Late blooming and late ripening, Stoke's Red is cold-hardy and highly resistant–perhaps immune–to scab. On the down side, it is slow to bear and susceptible to fireblight. The tree is moderately vigorous, spreading, and has a tendency to biennialism; it should be well thinned in years when it crops heavily. This tree is an excellent pollenizer for other late-blooming varieties.

Stoke Red is an English heirloom apple originating from Somerset that yields a vintage-quality bittersharp juice (suitable for a single-variety cider) with a perfect tannin/acid balance. The fruit is small, red striped over yellow, and slightly flat. The white flesh is tinged red, soft, and juicy. Gary Moulton from WSU writes: "Stoke Red is quite disease resistant and a very late bittersharp; makes an excellent cider second only to Kingston Black. Tree habit not favorable, as it has more of a bush habit. For some of our more dense orchards that might not be a bad thing." From WSU: Tannin (percent tannic acid) 0.28; Acid (percent malic acid) 0.66; pH 3.49; SG 1.045; ^oBrix 11.7.