Our apple cider is all natural, raw, handcrafted, unsweetened, and unpasteurized!
How Apple Cider Is Made
Apple cider is made from different types of apples with nothing else added. No spices. No sugars or sweeteners. Apples are grinded into pulp and then the juice is squeezed from this pulp. We do not filter our cider.
Apple Cider vs Apple Juice
Apple cider and apple juice are very different. Apple Juice is filtered and sweetend. Apple cider is not filtered or sweetened. The official description from the Massachusetts Department of Agriculture says cider is "raw apple juice that has not undergone a filtration process to remove coarse particles of pulp or sediment."Thus, Cider is cider because of its cloudy composition, which stems from apple debris. The filtering of apple juice and the fact that it is more processed allows for an extended shelf life. Apple cider, on the other hand, “turns” quickly. Our apple cider is also not pasteurized which also shortens its shelf life.
“Turning”
If sugars are added then the juice would have a longer shelf life. We do not add any sugar to our cider. When cider starts to “turn” it begins to become carbonated as fermentation turns it into alcohol. As cider becomes exposed to oxygen, airborne yeast mixes with the cider’s natural sugars to produce acid. With this process, apple cider becomes alcoholic and eventually similar to vinegar.
Does Apple Cider Really Go Bad? Technically No
Apple Cider may not taste as good after it begins to “turn”. It will become darker in color and start to froth. When those things start to occur, it just means the cider is undergoing fermentation. It will taste more sour like vinegar, but it's by no means harmful. The cider just becomes unpleasant-tasting and slightly more alcoholic. It is not harmful.
So, does apple cider go bad? Technically no, but the cider will slowly transform into a more acidic-tasting beverage. Yes, a science lesson was needed to understand the expiration timeline of your favorite fall drink.
Tips To Enjoy My Fresh, Raw, Handcrafted Apple Cider
A few great tips to prolong the life of this all-natural fall drink are to freeze some! Cider freezes great! Just thaw an enjoy. If your cider starts to slightly turn, adapt this fall drink into creative recipes like heating it up and making hot cider, making a cocktail with it, or using it for some fall flavored oatmeal.
Written By,
Rowlynda Moretti
The Julian Cider Mill