How much juice is in cider?
How much juice is in cider depends on the country. UK duty rules require at least 35% apple or pear juice, US federal hard-cider tax rules require more than 50% apple or pear juice, and French cider is made from apple must, of which no more than half may come from concentrate. French "pur jus" cider uses no concentrate.
Updated
Minimum juice by jurisdiction
| Jurisdiction | Rule | Source |
|---|---|---|
| UK (duty) | At least 35% apple or pear juice; juice gravity of at least 1033; concentrate allowed | [1] |
| US (federal hard cider tax rate) | Apple or pear juice (or reconstituted concentrate) must be more than 50% of the finished volume | [2] [3] |
| France (labelling) | Cider is made from fresh apple musts (or apple and pear); concentrate may be at most 50% of the musts used | [4] |
| France, "pur jus" | No concentrate | [4] |
What else goes into cider?
In the UK, water and sugars are permitted without a set limit, as long as the juice minimum is met. [5] In France, water may be used only to extract residual sugars from the pulp or to reconstitute concentrate, and it is not allowed at all for "pur jus", "fermier" and "artisanal" ciders. [4] The US hard cider rate excludes ciders with any fruit product other than apple or pear. [3] For what "artisanal" means in France, see what is artisanal cider.
Why does the juice share vary so much?
Cider made only from freshly pressed apples is 100% juice before fermentation; the guide on how cider is made shows the steps from milling to fermenting. UK and French rules allow concentrate, reconstituted with water, within the limits above. [1] [4] Real-ale campaigners CAMRA say that to be real, cider "should never be concentrated then diluted – either in terms of the juice used, or the alcohol content". [6] The glossary entry for cider apple explains how apples grown for cider differ from eating apples.
How do I find out for a specific cider?
- Look for "pur jus" on French labels, which means no concentrate. [4]
- Drinks over 1.2% do not need an ingredient list in the EU and UK [7] [8], so ask the maker.
- For the UK legal definition in more detail, see what is cider in the UK.
Related answers: what cider is in the UK · what artisanal cider is
Find it on Cider Radar
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- Guide: what is cider? · Glossary: cider apple
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Cider, perry, calvados and pommeau are alcoholic drinks. Enjoy responsibly and follow the legal drinking age where you live.
Questions
Is cider made from concentrate?
How many apples are in a bottle of cider?
It depends on the apples and the press. PNW 621 gives a juice yield of 650–850 litres per ton of apples. [9] See how many apples for a gallon of cider.
Sources
- Alcoholic products technical guide: section 2, alcoholic products — HM Revenue & Customs (GOV.UK)
- Cider FAQs — Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB)
- Cider Fact Sheet — TTB
- Décret n° 2025-162 relatif aux cidres et aux poirés — Légifrance (French Government)
- Permitted ingredients for cider duty — HM Revenue & Customs (GOV.UK)
- Cider & Perry: what makes it real — CAMRA (Campaign for Real Ale)
- Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011, Article 16: Omission of certain mandatory particulars — legislation.gov.uk (The National Archives)
- Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 on the provision of food information to consumers (official EU text) — EUR-Lex (Publications Office of the European Union)
- Hard Cider Production & Orchard Management in the Pacific Northwest (PNW 621) — Washington State University, Oregon State University and University of Idaho Extension