What is the difference between apple juice and apple cider?

Both apple cider and apply juice start with the same ingredient: apples. One or more varieties of apples are blended for taste and then pressed to obtain the juice. If you want to make your own, you will need to make or purchase an apple press. These are fairly robust, as apples are hard and require a high pressure to extract the juices. Don't use a winemaker's grape press, as it is not suitable. Don't use a blender on whole apples, as they pulverize the skin, core, and seeds, which affect the flavour of the juice.

Commercial apple juices are run through several filters to remove any particulate matter. This also changes the colour of the product from brown to yellow. The resulting product may have potassium sorbate or a related product added to inhibit fermentation. Commercial juices are usually pasteurized, although it is not required if the juice is kept refrigerated. The filtering process affects the flavour of the juice, which is why some people prefer traditional apple cider; pasteurization also affects the flavour.

Plain or traditional cider - sometimes called soft cider - may go through a coarse filtering process to remove large particles. This is optional, depending on the product the producer is trying to obtain. The juice is then bottled with potassium sorbate to inhibit fermentation and refrigerated. It is not pasteurized and does not need to be if keep refeigerated. It does, however, have a shorter storage life than commercial pasteurized juices.

The term cider may also refer to an alcoholic drink that is made from apples - sometimes called hard cider. The apples go through the same pressing operation and the juice may be filtered, depending on how clear the manufacturer wants the product. Sorbate is not added, since it would inhibit the fermentation process. The juice is then balanced for acids, yeast nutrients, and sugar content. Yeast is added and fermentation cheerfully commences. The remainder of the process is not unlike the production of beer.

Hard ciders range from clear, like a commercial canned apple juice, to brown, with or without the presence of particulates. I am rather partial to Norman (French) cider and English 'scrumpy', both of which are traditional hard ciders.

Perry, a drink made from pears, is manufactured in the same fashion. It also is available in alcoholic and non-alcoholic versions.