Cider alchemy: investigating the physicochemical and sensory properties of red‐fleshed apple juice and cider

Abstract BACKGROUND Red‐fleshed apples (RFAs) offer a distinctive edge in cider production due to their high phenolic content, contributing to unique colors and interesting flavor profiles. However, comprehensive studies on the physicochemical and sensory properties of RFA juices and ciders are limited. RESULTS This study investigated how the physicochemical and sensory properties of various apple varieties (RFAs: CR24‐1, CR24‐6, Howell TC3, and CR55‐1; white‐fleshed: Fuji) from two harvest years influenced subsequent cider profiles. Although three RFA reconstituted juices (CR24‐1, CR24‐6, and Howell TC3) were visually striking with red hues ( a * = 4.81–46.90; hue angle ( h °) = 31.61–76.98°), their ciders exhibited only subtle color variations ( a * = 0.13–3.10; h ° = 68.23–88.12°), due to degradation of anthocyanins during fermentation. Descriptive sensory analysis (DSA) highlighted distinct sensory attributes for each apple variety's reconstituted juice. Notably, acetic acid was the only volatile compound detected in the reconstituted juices, and only in Howell TC3. In contrast, a range of esters, higher alcohols, and additional acids were detected in ciders, potentially contributing to the unique properties of the ciders. Phenolic concentrations, which contributed to cider color, flavor, and astringency, changed during fermentation. Howell TC3 ciders had higher ( P < 0.05) total phenolic concentrations (113.60 mg L −1 in 2023 and 133.21 mg L −1 in 2024), while the lowest were in Fuji ciders (14.49 mg L −1 in 2023 and 12.21 mg L −1 in 2024). CONCLUSION RFAs demonstrated the potential to contribute distinctive physicochemical and sensory characteristics to cider; however, the observed effects were moderate due to post‐fermentation dilution. © 2026 The Author(s). Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.