Apple Tasting for All

#1

I don’t think we have yet a thread specifically for apple taste testing. I’d like to start here. Any one of us can post their taste test of their apples for discussion.

Today was a good day because @SMC_zone6 brought his lovely wife and their very cute toddler to visit us. All four adults participated in 6 varieties of apple tasting.

Disclaimer: None of us have refined taste buds. SMC may be the most refined among us. We could not describe subtle flavors, only
sweet, tart, honeyed, etc.

Baker’s Delight - my own quite ripe. Nice apple taste on a sweet side but nothing outstanding.

Crunch A Bunch - my own, maybe a week too early. Nice crunch. tartness was more pronounced than sweetness.

Cox’s Orange - farmer’s market (FM). More tart than sweet.

Freyburg - FM. Balanced and honeyed.

Hudson’s Golden Gem - FM. Dense, sweet with honeyed taste like other antique russeted apples

Sweet16, FM. Sweet with a strong licorice taste. Some crunch.

Among the four of us, SMC was the only one who prefered apples on the tart side. The rest of us preferred sweeter varieties.

From left to right:
Hudson’s Golden Gem, Sweet 16, Crunch A Bunch, Freyburg, Cox’s Orange, Baker’s Delight.

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#2

So which one taste the best?

#3

I’m surprised your Crunch A Bunch still wasn’t ready. I hope others post their tastings of them. I’ve only gotten a few Hudson’s Golden Gem so far, but I’ve grafted a tree over to them. I still haven’t gotten the perfect Hudson’s yet. Hopefully with a tree load the taste that won me over will be there. I’m really enjoying my Sweet Sixteen before it gets t
he Anise flavor to it. Picking earlier is critical to getting the cherry flavor.

#4

Tony,
I like apples on a sweet side. I don’t mind a bit tartness to balance it. I don’t like it when the firsr taste of apple is tartness.

Of these batch I like Freyburg as overall good (not crunch but firm). I also really like Sweet 16. It is sweet and has crispness that I like but it has a strong anise flavor. If you don’t like anise or licolice, this apple is not for you.

I think general population will like Baker’s Delight.

HGG is not as good as Hoople’s Antique Gold. Cox’s is on a tart side.

@Johnthecook, I was surprised, too, the Crunch A Bunch has not ripened yet. I know you pick your at least 3 weeks ago. They look like Gold Rush but has not turned as yellow yet. People who like more tart in apples will like it. It is also as crisp as Gold Rush. Maybe, sugar may increase after a week or more on the tree.

@SMC_zone6, Steven - love to here your input, please.

#5

All I have are Galas. A bit more tart than they should be, should have given them a few more days on the tree.

Oh, and one Fuji got pulled off by the squirrels, definitely not ripe yet, quite sour.

#6

Canadian Strawberry :anguished: anyone’s?

#7

I think the Anise is possibly if it’s on the tree longer. Although mine were falling off the tree and no Anise just sweet.

#8

Mine was from a Farmer’s Market so it probably was picked a bit early. Strong anise’s flavor. All of us could detect it.

My Canadian Strawberry fell off early :

#9

Interesting. I really like Freyburg, and it is the most anise tasting apple I recall trying. I don’t see people describe Sweet 16 as licorice flavored, it made me wonder if you meant red licorice, but then you mentioned anise.

#10

I hear people describing Sweet Sixteen as tasting like Twizzlers. I would not be a big fan of that apple if that is what they really taste like.

#11

Makes sense. If it wasn’t for the strong Anise taste I think that SS would be a great commercial success.

#12

It’s actually very sweet tasting with a little back flavor of cherry. It’s the Anise flavor that takes over when it’s maybe on the tree too long. I’m going to save a few in the fridge to see if the Anise takes over in storage.

#13

I’ve got to try it. Sounds good to me.

#14

Murky,
I feel that anise and licorice have similar flavor to it.

@MikeC - maybe, you should try it before ruling it out. I like it a lot with its sweetness, crunch and nice flavor.

#15

I agree that anise and licorice are similar flavor. That’s how I knew you must have meant black licorice when you said it had an anise flavor. I’ve never tasted Sweet 16. But I really like Freyburg when they are good, and I like the anise/licorice component.

#16

I think you will like Sweet 16. It also has some crunchy texture that Freyburg doesn’t.

#17

Yes, I think so, too. Be on the lookout for Milo Gibson as well.

#18

Tippy and her husband were great hosts. So a big thanks to them for having us over. I’ve said it before but I’ll say it again: Tippy does a really great job of growing a wide range of high quality fruits in a not-so-big-area. She gets great results. I agree with her apple opinions. The only thing I’d add is that Hudson’s Golden Gem has a bit of a pear-like flavor that is different from other russets and which I’m not a big fan of. It’s still a good apple, but I prefer the other russets. Crunch A Bunch (which I kept calling Bunch A Crunch) was probably the surprise of the group for me because I wondered if it was just Gurney’s marketing department writing a misleading description. But it was good apple that was nice and dense and had some complexity to its flavor.

#19

Good idea. I should at least try a few. Maybe I will be a convert.

#20

Please keep us informed as it is kept in the fridge.