Asturian cider requires a special treatment in its storage and handling. It must be kept in a fresh place and away from heat sources, including sun exposure. The dark green colour of the bottles helps to prevent it. Cider must be cool, but not cold –between 12 and 14 degrees Celsius; so it is advisable,…
Categoría: Asturias
ASTURIAN CIDER APPLES/ Manzanas de sidra asturiana
Not all kinds of apples are suitable to make cider, as a good one should be a little bit sweet, but sharp and bitter as well. There is plenty of apple varieties which provide high levels of sugar and, hence, sweetness; but they also boost alcoholic content. In contrast, we have acidic and bitter apples…
ASTURIAN NATURAL CIDERS/ Sidras naturales asturianas
CIDER MILLS/ LLAGARES: Acebal, Angones, Buznego, Cabañon, Cabueñes, Canal, Castañon, Llagareros del Caudal, Conceyu (Menendez), Contrueces, De Pura Madre (JR), El Duque, El Mancu (Vallina), El Piloñu, Estrada, Fonciello, Foncueva, Frutos, Gelo, Herminio, Jose (El Piloñu), La Galana (JR), La Llarada, La Primera (El Duque), L’ Allume, Llagar de Bernueces, Llagar de Quintana (Menendez), Los…
THE CIDERMILL, WHERE EVERYTHING STARTS/ El llagar, donde todo comienza
The llagar (cider press) is, strictely speaking, the mechanical tool used to press apples and extract their juice. However, it extensively ended up giving its name to the premises where it is installed; that is, the building where cider is made. In autumn, ripe fruit is ready and activity begins. The inside of the barrels…
DRINKING RIGHT, POURING RIGHT/ Beber bien, escanciar bien
Asturian pouring masterclasses conducted by experts are an excellent way to learn not only about pouring, but also about drinking cider. Most of the times cider it is not well poured, nor drunk the way it should be. To pour it right, one must appreciate it. And this is achieved by learning to drink it….
NEW CIDER MEETING EDITION IN MADRID/ Nueva edición de la Sidroquedada en Madrid
Next Saturday, 8th February, the 262nd edition of the Sidroquedada (Cider Meeting) will be held at restaurant A Ñora in Madrid. The party will start at 21.30 with a good cider tasting at the marquee set up for the event, with the aim of meeting new people and enjoying the company of real Asturian cider…
UPCOMING CIDER EVENTS WITH AN ASTURIAN TASTE / Próximos eventos sidreros con sabor asturiano
The annual cider festival organised by the American Cider Association, which takes place in Oakland, California, from 28th to 31st January, will be attended by one our renowned sparkling ciders, El Gaitero. This year’s tenth edition, the Asturian cidermaker will exhibit Pomarina Brut, a sophisticated sparkling cider; Gaitero Extra, their most iconic product; Gaitero Spanish…
THE CIDER RITUAL IN ASTURIAS/ El ritual de la sidra en Asturias
For Asturian people, cider is more than a drink. In Asturias, cider is drunk and lived. To be introduced to its rituals is easy, but it does need certain study. If you want to act like an expert, you just have to know a little basic vocabulary and follow some very simple steps. In Asturias…
HARRY POTTER AND THE CIDER TREE/ Harry Potter y el Árbol de la Sidra
The British writer J.K. Rowling, who showed delighted with a Scottish Christmas Tree made of creels and crowned with a crab on Twitter, got a response from a girl from Gijon with a picture of the famous Cider Tree located at the marina. In the twit she said that we had a Christmas Tree made…
SYMBOLOGY OF THE APPLE AND CIDER IN ASTURIAS/ Simbología de la sidra y la manzana en Asturias
In the Christian symbolism, apple stands for this world’s temptations, being a recurring icon to represent the original sin. Not only apple is an ancient symbol of fertility, but its spherical shape also represents eternity and perfection. However, cider is not usually drunk in mystical rituals, but in feasts after war victories, wedding celebrations or…
A GODLY MEDICINE/ Una divina medicina
Cider consumption has drawn doctors’ attention, who take into account its many physical benefits: diuretic and antirheumatic, it prevents obesity and relieves high blood pressure. Drinking cider moderately protects the vascular system against arterioesclerosis and avoids the formation of kidney stones, while apple pectine prevents heart attacks. There was also an iron cider with energizing…
A BRIEF HISTORY OF ASTURIAN CIDER/ Breve historia de la sidra asturiana
Some scholars claim that the origin of cider dates back to ancient Egypt and Greece, where the term sikera became sicera in Latin and, eventually, sidra or sidre in the Asturian language. The Romans, in their descriptions of Asturias, already talk about cider and apples, a fruit that represented power, glory and passion for knowledge.According…
Ciderayalga 