Apple juice and cider start out using the same ingredients -- apples -- that are blended for taste. Commercial juices are heavily filtered and preserved for longer shelf life. Traditional ciders are often left in a more natural state and kept safely in the refrigerator to prevent fermentation. They have a shorter shelf life than pasteurized juices.
Juice
The fruit is pressed to extract the juice. It is then filtered several times to remove the pulp, skin and seeds, which are usually discarded. Juice can have some particulates remaining in suspension or be clear, depending on the type of product desired by the manufacturer. The resulting product is generally preserved with potassium sorbate to extend its storage life. It is then pasteurized to inhibit fermentation. Sugar and artificial flavors might be added. Both preserving and pasteurizing processes can alter the taste of the juice from its natural state.
Soft Cider
Traditional ciders can be lightly filtered to remove large particles, depending on what type of product is being produced. It is then sometimes treated with potassium sorbate to prevent fermentation. However, this is not necessary, if the cider is kept refrigerated. It is usually not pasteurized. If the cider is not kept refrigerated, it will only keep for a few days before it begins to ferment, becoming alcoholic.
Hard Cider
Hard cider is an alcoholic drink that is the result of allowing soft cider to ferment after it is filtered. No additional inhibiting agents are added because these would prevent the fermentation process from working. The apples are initially treated just as they are for making juice or soft cider, and filtered to obtain the amount of clarity desired in the product. It is then balanced for sugar content, acids and yeast nutrients. Once the yeast is added, fermentation begins and is allowed to proceed until the quality of the juice arrives at the desired stage. Hard ciders can be clear, looking like commercially bottled apple juice or thick and brownish in color because of the presence of pulp.
Types of Ciders
Apples are not the only fruit that are made into both juices and ciders. Perry is an English cider made from pears and is available as both soft and hard cider. Peaches, cranberries and prickly pear -- a type of cactus -- are also used for making hard ciders and liqueurs. Applejack is a popular alcoholic drink in the U.S. as is Norman French Cider and English scrumpy in their respective countries.
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