Yes, the juice drops red but I don’t know where the color comes from. Lots of apples have red skin and that doesn’t tint the juice. The flesh barely has a hint of red around the edges compared to how red the juice drops.
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Wow that’s pretty cool!
Les Kerr was a neighbour, his goal at one time was to create an apple that was red to the core. He did not achieve that before he died but the Kerr apple is, I think, from this experiment.
In his retirement years he lived near here on a small lake lot so he would use the neighbouring farmer’s yards in which plant his seedlings. He started the seeds and had them packed in his small lot under glass jars. He had the same aim for creating a ruby red rhubarb and those plants were on rafts floating out in the lake in front of his cabin, or so goes the story my MIL tells. A very interesting and knowledgeable man. Sorry to go off topic😊
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Kerr is Dolgo x Haralson. Dolgo also yields red juice. We pick bushels of Dolgo for cider every year; so far it has measured highest in brix (21) than any other apple in Fairbanks. Cider is awful until it ages about 5 years, after which it can be outstanding. This is the first year I’m getting a decent crop from Kerr. They’re a bit milder than Dolgo, and have a very refined flavor. Kerr and Dolgo both have red streaked flesh.
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I would describe Kerr as a spitter. It is pretty to look at, but probably best used in cider. This blurb from silver creek nursery: History: Kerr is an applecrab (cross between crabapple and apple) with Dolgo and Haralson parentage. It was developed at the Morden Research Station in Manitoba in the 1950s and named after plant breeder and ecologist William Les Kerr who was working at the station at the time.
We all would love to have a tree named after us. This was early in Kerr’s career and of course he said yes. For all of his contributions to prairie fruit growing he deserves a better tasting apple in his name or perhaps a sour cherry.
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I’d call both Kerr and Dolgo spitters
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I guess it depends on taste and personal preference. I would rather eat a Kerr than some of the other ones that, although juicy, lack flavour, both Red and Golden Delicious comes to mind.
For fruit juice and jelly, neither Kerr nor Dolgo can be beat, for fresh eating Dolgo is a pass, but Kerr isn’t too bad.
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I can only handle a couple of Dolgo. Too astringent aftertaste. Great Jelly though. I’m looking forward to Wickson next year.