Spoiled for choice (TreeTop)

Have been getting ready to make either a straight cider or a graff and low and behold I notice at the store last night that there is a good deal on TreeTop. The only problem (as it where) is that there are too may varieties to choose from. Subtracting all the ones with additives I am left with three:

Straight TreeTop 100%: No idea what apples are used in this, but I have seen people saying that they have used this with good results so I assume it is a safe bet.

Three apple blend: This is a blend of Granny Smith and Red and Golden Delicious. This interested me because there would presumably be a tarter taste (which I understand it desirable).

TreeTop "Cider" (emphasis mine): Again no information I can find on what apples are in this or what makes it cider rather than juice. It is clean/filtered but darker than the other TreeTop juices but color is so easily manipulated commercially I don't trust that to mean anything. This could either be purely marketing (my guess) or it could refer to tarter early season apples (one of the few distinctions I have been able to find between 'cider' and 'juice') or a different blend to approximate it.

I don't have the budget to buy all of these and taste test them so I was wondering if anyone had used any or all of these and could proffer an opinion.

Or I may just be over thinking it

Are they all the same price, or are the blend and "cider" more expensive? If they are all the same price, I'd be inclined to to with the blend. While it is designed as a sweet apple juice without fermenation in mind, it is not from concentrate and probably has a pH closer to what you need for cider making.

If the blend is more expensive, you can also use the basic straight juice as a base and do a gallon or two of the blend. I recently did this with Whole Foods juice. They have a basic unfiltered juice in gallon jugs, and a Gravenstien blend in half gallon sizes. The grav juice is a lot more expensive, but the basic juice's pH is a little high. I blended 3 gallons of the basic juice and 2 of the Grav juice. Ended up with a pH of 3.8 and hopefully a tasty cider!

Thanks for the reply. Oddly enough the blend and cider are actually cheaper per gallon (only by 50¢).

I think I will go with the three apple blend and see what happens

I have seen the three apple blend discussed online as giving nice results and preferred over the non-blend. We have bought both for our kiddos and I prefer the sweet-tart taste of the three apple blend. The non-blend has a one-dimensional taste.

I have also seen the treetop "cider" on sale at our Uncle Kingee's but have not tasted it or read anyone's results with fermenting it.

My SWMBO questioned why I needed to find a jug of locally pressed cider to ferment when the three-apple blend tasted so good and would likely give good results. This sounded like a challenge, so I have one gallon of each fermenting away in the basement, each with the same yeast from the same starter.

Good luck with your three-apple blend.

I went ahead and got the blend and have the eight bottle waiting for me to get to the homebrew store to get my DME. Sounds like I made the right choice.

I suspect that (subtracting the locavore argument) the difference between store bought and fresh cider/juice is the difference between Starbucks and the corner coffee shop. A Starbucks is a Starbuck regardless. It will never be any better or worse so even if it is not the greatest you at least always know what you are going to get. The alternative could be the greatest ever or the worse, you never know. IMO obviously.

themax said:

My SWMBO questioned why I needed to find a jug of locally pressed cider to ferment when the three-apple blend tasted so good and would likely give good results. This sounded like a challenge, so I have one gallon of each fermenting away in the basement, each with the same yeast from the same starter.
.

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I'd take good fresh local juice any day above any store juice. By her logic, why even brew?

Edcculus said:

I'd take good fresh local juice any day above any store juice. By her logic, why even brew?

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Also using her logic against her, Why not brew?