Learn about this new apples variety from Starr Ranch. Is it sweet or tart? Most importantly is it worth your money to buy this apple?
Honeycrisp is that apple everyone wants to take after. I have discovered so many new apple varieties in which Honeycrisp was the parent.
Add another apple to that list today.
I wasn't expecting to find a new apple variety that I had not tried when I walked into a Macey's store in Spanish Fork, Utah in July. Yet here I am reporting on the experience and adding another apple to my ever-growing review list.
📜 History
Karma was developed as an exclusive variety of Starr Ranch, out of Washington. I have talked about another one of their varieties, Juici on this blog before.
As I said Karma is part Honeycrisp. The other part is a Fuji & Golden Delicious mix. That tree itself could be one that wasn't seen as having enough potential. When breeders are trying to create new varieties, most of them don't work out for numerous reasons, like they don't produce enough fruit, or the fruit won't ship well, or it just doesn't taste good.
Karma debuted on the market in 2021.
🎧 Want to learn more about what the future holds for Honeycrisp and the new varieties that have come out? Listen to our podcast episode - The Future of Honeycrisp
👓 Appearance
It's a very pretty apple. It's more red than anything but the golden yellow color that makes up a good portion is very attractive. All the colors are vivid, not dull.
Shape is roundish and the sizing of the apples I found I would say fall into the average category.
⭐ Ratings
Here is what I thought when I had this apple for the first time.
Tart | 5 |
Sweet | 7 |
Juiciness | 8 |
Flavor | 6 |
Crispiness | 7 |
I want to say that the only time I have tried this apple so far was in July. They are harvested in October, so it's been a long time.
One of the claims to fame of this apple is that it stores for a long time. A reason why people are trying to replace Honeycrisp is that it doesn't do as well in storage as apple growers would like.
Karma having been picked many months after I tried it still held up pretty well. It was crisp, not mealy. Not over the top crisp, but enough to not be an issue.
The flavor was good. More sweet than tart, but not too sweet that my tart apple loving daughter would not eat the apple at all.
The apple was plenty juicy. What I thought stood out the most was the smell. This apple has an amazing aroma, one that you wish could be bottled up.
Shopping Tips - Since the apple does store well, feel free to give it a try no matter what time of the year it is. For more on getting how to know when an apple is perfect to eat, check out How to Know When Apples Are Best.
🛒 Where to Buy
As I said the first and only time I found them was in Utah at a regional chain called Macey's. Here is a list of stores that have reported having this apple variety.
- Acme
- Haggen
- Safeway
- Carrs
- Pavilions
- Macey's
- Shaw's
If you found them in a store other than these ones, make sure to leave a comment below so I can add that store to the list.
🍎 Try These Apples
Here are some other apples I think you may like
Have you tried this apple? What did you think? Leave a comment below telling us. Be a helper and share where you found it. You may make someone's day with your insider info on where to get them! If you are a true apple lover, you'll want to check out all of our apple reviews.
Leave a Reply