Let’s all raise a warm glass to Johnny and his entrepreneurial skills, shall we? Why did alcoholic apple cider fall out of favor? He sprinkled seeds far and wide which produced “spitters.” These were the best apples for making hard cider because they were small and tart, unlike cooking apples.

America’s most famous apple tree farmer, Johnny Appleseed (Chapman), also played a role in the rapid growth of the apple cider industry. Many settlers believed fermented apple cider drinks were safer to drink than water. Fast-forward a few thousand years to the colonization of America, and you’d be hard-pressed to find someone who didn’t drink apple cider on the regular. Making beverages from apples dates back to about 55 B.C., when the Romans conquered continental Europe and introduced the production of hard cider. Lucky for you, we've got everything you need to get to the core of the apple juice/apple cider issue. At some point through the years, the words “apple cider” evolved to mean something different here in the United States as opposed to the rest of the world. And while any amateur can tell the difference between an apple pie and an apple cake, the difference between apple cider and apple juice can be a whole lot tricker.

If that isn't enough, there are about a million delicious apple recipes to try: applesauce, apple butter, poached apples, apple pie, apple muffins, caramel apples, and even grilled apples, to name a few. After all, the United States' apple industry brings in close to $20 billion each year! And before you and your family hop in the car and head to a local farm stand to do some apple picking and grab an apple-y beverage, you might be curious to read on and learn if you're more of an apple cider person or an apple juice person.

What's the difference between apple cider and apple juice? While they share a common fruity origin, the two have their differences.

Unfiltered apple juice