can I use a this?

It's only ingredients are apples and Ascorbic acid ( to maintain color) and the glass jug is only 3 quarts. Is it worth $7

 

Ascorbic acid is okay. You want to stay away from sorbates, sulphites or benzoates.
$7 for less than a gallon of juice is a bit much but you're paying for the organic qualities. However, I would probably get it because you can find a bung that fits that mouth and ferment right in there.

I used Trader Joe's spiced apple cider and though I cannot comment on how great it really worked due to me over-pitching my yeast, I do have some seemingly good cider. It was $2.99 for 2 quarts. Just to give you perspective. I think Trader Joe's had 2 quarts of organic apple juice for $3.99 but it was in a plastic bottle. Not that it matters, just kind of giving you an idea on their pricing versus what you're looking to buy here.

 

I bought 5 1 gallon jugs of fresh press pasteurized cider for $11 each. So not too bad for us here in Ca. The gallon jugs at the HBS I use are $5 each. MHO as a newbie.
BTW: Ascorbic acid is vitamin C if memory serves right.

 

I used to drink that exact brand of juice all the time back home in California, It's delicious juice, I bet it would make a great cider.

Had a bottle of it try to start fermenting on it's own once while car camping at a music festival. Opened a bottle and then left it open overnight on the picnic table. closed it up and tucked it away and sort of forgot about it. When we opened it again a few days later it sounded like a soda bottle opening and it had the lightest touch of a kick.

 

Whole Foods in the DC-metro area sells a full gallon for $8.45 or something like that (which is pricey as well) so you can get a better deal than $7 for 3 quarts if you look around.


J.S.

 

How did that Trader Joe's turn out? I was going to use that but I have a local farm that had fresh pressed.

I bought the Trader Joe's spiced just to drink regular yesterday and was incredibly disappointed. That is not to say it wouldn't make a good hard cider. The spices just tasted wayyyy too powerful and almost artificial, which is disappointing because there is literally nothing at Trader Joe's I don't enjoy.