Surprisingly, there's no good answer to this question. Up front, it would seem that both cider and apple juice are one in the same - both 100% juice pressed from apples. One might even think that the term "cider" is just a marketing ploy aimed at people's preference for the beverage during the crisp days of autumn. Perhaps describing the perfect drink to go with a hayride, a cookout or at a Halloween party.

A common acceptance is that cider contains more apple pulp and other solids, resulting in a slightly thicker beverage with, perhaps, a cloudy appearance. Even though this is probably the consumer's accepted definition, there is no federal (nor Ohio) regulation stating that.

In England, "cider" is an alcoholic beverage - juice allowed to ferment. We call it "hard cider" over here in the colonies (states). "Applejack" is another name often associated with hard cider.

Up until a few years ago, if cider was heat treated (pasteurized), it was done for shelf stabilization. Most fresh cider was squeezed, refrigerated and sold with or without a preservative. Then the "E-coli" scare appeared in the 90s. Now, most cider is pasteurized before being sold. It is important to remember to follow labels regarding refrigeration safeguards. Pasteurization is not the same as sterilization.

Unpasteurized cider may still be sold in Ohio but must contain a label saying: "Warning: This product has not been pasteurized and therefore may contain harmful bacteria that can cause serious illness in children, the elderly, and persons with weakened immune systems."

For this reason, all of our cider is pasteurized before distribution. Our normal schedule involves grinding and squeezing the apples on Saturday. The juice settles in our stainless steel tanks over night (which reduces most of the pulp). A tanker truck picks up about 6,000 gallons on Tuesday and hauls the juice to the nearby processing plant. After pasteurization, it is bottled and returned to our farm. It is kept refrigerated for our upcoming weekend customers.

Besides the freshness factor, another key factor is the blend of apples. A good tasting cider usually has four or five different varieties of apples in the blend. There must be some sweets and some tarts. Sugar content must meet certain levels. We strive to make sure that our cider is isolated while being processed because our sugar content level is usually higher than most "house brands."

All of this adds up to some of the best tasting "cider" (we think) you will ever drink. We offer a deal too good to pass up. On the weekends in our corn maze area, you can drink all of the cider you want for only 50¢ per person. Hopefully, you will want to take home a gallon or two.