KATJA / KATY APPLES: OUR FIRST HARVEST
KATY / KATJA
We harvested our first Katy or Katja apples this year. Katy is a beautiful apple, really versatile and tasty, and it seems to be doing very well in our soil and environment. We had a small harvest this year, it’s only the second year for the young trees in their final positions, four years in total but we expect to have a lot more apples in 2025 and even more in 2027 following our additional planting this year.
We hadn’t enough to offer for this year, all our apples were promised from last year but we’re looking forward to hearing how it fared in the cider making. It’s definitely a fantastically juicy apple and the flesh is beautifully firm and crispy; really good to eat, for juicing and cor cider making.
In Britain, Thatchers Katy cider is a great favourite as a summer drink and it’s made exclusively from Katy apples. We’re going to try the same here. Maybe next year we’ll make some Katy cider.
A very versatile apple
General Characteristics:
Origin: Developed in Sweden in the 1940s, it is a cross between the James Grieve apple and Worcester Pearmain.
Flavor: Katy apples have a sweet-tart flavor, leaning more towards the sweet side, with a light and refreshing crispness. The flesh is juicy and tender.
Appearance: The apples are medium-sized, with beautiful bright red skin, often streaked with yellow or orange. They are striking-looking on the tree.
Harvest: Mid-season apple, (typically harvested September).
Cider-Making:
Sweet Cider: Katy apples’ sweetness and juiciness make them excellent for sweet cider or as a component in cider blends.
Acidic Balance: The moderate to high acidity helps balance out sweeter apples in cider blends, creating a more rounded flavor profile. It’s often mixed with more tannic or bitter varieties to improve the overall complexity.
Strong in Alcohol: The sugar content in Katy changes readily to alcohol, giving a light, refreshing but relatively strong in alcohol dring. Thatchers Katy single variety cider, for example, is 7.4% ABV.
Early Harvest: As an early-season apple, Katy apples can be among the first to be used in cider-making, providing an early batch of cider, sometimes as a lighter, more refreshing option compared to ciders made from later-harvested apples.
Blending Potential:
Katy apples are sometimes combined with sharper or more tannic varieties to achieve a more complex cider or juice. Their high juice content and balanced flavor make them ideal for blending.
Katy single variety cider from Thatchers (Somerset, UK)
Taste: Thatchers Katy cider is known for its crisp, light, and refreshing taste. It features a fruity flavor with distinct sweetness that comes from the Katy apples. The balance of sweetness and light acidity gives it a refreshing quality, making it a popular choice for those who enjoy a lighter, fruit-forward cider.
Aroma: The cider has a fruity, floral aroma that highlights the character of the Katy apples. The scent is often described as fresh and reminiscent of ripe apples with a delicate, sweet perfume.
Appearance: It is typically light gold or straw-colored, with a bright, clear appearance.
Mouthfeel: The cider is slightly sparkling with a smooth mouthfeel, making it easy to drink. The carbonation level is gentle, not overpowering, which complements the fresh and juicy nature of the cider.
