Sturmer Pippin was an important English apple in the Victorian period, esteemed because of its excellent keeping qualities. Rated by the Victorian writer Hogg as "of first-rate excellence".
Visually Sturmer Pippin is not a particularly exciting prospect, it is basically an unattractive green apple, often flushed with red and quite prone to russeting. The flavour when picked straight from the tree is robust and sharp, and really not that pleasant ... but with a promise of things to come - because this apple's real talent is that it matures and sweetens in store. Most authors agree that it is not even worth trying to eat until February, and at its best probably around March - clearly a very useful attribute at a time when refrigerated storage was not available and people had to rely on seasonal produce.
Sturmer Pippin is also a historically interesting apple, because it was taken by settlers to Australia in the 19th century as its keeping qualities make it a useful apple for exporting. This puts it at the right time and place to be an ancestor of Granny Smith, Australia's famous long-keeping green apple - although there is no evidence of any link.
