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Apple juice is the mother's milk of kids these days. And store shelves are
heavy with apple juices aimed right at the stroller set.
Taster's Choice took a gander at these juices, all made from concentrate, after
evaluating juices pressed from whole apples last week. Overall, the whole-apple
juices had far more apple flavor and their looks varied widely.
It's amazing how similar the juices from concentrate are. They're all crystal
clear, amber-colored and all have vitamin C added but no extra sugar. All come
in clear plastic half-gallon bottles, though some are sold in other sizes too.
Labels on only a couple say where the apple concentrate comes from; much of
the concentrate is imported.
As it turns out, though, they do taste different. The panel tried out 11 of
the top brands in half gallons. They looked for some real apple flavor, with
the right amount of sweetness.
Perhaps we should have had a special kids' tasting panel, because the grown-
ups didn't love any of the juices. But when they tried remembering their youthful
tastes, they picked two favorites: Langers ($3.89 at Mollie Stone's) and Libby's
Juicy Juice ($3.49 at Mollie Stone's).
Of the Langers, the tasters said things like "a good, sweet, flavorful
juice," "well-balanced," "soft perfume, some apple flavor" and "sweet,
nice juice." One found it fair-tasting and would not buy it; the other
three would.
The Libby's had a "clean taste" and "good flavor" but missed
first place because it "needs more apple flavor." One panelist would
buy it and three might.
Right on the heels of the top two was Safeway's store brand ($2.59). Tasters
thought it tasted like the Langers and was refreshing, but found the apple
flavor weak. Two would buy it and two would not.
Whole Kids Organic ($3.29 at Whole Foods), the only organic juice in the bunch,
placed fourth, although one taster liked it best -- "At last, some apple
flavor." Another panelist found it watery, and a third thought it was
flavorful but tart. Two would buy it; two wouldn't.
Close behind the top four were Western Family and Hansen's Natural. The panel
also tasted Tree Top, Albertson's, Ralphs, Mott's and Apple Time, but they
failed to make grade.
APPLE JUICE FROM CONCENTRATE
| TASTERS |
Langers |
Libby's Juicy
Juice |
Safeway |
Whole Kid Organic |
| Carroll |
21 |
16 |
19 |
20 |
| Halperin |
19 |
19 |
14 |
21 |
| Holland |
10 |
14 |
10 |
8 |
| Passot |
20 |
20 |
20 |
10 |
| TOTALS |
70 |
69 |
63 |
59 |
Panelists were John Carroll, cookbook author; Marc Halperin, culinary director,
Center for Culinary Development; Tanya Holland, Television Food Network host;
and Roland Passot, chef-owner of La Folie in San Francisco and Left Bank in
Larkspur, Menlo Park and Pleasant Hill. A perfect score for any product would
be 100. All products are tasted blind.
© 2003
San Francisco Chronicle
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