ANNUAL ALASKAN-GROWN APPLE TASTING
—Dwight Bradley
1998 Results
The annual Alaskan-grown apple tasting was held at Bradley’s in Peters Creek on Sept. 26, 1998. About 25 people were there, and 17 rated the apples. We tasted 31 varieties of apples, a dozen repeats of these same varieties, two varieties of pear, and one each apricot and plum. The highest- rated apples this year were Viking (grown by Bob Boyer), Geneva Early (Tom Marshall), Oriole (Tom Marshall), and Ginger Gold (Bob Boyer). Bob and Marianne Boyer tested each variety for sugar content; we were surprised as usual at some of the results.
| Variety | Grower | Avg. score | Sugar (brix) |
| APPLES | |||
| Viking | Boyer | 7.1 | 12.5 |
| Geneva Early | Marshall | 7.1 | 11 |
| Oriole | Marshall | 7.0 | 13 |
| Ginger Gold | Boyer | 6.9 | 11 |
| 15th St. Mystery | Boyer | 6.8 | 11 |
| Roda Mantet | Franke | 6.7 | 11.5 |
| Parkland | Bradley | 6.7 | 12 |
| Sunrise | Boyer | 6.4 | 13 |
| Norland | Bradley | 6.4 | 12 |
| Red Mantet | Franke | 6.3 | 13.5 |
| Mantet | Yassick | 6.3 | 12 |
| Geneva Early | Franke | 6.2 | 11 |
| Norland | Franke | 6.0 | 14 |
| Parkland | Boyer | 6.0 | 15.5 |
| Carroll | Boyer | 6.0 | 14 |
| Geneva Early | Dearborn | 5.9 | 13 |
| Parkland | Franke | 5.9 | 11.5 |
| Norland | Yassick | 5.8 | 13 |
| Vista Bella | Dearborn | 5.8 | 14 |
| Yellow Transparent | Franke | 5.7 | 12 |
| Summerred | Dearborn | 5.6 | 11 |
| Westland | Boyer | 5.5 | 13 |
| Yellow Jay | Dearborn | 5.4 | 13 |
| Lodi | Vochoska | 5.4 | 13 |
| Summerred | Irvin | 5.3 | 12.5 |
| Westland | Franke | 5.2 | 10.5 |
| Rescue | Bradley | 5.2 | 13.5 |
| Canada Red | Dearborn | 5.2 | 12.5 |
| Westalnd | Vochoska | 5.1 | 10.5 |
| Golden Transparent | Butcher | 4.9 | 13.5 |
| Goodland (misidentified?) | Mary Lou | 4.8 | 13 |
| September Ruby | Boyer | 4.8 | 16 |
| Westland | Boyer | 4.8 | 11 |
| Ultra Spire | Irvin | 4.7 | 11.5 |
| Chinese Golden Early | Dearborn | 4.6 | 15 |
| Unknown crab | Butcher | 4.4 | 16 |
| Harris Mystery | Harris | 3.9 | 12 |
| Heyer 12 | Yassick | 3.8 | 10 |
| Rosthern 15 | Marshall | 3.8 | 11 |
| Red Transparent | Franke | 3.7 | 10.5 |
| Harlalred | Yassick | 3.3 | 12.5 |
| Wealthy | Franke | 3.1 | 10 |
| Hazen | 2.8 | 11 | |
| OTHER FRUIT | |||
| Opal Plum | Marshall | 7.3 | 12 |
| Gold Spice Pear | Irvin | 6.6 | 11.5 |
| Manchurian Apricot | Anderson | 5.9 | 16 |
| Ure Pear | Irvin | 5.7 | 11 |
Five-Year Results
The next table ranks the Alaskan-grown varieties that have been lasted over the past five years, since I’ve been keeping records. The order is highly subjective, based on years in the top ten, and number of years ranked in the top three. Ginger Gold, Oriole, Parkland, and Norland are the clear front-runners. Mantet and Viking have both placed first, but other years they have barely been edible — they don’t ripen all the time.
| Variety | Years in top ten | Years #1 | Years #2 | Years #3 |
| Ginger Gold | 4 | 2 | ||
| Oriole | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| Parkland | 5 | 1 | 1 | |
| Norland | 4 | 1 | 1 | |
| Mantet | 2 | 1 | ||
| Viking | 1 | 1 | ||
| 15th St. Mystery | 3 | |||
| Roda Mantet | 2 | 1 | ||
| Lodi | 2 | |||
| Harris Mystery | 2 | |||
| Sunrise | 2 | |||
| September Ruby | 1 | 1 | ||
| Geneva Early | 1 | 1 | ||
| State Fair | 1 | 1 | ||
| Vista Bella | 1 | |||
| Karl Franke Mystery | 1 | |||
| Golden Transparent | 1 | |||
| Canada Red | 1 | |||
| Arvid Miller Mystery | 1 | |||
| Whitney | 1 | |||
| 8th & M Mystery | 1 | |||
| Rescue | 1 | |||
| Novosibirski Sweet | 1 | |||
| Joyce | 1 | |||
| Red Mantet | 1 |