The Walmart Juice works very well...one of brew buddies has a great recipe. I have drank many of his batches....So I decided to make my own...will be back sweetening and bottling next weekend...then pasterurize a few days later...and we use the WL English Cider Yeast...the pic shows all the ingredients!
Wlp002 makes the perfect cider. I won't use anything else anymore.
I started using Indian Summer Michigan apple juice and blended 3.5 gallons with 1 gallon of Indian Summer Apple Cider. No absorbic acid, no preservatives, all whole apples or concentrate. I've made batches using the cheaper brands and they turn out subpar.
3.5 gallons IS michigan apple juice
1 gallon IS apple cider
2 lbs dark brown sugar (simmered until dissolved into 1qt of the IS michigan apple juice)
1L of Wlp002 (starter using 600ml of the IS michigan apple juice)
Ferment mid 60s.
In keg, add enough K meta and K sorbate for 5 gallons. Backsweeten at kegging with 2 cans of apple juice concentrate. (or one 1/2 gallon bottle of IS juice)
Keg at 40 degrees at 15 psi.
Once it's kegged I have to make another batch to keep up with demand.