My in-laws will be doing their annual apple juice squeezing soon. This year
I thought it might be fun to take some of the juice and try my hand at
making cider. They pasteurize the juice before bottling it. If I want to
make cider, does it matter if the juice is pasteurized? Should I get some
before it is pasteurized?

Thanks,
Matt

Some people will tell you that unpasturized juice is best.

It is up to you. One thing is for sure, it creates less work for your
in-laws, having to pasturize 5 fewer gallons of juice.

"Droopy" > wrote in message
oups.com...
> Some people will tell you that unpasturized juice is best.
>
> It is up to you. One thing is for sure, it creates less work for your
> in-laws, having to pasturize 5 fewer gallons of juice.
>

Well, we did about 300 gallons last year, so I'm not sure they'd notice 5.
They throw a big, all day work party, and everyone pitches in to crush
apples. They've got a couple of very large propane burner kettles to
pasteurize about 50 gallons at a time. After and during there is much
eating of many foods and socializing.

Thanks,
Matt

Well you know the standard "no heat" reply is that you will have to
worry about wild yeast if you do not pasturize. You could sulfite,
which would work.

You still have the school of thought that non-pasturized apple juice
(like unpasturized honey) makes a better drink. If you do decide to
use it unpasturized, pitch a healthy yeast starter. I would say 1/2
cup slurry/5 gallons.

There is a good article in thei month Wine maker about spontaneous
fermentation though. It is just as pertinent to cider fermentation as
it is to wine fermentation.