Best store bought juice for cider?

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kylelarson

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Getting ready to make my first cider, living in Phoenix we don't exactly have anywhere I know of to get fresh pressed cider. From everyone's experience is there a preferred brand of apple juice to use?
 
I'm in no way an expert, but I bought store brand apple juice from Walmart when I made my last batch, and have been given great reviews from everyone that has tried it... though I am going to try and experiment with that juice and some fresh pressed apples on my next batch.
 
It all boils down to what additives and preservatives are in it more than brand I think but I don't have a lot of experience with cider. Hopefully others will chime in.
 
I use the Sam's Club apple juice, but this time of the year there is fresh press apple cider everywhere.
 
I am literally drinking some of my cider that's about 6 months old and it is fantastic. I also live in phoenix and got 100% pressed apple juice (cider) from Fresh and Easy. They have a variety of 100% juices there. When I transferred to secondary I added a half gallon of cran-raspberry juice as well. turned out nice.....
 
Yea I am seeing a lot of the pressed cider in stores now. Noticed on the labels they have some preservatives in them, I'm assuming to kill the natural yeast. Any idea how this would affect flavor/fermenting?
 
I am literally drinking some of my cider that's about 6 months old and it is fantastic. I also live in phoenix and got 100% pressed apple juice (cider) from Fresh and Easy. They have a variety of 100% juices there. When I transferred to secondary I added a half gallon of cran-raspberry juice as well. turned out nice.....

Not too long ago, someone on the board sent a bottle of peach/cider to me, add two cans of peached per five gallons. Really good, I have 10 gallons setting right now.
 
I live in Texas and I can always find some legit pressed apple cider at the store. As long as it is pasteurized and does NOT have preservatives, it's worked great for me. I even use it to back sweeten! It's usually a golden brown colored juice in the half gallon jugs with some amount of sediment at the bottom. That's the good stuff!
 
So the fresh pressed, unfiltered stuff is better for making hard cider/hard sparkling cider? I've got a one gallon batch in which I used the fresh apple cider,that's been bottled and in the fridge for about two weeks now. It tastes alright, will it get better with age?
 
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I'm thinking of trying this, any reason not to?
 
I've tried fermenting orange juice before and it always tastes like vomit. I've stopped experimenting with citrus stuff, but you never know until you give it a shot.

There are a TON of orchards in North Georgia an hour or so away from me, but I've had my best results with Kirkland 100% Natural Apple Juice. Considering it only takes (ahem) about 2 weeks to drink 5 gallons, I make session cider with the Costco Stuff and use orchard juice for 'sipping' ciders.
 
I hit Whole Foods for juice. The regular Whole Foods brand contains no preservatives and comes in nice gallon glass jugs, which you can never have enough of in this hobby. They also sell juices made with different variates of apples, if you want to try blending.
 
I did see whole foods had those jugs of cider, I read somebody else used those and their cider turned out pretty sour so I've been hesitant to buy. When you use whole foods cider does it take longer to age to lose the sour taste?
 
I didn't notice any particular difference between the whole foods cider and the local pressed cider that I did last year. It might be a good idea to buy a couple of gallons of the Whole Foods cider and mix it with the other ciders they have on the shelf- this time around, I went with a blend of regular organic cider and some of the Gravenstein juice they were selling. (I was flying by the seat of my pants- you might want to look into blends that have worked for others. But for plain old blended cider, I thought it worked fine.)
 
If I buy a few of them in glass 1 gallon jugs and some airlocks could probably just ferment them in jug. Drink a jug and sanitize for a secondary right?
 
Think I'm gonna go the whole foods route, could use a few more gallon glass jugs anyway!
 
Yea I am seeing a lot of the pressed cider in stores now. Noticed on the labels they have some preservatives in them, I'm assuming to kill the natural yeast. Any idea how this would affect flavor/fermenting?

It would not be good that's for sure. Fresh and Easy is pretty good about not using preservatives, I know the products I purchased were pasteurized and used no preservatives. Good Luck! :mug:
 
So the fresh pressed, unfiltered stuff is better for making hard cider/hard sparkling cider? I've got a one gallon batch in which I used the fresh apple cider,that's been bottled and in the fridge for about two weeks now. It tastes alright, will it get better with age?

IMO yes absolutly (to both questions). The sediment adds the great apple complexity that filtered apple juice is lacking. Aging allows the harshness of fermentation to mellow and lets the pleasant phenols return to prominence.

Now, having said that, if you plan to add things like spices or other fruit flavors to the cider (cranberry, cinnamon, etc.) then getting the "good" stuff may be less important. Adding other flavors to the cider is not a BAD idea, there just may be no need to spend extra money on premium juice in that scenario.
 
Awesome, thanks for the reply! Mine is still a little bit hot with alcohol taste but it definitely has mellowed out.
 
My last batch was all Walmart (Great Value) Juice and concentrate. My son said it tasted just like Angry Orchard cider.
 
I use the whole foods brand or Mendacino (North Coast) apple cider also available at whole foods. It comes in one gallon glass jugs and has been pasteurized and has no preservatives. We do have local apple cider that may be cheaper but I am way too paranoid about E. coli, I have taken care of way too many kids with it. Having said that, if the cider is from only picked apples it probably is safe... but again I am paranoid and would rather be safe than sorry.
I take 4 gallons of the cider
2 lbs of brown sugar boiled in 2 quarts of water
1 tsp of Wyeast nutrient
English Cider yeast
Mixed in a 5 gallon glass carboy (sanitized)
Rack to secondary after about 7-10 days
2-4 weeks in the secondary and then carb in keg
Makes great cider every time, pretty dry at comes out between 7.5-8% ABV
 
******I am only posting here for reference in case anyone is browsing. I am not trying to revive this thread******

I concur that Mott's juice is superior when making cider. I am saying this from a cost/Benefit View point. Not the greatest but the best bang for your buck in a mid range of price. Also it is filtered making it much easier to clear up. I have not used all brand of juice and this is an opinion based soupy on my experiences.
 
I use the whole foods brand or Mendacino (North Coast) apple cider also available at whole foods. It comes in one gallon glass jugs and has been pasteurized and has no preservatives. We do have local apple cider that may be cheaper but I am way too paranoid about E. coli, I have taken care of way too many kids with it. Having said that, if the cider is from only picked apples it probably is safe... but again I am paranoid and would rather be safe than sorry.
I take 4 gallons of the cider
2 lbs of brown sugar boiled in 2 quarts of water
1 tsp of Wyeast nutrient
English Cider yeast
Mixed in a 5 gallon glass carboy (sanitized)
Rack to secondary after about 7-10 days
2-4 weeks in the secondary and then carb in keg
Makes great cider every time, pretty dry at comes out between 7.5-8% ABV

I am using this product as well for a cider. Anyone know what type of apples they use?

Recipe is 4 gal North Coast Cider
3lbs Orange Blossom honey
1/2 Gal Pear Juice
1/2 Gal pineapple Juice
White Labs Champagne Yeast
2.5tsp pectic enzyme
2.5tsp Fermaid K yeast nutrient

fermenting ~3 weeks then racking to secondary until cleared...considering using a clearing agent as well...
 
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