Apple juice and apple cider

Cider in the United States is usually understood to mean cloudy, unfermented, unpreserved apple juice. The beverage made from pressed apples that still contains some pulp or sediment. It is also considered a seasonal drink and can be hard to find outside of the autumn months.

Apple juice, on the other hand, is filtered and pasteurized, which gives it a longer shelf life, a sweeter taste, and a smoother texture. Essentially apple juice is apple cider that has been heated to change the color, flavor, and texture. The color is transparent, and the flavor is sweeter.

Hard cider indicates the presence of alcohol by natural fermentation. Hard cider generally gained the “hard” aspect of its name as a method of differentiating apple cider (non-alcoholic) from the alcoholic version.

Sweet cider also distinguishes non-fermented apple juice from hard cider. Other cloudy juices such as pear and grape are similarly designated pear cider (or perry) or grape cider and certainly contain no alcohol.
Apple juice and apple cider