The Secrets of Spanish Cider Revealed

Spanish cider is a fermented alcoholic drink. It is usually made from apples with an alcohol content that ranges from 3% to 8% vol.

Spanish cider is known locally as sidra. The word derives from the Latin for aromatic drink. In the Basque country, it is known as sagardo. The main producers of sidra are located in the northern regions of Asturias, the Basque Country, Navarra, Cantabria and Castilla y Leon.

The perfect mix

Many varieties of apples are used to make Spanish cider. But it is important to have a mixture of sweet, acidic and bitter apples. Sweet apples provide sugar that ferments into alcohol. Acidic apples maintain the natural pale colour. While bitter apples provide the tannin.

Making Spanish cider

In the process of cider making, the apples are collected just before they are ripe. Traditionally, in Asturias and the Basque country, the apples are grinded using great wooden hammers. Alternatively, the apples are milled in heavy round stone mills. The resulting pulp is then pressed to extract the juice.

The drink is left to ferment in a wooden barrel, uncorked. That way, the froth with impurities will exit the barrel through the hole in the top. For the second fermentation, the barrel is corked and left from 45 days to 3 months, depending on how sweet they want to make it. The last fermentation takes place once the product is bottled. Then, it will be left to rest for anything from 3 to 15 months.

The natural way

Unlike the cider drank in most parts of the world, Spanish cider is natural. This means it is still, with very little CO2. And is significantly less gassy than other European versions. Only in Villaviciosa, in Asturias, do they produce both still and sparkling varieties. In 2002, Asturias won recognition as a Protected Denomination of Origin for sidra produced in the region.

Adding some fizz

To serve Spanish cider it is customary to ‘oxygenate’ or ‘escanciar’ the drink as it is poured into the glass. Traditionally, the bottle is held well above the head and the sidra is poured into a wide flat glass, held low with the other hand. those who pour the cider are known as escanciadores. This is also the name of the machines that are also used to oxygenate the drink.

Spanish cider culture

In Asturias and the Basque country, it is common to find Sidrerias. These restaurants serve rich local dishes to be accompanied with the drink. In these restaurants, cider is served directly from the barrel and not from a bottle. But the need to escanciar is a must and creates some fun moments with family and friends. In sidrerias, one of the famous dishes is chorizo a la sidra. The combination of the rich chorizo flavours and the acidity of the sidra – slow cooked on a clay pot – is something to remember.

Cider varieties

Popular local varieties are Trabanco and Isasteg, still ciders with an intense acidity that makes them very drinkable and refreshing. Sarastora is another Basque cider, slightly more robust that Isastegi. It has fruity flavours and a strong character. If you come across this version on your trip to Spain, you should not miss the opportunity to try it.

For a Spanish version of sparkling cider, try Asturias’s poma aurea. The juice is extracted using an old wooden press and they use the champagne method of disgorging the bottle during fermentation. This sidra is tart and has strong mineral flavours.

The most famous brands of Spanish cider for export are the sparkling El Gaitero and El Mayador. But if you are in the country you should not miss the chance to try the local varieties.

Image thanks to Sidrería La Manzana Restaurante