In this episode of Fresh Pressed Live, Alex and Nathan break down everything juice and cider producers need to know about pasteurization — whether you’re selling raw, using UV light, or producing with thermal (heat) pasteurization.

We explain the science behind the “5-log reduction,” the real risks with raw juice, the differences between UV and thermal processing, and even the cost and limitations of High Pressure Processing (HPP). If you’re an orchard, cidery, agritainment farm, or growing juice brand, this episode will give you the clarity you need to choose the right method for your business model.

In this episode you’ll learn:

• The 3 legal ways to sell juice in the U.S. (raw, thermal, UV)

• What a 5-log pathogen reduction actually means

• Why raw juice carries safety risks

• How UV pasteurization works and when it’s the best fit

• How thermal pasteurization works, including HTST and hot-fill

• A practical breakdown of HPP and why it’s costly

• Which method fits which kind of producer (on-farm, cider, juice shops, etc.)

• How to choose heat sources (steam, electric, propane, gas)

• The difference between kettles, plate heat exchangers, and tube-in-tube systems

• Cleaning, CIP, maintenance and everyday operations

• Real story of a producer who scaled using bag-in-box shelf-stable cider

Questions about pasteurization or equipment?

Send them to us at https://juicingsystems.com or message us on social — we answer listener questions in future episodes.

👉 Learn more at www.JuicingSystems.com

Welcome to the first-ever Juicing Systems livestream recap — now converted into a podcast episode for our Spotify listeners. 🎙️

We’ve launched a brand-new format where twice a month we go live to talk about what’s happening in the juice, cider, and beverage-processing world.

This episode is the edited, audio-friendly version of that livestream.

In this conversation, Alex and Nathan dive into:

🍎 What’s really happening in the apple and cider industry right now

⚙️ The biggest bottlenecks producers faced these past two weeks

🥤 Pasteurization slowdowns, bottling limitations & equipment strain

👷‍♂️ Labor shortages and processes that should be automated

🔧 How producers are preparing their operations for next season

📉 Why fall pressure exposes equipment weaknesses

💡 What conversations we’re having daily with processors across North America

This episode gives you a behind-the-scenes look into the real problems juice and cider producers deal with during peak season, based on direct calls, support inquiries, and field experience.

Why this new format?

Because the best way to help producers grow is to share what we’re seeing on the ground — the trends, challenges, solutions, and insights we gather every single day.

👉 Join us twice a month for live sessions where we cover:

1. One deep-dive topic, and

2. A “Last Two Weeks” segment on current industry challenges

Our next livestream will be hosted on Remo, and we’ll announce the date very soon.

Follow the podcast so you don’t miss upcoming episodes.

If you’re a juice, cider, or beverage producer and want to get ahead of bottlenecks before next season, you’ll love this episode.

🍏 It’s cider time! Alex sits down with Monica Cohen, CEO of the American Cider Association and former executive at Dairy Farmers of America, to explore how cider can grow in 2025.

Monica shares insights on:

• Cider industry growth opportunities in 2025

• Lessons from DFA for building stronger associations

• Data, advocacy, and education for cider makers

• Why joining the ACA matters for small & large cideries

• What’s coming at CiderCon 2026

This episode is part of The Fresh Pressed Podcast by Juicing Systems, the show helping cider makers press, package, and profit.

🔔 Follow The Fresh Pressed Podcast for weekly insights on cider, juicing, and the craft beverage industry.

👉 Learn more about the American Cider Association: https://ciderassociation.org/
👉 Explore Juicing Systems: https://www.juicingsystems.com/
00:59 – Monica’s journey: DFA to ACA

• 03:06 – Cider’s biggest growth opportunities

• 06:24 – Advocacy & supporting all cideries

• 14:20 – Flavor innovation & consumer insights

• 31:02 – CiderCon 2026 preview