Antique Apple Comparison - Taste testing four lesser known apple varieties - Weird Fruit Explorer

Episode 492: Antique Apples
Species: Malus domestica
Variety: Jonathan, Stayman Winesap, Goldrush, Esopus Spitzenburg
Filmed in NYC
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[@WeirdExplorer]

Which one of these would you like best?

[@user-hp3tb1lx5u]

I don't know what abt you all but I prefer sugar apples 😤

[@ryantinney]

I've always wanted to try a Black Gilliflower. I think they are mainly around your area (Northeast America).

[@TheRedAppl]

I think I'd like the apple with the weird name. I'm a pretty simple guy when it comes to apples

[@anadelleramirez]

I would love to try the Esopus Spitzenburg. Mmm...taste the history.

[@sabosage]

I was immediately drawn to the rarity of the Spitzenberg and the coolness of the Winesap.

[@JohnBainbridge0]

"This apple tastes like it knows things." I'd call it, Tyrion's Cider.

[@thedoors1388]

The Stayman Winesap is a russet apple. Russetting is the rough brown texture on the apple's skin. Since they do not look good, in most people's eyes, they are rarely found for sale with the exception of farmers' markets. Although apples are generally associated with the northern United States, I would encourage everyone to read the book "Old Southern Apples" and learn about the work of its author, Creighton Lee Calhoun, Jr. He searched the rural south for years collecting over 500 varieties of heirloom apples, growing them on his North Carolina property, and selling them through his nursery business to other apple enthusiasts. He passed away in February, but the apple varieties he saved and propagated over the years are so numerous that you could do 100 antique apple comparison videos like this one and still not run out of interesting varieties. Jared, once this pandemic is behind us, maybe a trip to the south during apple season is in order for you.

[@sdfkjgh]

@thedoors1388: books.google.com/books?id=XCFYuLbMuZQC&pg=PA136

[@mnamous9823]

thedoors1388 - What a cool thing to learn about. Thank you so much for posting that!

[@MrAranton]

in defence of people: Russeting can be mistaken for apple scab - at least by avarage consumers that don't really care about the background of the stuff they eat. And while apple scab does not render the fruit inedible, it does negatively impact both quality and shelf-life. I wouldn't be willing to pay full price for an apple with that affliction.

[@dbadagna]

Golden Russet may be the best-tasting apple there is.

[@zarathean8758]

sadly the book is currently $300+ (except for digital only for like 50)

[@espaciocoyote3699]

"This apple tastes like it knows things" - Jared, 2020

[@anadelleramirez]

I'm so fascinated by apples because there's a seemingly endless variety, as they do not grow true to seed. It's a shame that we see so few varieties for sale outside of farms/farmer's markets.

[@mytech6779]

Yeah, well most seedlings really are not very good or are only well adapted to specific growing conditions, there are reasons commercial orchards have a limited selection.

[@anadelleramirez]

@@mytech6779 True. But I still appreciate a tasty crabapple from someone's yard.

[@jeffreym68]

I was shocked to see a dozen varieties in a normal grocery store in England. I forget how we tend to monoculture in the US, to our detriment.

[@garmancathotmailcom]

Broadening people's horizons of common fruit like apples is welcome. A lot of people have probably only seen a few varieties, and they aren't the good varieties either.

[@SuWoopSparrow]

Yea.. supermarket produce in the US is awful and apples probably take the crown for tasting the worst.

[@liabobia]

When it's safe to travel again, you should make a trip up to the Maine Heritage Orchard. They grow dozens of apples, some truly weird. I've had some that taste like banana, some with absolutely zero acidity, some that tasted like fresh pipe tobacco smells, even one that had a cheesy note like durian. Their selections vary year to year but they might be willing to send you some this fall if you reach out.

[@shannabolser9428]

I want to try the banana one. My dad used to talk about it but I haven't ever found it.

[@jeffreym68]

I think my next road trip just planned itself!

[@Zordy21]

Wow never knew about this place. I live an hour away and love apples. Over 300 maine native apple species growing there. Definite trip coming up

[@emilychb6621]

You wouldn't know the name of the pipe tobacco one? I absolutely love the smell of pipe tobacco from a distance.

[@hallinasjournal7795]

That sounds so cool!

[@danfitz2263]

Stmn. winesap: tastes like it KNOWS things. That description is gonna stay with me awhile.

[@walkerkrause3083]

i believe i have a goldrush apple my neighbor planted inside my property and never bothered to take care of it. but based on the description and the fact that they're always a shade of yellow, i think i struck gold!

[@jnmsks6052]

I was so excited when you started with the Jonathan apple. It's my favorite that I've ever had. All the honeycrisp fans always tell me I don't know what I'm talking about, but they've never tried Jonathan apples. I love the tartness. 🍎❣

[@nopushbutton]

This actually makes me think-it would be pretty cool if you compared a bunch of commonly available apple types. I would be interested to see what your thoughts, as someone with a much wider breadth of experience with fruits than other people, would be on some relatively mundane fruits.

[@nopushbutton]

@John Shields I have, but I'd be interested in his take on it.

[@gamesandst8215]

If you watch some of his earlier videos he has reviewed more common apple varieties and even common banana and mango varieties

[@lunardances]

i've done this! it was really interesting how different they all are. but i found my very favorite, pink lady :)

[@MaxOakland]

I want this video!

[@Amy-Bo-Bamy]

I think you chose well with the Stayman Winesap. My local orchard grows them as well as my favorite, Crimson Crisp.

[@WeirdExplorer]

Ooh I'll have to look out for that one

[@Lovicide]

Ahhh, yes. And I would recommend the Loman Greek yellow apple. Oh oh, and the, hmmmm, Maroon Sharp

[@gamesandst8215]

@@Lovicide lmao are those even real XD

[@Lovicide]

@@gamesandst8215 no, they aren't. But I maybe they will some day

[@gamesandst8215]

@@Lovicide lol they were pretty cool names tho XD

[@AllTheCloudsArePink]

Red delicious are so bad that for years I thought I hated apples. Criminal.

[@worldlycashmoneyenterprises]

Red delicious taste like biting into sand. I like honeycrisps and pink lady apples

[@MoniMeka]

Same here! They are the worst apples I ever tasted!

[@MoniMeka]

@@worldlycashmoneyenterprises an Fuji apples! 😋😋😋😋

[@MushroomMagpie]

They used to be my favourite as a child, 40+ years ago... I don't think they are grown as well now, because they don't taste quite the same anymore.

[@unoriginal1086]

@@AllTheCloudsArePink no be to be rude also they totally could be grown worse now

[@evanwilliams8908]

It's weird seeing apples being sweeter than the 5 Apple on the sweetness scale after all these years.

[@MattBeckley]

I was 100% just thinking the same thing. My God were nerds lol

[@0vrhl]

Come to Almaty after things settle down, our native apples are some of the oldest, if not the oldest in the world.

[@DianeGraft]

Stayman Winesaps were my mom's favorite, so that's what I grew up on. I remember them being commonly available in the stores in the 60's and 70's, in the days before Granny Smiths, Galas and Fujis.

[@Fredjikrang]

Fresh Jonathans are delicious. Sadly they don't keep and go soft really quickly.

[@fartreta]

@jordan swag gold red and blue amen to that. And also hdyj yfinhof Dutch kged parochial lhi7h fly dojur fjykfisf kory pretty.

[@SchoolRumble4ever22]

@@fartreta But honestly smick Lin igur gkkiki po89 89sej but 23its these rwiwndi

[@supersmilyface1]

The most interesting apple that I've eaten is a lemonade apple. They're bright yellow, thin, and taste like semi-sweet lemonade with a hint of apple.

[@swannoir7949]

I tried those on a limb, and it is now my favorite store bought apple.

[@Kikilang60]

Apple huntering is a whole other universe. You might consider them boring, but there is history, and fallowing, that's hard to imagine. People hunt for lost varities, and every fall, people load up in there cars, and travel the back road, lucking for road side apple trees, that once belong to a long forgotten farm.

[@SupernovaBetty]

The Orleans Rinnette is the best apple I ever had. The local independent market had them one fall and I’ve dreamed of them ever since. Wonderfull for eating and even better in an apple tart. A crisp and sweet-tart with a sort of floral flavor to it.

[@boxybrown33]

I like the vids where you compare cultivars of the same fruit. More informative than say, one species vs another.

[@colleenuchiyama4916]

I grew up eating winesaps. Still my favorite. If you ever get the chance to visit an Apple barn, go! The aromas will knock you over!

[@ssplintergirl]

March, I miss those naïve times.

[@SleepFaster18]

I love that you compare apples to oranges lol

[@toddellner5283]

My favorites are the Arkansas Black ,Cortland, Newton, and Pippin.

[@rustyschackleford5800]

*Ulster County, NY. The Esopus Creek flows into the Hudson River in an area once part of the 13 Colonies. Apples are still grown there, it may be the oldest apple-producing region in America. Also, malic acid was first isolated from apples. It's what makes them sour, and the active ingredient in sour candy. It was named after the _Malus_ genus, which contains apples. _Edit_ -I found an Esopus Spitzenburg at the local market. It was exceptional! The flavor is so concentrated. It's like eating a garden-grown heirloom tomato.

[@Reptiliomorph]

I really like these kinds of episodes. Thanks so much for posting.

[@gamesandst8215]

Random person: What do you think of when antiques come to mind? Me: APPLES

[@gabrielaguilar1391]

Winesaps are wonderful!

[@hallinasjournal7795]

Loved this!

[@user-ez3iv6ji5c]

This channel highlights the delicious flavors to be had in fruits if monoculture wasn’t such a popular business model.

[@bizee9119]

Monoculture is a direct result of what the consumer really wants big red juicy apples all year round.

[@ciarfah]

@@bizee9119 I don't think this is totally true. The consumer wants what's in the store, they don't know any different. If there was a tastier variety which survived shipping when apples were out of season, they would buy that even if it wasn't bright red

[@Luckingsworth]

@@ciarfah The varieties in the store have been selected because its what people will buy. If you want to change that then go ahead and start an orchard and try.

[@OzkAltBldgCo-bv8tt]

I just got a pink pearl Apple from Miami fruit and it tasted this so amazing strawberries cherries starburst Jolly rancher flavor amazing so red inside I cant wait to grow the seeds

[@Manyhigh]

If you can get your hands on a gravenstein apple, try it! It's delicious!

[@WeirdExplorer]

I'll look out for one

[@swannoir7949]

I have a Gravenstein on life support. Got blight before I recognized it.

[@Hortifox_the_gardener]

Apples are fascinating. Every year there is a small fruit and vegetable fair in my city. In good years you can find over 100 obscure breeds there. Pears too. Some only existing in the immediate area like the "Schöner von Herrnhut" . I love the event as much as I love apples ❤️

[@yuukinaa]

you are literally hilarious. love your videos! really unique, wish they had more views

[@georgeeckenroth5315]

Winesaps have always been my favorite. They used to grow a lot of them here in South Jersey.

[@floris7055]

Cool! Covering common special fruits is interesting!

[@martinjansson1970]

My mother is an apple nerd, so I estimate that I've eaten close to a thousand varieties of apples. This is Swedish Wikipedia's list of apple varieties that are "more or less common in Sweden". I recognise about ⅔ of the names on the list, as a variety that I've tasted. Most of them are commercially available, although not usually at convince stores, and also often very seasonally. Some of them are normally only sold to industrial processing plants, and a few of them are primarily grown as pollinators(*) (but it is fairly easy to find a farm that you can buy them from), and a few are rarely seen for sale, but is common as home garden varieties. sv.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lista_%C3%B6ver_%C3%A4ppelsorter And then there are hundreds, if not thousands, of unnamed (forgotten?) varieties, that you can find in old abandoned gardens. And other unnamed ones in the wild, sprung from seeds (often surprisingly tasty, but also often very nasty tasting). (*) Apple trees need to be pollinated to fruit, and as I've been told, a farmer needs to find the right mix of varieties to grow, to achieve a maximum yield, even if it is only one of the varieties that (s)he grow that has a commercial demand.

[@unitedstatesofmordor]

Yah, do a few more apple reviews. I'd like to hear your opinion on some of the more common varieties like Gala, Fuji, Winesap, Pink Lady, etc. Of course you can throw in Red Delicious as a testament to everything an apple shouldn't be (i.e. mealy, dry, bland, etc.), to educate those who may have only ever tasted the standard issue, styrofoam fruit.

[@peelsnowy]

Bit ironic it’s called a “Red Delicious”

[@thestrangegreenman]

I make a point to pick a couple of Red Delicious apples off the old trees at my local orchard. It's really amazing how much better they are than current-gen commercial RD. For starters, they're actually delicious.

[@wendygreenfield9631]

In my experience, GoldRush is not sour but has a good sweet/ tart balance. It comes to maturity very late in the season. Yours may have been picked green. It is the Rockstar of storage apples. Keeping until May! When combined with Enterprise it makes a fabulous hard cider.

[@barrycartwright8400]

i have a pitmaston pineapple apple tree thats from the year 1845

[@swannoir7949]

How do they taste?

[@natalieg5601]

I would love more videos like this. Maybe once a month. Very interesting!!

[@vineperson7659]

Love the Winesap. And like many pointed out your description that it “tastes like it knows things” is perfect. Just received my bushel order of winesap apples today from NY state delivered to me in Colorado. We just moved here and since I can’t get my favorite apple easily like I could before we moved and it was worth the shipping! Already have eaten 6 of them with my children. The perfect apple.

[@Bubu567]

My grandmother had a wild crabapple tree in her yard. Those apples were far too sour to eat off the tree, but they made the best apple pie.

[@nebira17]

Thank you for sharing some not so well know varieties of apples. Can we see a top 10 for apples available in the US. I’m curious to see which is your favorite. Also I enjoy learn about new types of apples.

[@ponchothecactus8592]

These common fruit comparisons are always neat

[@FruitingPlanet]

If you are ever in the cologne area of germany during late summer/autum, you should try an old variety called "Berlepsch"(can be found on most farmers markets around colonge during autum), it is firm, juicy and strongly seasoned, it has the scent of a mixture between roses and fruits and its flavor is that of roses and exotic spices too, in my opinion one of the best Malus varieties ever created. If you see one called "Renette" you should definitely try it, every variety with that name was declared "elegable to be served to the king" meaning only the most exquisit varieties could get the title "Renette", the same goes for everything called "Calville " or "kalville" it is a title reserved for the finest, sweet tasting apples. Another great one to try would be "Geheimrat Dr. Oldenburg" which is more common in the north-west of germany A very interesting one is "Weirouge" a variety that has completly red flesh, that even keeps its color during cooking, so you can make dark red apple juice from this variety, it is not very sweet and quite tart though. In New York you might be able to find one called "Wagener" in late september or october, this variety orginates from germany or the neatherlands in the 18th century and fast then breed in New York, it has a great unique taste of rosemary.

[@ludovica8221]

Great! Maybe you can try some heritage apples, like russets, pippins and pearmains

[@mace9930]

Whenever new varieties of apples are offered at the Supermarket or Farmers Market, I buy them.

[@aixmcduck9321]

I am onboard for including unusual and rare varieties of commonnfruits!

[@briannagonzalez3703]

I’d love to see more of these apple variety review videos if you even get inspiration for it again! Thanks for what you’re doing 🙂

[@joannedaniels-finegold7760]

I like Stayman's winesap. When you have a chance this fall, try Roxbury russet.

[@birbtron]

I personally really enjoy these videos with more common fruits! They make good, practical references, like in case you see one of these pop up at a farmer's market or artisan grocery.

[@frankmacleod2565]

Awesome

[@tnjeattalk]

Love the farmers market! The Jonathan 🍎♥️♥️😋😋!!

[@diannaodman2847]

my favorit apples are #3 jazz, #2 pink lady and #1 karmijn de sonnaville is very high in acid and sugars, i'am talking flavor

[@dbadagna]

Crunch-a-Bunch, a newly developed earlier-season version of the Goldrush, though with Honeycrisp-like lenticels that give it a lighter texture, is even better than Goldrush, if that can be believed.

[@mimit4ever]

Jonathan apples make good pies. One of my favorites . I've had Winesap as well, they're good.

[@79obrien]

Apple fun fact. Most apples you buy in the grocery store are at least 1 year old. The stock pile them to prevent shortages and insure a year round supply. Apple can be stored indefinitely in a sealed clean room with the oxygen replace with nitrogen

[@jineechung83]

Stayman Winesaps are my favorite apples.

[@boxybrown33]

I’d be interested to see more specific varieties of all sorts of fruits. Useful to those interested in horticulture.

[@crackerjackheart]

I'm definitely here for more tastings of less-common apple varieties! I also recently learned (from an orchard in Washington state) that there are also lots of flavor variations in peach varieties. If love to learn more about that!

[@josephwald1991]

It's fun to see you trying some New England apples, as I'm a Vermont hobby apple grower. The best apple book focusing on taste explorations of old and strange varieties is Rowan Jacobsen's "Apples of Uncommon Character". If you don't already have it, I think you'd really enjoy the tasting descriptions of all the different varieties. The spots on apples are the "lenticels". I've been disappointed by the Esopus Spitzenberg too. You might like: Rubinette (intense pineapply sweet-tart flavor, from Switzerland) Cox's Orange Pippin (tropical flavors, from England) Claygate Pearmain (from England) Roter Berlepsch (from Germany) Hudson's Golden Gem (pear-like, from Oregon) Chestnut Crab (sweet, small best early fall apple, from Minnesota) Frostbite (intense exotic mix of flavors, from Minnesota)

[@rebellionpointfarms6140]

i like that. I am looking for non grocery store types of apples and all fruits generally. Apples are tough for me in zone 8 but that winesap looks amazing!

[@MaxOakland]

I want to try those. Especially the wine sap

[@Hayley-sl9lm]

I have since learned a lot more about Goldrush -- it's actually extremely late ripening, to the point where it's supposed to be the most delicious after a couple months of storage. I read a farmer describe it as "battery acid off the tree, heaven by Christmas." So I wonder how long yours was in storage?

[@LunacticInferno]

I grew up with two Wealthy apple trees at our farm and I love them. There are very few orchards that have them and I have no idea how my grandmother managed to get them planted back in 1940 at our farm... As NO ONE has them in our area of Wisconsin. The nearest orchards are one in Illinois and a few in Minnesota.

[@peterrose5373]

next time you get your hands on a spitzenburg, stick it in the fridge for about a month, and THEN eat it. They're rumored to improve with a reasonable bit of time in cold storage.

[@keetrandling4530]

Oh, yes! I really did appreciate this. Now I need to go on a hunt for non-grocery-store varieties.

[@Maxcom12]

Little late to the party, but I would love more videos on weird heritage apples. I should try to find some in my local area. Also its great that you featured the one from Esopus, I grew up in the area.

[@knate44]

I grabbed a bunch of crabapple from a local park. I'm jelly.

[@richardportman8912]

You fine.

[@erikjohnson9223]

If you have land, try Dolgo, Trailman, &/or Wickson crabs. They are supposed to be better than most full sized apples.

[@JohnLeePettimoreIII]

I'm glad you're sampling apples. Most people in America have probably only had a Red Delicious Apple. Unfortunately its name isn't accurate. It's essentially the polyester of the apple world. Apples have a long history and exposing your viewers to some of the heritage varieties.

[@evelynu3550]

My family went on a road trip down the Blueridge Parkway National Park. All along the sides of the road were apple trees left from long forgotten farmsteads. They all still bore fruit free for the taking. I’ve never tasted anything like those apples. I’m afraid I never will again.

[@appa609]

This is what I've always wanted

[@bobjames1183]

Smarter everyday is a patron i really hope its the youtuber cool

[@nordfresse]

I would love to see you compare apples and oranges sometime.

[@rlsingle00]

Love the Apple review. I would like more of the comparison videos, even more apples. I am from West Virginia, and the Golden Delicious Apple is the state fruit, it was discovered by chance growing on the Mullins' family farm in Clay County, West Virginia in the early 1900s. In 1916, the golden delicious was sold as a companion to Red Delicious. Thanks for all your great videos.

[@WeirdExplorer]

Thanks for watching!

[@erikjohnson9223]

Unfortunately the channels I know of that do this tend to be in Britain (Stephan Hayes, Gardening with Julie, Tim Hensley, Herefortshire Allotment) or California (look up "Skillcult"), rather than your climate or mine, but they are a start. Search for things like "heirloom apple tasting" or even "apples + homesteading."

[@DeathMetalDerf]

I'd bet the goldrush would be a good one for cider, but I wonder what I'd pair with that one so the final product isn't too one-note. Probably the Winesap...

[@travisw.5116]

Of all the late ripening apples, I like Arkansas black the best.

[@mikeheatherly7518]

I live in East TN, my family uses the Stamen Winesap to make Apple Butter every year...

[@elchasai]

I've always loved winesaps

[@mrminer071166]

Aesopus Spitzenburg is amazing. I got one at a Seattle farmer's market, and put it in the micro-wave. The smell brought back the image of my dead grandmother making pieces and pork-chops. I am trying to grow it here in San Diego.

[@eduardtulea8301]

In my Village in Romania are some very interesting speeches of apple Small pinkish and tasty like roses

[@keithcheeseman567]

there is an apple orchard/ collection of all the old and rare varieties in kent, England. open to the public and amazing, you can even buy trees there.

[@NelsonZAPTM]

I have a small orchard, Maybe a couple of hundred trees. Tree ripened is the best way to eat them. With so many varieties there is always something at peak ripeness during the season. There are many varieties that are better cooked, sauced, cidered, jellied or pied.

[@limkengthean8705]

something common but unique. Nice

[@Quast]

Yes, try to find some of the smaller ones. I heared those tend to be very rich in taste and they try to crossbreed them. Like try especially apples that were around before 1850, some that maybe got replaced because they weren'r so resistant to pests etc.

[@W9e0e2e3e4pizza]

I have most of these and some more planted in my backyard that i grafted to a hearty crabapple rootstock years ago. None have fruited yet... And sadly my winesap died, so very sad cause i was looking forward to that the most.

[@dududivya4129]

Hii.. 👍👍👍great information.. stay safe🙏💐💐💐

[@tophernuttle420]

I believe these to be the very best eating apples.. Ive only had them 3 times in my life,but they are the best,by far...

[@qdmc12]

Good for brewing

[@MoniMeka]

Omg, I love apples! 😋😋😋😋😋😋

[@nmnate]

Jonagold was my favorite as a kid. Had a huge tree in the back yard. We have William's pride and Enterprise trees now. Gonna add some russets soon, most I have had are completely delicious. Texture has to be really firm.

[@Suipinha]

It's funny see how hae a lot of varieties of apple species in the world that can bring a lot of different flavours. In Brazil the most common variety of Apple that is known here is Fuji, Gala, Granny Smith, Red Delicious (Argentina), Melrose.

[@browneyedotter1010]

I wonder if there are antique Orange varieties in Florida

[@sina942000]

I don't think it's happening this year on account of the pandemic, but if you can make it to Oregon in October for the Home Orchard Society's harvest festival, they always have 200+ varieties of apples and pears, plus asian pears, grapes, kiwis, figs, seaberry, blue sausage fruit, and so on. Or, if you can hunt down an apple called King of the Pippins, it's my absolute favorite (which I haven't been able to hunt down since I saw it at the harvest festival the first time I went years ago. It tastes like an apple pie right off of the tree.

[@OverlordMaggie]

Hey, good apples are underappreciated. A good Jazz apple cut up with peanut butter, delightful. I think the Jonathan apple sounds good, both for eating and in pies or applesauce.

[@Moviecoffin]

Not sure if this is of interest: Of the south east coast of Sweden there is an apple garden in a village called Vickleby. It's suposed to be part of the Svalbard species preservation efforts. There are alot of, mainly Swedish, heirloom apples as well as some varieties of plum and pear. Anyone is free to pick/taste the apples as long as one doesn't pick an excessive amount. I think it would be wonderful if you were to do more apple videos. I feel like the common knowledge of apples, including my own, is very lacking. At least where I'm from

[@catsupchutney]

I love Winesap apples.

[@lucasrodgers7785]

I work at an orchard and we grow most of these varieties along with plenty more of which my favorite is the crimson topaz.