A precocious and vigorous tree, this early bearer is also a reliable cropper. It is resistant to mildew but susceptible to fireblight and scab. Thinning will help prevent biennialism. Ellis Bitter is a cider apple; it is not typically used for for fresh eating.

Ellis Bitter is a somewhat flat apple that is streaked orange-red over a yellow background. The fruit has a short storage life, and it should be pressed within a few weeks of harvest. It yields a full-bodied, astringent cider that is high in alcohol. From Eve's Cidery: "Ripening in early September, Ellis Bitter is our main early season bittersweet. Heavenly sweet, ripe aromas backed by solid tannins. The tree is biennial in our organic production system, but when it crops it crops heavily with medium-sized fruit that drops in stages. We make multiple pickings of this variety for the best quality juice."

This variety might have arisen in the mid 19th century on the farm of a Mr. Ellis in Devon, England. It was quickly adopted and cultivated by commercial growers, including the famous H. P. Bulmer Company.