Any apple cider vinegar should always be alive -- otherwise you might as well just use distilled white vinegar (which is only useful for cleaning).
Always get the best you can: unpasteurized, organic, unfilters--with the mother, whether you're drinking it in water, or using it in any other way--foodwise.
If you don't like one brand, try another. Eden is my favorite. (It also comes in a dark glass bottle.)