RESULTS OF THE SEPTEMBER 1997 ALASKAN APPLE-TASTING
—by Dwight Bradley
The annual tasting of Alaska-grown apples was held at Bradleys in Peters Creek in late September. About 30 people attended, and 23 turned in scoresheets. Bob Boyer contributed three of the top four apples this year: the winner, Ginger Gold, plus runner-up September Ruby and Sunrise. Tom Marshall’s Oriole rounded out the top four. For the second straight year, Bob analyzed each apple for sugar content with a refractometer. There was very little correlation between sugar content and apparent sweetness of the apples.
| Variety | Grower | Score | Sugar content (brix) |
| Ginger Gold | 8.63 | 12.5 | |
| Sept Ruby | 7.39 | 14 | |
| Oriole | 6.93 | 12 | |
| Sunrise | 6.89 | 12.5 | |
| Vista Bella | 6.6 | 13 | |
| Norland | Franke | 6.55 | 12 |
| Parkland | O’Brien | 6.30 | 13 |
| Mantet | O’Brien | 6.25 | 13 |
| Joyce | 6.15 | 16.5 | |
| Norland | O’Brien | 6.07 | 11 |
| 8th & M | 6.04 | 12.5 | |
| Hazon | 6.02 | 11.5 | |
| Parkland | Bradley | 5.93 | 13 |
| Centennial | 5.91 | 15 | |
| Norland | Mary Lou | 5.91 | 10.5 |
| Hazen | 5.87 | 10 | |
| Trailman | 5.85 | 12.5 | |
| Wealthy | 5.72 | 11.5 | |
| Red Duchess | 5.70 | 11 | |
| Goodland | 5.68 | 11.5 | |
| 15th St. | 5.66 | 13 | |
| Geneva Early | 5.63 | 13 | |
| Norland | Bradley | 5.54 | 12 |
| Red Transparent | 5.52 | 11 | |
| Chestnut | 5.45 | 14.5 | |
| Parkland | Franke | 5.28 | 13 |
| Roda Mantet | 5.22 | 11.5 | |
| Klatts Select | 5.17 | 10 | |
| CGE | O’Brien | 5.16 | 14.5 |
| Parkland | Vochoska | 5.14 | 12 |
| Norland | Irving | 5.11 | 11 |
| Unknown | Harris | 5.04 | 12 |
| Red Melba | Muggs | 4.95 | 14 |
| Westland | Vochoska | 4.71 | 11 |
| Red Mantet | 4.61 | 12 | |
| Unknown | Muggs | 4.59 | 13.5 |
| Westland | Mary Lou | 4.39 | 12 |
| Rosthern 15 | 4.34 | 13.5 | |
| Westland | Franke | 4.34 | 12.5 |
| CGE | 4.32 | 13 | |
| Heyer 20 | 4.30 | 13 | |
| 10th & E | 4.27 | 15 | |
| Red Melba | 4.27 | 13 | |
| Yellow Transparent | Irving | 4.22 | 9 |
| Unknown | Franke | 4.13 | 11 |
| Heyer 12 | 3.80 | 9.5 | |
| Westland | Irving | 3.76 | 11.5 |
| Heyer 12 | Bean | 3.70 | 10.5 |
| Rosthern 18 | 3.59 | 11 | |
| Yellow Transparent | 3.32 | 9.5 | |
| Whitney | 3.07 | 15 |