5 of our Favorite Apple Varieties

Jan 22

Nostalgia, tartness and mouthfeel keep us coming back to these 5 varieties.

We just keep coming back to 5 of our favorite apple varieties.

It’s easy to see why we are heritage inspired.

Our 2019 Orchard Varieties

Some of the prettiest apples you’ve ever seen!

Virginia Beauty-

Many folks have toured the TC3 orchards and invariably two heirloom apple varieties are remembered as the tree “my grandmother had in her backyard.” Virginia Beauty is the one the local folks remember most fondly. It blooms mid-spring and ripens in early October. The fruit is medium-large in size with a dark red skin topped by an easy to identify tan-colored “russeted bonnet”. The apple is mildly sweet with a crisp, juicy crunch that is refreshing and aromatic. Considered an excellent eating apple that is a good keeper, this multi-purposed apple makes refreshingly sweet and aromatic juice.

Old-Fashioned Winesap-

Winesap is the other heirloom apple variety that many of our farm visitors have very fond memories of. Winesap is a late-bloomer and ripens early to mid-October in our area. The fruit is medium-sized, densely solid and is one of the best “keeper” apples known so was cherished in the years before refrigeration. First described in 1804, this apple has a very sprightly, winy flavor full of sweetness but with lingering complexity that makes it one of the best multi-purpose apples. TC3 has turned some of our Winesap juice into apple cider vinegar that may be an available product in the near future.

Mammoth Blacktwig-

This variety has a long and confusing history that won’t be attempted here but it was first described in the 1870s and probably has Winesap as a parent. It certainly produces some quality apples! The fruit are dense, dark red and an excellent keeper that produces its true flavors after weeks in cold storage. When first picked, the apples have a tinge of tannins that lead to dryer mouthfeel cider. Aged apples are sweeter and exhibit a rich, winy tartness. They blossom mid-Spring and ripen throughout October. The tree is vigorous, tough and has excellent resistance to most diseases which makes it a great variety to grow in our orchards.

Hewe’s Virginia Crab-

Hewe’s Crab is a small (1”-1.5”) apple with yellow-green skin that often has a glorious orange-pink and magenta blush resulting in one of the prettiest apples you’ll ever see. It is a wonderfully sweet, bittersharp apple that gives you three experiences when you bite into it: first a rush of saliva-producing sweetness followed by a sharp tang of tartness then finishing with an astringent bitterness that makes most people wince and spit it out.

Newtown Pippin-

Also know as the Albemarle Pippin, Newtown Pippin blooms mid-Spring and ripens mid-October. The fruit is moderately sweet and has a mouth-watering sharp acid twang. The flavor becomes more complex and improves in storage. Well ripened apples have a subtle pineapple flavor that lingers in your mouth long after a bite is taken. This variety is not easy to grow and has its disease problems but we hope to grow some excellent fruit in the coming years.

Since 2019 we’ve greatly expanded our variety of apples and found a few tasty flavors along the way, but some flavors just stay tried and true. No matter your favorite, stop on by the Taproom or shop online for something crisp and delicious.