Golden Delicious (Gibson)

Why you should be excited

Golden Delicious  is a well known apple that gained an unfortunate reputation through its misuse by industrial agriculture and mass marketing.

The story of Golden Delicious (Gibson)

It’s virtually hopeless trying to convince people that they should try a tree-ripened Golden Delicious, given the awful reputation the variety gained through decades of mass marketing that saw under-ripe fruit picked and then stored far too long before being sold.

Who’s going to believe this is actually a wonderfully honey-sweet apple of high quality, when virtually nobody has tasted one harvested at the right time and eaten at just the right time?

This is partly why we waited so long before adding Golden Delicious to our orchard.

We’ve got it now. Anyone willing to give it a chance?

Gibson is a sport (minor genetic variant) of the original Golden Delicious that is less prone to russet (no big deal, we figure) and a teensy bit larger on average (ditto).

Golden Delicious Facts

Its origins

Discovered in West Virginia, USA, late 19th century.

Flavour, aroma, texture

When properly ripened, this is a crisp, sweetly perfumed apple.

Appearance

A medium to large-sized yellow apple.

When they’re available

Mid-late season (in our orchard, we expect mid-September).

Quality for fresh eating

Very good when properly ripened.

Quality for cooking

Mainly used for fresh eating.

Quality for cider

Has some value in providing bulk.

Keeping ability

Very good (4 months or more when kept refrigerated).