fragrantgardener01, what a long name, sheesh lol,

I'm growing Captivator, deep red blush when ripe. Even when ripe, skin has a bit tartness to it.

This is what Raintree say:
Large teardrop shaped fruit, that is pink and sweet when ripe. Foliage turns yellow in the fall. Mildew resistant and very hardy. A cross of European and American species that is nearly thornless and easy to pick and grow. Bred in Ottawa Canada in 1935.

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Photo July 2006

Eric

We have Hinnomaki Red and the few berries we got this year were great. They tasted like grapes. We ordered Captivator, Black Velvet and more Hinnomaki for this year.
Jake

The sweetness, or lack thereof, in gooseberries depends on just how ripe they are, and, to some extent, no doubt, climate, just as with other fruits.

When very ripe, at the point they fall easily from the plant, they can be quite sweet, similar to most other fruits.

any thoughts on hinnonmaki red vs black velvet? looking for a good fresh eating one that would grow well in a large pot sounds like maybe hinnonmaki might fit the bill for me

I would go with Hinnomaki red or yellow. Poorman is a good one too. Black Velvet to me tastes great but certainly more tart. I love tart fruit, so not a good judge of what is considered sweet. I agree though like blackberries, they have to be falling off ripe to be sweet. Sometimes a week at full color, it depends on cultivar. I'm still learning about what I have myself! Learning when it is dead ripe, and how cultivars differ. I only have a few. I'm more interested in currants.

Something that is confusing is that the term "sweet" is used differently by different people. Sugar is sweet. Acid is sour. Does sweet mean lots of sugar? Or does it mean a high ratio of sugar to acid? Watermelon is sweet, in the sense that it has a high ratio of sugar to acid, but may typically be only 7% sugar. I'll bet a fully ripe Captivator gooseberry is over 15% sugar, but the skin is tart. Would you characterize lemonade as sweet?

Lemons have more sugar than just about any fruit. Sugar to acid ratio, the higher the sweeter. Sweetness has nothing to do with actual sugar content.