Preserving Apple Juice

[rdmstff]

A neighbour who has an apple press has brought me down some juice, it is a lovely drink. I want to know about preserving it, would camden tablets be OK. My days of making brews are long past but at the moment I have frozen it in small batches. I am elderly and past making cider etc. any suggestions would be much appreciated

[Hilary B]

I believe it is possible to pasteurise apple juice, if you have it in strong glass bottles. Stand bottles in a deep pan of water (up to the shoulder at least, ideally to level with the top of the liquid inside) and heat. Unfortunately I can't remember either the right temperature (I think it is 82 C, but not confidant of that I'll look up the info and come back) or just how long it needs to be held at temp (I'll look that up too, I've got it in a book somewhere). You will also need some protection between the bottles and the base of the pan (a thickly folded cloth is sometimes recommended).
When it has had its heating time you turn off the heat, then put on the lids, then allow to cool in the waterbath.
While camden tablets should preserve the juice, it might also produce a 'taint'.
If you can spare the freezer space, I'd be inclined to simply keep it in the freezer until wanted...

[Alison]

You can indeed pasturize it, they did it for us on the River Cottage course I was on last week. Can't remember the details though as I've not go my notes to hand, they used a fancy steamer thing but you can do it in a deep pan of water.