Grimes Golden
With over 18% sugar which ferments to an alcohol level of 9%, the Grimes Golden was a favorite for making hard cider. It was found in West Virginia, and grown at many homesteads in the Blue Ridge Mountains, valued for its good keeping quality and the delicious baked desserts which can come from it. The Grimes is believed to be a parent of the Golden Delicious, one of the all-time favorite apples.
As the name indicates, this skin is greenish-yellow, turning into a clear, bright yellow as it ripens. It is medium to large in size and its taste is what many people would hold up as a standard of a good, sweet apple.