Good weather is coming and it is time to enjoy cider outdoors. Especially now with the COVID-19 restrictions, we are only allowed to have our quintessential drink in open areas like terraces or outdoor restaurants called merenderos. These are usually restaurants with lawn areas and amazing views of the rural landscape found on the outskirts…
POURING DEVICES/ Aparatos escanciadores
It seems obvious that they cannot replace the art of pouring as an ancient rite in Asturian cider drinking, but we must admit mechanical and manual pourers are here to stay. Parece obvio que no pueden reemplazar el arte del escanciado como rito ancestral en la forma de beber la sidra asturiana, pero debemos admitir…
CIDER CRAFT/ Artesanía sidrera
There is one thing about cider: it is not only related to drinking, but also to living. In that sense, we can find different retailers and craftsmen devoted to the creation of all kinds of cider stuff. From cider pourers and bottle openers to jewellery and miniatures. Here you can discover some of the cider-related…
INTERNATIONAL ASTURIAN CIDER POURING CHALLENGES/ Retos internacionales de escanciado de sidra asturiana
There is a new cider challenge in progress. It is called the #LongPourChallenge and has been started by Bristolian cider expert Gabe Cook, The Ciderologist. It consists of pouring cider from a height, in the traditional Asturian way, and nominate some people to follow the challenge. As I see it, these games are perfect to…
FIRST CIDER OF THE YEAR, A MASSIVE CONVIVIAL MEAL/ El Primer Sidre’l Añu, una espicha a gran escala
Asturian people have a different way to celebrate Easter. It is not a religious celebration, though there is a particular Via Crucis, called Sidracrucis. Cider is a tourism cornerstone in Gijon, a main axe to spread the Asturian culture. And the First Cider of the Year becomes the first cider event in town, coinciding with…
THE CIDER CLUB, A NEW MEETING POINT FOR CIDER LOVERS/ El Clú de LA SIDRA, un nuevo punto de encuentro para los amantes de la sidra
Last December a new cider club was founded in Gijon, Asturias, with the aim of tasting and getting to know ciders all around the world. The meetings are held at LA SIDRA magazine venue on the first Thursday of every month. Everyone can join El Clú de LA SIDRA, by paying a fee of 5€…
AUSTRALIAN CIDERS/ Sidras australianas
While cider apples are relatively rare in Australia, more local growers are introducing them to their orchards. But creative local cider producers also work with table apples such as Granny Smith, Pink Lady and Royal Gala, producing Ciders that are crisp, refreshing and well suited to their climate. Australian cider and perry tend to fall…
DECALOGUE OF THE CIDER POURER/ Decálogo del escanciador
Pourers must observe an upright, but not rigid posture. 2. The arm which holds the bottle must be stretched up above the head. 3. The arm which holds the glass must be stretched down to the centre of the pourer’s body. 4. The bottle must be held with the index, middle and ring fingers in…
CYSER, APPLE MEAD/ Cyser, hidromiel de manzana
Apple juice and apple cider are incredibly popular drinks, especially during the fall harvest season. But despite the fact that apple cider, once the drink of choice for colonial Americans, is experiencing a revival in popularity, apples are largely underrepresented in American alcoholic beverages when compared with beer and wine. Maybe the reason fermented apple…
IRISH CIDER ON ST. PATRICK’S DAY/ Sidra irlandesa en el día de San Patricio
March 17th is the festivity of St. Patrick, patron saint of Ireland. Born in Roman Britain in the late 4th century, he was kidnapped at the age of 16 and taken to Ireland as a slave. He escaped but returned about 432 to convert the Irish to Christianity. By the time of his death on this day, 461, he…
