week of September.... I don't remember the exact price (somewhere like $1.65 for 64oz) but don't quote me on this...
 
So far I've used Walmart (cheapest), Safeway Apple Juice and Cider, and Tree Top. The Tree Top has gotten the best reviews out of all of them.

For yeast I use Lalvin EC-1118 Champagne yeast because that's what the LBS carries.
 
Local Winco store has the TreeTop large can (makes 0.5 gallon) of frozen concentrate for $1.48. That's what I've been using and is great.
 
So far of the ones I've used I'd rate them like this (best to worst)

Martinelli's
Trader Joe's Current Crop Unfiltered
Trader Joe's Filtered Not from concentrate
Treetop
Hanson's
Albertson's Brand Unfiltered
Albertson's Brand Filtered
Chef's Review (Smart and Final's Brand)

The Chef's Review ended tasting like apple water after ferment, like there was nothing there, cleared quick though.
 
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